Sasha's entry brought forth a whole bunch of memories of approaching orb spiders and the like, repulsed yet compelled to look closer. What makes your skin crawl as you creep slowly towards it, trying to get a closer look?

-- Anonymous, September 24, 2000

Answers

Oh I just love this question. I already said it in my weblog but I'll say it again. Big, fat spiders with bulging bellies are my morbid thing. I'm not particularly phobic about spiders the way I am about big brown grasshoppers so I'll get as close as I dare just so I can be horrified by their spiderishness then I'll do the girly thing and squeal as I'm running away. They definitely give me the creeping phantods!

-- Anonymous, September 24, 2000

Scorpions - the huge fat, intimidating Southwestern kind. I remember capturing a biggie and caging it, hoping to cast it in resin for a trophy to show back home -- but couldn't find the kind I needed. Meanwhile the rascal chewed the paper barrier from the top of the can I had him in and escaped into my room in the trailer. After coming in from a beer or two with the guys, that broken barrier was the first thing I spotted. From about 11:30 that night until daybreak the hunt was on. Always remembring that an incautious move on my part would get me a very unpleasant come-uppance. Found him, didn't get hurt and even got a couple hours respite before work. They still morbidly and creepily fascinate me.

-- Anonymous, September 25, 2000

Dead things.

I have an absolute morbid fascination for dead things. We had a dead chicken in the yard this week, and yes, we all had to go look. I also like to read real crime novels, complete with autopsy reports, over lunch.

And you thought I was so sweet...

-- Anonymous, September 25, 2000

Surgery. It makes my skin crawl, my stomach lurch, yet I sit clued to the television to watch them.

-- Anonymous, September 25, 2000

Spiders. Maggots. SPIDERS! Anything with more than four legs, that crawls, skips, jumps and can bite. Any type of surgical procedure and blood, but usually only when it involves people I care for. Weird bones sticking out abnormally that people always want to show. You know, "Hey! Look at this. Doesn't it look weird? Feel it!" Those people. Yuk! Between Sasha and her latest creep outs and this question, I'll probably have nightmares now.

-- Anonymous, September 26, 2000

I decided that maybe I would answer my own question, but I have to warn you, this is really, reeaally gross for lay-people. Yes, it is medical stuff. You can skip it. I don't mind.

I am morbidly fascinated with wounds. Big, gaping, oozing wounds with muscle tissue, drainage and debris. I am a nurse. Wounds are commonplace, right? Right. But when I see a particularly juicy wound, my stomach lurks, I get all weak in the knees and I get a pain in my crotch. (Don't ask; I don't understand it either.)

Of course, being a nurse I not only have to look at them, but I also have to touch the wounds. Document them. Treat them. Measure them. With gloves, of course, but sometimes one layer of latex is not enough.

The most traumatic wound I have seen of late belonged to a diabetic who decided to trim a callous off the bottom of his foot. Let this be fair warning to diabetics: When they say don't fuck with your feet, don't fuck with your feet.

This guy has a wound surrounded by a bit of bone and toes. Good gods, it makes me squirm. So, I prodded it. Looked inside and kept saying to myself "Good lord." And then, I dreamt about it.

See, I told you it was gross.

-- Anonymous, September 26, 2000

Oh Von, that reminds me of when I was working in a nursing home as a CNA (if you're weak stomached look away)

We had a new admit who had a burn, not your average burn, one on her hip. She had been left laying on a heating pad on high for two days. (wonderful family) since she was unable to move on her own, she burned... to the bone.

You literally could see her hip bone, I had to help a nurse clean and dress it. It was the most horrifying thing I have ever seen.

-- Anonymous, September 27, 2000

I once cut a carrot in half and foud it rotted out. I took a photo:

go to:

http://futurebird.diaryland.com/001206_89.html

click on the "this"

to see it. I still can hardly stand to look but I keep looking.

-- Anonymous, December 08, 2000