by Zemmiphobia

Summary: Sakura can't sleep because something is missing and he's going crazy just listening to her. So what can he do but give her what she needs? GaaraxSakura of course. Happy Holidays.

Rated: T - English - Romance/Humor - Chapters: 1 - Words: 1,549

Happy Phobia Phriday, all! Today, with the help of a fantastic animated shorts series called Figaro Pho, we spotlight another oddball fear: Zemmiphobia.

As a kid, my all time favorite cartoon was Kim Possible. I wanted to color my hair orange, wear black crop tops and cargo pants, and be a secret agent when I grew up. But despite this idol worship, my favorite character was a little pink ball of skin by the name of Rufus.

Anyone who watched this show knows how frickin' awesome this little guy is. Although he technically didn't speak, Rufus's human best friend Ron, along with all of us at home, always knew what he was saying. With a love for Mexican fast food and deep pants pockets, Rufus was a badass member of the Kim Possible team.

Rufus also happens to be a naked mole rat. And if you've ever seen one of those bad boys in reality, they can be a bit... unnerving. In the real world, a world where anvils don't fall from the sky on a regular basis, naked mole rats are, quite frankly, bloody creepy.

Yep. A face only a mother could love.

You can now understand why Zemmiphobia, the fear the mole rat, is a legitimate thing.

Human beings have a history of fearing rodents. Our aversion towards swarming animals, from rats to bugs to bats, play a significant role in the root of Zemmiphobia.

They are also known far and wide as carriers of disease. Rodent-related phobias skyrocketed during the infamous Black Death of the 14th century, was bolstered during the Great Plague of London in the 1660's, and has stuck with societies worldwide ever since. (This apprehension is actually incorrect, seeing as how it was the insects and parasites on the rodents that carried the plague).

As far as the mole rat is concerned, what it lacks in beauty (and we all know its a fugly creature. Hell, National Geographic likens it to "a bratwurst with teeth") it makes up for in awesomeness.

The naked mole rat lives in a society similar to that of some insect colonies. Like ants, bees, and termites, mole rats live in matriarchal societies where one alpha female, the "queen", sires young for the entire colony. No other female in the group can breed. Also like some insects, naked mole rats live in complex underground tunnel systems where specific members of the colony, the workers, dig the burrows and gather food. The other rats, meanwhile, tend to the queen and the young.

Other breeds of mole rats live all across Afro-Eurasia.

Now, this is a science blog, so I'd be pretty negligent in my duties if I didn't mention the badass science that comes packed in this ugly little pink sack of skin. These dudes have the longest lifespans of any rodent of the planet. Imagine you hamster living up to 30 years. I sure as hell can't.

That not cool enough for you? Try this on for size: mole rats have crazy teeth skills. Their massive incisors, which are actually located on the outside of their mouth, are free of each other. This means each of their four buck teeth on steroids can be independently controlled. They can even do some crazy chopstick-like action with two of them, if need be.

Okay. I can see you still need convincing. So here's where I break out the big guns. You ready for this?

NAKED MOLE RATS DON'T GET CANCER.

Yep, not a single mole rat in history has even been found with any form of cancer. Here's what the eggheads at the University of Haifa have to say:

"Scientists have discovered the naked mole rat's unique mechanism to staying cancer free -- a super sugar called high-molecular-mass Hyaluronan (HMM-HA). When secreted by the naked mole rat's cells, this molecule prevents cells from overcrowding and forming tumors. Researchers now say using naked mole-rat HMM-HA in the clinic could open up new avenues for cancer prevention and life extension in humans."

If that doesn't get these rodents on your good side, I don't know what will.

So don't fear our friends underground. When the mole people rise up and take control, at least we know they'll be family friendly, dentally dextrous, and tumor-free!

If you want to learn more about the naked mole rat, check out zefrank1's hilarious and informative video, True Facts About The Naked Mole Rat

Welcome to Zemmiphobia, artwork created by Nita XX.

the hell?

Up until last weekend only my family, closest friends and a few colleagues were aware of my diagnosis (apart from those observant folks on Facebook who noticed that I had ‘liked’ every MS page known to man).  I must say I am not really good at telling people about my MS, I usually say something inappropriate like ‘Oh, yeah, I've been ok, I got the Multiple Sclerosis, but hey, at least I qualify for the Paralympics now, right?’ followed by an uncomfortable chuckle and a very concerned look. 

It turns out that I have a phobia, a phobia of sad eyes, I am not sure if there is an official word for it but if Zemmiphobia is real then I think there should be, so instead I attempt to inject some humour to help people realise I am still the same, sarcastic, do anything for a giggle, me. 

So, why now, have I decided to come out of the chronic illness closet?  Hopefully, to avoid some ‘sad eyes’, but mostly to show the lighter side of something that can be uncomfortable and unpleasant. It is also an illness that unfortunately not a lot of people know about (including me 6 months, three days and two hours ago – not that I’m counting) – I have, on more than one occasion been asked if it’s  contagious…it’s not, we can totally spoon.   So with any luck I can remove some of the mystery (I make it sound sexy I know) and help anyone newly, old-ly, maybe-ly diagnosed.

When you're having a bad day, and you feel like nothing will ever be right in your life, just remember: there are people out there with Zemmiphobia.