Thursday, October 1, 2009

THERE CAME A BIG SPIDER, WHO SAT DOWN BESIDE HER!




Do you have a phobia? I think I have several. I am deathly afraid of spiders for one. If you want to see me act like a complete idiot just let me see one in the room or even worse one should get on me.

My twin daughters live on a farm and I spent the weekend with Anne a few weeks ago. On Sunday morning I got up early and ventured outside on the deck to take some pictures of the farm and the dogs and horses. I guess while I was out there I walked into a web with a spider about the size of a silver dollar in it. I came back inside and sat down in the recliner and happened to glance down toward my chest and it looked like I was wearing some kind of pin or brooch. It took a second for realization to reach my brain that it was a spider but when it did I went into a fit, running, screaming, hitting my chest, and generally acting like I was having some kind of seizure! Of course, I woke Anne up and scared her to death. She comes running down the hall in her underwear yelling at me to tell her what is wrong with me. By this time, both the dogs are scared and barking, too. The poor spider was nowhere to be found. It probably ran under the chair and died of a heart attack but we never found it. I would not sit in that chair for the rest of the weekend. That is Anne's favorite chair and it did not bother her at all to plop right down in it. The spider has never been seen again.

The definition of phobia is an irrational and excessive fear of an object or situation. Arachnophobia is the fear of spiders and my worst phobia. I also have Acrophobia, the fear of heights. I am not afraid to fly but I cannot get upon something that is high up and look over the side. Like being on the roof and looking down or on a high bridge.


I have a friend that is scared of birds and feathers. Some people are scared of snakes. Others are scared of horses, or lightening, or even clowns. There are hundreds and hundreds of phobias.



Phobias affect more than 10% of the U.S. population. When phobias interfere with your life, you should get help.



I know you have heard people say someone has a commitment phobia.

Here are some strange or unusual phobias:

Defecaloesiophobia- Fear of painful bowels movements.
Dishabiliophobia- Fear of undressing in front of someone.
Emetophobia- Fear of vomiting.
Entomophobia- Fear of insects.
Gerascophobia- Fear of growing old.
Papaphobia is the fear of the pope/roman catholic church
Geliphobia - fear of laughter
Nomatophoba - fear of names.
Xanthophobia - fear of the color yellow

I am going back to the farm this weekend to take care of the dogs and horses while the girls participate in a rodeo in Ohio. I know that spider has been waiting all this time for me to return and it will show itself! I think I will be o.k. as long as I see the thing before it sees me.

Do have a phobia or something you are scared of????

23 comments:

Clara....in TN said...

Judy, right off the top of my head, I can't think of anything that I am deathly afraid of. I may have several phobias and don't even know what they are. If I think of one, I will post it later.

Betsy Banks Adams said...

What a cute post, Judy... I'm afraid of spiders also.. Actually I'm afraid of roaches ---those flying ones in Texas or Florida. Yuk!!!!

I also have a fear of falling. When we hike, I have to watch the ground and know where my feet are going. Because of that, I miss alot of the beauty around me.

I don't have a fear of dying --but I do have a fear of living my later years with memory problems --or no quality of life. I hope that doesn't happen.
Hugs,
Betsy

Margie's Musings said...

Unfortunately, I'm not afraid of anything. That's not a good thing at all.

Jeanie said...

I enjoyed your post, and the one before it. I am not phobic about spiders, but I would have reacted just like you if I had found a big one one me. I'm definately not so good with heights. You grandson is precious.

Ann said...

I like you HATE spiders!!

abby jenkins said...

Geliphobia - fear of laughter ! hahahahahaha that is hilarious!

IN the past few years I have come to be not so freaked out when there is a spider around, I think becoming an avid gardener helped my over that hump. I did say A spider, when there are more than one I run for the hills! Over the hill! To the other side of the hill and ask you for some Raid and a big shoe.

abby jenkins said...

WHAT? Flying spiders? hello nightmares!

Ramblin Mama said...

I can fully identify with you with the spider thing! I am absolutely petrified of them and we have woods nearby. A few years ago, my hubby was weed whacking near the front door and apparently frightened one of those huge hairy wolf spiders. I caught sight of him sliding under the front door onto the landing. I swallowed my fear and grabbed one of The Big Guy's size 15 Nikes that were sitting on the stairway, I raised it and whopped it down on that sucker! Got him! Of course, I didn't consider the bounce back factor of a size 15 tennis shoe. I tore the ligament in my thumb when the shoe flipped back against my hand as it hit the floor. I had my hand in a cast for 8 weeks! Now when someone tells me "that spider won't hurt you", I counter with "Wanta bet?"

Balisha said...

