# Spiders



## jarvan (Sep 28, 2009)

Ok, I have nothing against most avatars, but the tarantula avatar...dunno who it was that has it, but it grosses me out so bad I can't come into the forum until it goes away. Makes me sad.  :cry: 

I seriously cannot look at spiders, snakes or anything creepy. 

Sorry, just had to say something.


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## Guest (Sep 28, 2009)

I hope you dont have anything against Tinker Bell, LMAO!


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## Rosey (Sep 28, 2009)

I thought I was the only one freaked out by the tarantula. I scroll down fast. *shudders*


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## TessC (Sep 28, 2009)

I don't know if you use Firefox or Internet Explorer or another browser, but AdBlock Plus for Firefox makes life on forums so much nicer. I have a good number of avatars and signature images adblocked, which means that I simply don't see them at all, it's as if they don't even exist. Might be something worth looking into for you, I swear by it as I find a lot of the animated images people like to use highly annoying. 

Just an idea.


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## jarvan (Sep 29, 2009)

I run my browser through Safari on my mac. No luck with disabling avatars I am not offended by general stuff like pixies or kittens. But insects or stuff like that truly creeps me out.


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## Guest (Sep 29, 2009)

jarvan, I was just kidding. Sorry it is upsetting you so. I have a humongus fear of snakes, so I know how you are feeling.


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## Guest (Sep 29, 2009)

It scared the crap out of me the first time I saw it , seriously I gasped like I thought it was real . lol  . I am scared of big hairy talking spiders .

Kitn


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## ChrissyB (Sep 29, 2009)

I think it was simpleE wasn't it?


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## ChrissyB (Sep 29, 2009)

No it's not E, I just checked.


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## tamarajane (Sep 29, 2009)

It's alwaysme07


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## wonderland (Sep 29, 2009)

i have the same problem with animated avatars [not scaring me, just bothering me] because i have epilepsy and it makes concentrating a bit difficult.

i've tried to turn them off but i can't figure it out.  i have to scroll by all posts with animated avatars and i'm sure i'm missing some really good info here because of it.


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## wendybyrd (Sep 29, 2009)

oooh, that is awful!


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## Guest (Sep 29, 2009)

I am officially changing my avatar, I am sorry if I caused any distress to anyone. I never thought about epilepsy. Changing now!


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## SimplyE (Sep 29, 2009)

ChrissyB said:
			
		

> I think it was simpleE wasn't it?



Thanks for remembering  :wink:

Mine was the fly...that was been eaten by the spider


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## Deda (Sep 29, 2009)

If you use firefox you can simply right click on any image and select "Block all images from .... "  No more offending images.


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## wonderland (Sep 29, 2009)

Deda said:
			
		

> If you use firefox you can simply right click on any image and select "Block all images from .... "  No more offending images.



i don't use firefox and i did try to figure it out a while back but had no luck.


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## gekko62 (Sep 29, 2009)

The animated ones make me motion sick or something.Some video games do it too.No big,personal choice. But there's one that's an evil eyed wolf,it scares the bejeezuz out of me every time I scroll down a page.Evil eyed wolves & spiders are creepy!


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## jarvan (Sep 29, 2009)

BConrad...were you the one with the spider? I didn't want to go back to find out. I am not THAT curious. If so, my apologies if I have made you feel bad, but not intended. I was just noting the oogie factor that one's avatar can cause. I do know that flashing things can trigger epilepsy problems, too. Maybe they are just evil.


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## Tabitha (Sep 29, 2009)

I think the spider is beautiful. It is one of nature's wonders.

I guess that is what makes the world go round. 

jarvan, your avatar freaks me out. It looks like some crazed dentist horror flick poster, IMHO.


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## jarvan (Sep 29, 2009)

I am sorry to freak anyone out with the wearing of protective gear. I will change my avatar accordingly.


