fears meme

[firecat]

via okoshun

X for full point
- for half a point

I'm adding:
* for "on a technicality". That is, things that might worry me if I had to face them but I consider them unlikely, or that worry me under fairly specific conditions but not in general.

[ ] the dark
[ ] staying single forever
[ ] being a parent (if it were going to happen i would be terrified, but so far i've set up my life so it's not going to happen)
[ ] giving birth see previous entry
[x] being myself in front of others (sadly)
[ ] open spaces
[ ] closed spaces
[*] heights (only if there's no railing or other minimally protective device and I'm close to the edge...i don't fear i'm going to jump)
[ ] dogs
[ ] birds
[ ] fish
[*] spiders (only if they are near or on me)
[ ] flowers or other plants

Total so far: 1

[ ] being touched
[*] fire (if large and uncontrollable and near me)
[ ] deep water
[*] snakes (only poisonous ones, if near me without any barrier separating us)
[ ] silk (silk??)
[ ] the ocean ("healthy respect," yes, fear, no)
[x] failure
[ ] success
[ ] thunder/lightning
[ ] frogs/toads
[ ] my boyfriend's/girlfriend's/spouse's dad
[ ] boyfriend's/girlfriend's/spouse's mom
[*] rats (wild ones, if near me and acting aggressive)
[*] jumping from high places (something else I just avoid)
[*] snow (only if i have to drive in a blizzard)

Total so far: 2

[ ] rain
[ ] wind
[x] crossing hanging bridges
[-] death (i'm more afraid of pain than death, but pain isn't on the list and this came closest. i just get really confused thinking about death.)
[ ] heaven
[ ] being robbed
[ ] falling
[ ] clowns
[ ] dolls
[x] large crowds of people
[ ] men
[ ] women
[x] having great responsibilities
[-] doctors, including dentists (i'm afraid of them until i meet them and ascertain they aren't going to be fat-phobic)
[ ] tornadoes

Total so far: 5.5

[ ] hurricanes ("healthy respect")
[-] incurable diseases (again, more afraid of pain than death)
[ ] sharks ("healthy respect")
[ ] Friday the 13th
[ ] ghosts
[-] poverty (i fear the lack of specific things like the medicines i need, and fear poverty insofar as it might cause such a lack)
[ ] Halloween
[ ] school
[ ] trains
[ ] odd numbers
[ ] even numbers
[ ] being alone
[*] becoming blind (but i don't think about this much)
[*] becoming deaf (but i don't think about this much)
[x] growing up getting old (but it beats the alternative, at least for a while)

Total so far: 7.5

[ ] creepy noises in the night
[ ] bee stings (i used to be dreadfully afraid of bee stings until i was stung and found out it wasn't a huge deal
[x] not accomplishing my dreams/goals
[*] needles (i inject insulin so i'm not afraid of needle sticks per se. it's difficult to get needles for IVs or blood draws to do what they are supposed to do in my body, and that's what i fear, the digging around and the "oh good grief, we popped a vein" and so forth)
[ ] blood
[ ] dinosaurs
[ ] the welcome mat (huh?)
[*] high speed (only if it feels like no one is in control of it)
[*] throwing up (the fear is actually of the mess created if i don't get to a bathroom on time, not of throwing up per se)
[*] falling in love (actually, it's mutual falling in love and trying to figure out what to do with same that's scary, not falling in love per se)
[ ] super secrets

Total: 8.5

Comments

[loracs.livejournal.com]

I like your addition of *. Same with the "growing old" for "growing up" - too late for me on the "up" part, but as long as we're alive, the "old" part applies.

I'd love to know how this list was created because I had many of the same WTF reaction for some of the items; silk and the welcome mat in particular.

[firecat]

it's a very odd list and does not include many things i know people fear. (such as "getting fat"!)

[mjlayman.livejournal.com]

I'm afraid of fire and falling, but I have good reasons for both.

[firecat]

do you think it's only ok to be afraid of things for "good" reasons?

[mjlayman.livejournal.com]

Well, the alternative is being afraid of things for irrational reasons. I think being rational is better.

[chickenwitch.livejournal.com]

I am also afraid of crossing hanging bridges, I especially don't like to cross 'singing' bridges, the type that have only open steel grids for the roadway.

I was surprised that tunnels were not included on the list, I personally will add another 200 miles to a trip to avoid tunnels. On the other hand, I love covered wood bridges.

[firecat]

when i was a kid, my dad drove me across a singing bridge every weekend and i loved it. i am slightly less comfortable driving across them myself because of the way the grids shift my car around a bit.

tunnels don't bother me, although they are a very sensible thing to fear.