Friday, November 13, 2015

Whistling in the Dark

Thought for the day:  Why in the world do people think an amputated rabbit's foot will bring them luck? The way I see it, it sure didn't bring any luck to the rabbit...

[morguefile]
I'm not at all superstitious. Friday the thirteenth is just like any other day, knock on wood. But don't worry. For those of you who are superstitious, I've got my fingers crossed that you encounter nothing but good luck today.

I do NOT believe the act of washing a car will make it rain. Well, actually, maybe it will, but as everyone knows, that's due to science, not superstition... Murphy's law and all that. (However, if anyone has a suggestion as to how to make it stop raining, I'd be much obliged.)

I say NO to the notion that breaking a mirror will bring seven years' bad luck. True, I have a peculiar propensity for avoiding mirrors as much as possible, but that has nothing to do with a fear of breaking them. I just don't wanta give that old-gray-mare-who-ain't-what-she-used-to-be who stares back at me the satisfaction. Why let that old broad spoil an otherwise great day?

I do NOT believe garlic will keep away vampires and evil spirits; I just happen to LIKE eating it. I also enjoy eating an apple every day, and it has absolutely nothing to do with that silly old saying about keeping the doctor away. Sure, I pick up pennies when I spot them lying on the ground, but it has nothing to do with that old Find a penny, pick it up, and all the day you'll have good luck. Nothing at all. I'm simply cheap frugal.

We do NOT have any lucky horseshoes hanging in our house, but if we did, I'd be sure they were hanging properly. You know, so it looks like the letter U. And that has nothing to do with that blather about not letting the luck run out. They simply... look better... that way.

Oh, I could go on and on, like about how unlucky it's supposed to be to walk under a ladder, to rock an empty rocking chair, to open an umbrella in the house, or for a black cat to cross your path. (Like Groucho Marx said, A black cat crossing your path signifies that the animal is going somewhere.) But I won't. Instead, we're gonna concentrate on Friday the thirteenth. Ever wonder why that date makes some superstitious people fairly tremble in fear? Well, then, you've come to the right place. I'm gonna tell ya.

The following post originally appeared on May 13, 2011... a Friday the 13th, of course, and it had the original title of Friggatriskaidekaphobia, Anyone? In the early years of this blog, I posted much more frequently than I do now, and every Friday, I included what I called weirdest news stories of the week. Tell ya what, even though those stories are more than four years old now, they're still kinda funny, so I'm going to leave them in the post, too.

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Thought for the day:  Luck is the idol of the idle.


[morguefile]
Friggatriskaidikaphobia is a freaky cool word that means fear of Friday the 13th. Since Friday is considered by some to be an unlucky day, and thirteen is feared by some as an unlucky number, it should come as no surprise that when the two converge, superstitious fears multiply accordingly. We could say that

Unlucky Friday + Unlucky Thirteen = Unluckier Friday

The word superstition means a belief or practice resulting from ignorance and fear of the unknown, a trust in magic or chance, or a false conception of causation. Although I have no statistics to back me up, I'll hazard a guess that there are far more superstitious males than females. I mean, really, have you ever heard of a woman refusing to change her lucky drawers or socks? No, of course not. Although I will concede that this peculiar attachment to one's dirty socks and undies and by extension, one's aversion to donning clean ones, may in fact be rooted in something entirely different than a belief in their ability to prolong a streak of good luck. For any gentlemen with a proclivity to wear said scuzzy skivvies, be forewarned: No matter how much  luck you believe those skivvies may bring you in games of chance or sport, I double dog guarantee you that wearing them will NOT lead to any semblance of luck with the ladies.

[morguefile]
Most of us are familiar with superstitions dealing with black cats, spilling salt, breaking mirrors, and walking under ladders, but have you ever wondered where those superstitions originated?

And why FRIDAYS, for goodness sake?

And why the number THIRTEEN?