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## Deda (Sep 29, 2009)

Don't change it, I agree with Tabs Mad Dentist, but I love it.

BTW, When DD was a babe we had a pet Tarantula.  Don't get pissy anyone, we never let it anywhere near the baby.


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## Rosey (Sep 29, 2009)

Aren't tarantula's supposed to be super pets and rarely bite? I think you really have to try to piss one off but i could be wrong. I am a severe arachnophobe but a tarantula is pretty impressive. Hubby wants one but I said it will be a cold day in you know where before that happens.


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## carebear (Sep 29, 2009)

I can handle spiders as long as they are tiny.  but if they are big enough for me to see the hairy backs - well I'm TOTALLY FREAKED!!!!!!!!

This said, maybe a little acclimation therapy would do me wonders.


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## TessC (Sep 29, 2009)

I'm actually arachnaphobic, but a wonderful lady at our local childrens museum has been oh-so patiently working with me on it. They have a gianormous fuzzy tatrantula there, she's a Chilean-something named Rosemary and omg, did I mention that she's gianormous? 

Well, the employee brings Rosemary out to visit me at one of their desks, letting me observe her up close but in a controlled manner since she keeps Rosemary sort of corralled at a comfortable distance. She moves really slowly most of the time (Rosemary, not the employee, lol) and is actually one of the most fascinating critters I've ever met. 

My "comfortable distance" is down to a foot or so away from me now, big change from the 3-4' at the beginning, but I'm still nowhere near ready to touch her or let her walk on me. Maybe someday, but even if it never gets that far I'm happy, I can watch her walk across the table without breaking out in a cold sweat. 

Now snakes, I love snakes! A lot of our friends are really freaked out by them, but I've kept snakes off and on since I was about 14.


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## Rosey (Sep 29, 2009)

I love snakes too


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## Guest (Sep 29, 2009)

jarvan said:
			
		

> I am sorry to freak anyone out with the wearing of protective gear. I will change my avatar accordingly.



Please don't change it  , it is an excellent example of what to wear when making soap . 


Kitn


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## IrishLass (Sep 29, 2009)

For those that are bothered by certain avatars, but who don't have firefox or whatever to be able to block them out, you can zoom in on the forum page from 100% to 125% and then click on the slide bar at the bottom of the page to slide the page over far enough so that the avatar is not showing.  I hope I explained that well enough, but I just tried it and it works very well. The threads are easier to read too.  :wink: 

IrishLass


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## alwaysme07 (Sep 29, 2009)

*I changed my avatar*

I just changed my avatar, sorry is it bothered anyone :shock: . I though it was nice for halloween.


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## alwaysme07 (Sep 29, 2009)

> ChrissyB said:
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And where can one find that? ( for myspace )


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## ChrissyB (Sep 29, 2009)

Spiders that big fascinate me. 
As long as they don't have poison, I'm fine. Snakes, spiders, any of that.
But if I so much as see a cockroach I am screaming like a little baby.


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## alwaysme07 (Sep 29, 2009)

I'm the same chrissyb.


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## carebear (Sep 29, 2009)

It's not so much that any particular bug really skeeves me, is that any bug IN MY HOUSE or TOUCHING ME (or is possibly going to touch me) that's a problem.  ants inside drive me insane, on the sidewalk - I give them the right of way out of respect LOL.

Growing up, we had cute little crickets that I loved.

Here I have been invaded by 1.5 - 2" crickets!  Those suckers seriously CRUNCH and THAT is something else to which I object.


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## TessC (Sep 29, 2009)

Two words that make my blood run cold: mole crickets

Those things squick me out to no end.  :shock:


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## artisan soaps (Sep 29, 2009)

..


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## carebear (Sep 29, 2009)

Rats I can deal with (not wild rats).  I had a summer job raising them (and then, sadly, giving them cancer and then killing them - but I don't/won't do that any longer) and grew to love my critters.  Rats are like puppies - the love to be petted, and have their bellies and noses rubbed.

