WOLOSHYN: Keeping Both Feet On The Ground
Posted: Tue Sep 18, 2018 8:07 pmOver the weekend a discussion broke out about fear of heights. This was offered....I had not seen it before - but I loved it. Mostly because the story Ted write's about here is totally true...
From The Toronto Sun
Ever since I could recall I have had a fear of heights — or acrophobia.
I also have aeroacrophobia — the fear of open high places — which is actually the more paralyzing of the two.
For example, I could never attempt the Edge Walk at the CN Tower. Standing a million feet in the air and leaning over the edge would devastate me. Personally, I’d rather soak a cactus in hot sauce and use it as a face cloth.
I’m not sure exactly what causes this irrational thinking, but I’ve heard it stems from a sense of loss of control, or a loss of one’s sense of self.
I believe it has more to do with a fear of falling down and going boom.
My first encounter with acrophobia came at the age of five, accompanying my mother while visiting an aunt in her 9th floor hospital room. When I went over to the window and looked out, this horrible feeling overcame me and I had to immediately sit down.
Actually, I wanted to kick the old lady out of her bed and hide under the sheets.
My mother looked at me and asked if I was okay, and without hesitation I said, “no, let’s go home.”
Years later while working for CFNY radio, my boss David Marsden asked me to M.C. an event at the CN Tower restaurant. I had to go, so my wife and some friends gathered at a ground-level bar where I quickly downed about 3 gallons of draft beer before making our way to the glass elevators (God I hate those things.)
I turned to face the back of the elevator car, closed my eyes and squeezed my wife’s hand so tightly I thought I was going to break multiple bones.
I couldn’t sit anywhere close to the windows that entire evening — and of course I had little choice but to continue to lubricate.
Some years later, Marsden and I were hosting an afternoon show when he decided to broadcast from the CNE — on the top floor of the then-Bulova Tower!
The station rented a parking lot attendants’ booth which was hoisted by crane to the top of the tower.
I gradually eased into my 9th storey perch over the next week or so, until one very windy afternoon.
The wind continued to pick up speed until the tower began to sway back and forth. Although we were only half way through the show, I looked at Marsden and said “I’m leaving. Right now.”
I got up and made my way back down to terra firma, remembering how unprofessional I thought my decision was at the time, but I really had no choice.
To this day, whenever I think of Dave Marsden I get that uneasy feeling that comes with being too high.
I also hate atriums. I recall attending a meeting with clients in their eight-floor office, and once the elevator doors opened I completely froze. Maybe five feet away, all that was separating me from the wide open space was a glass railing.
There was no way I was getting out of that elevator.
My colleague stared at me and asked if was coming. I just glazed over and said, “No, I really can’t.”
Once again, aeroacrophobia reared its ugly head and won.
Personally, I’d rather be grounded.
Woloshyn hosts “Saturday with Ted” from 12:00 p.m. until 3 p.m. on Newstalk 1010
From The Toronto Sun
Ever since I could recall I have had a fear of heights — or acrophobia.
I also have aeroacrophobia — the fear of open high places — which is actually the more paralyzing of the two.
For example, I could never attempt the Edge Walk at the CN Tower. Standing a million feet in the air and leaning over the edge would devastate me. Personally, I’d rather soak a cactus in hot sauce and use it as a face cloth.
I’m not sure exactly what causes this irrational thinking, but I’ve heard it stems from a sense of loss of control, or a loss of one’s sense of self.
I believe it has more to do with a fear of falling down and going boom.
My first encounter with acrophobia came at the age of five, accompanying my mother while visiting an aunt in her 9th floor hospital room. When I went over to the window and looked out, this horrible feeling overcame me and I had to immediately sit down.
Actually, I wanted to kick the old lady out of her bed and hide under the sheets.
My mother looked at me and asked if I was okay, and without hesitation I said, “no, let’s go home.”
Years later while working for CFNY radio, my boss David Marsden asked me to M.C. an event at the CN Tower restaurant. I had to go, so my wife and some friends gathered at a ground-level bar where I quickly downed about 3 gallons of draft beer before making our way to the glass elevators (God I hate those things.)
I turned to face the back of the elevator car, closed my eyes and squeezed my wife’s hand so tightly I thought I was going to break multiple bones.
I couldn’t sit anywhere close to the windows that entire evening — and of course I had little choice but to continue to lubricate.
Some years later, Marsden and I were hosting an afternoon show when he decided to broadcast from the CNE — on the top floor of the then-Bulova Tower!
The station rented a parking lot attendants’ booth which was hoisted by crane to the top of the tower.
I gradually eased into my 9th storey perch over the next week or so, until one very windy afternoon.
The wind continued to pick up speed until the tower began to sway back and forth. Although we were only half way through the show, I looked at Marsden and said “I’m leaving. Right now.”
I got up and made my way back down to terra firma, remembering how unprofessional I thought my decision was at the time, but I really had no choice.
To this day, whenever I think of Dave Marsden I get that uneasy feeling that comes with being too high.
I also hate atriums. I recall attending a meeting with clients in their eight-floor office, and once the elevator doors opened I completely froze. Maybe five feet away, all that was separating me from the wide open space was a glass railing.
There was no way I was getting out of that elevator.
My colleague stared at me and asked if was coming. I just glazed over and said, “No, I really can’t.”
Once again, aeroacrophobia reared its ugly head and won.
Personally, I’d rather be grounded.
Woloshyn hosts “Saturday with Ted” from 12:00 p.m. until 3 p.m. on Newstalk 1010