FLASHBACK 1990

"seasons don't fear the reaper...nor do the wind, or the sun or the rain"
clowns...i've never really liked clowns. but i could tolerate their existence. bozo. ronald mcdonald. even, as an adult, krusty the clown. then it happened. i mean IT happened. stephen king's "it" came on tv shattering 25 years of ignorant bliss. 25 years of believing clowns were harmless beings that just wanted to make you laugh, make you a balloon animal, or sell you a hamburger. no. now i am acutely aware that clowns are evil, demented spawns of satan intent on eating your soul. i can't even look at ronald mcdonald the same. 
FLASH FORWARD halloween 2006
cody's school holds an annual halloween carnival. games. bake sales. costume contests. a haunted trail. he comes to my office and gets some cash for his costume. he tells me he has no idea what he's going to be. as i'm cooking dinner that evening, i get that creepy feeling. oh, you know it. that feeling that you're being watched. i look over and there it is. a killer clown. glaring at me. arms folded across it's chest. my gut says it's cody...don't scream...don't...scream. suddenly...out of flippin' nowhere!!...another set of arms come out of this freak as it chases me around the house!! okay...okay! fine!! i screamed!! okay!! i freakin' screamed!! 
FLASH FORWARD halloween 2010
off to the king's island halloween haunt with the lil bro and family. i'm not excited...well i am buuuttt...for some reason the creatures that go bump in the night are attracted to me like june bugs to a porch light. the park is foggy and dark and creepy. since emma is the youngest, we let her pick the first haunt...carnevil. you have GOT to be kidding me?!!!! i'm not going in there. there are clowns in there. i am NOT going in there. my 8 year old niece looks at me...with those eyes. i'm going in there. 
FLASH FORWARD today
i faced my fear and survived my trip through carnevil. and i've faced a few other fears in the past few years, as well. bk and bridgette held me down and forced me to swallow a spoonful of peanut butter to cure hiccups. it worked, although i believe it was the fear of dying with a mouthful peanut butter. and i sliced the whole tip of my finger off. well...maybe not the WHOLE tip...only a sliver. but it felt like the whole tip. and i'm not sure if it counts as facing a fear, because i turned green...almost fainted...and bk had to bandage me up. 
today is national face your fears day. what's your biggest fear? and are you brave enough to face it?!!

^the kids of the academy^

^fear number 2^

^fear number 3^

do one thing every day that scares you~eleanor roosevelt