Since this is the only Friday the 13th we'll be encountering this calendar year, I thought today would be the perfect time to investigate.

WHY FRIDAY  : In ancient Rome, Friday was the designated day for executions, which certainly ended a streak of good luck for anyone whacked by the authorities, whether he was wearing his lucky bowling shirt or not. Witches' covens allegedly gather on Fridays, too, and in the Middle Ages, Friday was actually dubbed "Witches' Sabbath". The Good Friday crucifixion of Christ casts the greatest stigma on the day for Christians, but other Biblical events are also attributed to Friday: the day Eve gave Adam the apple, the day they were expelled from Eden, the day God struck the Tower of Babel, and the day Solomon's Temple was destroyed.

Some of the strange superstitions regarding Friday are:
  • Clothing made on a Friday will never fit properly.
  • Visiting a doctor on a Friday will lead to no good news.
  • Changing bedclothes on a Friday will lead to nightmares.
  • Marrying or moving on a Friday will come to a bad end.
  • Cutting your nails on a Friday will lead to sorrow.
  • Receiving bad news on a Friday will cause more wrinkles than receiving them on any other day of the week.
  • Starting a trip on a Friday will lead to misfortune.
  • Ships that set sail on a Friday are doomed to suffer bad luck.
About a hundred years ago, to disprove the superstition about ships, the Brits commissioned H.M.S. Friday. The crew was selected on a Friday, the keel was set on a Friday,  the ship was launched on a Friday, and the man chosen to captain the ship was even named Friday. The ship set sail on its maiden voyage on a Friday, too. And was never heard from again.

[morguefile]
WHY THIRTEEN: You're probably more familiar with this word: triskaidekaphobia. That's the fear of the number thirteen, and it's no secret that many buildings don't acknowledge a thirteenth floor, and many cities opt to skip Thirteenth Street. But, WHY? 

For one thing, a witch's coven has thirteen members. There are also thirteen steps leading to the gallows, and thirteen knots in a hangman's noose. The blade of a guillotine falls thirteen feet, and at her trial, Lizzie Borden spoke thirteen words. There were thirteen people at the Last Supper, and the thirteenth card in a deck of tarot cards? Death.

Apollo 13, the thirteenth mission to be launched from pad #39, (13 X 3)  was aborted after an explosion in the fuel cell of the service module, after leaving the launching pad at 13:13 CST. The date? April thirteenth.

One theory about the root of triskaidekaphobia lays it at the feet of ancient man. It claims that when man was first learning to count, he counted on ten fingers and two feet, so anything beyond twelve was considered frightening and mysterious. On the other hand, what I find mysterious is why he didn't count on his ten toes, too. It's highly possible that he refused to take off his lucky socks.

Would you believe the number thirteen was once considered lucky? For one thing, some early religions considered the thirteenth step to be the one souls take to enter the eternal glory of the afterlife. And in the prehistoric goddess-worshiping cultures, the number thirteen represented femininity, and corresponded to the number of lunar (and menstrual) cycles in a year. The Earth Mother of Laussel, an ancient carving found in France, depicts a female holding a crescent-shaped horn with, you guessed it,  thirteen notches in it. Later, when society became male-dominated and the solar calendar replaced the lunar one, twelve became the "perfect" number, replacing the "imperfect" thirteen.

So, there ya have it. Now you know a little bit about the superstitions associated with Friday the thirteenth. Me? I still prefer the TGIF approach.

How about you? Do you have any superstitions or lucky socks?

OK, time for (a drum roll, if you will ...) the

WEIRDEST NEWS STORIES OF THE WEEK

**  In New York, a 21-year-old happened to be riding in a car that was pulled over by the police. As soon as the car stopped, the young man immediately took off running, and jumped into the Hudson River. He was able to latch onto a branch 250 feet downstream, where he waited for the police to rescue him from the fifty degree water. Know why he ran? It seems that the shivering young man thought there was a warrant out for his arrest. There wasn't. Sounds to me like there should have been.

