Posted tagged ‘Phobia’

“The oldest and strongest emotion of mankind is fear.”

April 12, 2012

Today is one of those days when I wish I lived in Victorian England and could languish on the chaise with a case of the vapors. I’d press the back of my hand against my forehead and sigh. It’s not that I feel bad today but I’m tired of neither days: neither sun nor rain. Today is such a day: cloudy yet again without the possibility of rain.

Yesterday was chore day, no wonder I want to languish. It was a trip to Boston for a doctor’s appointment, a change the bed, do the wash and hit the dump day. The dump was last, a half hour before it closed. I thought it would be empty, but there were so many cars I was thinking there must be prizes being given away but, alas, there were none. I even had to sit and wait for a place to park just to dump my trash.

I seem to have nothing on my mind today. No memories pop to the surface, and my life is quiet, almost routine. Even the birds are fewer at the feeders. A flicker, a goldfinch and a chipmunk have been my only visitors. The spawns of Satan have been missing of late so I haven’t even had the opportunity to rant. The chipmunk gave me a chuckle because it was dining on the squirrel buster but weighs too little to close the seed ports. I did shoo it away, and when I did, I noticed it had cheeks filled with seeds as if it had the mumps.

I watched an odd movie the other day, Vanishing on 7th Street. Almost the entire population of Detroit had disappeared and only their clothing, glasses and shoes were left, lying about where the people had been standing. The movie plays on fear of the darkness on what used to make us afraid to look under the bed. The darkness flows and surrounds the people who are left then they disappear and their clothes fall to the ground. Only light keeps the darkness at bay.

I like the feeling of being afraid but not for real. I want my fear manufactured by a scary movie or book. I never want to worry about what’s hiding in the closet or under the bed.

“Men are probably nearer the central truth in their superstitions than in their science.”

May 13, 2011

Gracie has been out all morning, a sure sign of a nice day, and she’s right. The sun is shining and the sky is blue, a deep blue. It’s a little chilly still but warmer than it’s been. I’ve been out on the deck a couple of times just to survey the world and watch Gracie romp through the yard. When I was out, I noticed fill the bird feeders must be put on my to-do list.

Today is Friday the 13th. I have never been superstitious so it’s just another date for me, but I admit I never walk under ladders. That, however, has more to do with the possibility of paint falling on me than anything else. I don’t think I have any phobias either. Spiders eat insects so they’re okay in my book. Bats do the same thing, and I even have a bat house in my yard. I don’t mind mice which are well and lively, but I’m not big on mice which seem to be close to their heavenly rewards. I call my friend Tony for those. I’ve never thrown salt over my shoulder, have broken a few mirrors in my day and have a black cat named Maddie who crosses my path constantly. I may be tempting the fates to some, but I don’t need to clutter my mind with a variety of fears. I remember being afraid of the atomic bomb, a fear caused by all those duck and cover practices, but that was a long time ago.

I went looking and found some very interesting and some very strange phobias. Rhytiphobia is the fear of getting wrinkles. If I had that one, it  would have reared its head a long time ago. My face has character is the way I describe it. Wrinkles have nothing to do with it. Clinophobia is the fear of going to bed. From the number of naps I’ve enjoyed over the years and continue to enjoy, I know I don’t have that one. My favorite phobia is zemmiphobia or a fear of the Great Mole Rat. That one, I suspect, is pretty uncommon.

In case you have a burning desire to know, the fear of Friday the 13th is called friggatriskaidekaphobia or paraskevidekatriaphobia. Now go walk under a ladder, spill some salt, open your umbrella inside the house and enjoy the day!


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