Ship of Fools: That scares the @#$!% out of me....

Thread: That scares the @#$!% out of me.... Board: Oblivion / Ship of Fools.

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Posted by BessLane (# 15176) on :

I have some very odd phobias. I will not touch a fluorescent light bulb (the long ones or the curly ones) because they are explody and untrustworthy. I won't touch a marshmallow. They are squishy and catch on fire very easily. I realize these are odd things to be afraid of, but so be it. So does anyone else have an "odd" fear?

Posted by cliffdweller (# 13338) on :

Maybe not a phobia, but I will feel uneasy around giant flags-- every now and then will drive by a (usually American) flag that's just massive and out of proportion. Something about that just disturbs me.

Posted by Lyda*Rose (# 4544) on :

My fear isn't unusual, but my solution to it may be. I am not crazy about heights, especially the edges of cliffs like at the Grand Canyon which I love to visit. I've decided that if I stay one and a half full body lengths from the edge, I can't fall over. So then I am free to enjoy the view in the knowledge I am safe. (I might feel differently in a high wind. [Eek!]

)

[ 18. March 2016, 23:48: Message edited by: Lyda*Rose ]

Posted by Lothlorien (# 4927) on :

Birds. Wild birds are usually fine, in cages sort of ok although I would prefer them free. But flapping around me as my grandmother's budgerigar used to out of cage, or at sanctuaries like Currumbin on Gold Coast where they land on visitors at feeding time? That is terrifying

Posted by jacobsen (# 14998) on :

I don't know if this is fear or simply distaste, but I would hate to handle a slug. And large-bodied spiders are not nice, either.

Posted by Adeodatus (# 4992) on :

Wind turbines. When they're moving they look out of control and might kill you in needlessly slicey ways at no notice.

Posted by Boogie (# 13538) on :

Large earth moving machinery *shudder*.

Posted by Schroedinger's cat (# 64) on :

Life

Posted by LeRoc (# 3216) on :

Crowds.

Posted by Ariel (# 58) on :

Crane flies. I know they're harmless but they look just like flying spiders and they stagger and drift all over the place. The more you flap them away, the more they come towards you.

Trying to sleep with one in the room is a nightmare as their tendril legs suddenly tickle across your face and drift towards your mouth and nose in the middle of the night, causing you to suddenly wake up and scramble away screaming in the darkness. Then you remember that screaming means you've got your mouth open and they might get in.

Posted by Doone (# 18470) on :

Me too, Ariel [Paranoid]

Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :

Mould, especially on food. **shudder**

If I find something that's gone bad in the fruit-basket, I have to get D. to throw it away - if he's not around, I can just about manage to pick it up through a wad of kitchen-paper, but it still makes me cringe.

[Eek!]

Posted by Ariel (# 58) on :

How are you on blue cheese?

Posted by Bene Gesserit (# 14718) on :

quote:
Originally posted by Ariel:
Crane flies. I know they're harmless but they look just like flying spiders and they stagger and drift all over the place. The more you flap them away, the more they come towards you.

Trying to sleep with one in the room is a nightmare as their tendril legs suddenly tickle across your face and drift towards your mouth and nose in the middle of the night, causing you to suddenly wake up and scramble away screaming in the darkness. Then you remember that screaming means you've got your mouth open and they might get in.

Hear, hear!! Crane flies are truly disgusting. [Projectile]

Posted by Galilit (# 16470) on :

Lawnmowers.
They are so noisy and cruel and almost always barely under the control of the mowing person who is a hater of grass and a control freak.
Ditto the sharp, horrid, mean and nasty single-wheel-y thing that they push around the edges of lawns cutting earthworms in half every revolution of their sharpened blade thingy.

Posted by Bob Two-Owls (# 9680) on :

Children, since I left teaching I get very anxious if young children come near me. I'm fine with teenagers, its just the younger kids and especially toddlers that creep me out.

Posted by North East Quine (# 13049) on :

Steel tape measures. I don't like the way they flop over and bend when extended. I don't trust them not to suddenly retract, taking my fingers with them.

