| So I have a phobia. I actually hesitate to share it in a public forum. So irrational is this fear that I actually worry that one of my enemies will use it against me one day. What is it? I'm terrified of snakes. I blame this condition on my family (and really what can't I blame them for?). My grandmother was bitten by a water moccasin when she was young. So she has a good reason for her own fear. But she passed this on to my mother. Who passed it on to me. I'm not sure at what age the fear clicked on. I recall being in preschool and happily holding a garter snake someone brought in for show and tell. But later, when I was in high school, I was in my backyard and saw a rock. I said to myself, "There's a snake under there." But instead of listening to my instincts, I flipped the rock over. Sure enough, a seven-foot long black mamba hissed and jumped at me. Okay, maybe I'm exaggerating. Maybe it was really a four-inch-long garter snake. But in my mind, it was a deadly black mamba (pronounced ma'amba a la the Crocdile Hunter, may he rest in peace). Since that day, I--like my mother and grandmother before me-- swear I can smell snakes before I see them. They smell like dirt and evil, FYI. After The Incident, I've avoided snakes at all cost. I refuse to walk in the woods without making enough noise to scare off any scaled creatures lurking in the underbrush. And forget about walking in the woods at night. I'm convinced--despite scientific evidence to the contrary--that snakes congregate in the woods at night to hatch their evil plans to take over the world. It's like an evil snake summit. And to that I say, "No thanks!" I managed to avoid snakes for years until the time we took Spawn to a nature museum. They had a snake exhibit and a worker had some kind of snake out of the box for people to pet. Not sure the kind. Anyway, Spawn wanted to pet it, of course. And Mr. Jaye, who loves to torture me, suggested I show Spawn how it's done. Not wanting to let my son know how much of a wimp I am, I reached a shaking hand forward and touched it. The good news it, the snake didn't bite or hiss or do anything other than look really bored. Nevertheless, I still broke out into a cold sweat and had to leave the room. You'd think with all this that I'd avoid snakes in my fiction. But my fear of them is precisely why I've used them in the last two books I've written. They show up in descriptions (he smiled like a cobra), in settings (a tapestry showing the snake in the Garden of Eden), and in the book I'm working on a snake actually plays a role in a pivotal scene. Why would I do this to myself? After all, I'm a visual writer, and every time I write a scene with a snake, I have to resist the urge to check under my desk just in case a snake is waiting to strike. The truth is, writers have to face their fears on the page. Picking at these sensitive areas (Mark will have a field day with that phrasing, I'm sure) benefits the story. It allows you to mine the visceral and emotional reactions you yourself have had to these fears and add three-dimensions to your character's reactions to them. What are some of your phobias? |
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I have only one real phobia... snakes. I hate them with a passion...I can't even watch a tv show with them without getting a panic reaction. It all resorted from an incident when I was a kid... I went canoeing and a small garter snake was hiding under my seat... it popped its head out. The rest as one can imagine was history.
You've preempted me from making any sort of comment. Now I'm frustrated.
Oh...and spiders make me want to go crazy and burn down the house.
That line from Indian Jones and Raiders of the Lost Ark keep coming to mind now. "Snakes! Why did it have to be snakes."
I'm not overly fond of snakes or spiders, but I think my biggest fear is heights. I can't even get halfway up a ladder without vertigo setting in.
I can handle snakes, as long as I know they aren't poisonous. I'll hold a big fat Boa Constrictor as long as you like.
But get me in a room with a spider and I will have a full on panic attack.
I also really hate driving over bridges.
But mostly I am absolutely terrified of being chased. Tag is not something I can participate in, even with small children. I have nightmares about it. I make everyone walk in front of me.
Marniecolette, I hear ya, sister.
Mark, preempting was the plan. Spiders don't bother me. Nor, strangely, do frogs or lizards.
Daelith, fear of heights must be harder than fear of snakes. You can avoid snakes, but bridges and airplanes must be hell for you.
Hoodie, bridges make me nervous. I'm always worried I'll sneeze or something and veer out of control. Being chased huh? That's one I've never heard of.
The only fear I have, is fear itself. Sorry, it had to be said.
Snakes? I grew up in the swamps and bayous of deep East Texas, so snakes and spiders are my friend. In fact, since moving to Dallas way back in the Bronze Age (1970), I've seen almost no snakes. BUT this past weekend I decided to throw you the untended compose pile in back, and found a BIJILLION snake eggs. All were hatched but maybe 6 to 8. I smited them mightily (because I didn't know what kind they were). I also saw a rather large king snake near the eggs, but I don't know if snakes tend their eggs or not.
Call me Snakesbane.
BTW, being chased is my biggest irrational fear, too. If I ever have a nightmare, it will involve me being chased.
Tom, I seriously would have moved.
dolls and death.
death and dolls.
*runs away screaming*
Heights. Have hated them like forever and try to fight my fears by climbing tall ladders and working on roof tops and such.
This summer I rode a ferris wheel for the first time since I was a kid and nearly crapped my pants. Everytime it climbed up and the world fell beneath me I wanted to scream "stop this fucking ride!" But my kids were down below watching me and my 2 year old already says dammit so I figured I better stick it out and cry like a baby when no one was looking.
I am terrified of heights. Went to Yosemite and took long walk up a big mountain all the while making my dad walk on the outside edge of the cliffside pathway...so he could break my fall of course. Otherwise, no major phobias have developed yet.
My hubby however screams like a pigtailed schoolgirl whenever a spider comes near. So I put on my big girl panties, pick it up with a piece of paper and put it outside. He's so brave.
Oh, that reminds me. I have a phobia of screaming like a pigtailed schoolgirl. LOL
That's so funny, Sadie.
Cindy, any of the three lines in your comment would make an awesome band name. Clap your hands for Death and Dolls!
Pike, we have one of the world's largest ferris wheels at the Texas State Fair. I'm not generally height phobic, but even a slight breeze means you're doing some serious swinging up there. I hate that thing.
Sadie, I love the phrase "put on my big girl panties." I have a mug with that on it that I use whenever I'm bitching about my deadlines.
Nuts. Evil kid-killing nuts. Not nuts as in crazy people, either... nuts as in... nuts. Ever since my kids were diagnosed with super-severe nut allergies, I literally break out into a cold sweat when I see a PBJ or a dish of nutty party mix... and people touch that... and touch other surfaces nearby... and pretty soon the whole place is a deadly danger zone. I can barely walk down that aisle in the store anymore- even though I know the little jars are sealed up- and that's the truth.
Ryoko, my niece has a severe peanut allergy too. Makes family get-togethers interesting. We have to clorox the house before her parents will bring her in.
Lately, my phobia is thunderstorms. I have **no** idea when that started.