I feel just awful about the whole thing now, but it really was good research that did help people.  Still, sadness.


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## Guest (Sep 29, 2009)

jarvan said:
			
		

> BConrad...were you the one with the spider? I didn't want to go back to find out. I am not THAT curious. If so, my apologies if I have made you feel bad, but not intended. I was just noting the oogie factor that one's avatar can cause. I do know that flashing things can trigger epilepsy problems, too. Maybe they are just evil.




No, I had the twirling tinker bell. Not the spider, goodness no.


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## Saltysteele (Sep 29, 2009)

speaking of avatars, what happened with Kitn's, and why it showing she is only a guest????


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## jarvan (Sep 29, 2009)

I have noticed that a few people, namely Kitn, CastorFan...a couple other regulars are in here as guests . Perhaps a snafu with the forum?


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## TessC (Sep 29, 2009)

I assumed that this announcement post is the explanation, although I don't know that for certain.


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## MsBien (Sep 29, 2009)

If that's the case, I just don't see how Kitn fits into what would be banned.  She was always so helpful to me in the forum and via pm.  

It makes me sad.


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## Guest (Sep 29, 2009)

What the heck is happening? Kitn, castorfan, juicy, Jeeeeesh. I dont get it.


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## TessC (Sep 29, 2009)

I don't know, but can only assume that things have happened that I'm not aware of, posts that were deleted before I read them or something that transpired via the PM system. I've not been on this forum as long as some others here, but in the several months since I joined I've never seen anyone just banned at random or on a whim, so I trust that the admin and mods had sufficient cause.

I've been on forums where anyone who annoyed a mod was fair game for banning and some that are run like little dictatorships, and I've not found SMF to be like that, not at all. I might not understand the decisions, but I do respect them and have condfidence that they were fairly made. 

</soapbox>


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## heyjude (Sep 29, 2009)

R.I.P.    Kitn      

Jude


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## Guest (Sep 29, 2009)

RIP Kitn, Juicy, Castor  :cry:   

Billie


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## ChrissyB (Sep 29, 2009)

I've had rats as pets before, they are lovely animals.
My little girl was totally house trained, very tame, just a really lovely companion. But unfortunately she got a tumour on her brain which is quite common apparently and she passed away. We had for about five years.
We got another one a few months after that, but the little bugger just wasn't the same personality type, chewed up everything, bit the kids, she ended up being rehoused.


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## TessC (Sep 29, 2009)

I had the sweetest pet rat back when I was 19 or so, he was black with white feet and a white blaze on his chest, and I named him Boots. Since he was from "feeder rat" stock he wasn't exactly bred for health and longevity, and so only lived about a year and a half. Tumors like your girl, Chrissy.   

One of my friends now has a two year old Agouti rat named Templeton, lol, he's the coolest critter.


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## wendybyrd (Sep 29, 2009)

They're going away...  I hate it when that happens in forums.  A sad but generally inevitable occurrence.   :cry:


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## LJA (Sep 29, 2009)

ChrissyB said:
			
		

> I've had rats as pets before, they are lovely animals.
> My little girl was totally house trained, very tame, just a really lovely companion. But unfortunately she got a tumour on her brain which is quite common apparently and she passed away. We had for about five years.
> We got another one a few months after that, but the little bugger just wasn't the same personality type, chewed up everything, bit the kids, she ended up being rehoused.



They do get a bad rap, don't they?  Rats are very sweet and smart animals, actually....


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## ChrissyB (Sep 30, 2009)

I think they are smart.
People think that they are smelly, but that's only if you don't clean out their bedding and cages...duh!
My little Tatty used to have a bath once a week. Peanut butter on celery was her favourite snack.
I cried my eyes out when she passed away it was so sad.

Now my eldest son has pet snakes.  :shock:


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## Rosey (Sep 30, 2009)

I don't like rats. Their tail creeps me out. I do like mice though.