Posted by Firenze (# 619) on :

quote:
Originally posted by Piglet:
Mould, especially on food. **shudder**

The slightest trace of butter in the Marmite or the jam. It turns me, as they say at home.

Posted by Sioni Sais (# 5713) on :

Fish

Not on plates, or even at the fishmongers, but live fish of any size give me the willies, whether they are in the sea, a river or an aquarium. I can appreciate the beauty of a manta ray, but I don't want to be confronted by one or even a 400lb halibut (which are almost as ugly as cod, but taste better).

Posted by Lamb Chopped (# 5528) on :

There's a particular song that was big during 1968 or so which used to make me terrified every time it came on the radio. I was about two. Even now when it (rarely) comes on it gives me mysterious horror (something about the tune). Brrrrrrr.

Posted by Dafyd (# 5549) on :

I have a slight fear of heights. Usually it's just slight. However, if I'm high up and there's something with no support from below at about my eye level, whether hanging from the ceiling, or the ceiling itself, I get the complete wobblies.

Posted by Sandemaniac (# 12829) on :

Touching nylon mesh. This may be a throwback to the 1970s, era of nylon shirts, where I burnt holes in not onee but two of the things by leaning against a Rayburn, but touching the stuff gives me the heebies.

AG

Posted by Brenda Clough (# 18061) on :

There is an entire phobia about small holes. Naturally I have forgot the word for it, but it is not rare.

Posted by Pigwidgeon (# 10192) on :

Puppets -- the marionette kind, not hand puppets.

When I was about two or three I went to a puppet show of "Jack and the Beanstalk" with my mother and sister and spent the whole time sitting in my mother's lap, sobbing on her shoulder. (I only vaguely recall this, but my mother spoke to me about it years later. I don't know if I had to sit through the whole thing or if Mom took me out when it was too excruciating.)

The movie Parable came out when I was in high school, and we watched it at our Youth Group meeting. I think I had nightmares that night.

Even the music of Petrushka can sometimes creep me out.

Posted by Angel Wrestler (# 13673) on :

Tree fungus creeps me out!!!

Posted by Mamacita (# 3659) on :

Snakes. I say no more.

Posted by Sparrow (# 2458) on :

Clowns.

Posted by Schroedinger's cat (# 64) on :

quote:
Originally posted by Ariel:
Crane flies. I know they're harmless but they look just like flying spiders and they stagger and drift all over the place. The more you flap them away, the more they come towards you.

Trying to sleep with one in the room is a nightmare as their tendril legs suddenly tickle across your face and drift towards your mouth and nose in the middle of the night, causing you to suddenly wake up and scramble away screaming in the darkness. Then you remember that screaming means you've got your mouth open and they might get in.

This is supposed to be strange phobias, not perfectly reasonable fear of the beasts of hell.

Posted by jedijudy (# 333) on :

When I worked in a restaurant, the fish was thawed in water in a cooler. The warm water fish sometimes had worms, and they would be floating above the fillets which really creeped me out. My lovely co-workers noticed and one time put a cooked spaghetti noodle on my shoulder as I was getting ready to prep the fish. They thought it was funny that I did the silent scream and almost fainted.

Posted by Kittyville (# 16106) on :

In the unlikely event that I visit Florida (distance reasons, nothing more), I will not be eating fish...

Posted by Amanda B. Reckondwythe (# 5521) on :

Tattooed women. They're going to look very funny as little old ladies.

Posted by Doone (# 18470) on :

quote:
Originally posted by jedijudy:
When I worked in a restaurant, the fish was thawed in water in a cooler. The warm water fish sometimes had worms, and they would be floating above the fillets which really creeped me out. My lovely co-workers noticed and one time put a cooked spaghetti noodle on my shoulder as I was getting ready to prep the fish. They thought it was funny that I did the silent scream and almost fainted.

Posted by Lyda*Rose (# 4544) on :

quote:
Originally posted by Amanda B. Reckondwythe:
Tattooed women. They're going to look very funny as little old ladies.