** When two female investigators in Vienna, Austria began questioning his client, a lawyer (ahem) showed his briefs. The attorney dropped his trousers and then perched on a desk in his tightie whities with his back to the women. The client is suspected of a sex crime, but now the lawyer is being investigated, as well. (Maybe they were his lucky shorts?)

** After three late-night escape attempts, a German shepherd named Jack finally escaped from an Oregon veterinarian's office by pulling his kennel open, tripping the dead bolt on the clinic's back door and pulling down the handle to get outside. In the process, Jack tripped three motion detectors and tore open four bags of dog food. The vet said he was "impressed" with Jack's impressive recovery from the flu. Me? I wonder if that dog's last name was Bauer.

Bauer... Jack Bauer.  [morguefile]

                                       Until next time, take care of yourselves. And each other.

49 comments:

  1. I share my home (and my heart) with two black cats.
    Mirrors? I am with you. I don't like the person I see in them. She is a plain old bat, and I don't like the looks of her. Not a friend of mine.
    Have a great weekend.

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    1. Black cats are beautiful, and just as lovable and mischievous as any other cats. It's so silly for anyone to be "afraid" of them because of their color. Then again, some people judge other people on the same basis. :(

      You have a super weekend, too.

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  2. Since I don't subscribe to any of the religions or cults mentioned, I'm not bothered. And, I also live with 2 black cats. They don't care either.
    And I worked in a hotel where one regular guest refused a booking on #14 floor.Because it was after #12, of course and he didn't care what you called it or how many comforts it offered - it was the THIRTEENTH!

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    1. If you're gonna have cats, no matter what color they are, it's always a good idea to have at least two of them. (We have two, too.) It's sooooo much fun to watch them interact

      That story about the guy who refused to stay in any floor above the twelfth cracked me up. Thanks for sharing. It must be horrible to be that superstitious.

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  3. Well, walking under a ladder is just poor judgement because the ladder is there for a reason, somebody's working up there with HEAVY TOOLS which sometimes fall down. Opening umbrellas indoors could put someone's eye out. I could go on, but will close with the confession that I found every year after my 12th to be strange and certainly don't discuss my 13th when all my gym-mates and I underwent hirsute lycanthropy. In short, I found your post informative and delightful and thank my lucky socks for people like you.

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    1. Great comment, dude. One thing I can say about your lucky socks... you've got some very unique and cool-looking ones. (I hope they're ALL lucky!)

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  4. I feel good that I can remember that today is Friday, but the date escaped me. I only know that if I have to write out checks to pay bills which itself is a bad experience. . Thanks for reminding me to be careful. I am going to go now and hug my semi-black kitten and hope she does not trip me on my way downstairs.

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    1. Yeah, paying bills is a bummer, no matter what the date may be. :)

      Whatever their color, cats rarely bite the hand that feeds them, but they don't seem to have a problem with snaking around that same person's feet (to express love, I'm sure...) and tripping them. (I'm glad we live in a ranch house!)

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  5. I've walked under a ladder before, no one was up there, so safe to do. Smashed mirrors and done this and that, pffft to any of that unlucky or lucky mumbo jumbo. Luck is nothing but a made up word by humans to explain things that happen when they are too lazy to think up another answer.

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    1. HA! I love your definition of luck. Lots of truth in it, too.

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  6. Just proved my feelings as accurate it's the take over by men that's ruined all the fun. I've always felt the number 13 as lucky. I was born on the 4th and in numerology any number that adds to 4 is a lucky number. My sister was born on the 13th. So maybe we should be considered unlucky! LOL Such nonsense.
    Oh and no one is as good as I am at avoiding mirrors. I love mirrors, have them all over the house, and never, ever see that old witch that resides there. :)

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    1. I've always thought of the number thirteen as lucky, too, because, like your sister, I was born on that date. I love when it falls on a Friday, too. (Extra lucky!)