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## ChrissyB (Sep 30, 2009)

Mice have tails too!


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## gekko62 (Sep 30, 2009)

ChrissyB said:
			
		

> People think that they are smelly, but that's only if you don't clean out their bedding and cages...duh!



Same as pigs.People say they're dirty smelly creatures but if humans were made to live in tiny enclosures with many others with no access to fresh air & water I bet we'd smell too!


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## kittywings (Sep 30, 2009)

gekko62 said:
			
		

> ChrissyB said:
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Naturally, I think humans are REALLY stinky!  Think about all the stuff we have to do to make ourselves NOT smell... deodorant, teeth brushing, soap, etc.  Yet somehow without using any of that my cats smell like morning sunshine.

Now on the subject of scary things, I'm cool with spiders, rats, bugs, etc.... but SNAKES... I have a completely irrational fear.  It doesn't matter if it's a tiny garter snake or an anaconda, it has the exact same effect.  Even now, I had to take my legs out from under the covers because any snake talk (read: thoughts) make me paranoid.  You should have seen me after seeing  snake show in Thailand, my hubby thought I was crazy when I jumped out of bed in the middle of the night yelling "snakes! snakes! Turn on the light!"  Then again... in the snake show, as we got there, they were finishing a show for 3 Japanese tourists and their "finale" was swinging this python around into the audience by it's tail.  The friggin' head almost hit this girl IN THE FACE!!!  It literally was about 3 inches away!!!  You could imagine the heart attack I almost had (luckily I was sitting about as far away as I could), my hubby stopped the show for a minute and said "you don't need to scare her, because she's already scared."   :cry: 

A funny bug story though, about a week or two ago, I was vacuuming out my car and somehow a Praying Mantis had gotten into the back by the rear window.  I tried getting a piece of paper to give it something to climb on to get it out of the car.  As I put the paper close to it it pulled up into (I SWEAR ON MY LIFE) the crane position from "The Karate Kid"  and stayed like that until I took the paper away.  BIZARRE!

For Jarvan who uses safari... you can download a plug-in called "Saft."  I LOVE IT!  You can block ad banners, etc. but it also saves your webpages, etc. if safari crashes or if you turn the computer off, etc.  You can have it save your passwords, etc.  LOVE LOVE LOVE IT!


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## gekko62 (Sep 30, 2009)

kittywings said:
			
		

> Now on the subject of scary things, I'm cool with spiders, rats, bugs, etc.... but SNAKES... I have a completely irrational fear.  It doesn't matter if it's a tiny garter snake or an anaconda, it has the exact same effect.  Even now, I had to take my legs out from under the covers because any snake talk (read: thoughts) make me paranoid.  You should have seen me after seeing  snake show in Thailand, my hubby thought I was crazy when I jumped out of bed in the middle of the night yelling "snakes! snakes! Turn on the light!"  Then again... in the snake show, as we got there, they were finishing a show for 3 Japanese tourists and their "finale" was swinging this python around into the audience by it's tail.  The friggin' head almost hit this girl IN THE FACE!!!  It literally was about 3 inches away!!!  You could imagine the heart attack I almost had (luckily I was sitting about as far away as I could), my hubby stopped the show for a minute and said "you don't need to scare her, because she's already scared."   :cry:



In the wild,snakes give me the absolute heebee jeebees.But when I was in Vietnam we went to this place that had a HUGE python(it's body was roughly the diameter of a human thigh,& it was loooong). My darling loving sisters volunteered me for the foto op,didn't they? Having it draped over my neck was OK.Feeling the weight of the thing started to get me a little worried.My god,snakes are one big muscle pretty much,that one coulda squashed me & had me for lunch.And then it started moving,turned it's head & looked at me,& started wiggling it's way closer to my head,staring at me & when it got to about a foot away 2 attendants quickly stepped up & held its upper body & took it off me.It was really really scary.I think it was going to latch on.Brrrrr Im getting the shivers just thinking about it.


