*GROSS - YUCKY - SPIDER WARNING* and one little snake

I've been working on this post for most of the two week challenge.  Like many others, I have a great fear of spiders.  It is a long story that comes from living in a place infested with brown recluse spiders when I was a teenager. Seriously.  It was an absolute nightmare!  Until I had children, I couldn't even kill a spider.  I really freaked out.  My step-dad swore that I had a special "spider" scream.  Yes, they are helpful, beneficial creatures, but they do not belong in my house.

We have a local pet store with a wonderful understanding owner.  He offered to help me get over my fear with some large, hairy friends of his.  It did not go well.  Most of the shots were way out of focus.  It also took several "shots" to make it through the editing.  

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Normally, I am not bothered by snakes.  I think they are cool, but this Albino Burmese Python really creeps me out.  I think it must be the size and color.

Feel free to shudder and go on to the next post.  My duty is done.

 FEAR? watereye

   You came to me tonight under the guise of a friend.  Did you believe for a second I wouldn’t recognize you?  You were once my best friend, as close and as intimate as any lover could be.  You, for a time, filled every breath I took; your spirit pumped through my veins with every beat of my heart.  You were always there with a warm embrace in the darkest moments my soul has known.  When I felt lonely, you were there - waiting with an outstretched hand.
   You may well be a master of disguises, but you are still who you are no matter what mask you may be wearing, I had to look you squarely in the face, to smell your essence, and to hear your siren voice calling to me.  I had to reach out and touch you before I knew you for who you were.  This time I discerned your true self before you got to me, and I had he strength to say, “No.”
       I will let you be here – at an arm’s length for a while – only as long as I need to fully refresh my memory of how deceptive you are, so I may more readily recognize you when you next come for me.   
   You are the fruit of the Tree of Ignorance – your name is Fear

Although my new job out west is going well, the up coming payments of my student loans for the next 20 years brings about my fear of financial insecurity
Especially when I think about having to hold off on upgrading to a new DSLR camera.

Its been a nice fall week to enjoy the ducks playing around.  Untill I notice there were more and more of them around each and I can't help but to think of "The Birds"!  Based on the way the two in the middle were staring at me, I am afraid.
 

They only signaled.Go faster They only signaled.

lets try again..love black and whitelove b&w  clean , crisp DSC_0059_edited_1 IMG_0178_edited_2 hard studying DSC_0012_edited_1 helicoptre show lets try again..love black and white

My greatest fear is that I will forget that there is really nothing to fear, that I only fear the unknown or things I do not like.
I also fear I will forget that God walks beside me.

I fear I will forget this
“…  everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms -- to choose one's attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one's own way." – Viktor Frankl - Man's Search for Meaning

The Holocaust Memorial in Miami Beach

The Sculpture of Love and Anguish
The Lonely Path
Suffering
Detail of the Scupture
Front View
The Scupture of Love and Anguish Revisited

Every morning I pray that I will not forget that there is nothing to fear.

If you go into the forest, you might find

Beauty

but be careful.... you might also see

The Beast

And if you linger where the shadows lurk... you might even see...

The Shadowmonster

Be afraid... be very afraid.....

Now face your fears, and leave a comment!  Happy Halloweenie!

Well, I have been giving this challenge some thought. Not alot of scary spooky fears for me. But I am a huge fretter. I fret about things that are really out of my control. At the heart of these frets and fears are my children. When I drop themoff at school. The choicesandrisks they take when they think I'm not looking.The fear that every pain is something serious. I battle these frets by sending them to school and on trips without me. By letting them make those risky choices and sometimes suffering the consequences. & Knowing that every pain does not mean something frightful.
I do, however, have a few very basic fears. Fear of fire fear offlyingand fear of  spiders! These I just deal with, as everyone does. Though the flying one has to be tackled here really soon!  

These shots have all been taken in the last two months. & were taken more for memories and fun than anything, tho comments & constructive criticism are always welcome.& the thumb is me fretting! =)

  There I was, standing at the point of no return, and scared of falling. Images of all kinds came to my mine. I knew that I could not hide from just a thing; of the feeling that someone was watching me. I could not hide from you. When as I turned to my left, I had relized I was only imagining; if I could climb that mountain and leave all my fears behind. If I could get to the top and yell them all out. But sometimes there are moments where imagining is only the begining to conquering your fears.

can break bones . . . and lenses and . . .

this was a rough sport, I was the most afraid of getting hit or smashed as I have ever been taking pictures on the sidelines

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Have been in a bit of a slump lately so have not been posting but I thought I would put together a short slideshow.I am entering this in the challenge cuz of the self portrait.I hate having my picture taken and rarely turn the camera on myself so this is my first.A little of this and a little of that

Scared of the almighty Giant_Chickens and the Clowns and the crazy mad cows

Be afraid, be VERY AFRAID!!!!!

CJP

We lived with Dad for 5 years we got close but just by 8 months he got to see his grandboy thank you Jesus. We new he did not have long the Dr told us 6 months before he died he said if I do nothing I am going to see my grand child.Dad got to live to see his grand som after this he died 8 months later we miss him We lived with Dad for 5 years we got close but just by 8 months he got to see his grandboy thank you Jesus. We new he did not have long the Dr told us 6 months before he died he said if I do nothing I am going to see my grand child.

 MARYLIN2 I'm due to love forever more ...in vain because your soul is numb :(

tonado back yard garden clobbered old bennington Bad wind storms scare the bejesus out of me.  this was reported to be a small tornado that whipped thru the community.  we were lucky, only lost a few trees and a garden.

Getting a meal

I'm not really afraid of lightning, but I always respect it.Angry sky  It always seems I am in a pool, spa, or some body of water when a storm rolls through.

My wife and I just spent a beautiful weekend in Greenville SC.  We took some decent after dark shots. We thought these would go well with the "Conquer Your Fears" challenge because my wife and I don't really care alot about heights and water.  While shooting these pictures we found ourselves on a shakey suspension bridge  over a waterfall!  There were some really pretty views from the bridge.  I really like the tree in this shot.  There was also a pretty fountain downtown.     Whew, we're glad that's over:)

We hope you enjoyed our photos!

These Sharks were eating barracuda that were being sent down a chain by a small boat above. We were kneeling in the sand about 45 feet below the surface and 20 feet below the sharks. They would eat for a while and then come swim by and check us out.

(c)2006 Stephen Haines