hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia

it's been a day for wonderfully big words.

this began with a friendly email exchange regarding the mark of the beast. I wanted someone to verify that my one-sentence description of the term was adequate. Along the way, I discovered the word hexakosioihexekontahexaphobia, or fear of the number 666 (the mark o' beast). I guess I missed a big moment in American history this summer when we safely navigated our way through June 6th, 06. Phew! I had no idea we were in danger, I was busy being censored in China. (umm link may not work. whatever. read the economist. it's good for you.)

And then came http://phobialist.com/
and several wasted hours contemplating fear. Christine avers she is overcoming a case of philophobia and still is afflicted with macrophobia. I may suffer from lutraphobia, not to mention a mild case of arachibutyrophobia. The ancients do continue to entertain.