Because our fear of certain animals is illogical.
I know people who fear spiders, bugs, fish, snakes, mice, rats, lizards, cats, dogs, and birds.
Some of these fears can have some rational basis, a dog or a rat might bite, for instance, but in general they are psychological.
I used to be terrified of all spiders as a kid and I realised I couldn't go on like that. So I started to handle little "money spiders" and progressed from there. But I still run a mile from the really big ones.
I was going to make a joke about waxing preventing spiders but I won't.
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
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Rizzo
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why do women feel they HAVE to wax (or shave) legs etc? Men don't!
No, I'm not a stubbly/hairy feminist-type, but it does make me wonder.
Personally, I don't mind spiders, bugs generally, moths, worms, snakes etc. I dislike rats intensely but am not phobic about them. The only thing that makes my skin crawl is flying ants - especially the big ones, and that's only because I had a very close encounter with an ants' nest as a child. I don't freak about flying ants (although I used to) I just hate them with a passion, and if they get in the house I go mad with the spray!
Incidentally - waxing is better than shaving, but don't believe that woman on the TV ad with the do it yourself wax strips - they don't work and they work out more expensive than a salon wax.
No, I'm not a stubbly/hairy feminist-type, but it does make me wonder.
Personally, I don't mind spiders, bugs generally, moths, worms, snakes etc. I dislike rats intensely but am not phobic about them. The only thing that makes my skin crawl is flying ants - especially the big ones, and that's only because I had a very close encounter with an ants' nest as a child. I don't freak about flying ants (although I used to) I just hate them with a passion, and if they get in the house I go mad with the spray!
Incidentally - waxing is better than shaving, but don't believe that woman on the TV ad with the do it yourself wax strips - they don't work and they work out more expensive than a salon wax.
Don't waste your time away thinking about yesterday's blues
Demelza - another Mother
Demelza - another Mother
I'm like Kinny (well, some of the time) - I'm not keen on spiders at all, and will handle the ones up to about the size of my thumbnail (with the help of a jamjar) but anything bigger than that - it's one of the things I value my husband most highly for, disposal of arachnids.
AKA Delilah - Founder Member of 'The Mothers'
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I'm not frightened of any of those things - only detest a few like Rizzo i.e. rats, ants and flies.
What I am really frightened of is thunder and lightening. Paranoid is the word, as soon as it starts I am under the stairs and if I am at work then I just leave my desk and head straight for the kitchen which has a dark blind and I just sit on a chair with my fingers in my ears. My Chairman after 9 years of me working for him knows what I am going to do and just lets me get on with it.
What I am really frightened of is thunder and lightening. Paranoid is the word, as soon as it starts I am under the stairs and if I am at work then I just leave my desk and head straight for the kitchen which has a dark blind and I just sit on a chair with my fingers in my ears. My Chairman after 9 years of me working for him knows what I am going to do and just lets me get on with it.
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Cornish Tiger
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I am the spider-chucker-outer in my family too. I actively like spiders and did a school project on them once, which appalled my teacher because I took a few of my favourites in to show. Husband runs a mile from all creatures, but I did have to get him to remove the rat I brained, because I felt sick and couldn't look at it again, and it was on the back step. I plastic bag injured wildlife first now, top tip.
But leg waxing just seems a lot of pain for no real benefit. Veet or razor myself.
Could I just continue my men please shave hairy armpits campaign...
But leg waxing just seems a lot of pain for no real benefit. Veet or razor myself.
Could I just continue my men please shave hairy armpits campaign...
During my uni days the power went out in our house. Turned out the trip switch had tripped, but we couldn't re-set the switch. After much head scratching we figured the only solution would be to call an electrician.
So the electrician came round and we sat in the living room reading a paper. We were then disturbed by the somewhat puzzling question from the electrician of "anyone lost a snake?" Puzzled, we went to investigate. Sure enough, dangling and wriggling from our fuse box was a live, three foot red and black milk snake. Despite being a house full of six lads, instinct told us all to dash half way up the stairs to a safe distance like a bunch of girls.
Turns out the snake belonged to next door, and it had escaped a week earlier. True story. After this, spiders have become a walk in the park.
So the electrician came round and we sat in the living room reading a paper. We were then disturbed by the somewhat puzzling question from the electrician of "anyone lost a snake?" Puzzled, we went to investigate. Sure enough, dangling and wriggling from our fuse box was a live, three foot red and black milk snake. Despite being a house full of six lads, instinct told us all to dash half way up the stairs to a safe distance like a bunch of girls.
Turns out the snake belonged to next door, and it had escaped a week earlier. True story. After this, spiders have become a walk in the park.
Our cat brought a snake into the house. The mrs found it moving across the kitchen floor and ran terrified to get me. By the time I got to the kitchen it had gone. I don't know where. Under the kitchen units perhaps.
I didn't let on to the wife. I told her I'd carried off and set it free in the church yard. If she'd known it was still in the house she'd never have slept.
Totally with Karen on the lightening thing. I'm not scared, just cautious. I'm amazed at the number of people who want to carry on cycling or playing football when you can clearly hear a big storm coming.
Lightening kills, and it's not nearly as unusual as people think.