I can just picture you...you must have scared your daughter to death! Thanks for the good laugh today.
Balisha

PS...Have a good time on the farm...THE SPIDER AWAITS.

RHYTHM AND RHYME said...

Hi Judy, you couldn't have written this at a better time, I have a deep rooted phobia of Cancer, oh I appreciate everyone has a fear of the "Big C" mine goes back 45 years. However I have just had an adnormal cevix smear result and have to go to the hospital for another test next Tuesday, to say I am frightened is an understatement, Having my husband die of Cancer and my eldest diagnose 2 years ago it is the most frightening situation for me at the moment.

Yvonne.

Anonymous said...

maggots!!! they make me feel sick

Jamie Dawn said...

I always enjoy your posts. You bring up interesting subjects.
I'm very glad I don't have Geliphobia. I love to laugh!
I fear spiders and snakes.

Have fun at the farm. That spider is biding its time, and will most likely come to visit you while you are asleep.
:-) Nope. It is long gone by now. Don't worry.

Joanna Jenkins said...

I feel about snakes the same way you feel about spiders! They creep me out!
Be careful on your next visit. I'd be carrying a broom round and waving it in front of me to catch the webs before they catch me.
xo

Grammyof13 said...

It isn't you I'm laughing at, but the picture you paint!! It is like a visual before my eyes, as you look down for a split second before it gets to your brain - you have a spider on you. The rest is a rip roar of a laugh. Sorry.

My only life long phobia is fear of close places - clostrophobia (sp?) I have some funny stories when I look back. However they weren't funny at the time. Just don't act like you are going to touch my nose or mouth. Think of me at a Dentist office?

Grammyof13

Margaret Cloud said...

Judy, I actually laughed out loud as I was reading your story, I can just see you and when it came to you telling about the dogs barking I really laughed, that had to be some scene. I am deathly afraid of snakes, or anything that resembles them.

Rachel said...

First of all, I'm sorry I missed your birthday, so Happy Belated Birthday!!! And Many More!!!!!

I do not like heights, or being in close spaces. Elevators I can do but I'm not crazy about them and am always thankful when the door opens!

I am not fond of spiders either. I think you probably gave that one a heart attack and he is only a dried up little speck now!! I had to laugh at you describing the whole ordeal. I'll bet it near scared your daughter to death!!

I guess heights is the worse for me.

Beth said...

Oh my, Judy...I hope you don't mind that I was laughing out loud when I read this. Not that finding a spider on yourself is funny, but your account of it was just so vivid and lively that I could picture the whole scene so readily! Such a great post.

The same thing just happened to me the other morning. I get up very early to fix Tom's lunch and stand on the porch in the dark to see him off. We have these enormous spiders that build their webs on the porch at night and I apparently blundered into one of their webs. I felt the web on my face and then felt something thump into the top of my head and move about in my hair. Thank goodness none of our neighbors was awake at that time of the morning because I screamed bloody murder and slapped at my head repeatedly like a demented woman. I think that spider probably died of shock, but I kept imagining all day that I felt it crawling in my hair.
*Shudder*

RHYTHM AND RHYME said...

Thanks Judy for your visit and best wishes, much appreciated.

Yvonne,

Nezzy (Cow Patty Surprise) said...

My father who is 6'3 would call me to stomp a spider when I was small. I am terrified of storms. I went through a tornado when I was three and have been very afraid since. Boy, do I live in the wrong part of the country!

If you haven't already pop over to my blog and scroll down to the Itsy Bitsy Spider and check out the beautiful spiderweb I spotted on my deck one morning.

Enjoy your fantastic fall day!!!

Amber Star said...

I laughed so hard at your spider story. I'm not fond of snakes or spiders, but I'm not phobic about them either. My daughter is. I do not know what is wrong with her. A tiny little bug will send her into orbit and she has a job that would put me in a panic everyday.

I guess the closest I come to a phobia is fear of public speaking. I nearly got totally over it while I was working, but now that I'm retired my AARP group would like me to be a volunteer coordinator for them. We will see if I'm "cured"

Oh yeah...about the blue portapotties...I noticed when we were in Hot Springs a few years ago that the fire hydrants are bright blue. My thinking is that it is so they can be found when the foliage turns in the fall.

Jody said...

Very good post. The "Defecaloesiophobia" made me LOL. I definitely have a fear of that, but I think everyone does. It has to be normal. LOL

Anne and Leigh said...

I feel that way about snakes! Mom, we never did find that spider! hahah

Aleta said...

I'd be jumping around like a mad woman if a spider was on me too!! SNAKES - my biggest phoebia. Makes my skin creep just to type it!