The Title. Also, Spiders.

I guess this would be an appropriate juncture at which to explain the title of this blog. It's pretty much because the way I'm writing, I'm deliberately avoiding symbolism and What It All Means as much as I can. But it's a fantasy novel, so those things will be expected to be there. Now, this is not high fantasy. And there are some things -- characters, races, scenes -- that are really fucking weird. Because I know human nature, I suspect that these will be the most vigorously combed for symbolism, when in reality the answer, the vast majority of the time, is going to be something like "it seemed like a good idea" or "I needed a filler scene" or "it was funny." Art shouldn't take itself too seriously.

And now for something completely different...

FUCK HUNTSMAN SPIDERS.

Seriously. Fuck them. I am deathly terrified of spiders. Like, the sight of a spider has the power to send me running in the other direction. RUNNING. This is also true of wasps, bees, and fire ants, but especially spiders. Anyone who gives me that bullshit about "they're more afraid of you than you are of them" is wrong, because my capacity for fear greatly exceeds that of an insect. Are arachnids insects? Fuck it, I don't care. Fuck spiders.

Some of you may not know what a huntsman spider is.

This is a huntsman spider.



Yes, that's a fucking pack of cigarettes next to it. No, this is not photoshop.

Fuck that thing. Seriously.

These things are found mostly in South Africa and Australia, and they're only found like three places in the states: Florida, Hawaii, and extreme southern California. LUCKY ME :| They don't apparently bite that often, but this is not a comfort since they've shown up in my bedroom, and any spider will bite when pressed against skin, like in bedding, clothing, or towels. Huntsman spider bites are also usually not that dangerous to humans (at least not healthy adults such as I) but apparently they really fucking hurt so again, I am not comforted. They move really fucking quick. One time I saw one and I jumped and it was about a foot away from shelter...it was like the thing fucking apparated. If you had been filming that shit you'd have maybe two frames of spider movement, maybe more like one.

As mentioned previously, I work ("work" here meaning write and play on the computer) in a basement. This basement has a lot of spiders, usually wolf spiders, which average out at a little over an inch. Freaky, but I can handle. A huntsman will drive me upstairs for an hour. CAN YOU FUCKING BLAME ME.

In South Africa, they're frequently called rain spiders, because they'll come inside houses to get out of the rain. Every time I've seen a huntsman has been during or after rain.

Almost enough to make me hate rain. And I fucking love rain.

Edit: I should note that that picture isn't mine, and it's not at my house. I found it on google and it was posted on a random message board. Google image search "florida huntsman spider" and you'll see it within the first couple of pages.