I was driving in Florida and lightening struck the lamppost which I was driving passed at the time. The thing exploded in a shower of sparks. That's as close as I ever want to be to it, thanks.
I didn't let on to the wife. I told her I'd carried off and set it free in the church yard. If she'd known it was still in the house she'd never have slept.
Totally with Karen on the lightening thing. I'm not scared, just cautious. I'm amazed at the number of people who want to carry on cycling or playing football when you can clearly hear a big storm coming.
Lightening kills, and it's not nearly as unusual as people think.
I was driving in Florida and lightening struck the lamppost which I was driving passed at the time. The thing exploded in a shower of sparks. That's as close as I ever want to be to it, thanks.
Kicks and scrums and ruck and roll.....Is all my brain and body need!
Wow Iain, I would have definitely tried to keep the snake because I love them. I used to own a Python called Syd, but he escaped and then was found later all cold and hard the weather killed him. I love spiders because they eat flies and I never sweep away cob-webs because I love to watch flies get all entangled and the spider slowly creep towards them. The only problem is Olly the hubby who is a bit of a tidiness freak constantly feather dusters them down and spoils my fun.
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Cornish Tiger
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We do up houses and our last project we were really proud of, all new wood flooring, hacked off and renewed plaster, spanking new kitchen and bathrooms. It was struck by lightning and completely gutted three months after we'd sold it. At least we'd sold it, but it broke my heart. The family were really lucky they were out, as it burnt out computers and burst the windows, half the roof caved in.
Definitley scarier than spiders. But possibly not as bad as leg wax.
Definitley scarier than spiders. But possibly not as bad as leg wax.
I used to live in a big old farmhouse and my office was on the top floor right at the "east" end.
Whilst on Florida where, ironically we were dodging thunder storms every day, we heard that there had been a big storm in the Vale of Belvoir.
I got home to find that my office had been just about blown apart, having taken a direct hit. Anyone in there would have been dead for sure.
My office was also the prime location for the resident ghost, and she survived as a medium contacted her at a later date!
Whilst on Florida where, ironically we were dodging thunder storms every day, we heard that there had been a big storm in the Vale of Belvoir.
I got home to find that my office had been just about blown apart, having taken a direct hit. Anyone in there would have been dead for sure.
My office was also the prime location for the resident ghost, and she survived as a medium contacted her at a later date!
Kicks and scrums and ruck and roll.....Is all my brain and body need!
What happens though Kin and CT and everyone else if when flying out to Havana we get hit by an electrical storm. Where can I hide then, and I am even nearer to the lightening aren't I. Sammo told me last week that when we were flying back from Dominican 2 years ago we flew through an electrical storm. I said "No way, where was I?" Sam replied "zonked it Mum zonked it". Meaning I had quite a few vodkas at the airport - not enough to be drunk but enough to send me fast away - and it was of course a night flight. I just wish he hadn't told me that. His dad said that they had shut the windows so I wouldn't be woken by the flashes -silly billy :)
You were unlucky to fly into an electrical storm as pilots and ATC usually have enough leeway to avoid them.
And the lightening can't earth properly on an airplane because it's in the sky.
I think you would just suffer the same turbulence as you might get from a non-electric storm.
I think the vodka is the cure.
Allternatively you could follow the advice I got from an American comedian. "Put all sharp objects away. Stow away your seat table. Lean forward, put your head between your knees, and kiss your ass goodbye."
And the lightening can't earth properly on an airplane because it's in the sky.
I think you would just suffer the same turbulence as you might get from a non-electric storm.
I think the vodka is the cure.
Allternatively you could follow the advice I got from an American comedian. "Put all sharp objects away. Stow away your seat table. Lean forward, put your head between your knees, and kiss your ass goodbye."
Kicks and scrums and ruck and roll.....Is all my brain and body need!
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Rizzo
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I've flown in some fairly heavy thunderstorms, and you only get some turbulence - as Kinny says, the lightning cannot earth itself if it does hit the plane, and since it will take the path of least resistance to earth, you're safer flying than say standing under a tree!
We did have an interesting experience flying into Orlando Florida once, lots of turbulence, some distinct flashes in the clouds as we descended and torrential rain. On disembarking, we were told "oh yeah, it's the tail end of a hurricane..." :D
We did have an interesting experience flying into Orlando Florida once, lots of turbulence, some distinct flashes in the clouds as we descended and torrential rain. On disembarking, we were told "oh yeah, it's the tail end of a hurricane..." :D
Don't waste your time away thinking about yesterday's blues
Demelza - another Mother
Demelza - another Mother
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Cornish Tiger
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Just wear your waders poppet. You'll be fine.
Planes have conductive material in the hull which takes the current around the plane. And they have Doppler weather systems which warn the pilots of storms, and they will navigate around them. And they have special tanks to stop sparks igniting the fuel. And they have lighning safe elctrical systems which can survive a strike. So happily sip your vodka and relax.
Planes have conductive material in the hull which takes the current around the plane. And they have Doppler weather systems which warn the pilots of storms, and they will navigate around them. And they have special tanks to stop sparks igniting the fuel. And they have lighning safe elctrical systems which can survive a strike. So happily sip your vodka and relax.