Are you plagued by acrophobia?
Too Scary for Me!
Source: Wikimedia
Photographs like this
literally make my heart pound,
my throat dry,
and my palms sweat!
Oh yeah, and there's that
colony of bats ricocheting around in my stomach!
I have been plagued by acrophobia all my life.
But, being completely insane,
I keep trying to overcome it
by forever putting myself in high, scary places.
I never learn.
Can you spot what I fell for last Saturday
at the new Saddle Rock Emergency Room
Grand Opening Family Festival?
Open House, Saddle Rock ER
October 25, 2013
Acrophobia has shaped some memorable events in my life:
Like the time Farmer Tatum had to rescue me
by standing on his tractor
to pluck me from his cherry tree
where I was frozen by acrophobia.
How embarrassing!
I was stealing his cherries!
Cherries
Source: Wikipedia
Like the time I went on a Girl Guide trip
in Northern Ontario
to tour an honest-to-God fire tower.
The ranger had to rescue me
where I was frozen by acrophobia
fifty feet off the ground.
How embarrassing!
Since I was the first Girl Guide up the ladder,
everyone had to wait
while the ranger climbed down from the top,
peeled my fingers off the rungs,
and dragged babbling me down the ladder!
Fire Tower (Not THE tower, but one like it)
Source: Canada's Fire Lookouts
Like the first (and only) time
I rappelled ~ down a cliff in Utah.
My gear malfunctioned,
and I flipped upside down
and smacked into the cliff
over two hundred feet up.
Actually,
I didn't have time to freeze!
Bill, my guide, told me
to jackknife my body up
and grab the rope,
so he could haul me up
and over the top
of the cliff.
Who knew I was capable of that!
Then he made me go right back
over the edge and down the cliff!
Slowest successful rappel in history!
Not THE cliff, but one like it!
Source: Wikimedia
Like the time I watched from the monkeyboard
while the roughnecks and derrickhand
on our oil rig pulled and racked
over a mile of drill pipe in the fingers
(The monkeyboard is by the horizontal bar
between the crown and the block in the diagram).
I managed to ride the "elevator" up.
But stepping out onto the collar
suspended by the bails
from the swinging hook
below the traveling block
below the traveling block
and 65 feet up
took some courage building!
I had been frozen by acrophobia,
but my pride rescued me ~
The hands had told me I wouldn't be
a real wellsite geologist
until I rode the elevator down!
I was never so happy to lose the handle Cherry!
Kansas Oil Rig
Note:
Bosses and OSHA are not happy
when you ride the elevator on an oil rig!
LOL
Have I learned ~ NOT!
Oh the temptation ~
between the ER and AirLife helicopter!
Up and away!
Up, up, and away ~
with visions of ringing the bell in Reno!
Acrophobia Strikes!!!
Am I insane?
Yes!
Am I discouraged?
No!
Source: Google
I'm going to do this!
I'll keep you posted!
A nice thing about being The ADHD One
is you can keep doing the same thing over and over,
and sometimes you do get a different result!
I'm still trying! :)
Do you struggle with acrophobia?
Or do you have a fear of something else?
Have you overcome it?
I'd love to hear your thoughts!
I don't consider myself as having acrophobia but then again, I would NEVER attempt any of those things that you have tried. So I'm probably just kidding myself and really have acrophobia Big Time!
ReplyDeleteHi Debra! Your comment made me laugh! I don't know why I keep trying. I hope all is well with you! Things have been surprisingly busy here! Take care!
Deletehaha bah I'd climb away, just don't look down and all is okay. At least you got a little high, even though with heights you seem shy
ReplyDeleteHi Pat!
DeleteIt's been crazy-busy where I'm at!
Somehow I always take a peek
between my feet.
Oh my, that doesn't really rhyme!
Hope you're having a good time
at your bay
today!
Cherry Tree ~~ almost got caught high in the branches by my swim coach at Acadia ~~~ I know he saw me up there but he never said a word ~~~ always liked Mr. V (Vaseleski) they bought Peter C's house on Acadia Street in the late 60's early 70's.
ReplyDeleteYes, as you know I am/was a tree climber ~~~ telephone poles etc. But I know what "stomach in mouth" feels like ~~~
why did I do this?
Please let it be over!
I promise never to do this again!
Is this a mantra?
I've never had the opportunity to scale a man made wall yet. I've looked at them and said if I was 30 years younger well ~~~
We walked around Signal Hill, one of the beautiful paths that puts you up high and out there (Jerry...Sienfeld).....I was scared stiff....Jim will vouch for me. Life as I age has grounded me literally!
Ron
Hi Ron! Your mantra is my mantra. "Why did I do this! Please let it be over! I promise never to do this again!" How many times have I said that! Prayed ~ Made deals with God! The older I get the worse I get. I always like the Cameron's house on Acadia Street. My first Acadia residence was called Simms House and it was on Acadia Street too. Sorry I'm just getting back to you now. Have you noticed I can't follow any kind of a schedule.? There is always a monkey wrench landing in the works. No matter how hard I try, it all goes to H---! But I'm in great spirits ~ hope all is well with you, Jim, and SophieDoodle! Take care!
