Or as many of my woman friends would say, “EEEEEKS!”

What IS that? Why does it seem more women than men are afraid of snakes? According to a bunch of reports, men and women are equally afraid of snakes, and it’s based on some rudimentary and ultimately sensible fear of things that can kill us. And/or eat us whole.

But we women get to wear the fear thing more openly. Poor men have to look fierce and not quiver as hairy spiders crawl up their legs or as snakes swim by them in the lake. We get to do the girlie thing and scream and point and get them to get rid of the thing.

Or at least, sometimes. I’ve had to rid my world of creepy crawlies solo a fair bit of the time – dealing with bats and crunchie bugs and spiders without recourse to screaming and begging for help. In one way, it’s empowering.

In another, it’s almost a good enough reason to take on a man.

So what does the year of the snake mean for romance, besides the urge to scream when you get one of the commemorative postage stamps on a letter?

According to one predictor, this year romance is only good for dragons. Everyone else is to be careful about love, affairs, and all that. There’s lots of infidelity, some coolness. Oh, and dogs (like me) are supposed to get married. I laugh. Even if I do like the spider removal…

In general things, this year of the Black Snake is supposed to be about caution and diligence, despite the urge to get in touch with your artsy side and spiritual innards. So, general frustration combined with hard work. Not sure how this will translate into romance and love…though keeping a relationship going is largely frustration combined with hard work, plus the spicing of love and lust and intimacy. And ignoring of soup slurping.

So maybe it isn’t all bad news, in this new year of slithery things.

As for me, I’m keeping my snake net handy. I am not counting on having anyone rescue me as yet.