Tattooed anyone. My dad, an old navy man, who had seen plenty of old sailors with indecipherable blobs on their arms, agreed with this sentiment.

Posted by Lucia (# 15201) on :

As a child I had a great fear of the gratings in swimming pools where the water either came in or went out. If I accidentally put my foot on one I would panic! Not sure what I thought was going to happen... Maybe I imagined I was going to be sucked in! Even now I don't like them and try to avoid touching them.

[ 20. March 2016, 13:11: Message edited by: Lucia ]

Posted by BessLane (# 15176) on :

Lucia just brought back an old odd childhood fear....I didn't like pools with diving boards because I was convinced sharks lived under the shadow of the board and would swoop out to eat me if I dipped so much as a toe in the water....
Now I'm grown and know sharks don't live in swimming pools, so I just avoid being eaten by sharks by not going in the ocean [Big Grin]

Posted by Nicolemr (# 28) on :

Not really a serious fear, but something that makes me nervous is walking across gratings in sidewalks. Not because I'm afraid they might give way or anything, (which might be rational) but because I can't shake the fear that a piece of my jewelry might fall off and fall through the grate.

Posted by Amanda B. Reckondwythe (# 5521) on :

quote:
Originally posted by BessLane:
Now I'm grown and know sharks don't live in swimming pools, so I just avoid being eaten by sharks by not going in the ocean

I don't like swimming in either fresh or salt water for fear of being nibbled at by any kind of fish, sharks or otherwise. I only swim in pools.

Posted by Graven Image (# 8755) on :

Like Sparrow I also do not like clowns. They all give me the creeps. If one appears around me I close my eyes. I do not understand what people find funny about them.

I am find with bugs, and snakes and such but a clown sends me fleeing from the area. [Waterworks]

Posted by Pigwidgeon (# 10192) on :

quote:
Originally posted by Nicolemr:
Not really a serious fear, but something that makes me nervous is walking across gratings in sidewalks. Not because I'm afraid they might give way or anything, (which might be rational) but because I can't shake the fear that a piece of my jewelry might fall off and fall through the grate.

I've never had jewelry fall through one, but many years ago my key ring fell open as I was opening my car -- there went my car and apartment keys! (By some stroke of luck I had a spare car key in my purse.)

Posted by Nicolemr (# 28) on :

Funny thing, Pigwidgeon, losing her keys was always my mother's fear about grates. I always felt it was more rational than mine, too.

Posted by Galloping Granny (# 13814) on :

quote:
Originally posted by Lothlorien:
Birds. Wild birds are usually fine, in cages sort of ok although I would prefer them free. But flapping around me as my grandmother's budgerigar used to out of cage, or at sanctuaries like Currumbin on Gold Coast where they land on visitors at feeding time? That is terrifying

You share that not with me but with my neighbour. Last year her cat brought a starling in, and I was called on to rescue the bird while she stayed out of the way. Hardest part was getting the cat out of the room where the bird was. I had to kick him – gently, of course.

GG

Posted by Lothlorien (# 4927) on :

I minded my dad one day when mum came down to city. He had dementia and needed somone in house. It was winter in BlueMountains with flurries of snow. I heard a big bang on back verandah. A bird had hit the glass in southern end and broken its neck. Even though it was dead, I could do nothing. I rang a neighbour and he came and got rid of it.

I have despatched and buried rabbits but could not go near that bird.

[ 21. March 2016, 07:52: Message edited by: Lothlorien ]

Posted by Boogie (# 13538) on :

I used to breed cockatiels which flew free in the house, when my friend visited I had to put them in their cages. When I asked why she said "I'm afraid they'll get tangled in my hair" I reassured her that never happened.

(They didn't make a mess as only pooped when roosting in their cages)

The next day one of my birds got tangled in my hair! It was quite a job stopping it flapping to untangle it.

