Our BetterMost Community > The Polling Place
Do You Have Any Phobias?
ednbarby:
I don't have a fear of heights. I have a fear of widths. ;)
Actually, I think it's falling I fear. If I'm up really, really high, but I feel secure in the notion that no way I'm going to fall, I'm fine.
I've always lived by the adage that I see no reason to jump out of a perfectly good airplane.
I feared public speaking for years to the point of actually changing careers to avoid it. But ever since I had my son, I've become fearless where that's concerned. If I really know my subject, I'm fine. I do still get freaked out, though, if I realize I don't. I'm not a born salesman. I never was much good at bull-shitting.
As a born introvert, I must admit that the scariest thing I can imagine is walking into a room full of people I've never met before. That's even scarier than jumping out of an airplane.
Oh - and I HATE clowns. Interesting that you bring up the Ronald McDonald thing. I've always wondered why pretty much everyone of my generation loathes them all. Now I know.
Kerry:
I ticked flying and animal (spiders). I'm pretty much OK with just about anything life throws in my direction. Except for flying and spiders. I have a morbid, irrational fear of both. I used to fly as a child and as a young adult, but the older I get, the more I want to stay away from flight and absolutely anything to do with it. I can't be sure, but I suspect it's become worse since 9/11.
I have always detested spiders, to the point where I have become quite paranoid about them; i.e., I'm absolutely convinced they're out to get me! I'm serious! We have some dreadfully disgusting spiders here in Australia, that have the capacity to kill you, if you are not treated with antivenene in time. Once upon a time, in the days before antivenenes were developed, only a couple of decades ago, you would die if bitten by one of these spiders. What an insulting way to lose one's life - to be killed by a hideously ugly big bug! Almost as bad as being killed by a shark. Not exactly a romantic, noble death, to be killed by a fish!
These killer Australian spiders are not restricted to the far outback. I live in a high-rise building, very close to the centre of Australia's biggest city, Sydney. And even here, I occasionally get a spider in my home. I live on a tree-lined street with lots of big, old camphor-laurel trees around, and I guess they live in the trees. I also occasionally get them in my car. I drive a black car and I suspect they think it looks like a tree stump or something, 'cause they crawl inside when I'm not there (god knows how - they're soooo sneaky!), and only come out from under the dashboard when I'm travelling at 60 kph across the Harbour Bridge! I told you, they're out to get me!
I have all sorts of strategies to get rid of them, including a regular spray of special anti-spider surface spray to the exterior and interior of my car. I also carry a fly-swatter in my car!
Spiders? Ugh! Shudder!
ednbarby:
You bring to mind an important point, Kerry. It's not flying I fear - it's crashing. Thus, I *really* dislike take-offs and landings/descents. But once we're up there at altitude, even if it's a little bit bumpy, I'm in heaven. That's my Zen state. I especially love flying on a clear night when you can look down and see the lights of the cars on the highways and such. Seeing how small everything looks from above works like nothing else to put all my little worries and insecurities into perspective.
Spiders don't bother me much. But if I see one in my bedroom at night before going to bed, I catch it and release it outside. Or if that's not feasible, I kill it. Sorry, but I can't stand the thought of that little bugger biting me in my sleep. Don't you hate it when you wake up and have one or two or three nasty bug bites on you that you know you didn't have when you went to bed the night before? I just had that happen last week. Stripped the bed and set off one of those bug-killer bombs in the bedroom while I was at work, and lo and behold, no more bug bites. Blech.
moremojo:
--- Quote from: Kerry on May 14, 2007, 03:10:35 am ---I ticked flying and animal (spiders). I'm pretty much OK with just about anything life throws in my direction. Except for flying and spiders. I have a morbid, irrational fear of both. I used to fly as a child and as a young adult, but the older I get, the more I want to stay away from flight and absolutely anything to do with it. I can't be sure, but I suspect it's become worse since 9/11.
--- End quote ---
I can definitely sympathize with your feelings on flying, Kerry (and I, too, did it some in my younger days, and now can't fathom ever doing it again).
I did wonder, though, how isolating that might be for you Down Under, where I have the impression that air travel is such a paramount means of getting around the country, not to mention visiting overseas. Here in the States, which like yours is a vast country, flying-phobes such as myself can conceivably board a train, car, or bus and cross over into Canada or even, theoretically, go as far in the opposite direction as Central America. And though long distances often separate the various American cities and towns, there are always even small hamlets along most of the land routes one can take, to accommodate in terms of lodging, nourishment, and rest. In Australia, I have the impression that the interior of the country is largely empty of human habitation, so that though one can drive as far as the roads will take them, one must be very well prepared in terms of fuel and food lest one not encounter another community for many hundreds of miles.
Just wondering, and I beg the pardon of anyone reading if I unintentionally offended with my ruminations.
Kerry:
--- Quote from: ednbarby on May 14, 2007, 11:41:20 am ---Spiders don't bother me much. But if I see one in my bedroom at night before going to bed, I catch it and release it outside.
--- End quote ---
I've heard this said before here at BetterMost. There was another thread somewhere where the despicable subject of spiders was raised and someone said that they always caught spiders they found in the house, and released them outdoors. Spiders must be different overseas. Or slower, anyway. Because Australian spiders travel at the speed of light! The huntsman spiders that I occasionally find in my place are not deadly, but they can give you a nasty bite. They're big and hairy and can move so fast, they'd win gold in the Olympics! It's impossible to pick them up. Ugh, I'm shuddering just thinking about it!
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