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## jarvan (Sep 30, 2009)

I incorrectly quoted in this message...deleted it and can't get rid of the empty message so I thought I would put some words in the empty box.  :roll:


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## jarvan (Sep 30, 2009)

"kittywings" said:



> For Jarvan who uses safari... you can download a plug-in called "Saft."  I LOVE IT!  You can block ad banners, etc. but it also saves your webpages, etc. if safari crashes or if you turn the computer off, etc.  You can have it save your passwords, etc.  LOVE LOVE LOVE IT!



Thanks Kittywings! I will DL Saft ASAP.


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## kittywings (Sep 30, 2009)

gekko62 said:
			
		

> In the wild,snakes give me the absolute heebee jeebees.But when I was in Vietnam we went to this place that had a HUGE python(it's body was roughly the diameter of a human thigh,& it was loooong). My darling loving sisters volunteered me for the foto op,didn't they? Having it draped over my neck was OK.Feeling the weight of the thing started to get me a little worried.My god,snakes are one big muscle pretty much,that one coulda squashed me & had me for lunch.And then it started moving,turned it's head & looked at me,& started wiggling it's way closer to my head,staring at me & when it got to about a foot away 2 attendants quickly stepped up & held its upper body & took it off me.It was really really scary.I think it was going to latch on.Brrrrr Im getting the shivers just thinking about it.



OH       MY         GOD!!!!  I would have had a heart attack!  Your story is my worst fear!  (shivers)  They did the snake around the heck thing with my hubby... I took a picture for him.... from 15 ft. away.

The whole snake swinging thing is just cruel though.  I am terrified of snakes, but I don't want to harm them.... that's just mean.


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## Yummo&amp;YAsMommy (Sep 30, 2009)

Speaking of spiders.  I have a spider story.  The other night I was getting the mail (we have community mailboxes) and I dropped some.  I bent down to pick it up and found myself face to face with a black widow (they are really common out here).  It was about an inch from my nose.  I'm not afraid of spiders.  I think they are facinating but I'm still a little creeped out by them.  I looked at the other mailboxes in the group and they ALL had black widows.  I called the home owner's association this am to let them know.  Hopefully they do something about it because tons of lazy people send their kids to get the mail.  They take our money but we still have spiders and a broken slide in our park.  What are they doing???  

Oh and a snake story too.  I love snakes.  I have a friend who breeds and milks snakes for a living.  When I was younger, I lived in this apartment that backed up to a wooded area.  One night while walking my roommate's dog, I found a young copperhead in front of my downstairs neighbor's door.  I tied the dog up, knocked on the door to tell them to stay inside, got some sticks, picked up the snake and moved it back into the woods.  They thought I was insane but they had young kids and a small dog.  I knew how to move it safely so just seemed like the right thing to do.  

Snakes, no problem.  Spiders no problem.  Cave crickets?  That's a problem.  Those things scare the crap out of me.  They have long legs like spiders but they jump like nobody's business.  I was going to post a picture but I can't do that to you guys.  Our old basement in Northern VA was infested with them.  I have goosebumps right now just thinking about it.  Yuck!


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## alwaysme07 (Sep 30, 2009)

artisan soaps said:
			
		

> I really like the fuzzy little guy, but  then I kiss rats and often have them climbing all over me which I know would be other peoples worst nightmare, so I get it ..
> 
> If you can't block it with your browser then I'd shoot a PM to the owner of the avatar and I'm sure they'll change it if you explain ..




I already changed yesterday.


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## alwaysme07 (Sep 30, 2009)

So no animated avatar at all! Well I just seen some.......


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## Tabitha (Sep 30, 2009)

gekko62 said:
			
		

> ChrissyB said:
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Good point. The smell of an animal is direcly realted to the level of care & attention given the animal by it's human.


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