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Friday, January 13, 2012

I Am Afraid of Heights

I have a fear of heights. Some people would describe it as a phobia. As a matter of fact, fear of heights is one of the most common phobias. I propose to you that a fear of heights is not a phobia, it is common sense! Let's clarify that my fear is not really of being up high. I can fly and be in tall buildings. I have no problem with being in the space needle in Seattle... It would be more accurate that I have a fear of falling or someone in my proximity falling. But this is not really a fear is it? If I told you that I had a fear of hand grenades or land mines you would probably see that as normal and reasonable. If you think about it... the thing you hit on the way down from a fall (usually the ground).. is probably the biggest hand grenade of all. So I guess I really have a fear of colliding with something on the way down from a fall. Since this is normally the ground I guess I really have a fear of the ground...especially at high speeds... That sounds better :-)

My fear does not paralyze me. I do fly and have piloted a plane a couple times. I have taken off but never landed a plane. I have also went skydiving before (that is the subject of a different blog...suffice it to say that it was one of the most incredible experiences of my life). How can I jump out of a perfectly good plane at 10,000 feet, yet standing near the edge of my roof is terrifying??? I don't know... what are your thoughts?

My other so called "fear" is spiders... I argue that this not actually some irrational fear...  but others disagree. I am not afraid of spiders!.. I have a healthy hatred for evil, and spiders are the spawn of satan himself. If you look up "evil" in the dictionary, there should be a picture of a spider! On the outside it would appear that I am afraid of them. Others have experienced my high pitched screams and fleeing of the area with my arms waving.... as fear. This reaction is actually a manly battle-cry. A brave announcement to anyone within the area (about a mile or so) that evil has entered the area and that thier lives are in danger. Quite heroic if you ask me! I am also at that time looking for a suitable weapon to slay the evil beast with... for example a flame thrower or rocket propelled grenade. I usually have to settle for a broom or magazine though... since my wife will not let me keep those other items in the house.

Happy Stitching!!!

8 comments:

cucki said...

ohh i am also scared of heights and snakes so much..really i cant stand even the look of the snake..

Chris McGuire said...

Cucki,

So a snake on a roof would be like the worst experience ever :-)

Chris

Freddysmama (Kirstin) said...

Hey, we just found a sequel to that dreadful movie "Snakes on a plane"... "Snakes on a Roof". Add spiders and that's it, the ultimate horror! LOL

I'm not keen on snakes or spiders either. This is a problem being that I live in Australia. I have woken up with a hand span sized Huntsman Spider next to my head. I have had a Huntsman crawl up my arm whilst driving, O. M. G. and the last Huntsman experience was a big one crawling up the dashboard of my car as I was driving home one night. I was only a few hundred metres from home, so when I pulled into the driveway, I sat in the car eyeballing the spider as it continued to crawl toward me, and I rang my husband to come out and deal with it. I didnt' want to jump out of the car, in case it disappeared and the next time I got in I'd have another "crawling on me and crashing the car" experience!

Ewa said...

Needles.

Oh my god. Needles.

*do not read if you're squeamish* When I had my wisdom teeth taken out, they severed some nerves in my chin. That wasn't as bad as when the wound got infected. First they cut me open without anesthetic. Yup. Just went in there with a pair of surgical scissors and started cutting my gums open. Then suddenly someone said, "oh, I guess we should give her some anesthetic." So they put the needle in and the tip of it scraped against my jaw bone - and I heard AND FELT the whole thing. I came out of that office exhausted and sobbing. Now every time I see a needle, even on TV, I start shaking uncontrollably and tears start rolling down my face.

Minnie said...

I hate mice and don't even think about rats. My toes curl inside my shoes whenever I see one. Where I use to work there was a warehouse and we would receive pallets of dry goods and paper bags and there were sometimes mice in them and then in our warehouse. They would stop me dead in my tracks and I would have to force myself not to run off screaming.

Monique said...

I don't have a phobia but I am uncomfortable with heights myself and I hate creepy crawlies.

Caitlin @ Naughts Cross Stitches said...

mmm I'm uncomfortable with heights but SPIDERS! I freak at the tiniest one. But I think I am justified, Australia has something like 8 of the top ten deadliest spiders! I just can't be near them but I'm getting better at killing them myself though I still freeze if they get too close.

L.O. said...

I don't care for spiders after living in New Mexico for a few years. The spiders out there jump at you and it takes breaking a fly swatter or two just to do them in. I think the hardest thing for me was when my son was in the four to five year old range. He wanted to save all insects - including spiders. It about killed me to do it, but I saved a bunch. Thankfully we are over that phase.