[Smile]

Posted by Doone (# 18470) on :

Though not one of mine, I know two people who are terrified of balloons (the small party type, not the hot air). One of them just shakes and can't move if one is in the room, a real problem at parties, Fayres and such.

Posted by LeRoc (# 3216) on :

I used to be, not afraid of dogs, but not very good around them. It's amazing how quickly having a dog myself cured me of that.

Posted by starbelly (# 25) on :

Razor blades, the thought of them makes my blood run cold. I think it is a perfectly rational fear though.

Neil

Posted by Dormouse (# 5954) on :

Dirty grubby bits of paper make me retch. No idea why. Peeling stubborn stickers off items is a bit of a nightmare because of this.

Posted by Boogie (# 13538) on :

quote:
Originally posted by Dormouse:
Dirty grubby bits of paper make me retch. No idea why. Peeling stubborn stickers off items is a bit of a nightmare because of this.

White spirit and a cloth does the trick [Smile]

Posted by Amanda B. Reckondwythe (# 5521) on :

Or this stuff.

Posted by Sarasa (# 12271) on :

Cacti and various other plants, mainly creeping ones. I think I was frightened by Quatermass as a small child. I had to gingerly move a moeny plant when I went to a restaurent recently, there was no way I could comfortably sit there eating a meal and looking at it

Posted by Pigwidgeon (# 10192) on :

quote:
Originally posted by Sarasa:
Cacti and various other plants, mainly creeping ones.

If you ever visit Arizona, you definitely don't want to meet a jumping cholla. I've had one encounter with one, and don't care to repeat it. It was almost as bad as my one encounter with a scorpion.

Posted by The5thMary (# 12953) on :

quote:
Originally posted by cliffdweller:
Maybe not a phobia, but I will feel uneasy around giant flags-- every now and then will drive by a (usually American) flag that's just massive and out of proportion. Something about that just disturbs me.

OMG! One of my sisters and I have the same fear! We were with friends a long time ago, driving from Atlanta to Disneyworld. Somewhere between the two places, we saw a enormous American flag, rippling in a weird way, lit up with floodlights. My sister and I both kind of let out yelps of surprise and unease. The flag was just monstrously huge!

Posted by The5thMary (# 12953) on :

Gauges. I HATE them! For those of you who might not know what these things are, they're spacers for earlobes. I mean, they go from tiny to huge and their soul purpose is to make a hole in one's earlobe--bigger and bigger, so that, eventually, the earlobe has a huge hole in it and the earlobes hang down like elephant ears but with huge gaps in them. As a "fashion statement", they are hideous. I can't imagine anyone with huge holes in their ears getting a job in anything other than a tattoo parlor. I also shudder at people who are so into being another species. I kid you not, there's some weirdly disturbed man in California (I think) who has had "whiskers" implanted in his face and plastic surgery to more resemble a cat. He wears this special "tail appliance" that can wag when he wants it to...there's something very wrong with this... [Ultra confused]

Posted by mousethief (# 953) on :

Moths. They fly in your face. The other people in the house have me come remove spiders for them. I have them come remove moths.

Posted by Lyda*Rose (# 4544) on :

quote:
Originally posted by Pigwidgeon:

quote:
Originally posted by Sarasa:
Cacti and various other plants, mainly creeping ones.
If you ever visit Arizona, you definitely don't want to meet a jumping cholla. I've had one encounter with one, and don't care to repeat it. It was almost as bad as my one encounter with a scorpion.

No kidding. There is a spot in Joshua Tree National Park called Cholla Garden with a nature trail running through it. My friend and I were very cautious, sticking to the center of the trail. But when we were returning home in the evening my friend suddenly said, "What's sticking me?" We got off the highway and examined her sock and sure enough a little bundle of spines was caught in her sock.

The craziest cholla encounter I ever saw was on a televised golf tournament in Phoenix where a golfer hit an errant shot into a cholla plant and a spectator's sweater (back, thank God!) got covered in spiny balls. Yikes! [Eek!]

[ 08. April 2016, 21:34: Message edited by: Lyda*Rose ]

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