Aren't you scared?

That question was posed to me by my daughter a couple days ago. She told me that they had posted the ISIS "hit list" (I have no idea about the validity of said list) and said Seattle was on it. It makes sense. This area has military bases, ports, vulnerable travel routes, areas where large groups of people gather. I'd understand if we were really on some terrorist hit list.

She asked if we were far enough away from Seattle to avoid any damage from bombs. I said, "I don't know. If it's nuclear, maybe not."

"Aren't you scared?"

I didn't even really need to think about this. I told her, "I can't be."

"WHY!"

I told her I was not willing to live a life in fear. There are things that we cannot control and what is the point of worrying about them. If they're going to happen, they're going to happen. I also told her much of the time, media plays on our fears and make things sound worse than they are in order to get ratings. Politicians use our fears to get votes. I don't ignore that things are frightening right now, but I will not let my fears run my life.

I think she got it. Living in fear would only make me, us, the world, batshit crazy. If ISIS comes and bombs Seattle tomorrow, I can't stop it, I can't control it, I will just need to handle it if I make it through.

I will not let the media, politicians or terrorists play on my fears.  Only spiders can do that.

Thursday things I don't like

A little stray from the usual

Grasshoppers
Spiders
People who once were like "YOLO" and now are like "don't say YOLO that's so done"
Maroon 5 -  I will say I used to like them until radio (and their new songs) ruined them
Walking uphill
Form letters
Fruit flies
Laundry on the floor, clean or dirty
Losing things you've won at the fair
Spinning rides
Things that scurry

I had more, but I'm going to save them for next week. Maybe this will be a regular installation.

Top 4 Fears: # 2 Spiders

Do NOT tell me they are more afraid of me than I am of them. They are disgusting, gross, they scurry and jump and bite. They make my skin crawl and I break out in goosebumps when I see them. The big ones make me immobile, unable to think, or breathe. I cannot get within at least ten feet of the huge ones. I cannot even get close enough to suck them up in a shop vac. I make my eleven year old do it.



Yes, I'm talking about spiders, black, furry, creepy spiders.



Yes, I know they do the earth a lot of good, but not when they're inside my kitchen, or my bedroom. Not when they're crawling across my floor, or my computer keyboard. If they set foot inside my house and I see them, they will die.