DeleteNo apologies Louise, you are retired and you can do whatever you want, whenever you want ~~ another mantra of sorts. Sophie and I joined a novel writing blog called NanoWrimo (National Novel Writing Month). I was a bit nervous about it on Tuesday because my presentation was for Nov 6 Wed....it went well. Such a cool way to present a mystery cliffhanger novel for dog lovers in this case.
DeleteThings are going very well especially since my brother and SIL visited.
Life throws curves and we handles our curves very well, much stronger.
Have a great evening and Hi to Terry!!
Ron
Hi Ron! Kudos to you for joining the novel site. I've heard about it from several other bloggers I follow. I knew better than to sign up, since I'm not on top of what I've got going now. So what's a girl to do but go to Black Hawk for the weekend and relax! LOL! I haven't reached that I'm retired I can do whatever whenever point yet. It's hard to unwind "driven!" I'm so glad that things are sailing smoothly for The Trinity right now! Take care!
DeleteWell at least you try, which is more than I can say for myself.
ReplyDeleteHi Martha! You're the smart one! I'd have saved myself a lot of shakes and tears if I didn't keep trying to climb! I have a dream of returning to Thailand, going to Krabi, and climbing the rocks there. Terry's sister has done it with her youngest son. I haven't given the idea up yet. I'd also like to take the trail up Half Dome in Yosemite ~ we shall see! I hope that your are having a good week. I have been way busier than I ever anticipated! Take care!
DeleteI give you kudos for keep on keeping on. You're a braver woman than I.
ReplyDeleteHi Sandra! Sorry for the late reply. I had a lot of things come up unexpectedly. I'm not sure if I brave ~ I just can't seem to help myself! LOL! Hope all is well with you!
DeleteDon't ever watch the Dirty Jobs episode about oil-rig building in the Dakotas.... :)
ReplyDeleteI don't think I'm acrophobic but I do remember getting a bit scared the last time I climbed to the top of the monkey bars. It's not the height so much as the idea of falling and getting mangled. (Sorry.)
How do you feel about Looney Tunes? There are some very acrophobia-inducing scenes in those cartoons.
Goof for you for being persistent!
Hi Sue! I'll have to find that Dirty Jobs episode. Some of the best times of my live were spent on oil rigs! I was entranced with them and with the people who worked on them. Everyone wanted to run me off when I first showed up as a well site geologist, but somehow I won them over. When I rode the "elevator" that day, I was telling myself, "It's a good day to die!" MY boss told me that if I rode it, he would fire me. But I didn't care. I was not going to be a "cherry" wellsite geologist any more! After I did it, the hands all told me no other geologist had been crazy enough to do that! And my boss didn't fire me, he just rolled his eyes! I've done okay with Looney Toons! Hope all is well with you!
DeleteOh my goodness I gave a HUGE fear of heights! I almost passed out looking at some of these pictures LOL
ReplyDeleteHi Keith! It's been a crazy week, so I haven't been able to get back to you until now. I have to say that after decades of trying to get over my fear of heights, it's gotten a little better. But it's hard. I've cried and shaken my way up and down three of Colorado's Fourteeners. I guess I just don't want to miss out on anything! I hope all is well with you!
DeleteYou are one brave woman Louise! And you WILL overcome this if you keep challenging yourself like you do......just make sure there is a secure rope attached to you, that's all!!
ReplyDeleteI can be acrophobic if I thought about it....all depends if I think about it!! lol I have painted the highest points on a house one day and not able to on the next!! What does THAT say?
Oh yes, next time you are in Halifax we''ll take you to our naturopath......she can help you with this.
Hi Jim! I thought I had a secure rope attached to me, the first time I leaned backwards over a cliff ~ and then I flipped upside down and smacked into the cliff. I remember thinking, "If I think about this, I'm gonna be dead!" Fortunately I was with a good guide who was a friend of mine. And he made me go right back down over the top of the cliff again! It is a mental game, and the moment I think about it ~ it's all over. I'll take any help I can get. If I could just structure myself! I'm always getting distracted or surprised by unexpected things. LOL! Take care!
DeleteLOL - I couldn't help but think about Craters of the Moon while reading this blog - I remember how frustrated I was with you ... as I watched you running around on the top of a cinder cone because you didn't know how to get down ... I remember thinking -"you got yourself into this mess you can bloody well get yourself out of it". I don't think I would have actually driven off without you - but it was close - :o)
ReplyDeleteOh Barb, this made me laugh so much! I may have to do a post on COTM! I don't know how you put up with me on that trip from California to Alberta ~ but I will always be grateful! I can't still clearly see you and MacBeath below me when I was stranded on that cinder cone! Now you know why I've dubbed Terry the E-P, because he has to deal with me all the time! He gets frustrated that I always want to get to the top of things, the bottom of things, the end of things, around the next and the next corner. Sometimes he could strangle me!
