Illustrator snap to issue

I have an issue when I grab a node from an object and I want it to align to a nearest node, line or other object but instead it wants to align with the farthest object or node and or something on the opposite side of what I want to align to. I've had this problem for a few years now and it's never been resolved. It's almost like it's in reverse of what it used to be before CS. Is this a setting or a coding malfunction of Illustrator? This is critical to workflow and it's frustrating when I have to pull out guidelines, so it finds or snaps to what I want.

Another issue is when I hit enter to bring up "move", if I put in 1.25" at 90°, it moves the object 1.25" minus 90°. It only happens with 1.25, nothing else. What in gods name is up with that?