Reptiles don't affect my personal life... they shape it. Reptile shows are a must, even my boss knows that if tehre is a reptile show nearby I will not be working no matter what!! As for the relationship aspect, the first time eddie met me, it was new years eve. We had a party and invited some people in the area (including his family, they live a 30 second drive from my house) and he decided for some odd reason (hearing from his little sis there was a nice girl that lived there) to leave a party in the city to come to my house. Well, I was very drunk, and when he came in the door the first thing I said after HI was... hey come here i want to show you something REAL COOL! so here i am after many shots of rum, showing this guy ive known for 5 minutes my huge collection of what was then only about 30 snakes. I thought for sure that he thought i was a basketcase. After that we went into the basement and played pool and i shamed him by beating him when he was sober. We have been together every day ever since

but he always beats me in pool now

My family, honstly, before me, had not a clue about reptiles. Alls I did between the age of 10 and 14 was read snake books! I wanted a california kingsnake and it took me 4 years to convince my mom to be in the same house as a snake. "hey, this little guy isnt so bad shannon"

and the collection has grown ever since. My family friends and everyone else in my life fully respects my addiction to snakes, and I simply do not cross well at all with people that hate snakes. "why do you hate snakes?" I say?

Usually, i get a childish response like, they are evil and slimy. I do understand that some people have a legit, uncontrollable fear of snakes. And I respect it.