Last week, we discussed some fears I had as a child. This week, we're going to talk about some present-day fears. (Admittedly, some of these fears were around in childhood, too.)
Heights and Falling
This is an age-old fear, which borders on pathetic and ridiculous. The fear was especially pronounced when I was a kid. See last week's post for more details. More specifically, the parts about how I avoided certain playground equipment, and was fussy about certain stairs. (As I mentioned last week, I do such a great job of sounding like I was a dysfunctional child.)
Standing on the table to put up posters for the Scholastic Book Fair? Nope. I was so afraid of losing my balance and falling off, I was pretty much useless at the task.
A field trip to a place with rock climbing walls? Nope. And while we're on the subject, why did I even go on that field trip if I wasn't planning to climb? For some reason, I decided to go on the trip and sit on the sidelines. Just the idea of climbing that wall filled me with dread.
A field trip to a place with rock climbing walls? Nope. And while we're on the subject, why did I even go on that field trip if I wasn't planning to climb? For some reason, I decided to go on the trip and sit on the sidelines. Just the idea of climbing that wall filled me with dread.
This one bothers me. What if someone close to me gets sick or badly injured, and doesn't recover? Or what if they die suddenly? Life is unpredictable, and things can change in an instant. You generally don't expect bad things to occur, and assume the people around you will live to a ripe old age, but that's not always what happens. And that is precisely what scares me.
This fear has only grown worse with the events of the past few years. The possibility of losing someone isn't one I want to contemplate, and I fear I'm in no mental state to handle such a cataclysmic event.
When cooking, the thought sometimes crosses my mind, "What if it caught fire?" Especially with something like sausage, which produces a fair amount of grease. You never know, it could spontaneously combust. And what if it's not just a tiny flame? What if it's a HUGE RAGING INFERNO THE SIZE OF TEXAS, the sort of thing which would strike terror into the heart of anyone who's not completely fearless or an insane pyromaniac? Or what if I take my eyes off the stove for a minute, and it catches fire while I'm not looking?
And what about putting out the fire? My brain conjures up wild images of burning myself trying to put a lid over the flaming pan, or setting my sleeve on fire, or over things in the kitchen lighting on fire, or...
Gas Stoves
While we're at it, let's discuss natural gas or propane stoves. I have a fear of the things leaking their evil gas fumes. What if the stove is unintentionally turned on? Someone bumps it accidentally, or a cat I'm pet-sitting steps on the dial and turns it. Or what if the flame around the burner goes out while cooking, and I don't notice it immediately?
The other worry is, what if I turn the dial to shut the gas valve for said burner, but the lighter goes off while being turned? And there's enough fumes in the air by then that the spark causes EVERYTHING to blow up?
Or what if there's a gas leak while I'm asleep? Unbeknownst to me, the gas starts leaking through the entire house, killing me without ever knowing I was in danger.
Yeah, I don't want gas in my house. At all. Ever.
REALLY BAD CLICK
Can I just say, there are many bad things on the internet. Things that will mess up your computer. Things that will ruin your eyes and your brain and make you have to pour bleach on your corneas. And that is my fear. That I will click on something I did not intend to click on, and bad things will occur. This fear is even greater when I'm using a touchpad instead of a mouse. It's easier to make mistakes on a touchpad.
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| I once spent a good chunk of time downloading and running anti-malware programs when the family computer got infected. Gotta love adware, right? (screams internally) |
For example, weird advertisements or otherwise suspicious-looking links. I'm afraid that I'll unintentionally click on something, and wind up with twenty-three different viruses on my PC.
Or when I'm looking up a GIF. Especially on a chat/messaging site where a GIF will be posted instantly upon selecting one. Sometimes, even seemingly innocent search terms can bring up weird results. I'm afraid that one day, I'll accidentally click on a GIF that I did not mean to send, and post something disgusting and horrific.
Saying the Wrong Thing
I have a fear of saying the wrong thing, or phrasing something badly so my statement is misinterpreted. What if I unintentionally hurt somebody? They might take offense when that's not what I meant at all. Or maybe my poor wording will just seem confusing or downright weird. I've had a fair share of situations where I said something stupid, or tried to make a joke and it just came out nonsensical instead.
Congratulations, you've reached the end of Meowmocha's House of Horrors! You've seen the ridiculous, the serious, the fire and the explosions and the mass chaos.
As a reward for surviving this Halloween attraction (dang, it's a shame I didn't post these in October so they'd really be Halloween-themed), here's a cute puppy and assorted candy.
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