I was a very fearful child- scared of everything from bugs and mice to the dark shadows to needles to driving on the highway. For the most part I have grown out of them. However there are occasions when I fear the blackness of my room (anyone ever seen the old movie Flight of Dragons? Well the evil guy dressed in red frequently appeared in shadow on my wall) and I am stil rather squeamish of needles though not enough to seriously not consider more piercings or tattoos. I am a fully licensed driver and want a motorbike, so highways are no longer a problem for me except at rush hour and when I am driving. I still retain a phobia-like fear of mice, insects, snakes, and anything that creeps, crawls, or slithers but people are usually around to save me when I scream.

I still hate the dentist and his prickly instruments of pain and torturous makers of buzzing noises. Reason I'm remembering all this is because I had a tooth filled this afternoon- first one in enough years that I could forget the procedure and remember only the pain. I am happy to report that it wasn't that bad although I needed a few shots of Novacaine for my right side to freeze. The thing I hate the most, besides the menacing needle of doom, is when they shoot air into your mouth and it gets so cold it begins to hurt. Maybe it's just me. Add to that my "superb" gag reflex and we a highly exciting afternoon at the dentist.

Anybody else wish they had dentures so this wouldn't be a problem? And perhaps we could live in a hermetically sealed room where no creepy crawlies of any kind could enter.

I'll call the realtor, you buy us lots of canned soup.

Don't forget the can opener.