DeleteOK I just had to mention one more adventure - Dunraven Pass in Yellowstone National Park- here you manged to challenge 2 of your fears - heights and driving. I remember you white knuckled hunched over the steering wheel (so your head would not hit the sky) saying "I'M DOING IT! I'M REALLY DOING IT!!" - while I'm looking at the speedometer that isn't even measuring a speed and the 2 mile long line of traffic behind us & I'm thinking someones going to shoot us!!! I laugh so hard when I think of that know ... but it wasn't funny at the time :o)
ReplyDeleteYou did have to bring up driving! Sisters! Dunraven haunted me for decades! Gotta go back!
DeleteEISENHOWER TUNNEL - that's all I'm going to says ... now that you've opened this can of worms I can't seem to put a lid on it
ReplyDeleteI'm laughing so hard I hurt! I think of you-know-what every time we go through the Eisenhower Tunnel!
DeleteI just realized that I suffer from Itineus sororemphobia Louisa - fear of traveling with my sister Louise :)
ReplyDeletelove you,
Barb
I hope we're going to make it to the Middle East this year! Hey, I have a link for you: http://selkiegrey4.blogspot.com/2013/03/blast-from-past-petit-passage-nova.html
DeleteYou can copy it and go to it. Last week I had over 650 hits on my Petit Passage post from last March.
A ferry boat captain left a comment as did a couple of other Islanders. They remembered you. The captain (who enjoyed my post Woop! Woop!) does the run on the Joe Casey from Freeport to Westport. When I come to NS in the summer, we've got to go to the Islands and whaling! Love you. By the way, I think Terry suffers from fear of traveling with the MacBeath sisters! LOL!
Hey Louise - I checked out the Petit Passage comments very cool! You, Sophie, her Dads and I might be going to go for a walk in Point Pleasant Park this summer - wouldn't that be fun :o)
DeleteOh - and of course E-P - :o)
DeleteWinkers!!!!!!!!!!!
DeleteYikes! Barb and Sophie! I just found these comments! Ron says I'm not hopeless ~ I guess that gives me some hope of catching up with life! I would love to walk in Point Pleasant Park with you all this summer! No E-P though. He's heading for Honolulu and London, and we better be doing more than a touch and go landing in ReykjavÃk! He's also planning for Bergen or Paris or somewhere else (has to make up his mind). He is definitely on the Dutchess's !@#$%^ list! And I think things are a little out of control now! LOL!
DeleteNot too scared of heights, though I wouldn't be standing on a girder many stories above ground to take a pic. My son has that classic pic of construction workers sitting on a girder above NYC eating lunch. I can't even imagine! I wonder if a chair lift would scare you? My s-i-l has fear of heights and panicked when I once took her on the quad lift (which isn't really very high.)
ReplyDeleteHi Barb! Things have been a little hectic this past week, and I just now stumbled across these comments. So sorry! I can do a chair lift, although I will admit that they can scare me. They remind me of being trapped at the top of a huge ferris wheel with my maniac brother. He loved nothing more than to rock the seat when we were stopped at the top, just to see me freak out! Brothers! You gotta love them! Hope all is well with you and that the slopes get a good dump of snow this weekend! Take care!
DeleteI appreciate your fear lol! I remember my Dad taking me up on this massive ferris wheel when I was little and how my heart was pounding as we climbed up bit by bit while passengers got on. And how I was completely petrified when the ride was in full swing lol! This picture always fills me with awe for workers who build or clean tall buildings: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lunch_atop_a_Skyscraper
ReplyDeleteHi Jan! I so get that pounding heart as the ferris wheel fills with passengers! I almost always had to sit with my brother who loved nothing more than to rock the seat. And that first time going over the top when the wheel spun always lifted my stomach to my throat! That reminds me of a book that Bikbik and Roro might enjoy ~ Natalie Babbit's "Tuck Everlasting." My nephew worked as a window washer during the summer. I must ask him how the heights were! Thanks for the link! I will check it out! Sorry for the late reply ~ among other things, we were out of town for the weekend. I hope all is well with you, hubby, and family! Take care!
DeleteToo funny! No way would do any of those things. Not the least bit interested in trying even. lol
ReplyDeleteHi Donna! Sorry about the late reply ~ I've had a busy, busy week! I am determined to learn to negotiate a rock wall because I'd love to climb rocks in Krabi, Thailand like my sister-i-l did with her son.
DeleteFirst I've got to master a pull-up! One pull-up! LOL! Never give up, I say! I hope your November novel is coming along! Take care!
LOL! This sounds more like a fear of heights. I have rarely had that, but my greatest fear is playing the piano in public. *gulp* Seriously? What person in their right mind does that?
ReplyDeleteHi Crystal! My sister "Dutchess" shares your same fear! She's been playing the piano beautifully for decades, but she doesn't like to play in front of anyone! She keeps taking lessons and doing exams! And she's always scared! Hope all is well with you! Take care!
Delete