Fact: It's Friday

I kinda like these and I got excited last night when I realized that it was coming today. Dorky? Yesiree.

Brittany Fact #2: I am scared terrified of the dark.

For reals. Ever since I was a little kid, I've hated the dark. I used to have to sleep with our bathroom light on and with a tape playing (either Sesame Street, Safety Kids or Scripture Scouts) to fall asleep. Often times, I would wake up in the middle of the night and find that the tape had stopped and the light had been turned off. Que screaming panic attack. My mom would come in, say a prayer with me and sometimes we'd sing a few songs. I usually calmed me down, but there were several nights that I would end up in mom and dad's bed because I was so scared.

Fast forward to becoming a teenager and moving to my parents (sort of scary) basement. I've never admitted this to anyone, but there were several nights that I slept with my closet light on because I'd wake up and convince myself that there was a murderer just feet away. Sometimes I would pop a CD in and between that and my light being on, I was able to fall asleep. We're talking 16 year old Brittany would have to do this, people. I don't think that's normal...

Fast Forward a few more years to my college days. Two out of the apartments I lived in had a long hallway back to the bedrooms. When you walked into the front door, you walked into the kitchen and the hall was connected to that. If I ever got home late (which never happened...nope, not me...Uh...) I knew exactly what I needed to do. I'd flip the kitchen light on that was right next to the door, walk to the hallway, turn the hallway light on, flip the kitchen light off, scurry to the end of the hall, take out my pathetic little cell phone, flip off the hallway light, and zip into bed with whatever light my phone gave me (ok, there was usually a bathroom trip and teeth brushing in between, but you get the idea) I couldn't stand to be in the dark.

Even now, I'm usually getting ready for bed by myself in the dark. Josh goes to bed between 7 and 8 and my nigh owl self is usually up until 10:30. I know the lights in my house like I knew the lights in my old apartment and I do the exact same thing every single night. Once I'm in my room, I run into the bathroom, flip on the light and do my nightly routine. Once that's over, I have to give myself a mental pep talk to make the 3 foot trek to bed. And if the girls ever wake up in the middle of the night after Josh has left, I can guarantee that the hallway or my bathroom light will be left on. 

Aaaaaaaand now I officially sound crazy. Maybe I should go see a psychologist or something for this childish fear I have. I think it all stems from the pathetic number of scary movies I've seen. By pathetic I mean probably 3. The Halloween that Josh and I were engaged, we opted to stay home and watch a scary movie instead of going to the school Halloween party. We watched The Strangers and I ended up having to sleep on his floor because I REFUSED to go home to an empty apartment. To this day I still psych myself out that there are hooded murderers roaming around my house. It was really had in our first apartment after we were married because our laundry room had accordion doors. If you've seen the movie, you know what I mean.

Maybe this is why I hate Halloween so much. I can't stand being scared and I get scared soooooo easily. I mean, I had to sleep with a night light in high school! And let's just say that it's no mistake that my iPod dock with it's blue glowing light is a foot from my head every night.

Edited to Add: My former coworker reminded me of the scariest dark place on the planet. I can't believe I forgot!! I worked at this place called BRASC that serviced teens and adults with disabilities. Every Friday, we would take the participants out around Logan somewhere and do an activity (bowling, swimming, to a movie, out to dinner etc). We would drive the company van or bus, drive around Cache Valley to pick them up, do the activity, drop them off and then head back to the scaaaaariest dark and spooky building ever. Seriously, have you guys seen The Shining? You know the long, dark halls of the Hotel? Well, that's what BRASC looked like. By the time we'd get there, it was pitch black outside and we had to punch in a code on the side of the building to get in. EVERYONE thought it was creepy. Even my adult male boss admitted to being spooked a time or two. Some of my coworkers claimed that they would hear door slamming up stairs or water running when there was nobody else in the building. Creeeeeepy. Apparently the building was an old fraternity and one of the rival brotherhood (or whatever you call them) slaughtered a pig and a horse in/around the building. So, we became convinced that the ghost of the animals were guarding the building. I think they did a pretty good job.

Most of the time, unless I had someone with me, I wouldn't even return the keys at the end of the night (Shh...don't tell, that was a big no no!). I especially didn't if I was working Saturday morning. I'd drop off the van or bus (yes, I drove a bus and it was sweet), stick the keys in my purse and jet home as soon as I could. Seriously ladies and gentlemen, that place was haunted and so SO scary at night. 

So there's my fact for the week. Anyone else have a debilitating, ridiculous fear? I hope so because I just made a fool out of myself... :)

Happy Friday!