      How about that? A witch resides in your mirrors, too? I don't think mine just lives in the mirrors, though, because she jumps out in front of me when anyone tries to take my picture, too...

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  7. There was less traffic today - I think some folks couldn't get out of bed on the 13th. I do believe that it absolutely will rain if I wash my car - you can bet on that. It's fact!! Have a good weekend

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    1. All I know is we've had a TON of rain here. This morning, for the first time in ages, actual SUNLIGHT peeked through our windows! Woo HOO! And it's still mostly sunny... Must be our lucky day... :)

      You have a super weekend, too.

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  8. My baby sis was born on Friday 13th at one minute to ten, and she is the most innocent and naive woman you could ever meet...but damn, she's got a temper like a Demon.

    I used to believe the no 13 was bad, but like the Chinese, now see it as positive.I have no problems with walking under ladders and have always had black cats. Which might all go on to explain why my life sucks...just kidding. ;)

    Have a fantastic weekend Susan!

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    1. Oh, how very cool! I was born on the 13th, but it wasn't a Friday. I've always liked it when my birthday fell on a Friday, so I would've gotten an extra kick out of being born on one. (Kinda weird, I know, but true.)

      Black cats are cool, but ya might wanta watch out for those ladders. Walking under a ladder and risking a workman dropping a hammer on your head might not be too great for your health...

      You have a super weekend, too!

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  9. I’ve had many cats in my life, most of them black. I’ve lived in too many rainy climates to worry about opening an umbrella indoors. And I’d rather walk around a ladder than under it, but that’s a safety issue rather than superstition. All this said, I am pathologically superstitious about found pennies. They’re evil, and I won’t touch them unless forced. If one comes into my life unbidden and unavoidable, say it appears on my floor (pennies are insidious and have a way of doing that sort of thing), I’ll pick the penny up and put it in a small clay pot I have for the express purpose of containing the foul things.

    VR Barkowski

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    1. That's the first time I heard anyone call pennies evil. I must admit, I don't ALWAYS pick them up when I find them. I only pick 'em up if they're lying on the ground heads-up. If not, I flip them over and walk away... leaving the "lucky find" for the next person. Yeah, I know. That DOES sound weird... :)

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    2. I learned that it was rude to refuse the 'good luck' the universe was throwing your way via found coins. I always pick them up.

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    3. Interesting, River. I was taught the coin was only "lucky" if it was heads up. :)

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  10. Quite often I think we make our own luck (whether good or bad). Fun post! Hope you have a nice weekend.

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    1. This sums it up for me, too!!

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    2. Great minds truly do think alike. :)

      I hope you ladies both have a wonderful weekend, too.

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  11. I'm not superstious but I wouldn't do things to prove I wasn't ... like they did about the Friday ship. . .

    I also wanted to let you know I won't be writing ir reading... I'll definitely be back to reading and commenting soon... I'll see about writing, I hope so. . I just have a lot going on right now xox

    Have a great weekend Susan :-)

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    1. Okay, kiddo, you do what ya gotta do, and we'll seeya when you get back. So to speak.

      If I don't hear from you before then, I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving.

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  12. You might think I'm pulling your leg but it's only now that I have realised that it's Friday 13th! :-)

    Greetings from London.

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    1. Nope, I totally believe you. Some days I can't remember what day of the week it is, let alone the date. :) (And that's why God created a calendar... )

      Greetings back atcha.

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  13. It was around noon for me before I realized that today was Friday the 13th. I just get all excited when Friday rolls around at work.

    And bah humbug on all those silly superstitions! Except the car washing thing, that's absolutely true.

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    1. I think for most people the joyful TGIF feeling supersedes any concerns about the number thirteen. :)

      Uh-oh, I hope the one about washing a car isn't true. We've finally seen the sun for the past couple days, after an interminable period of rain, rain, and more rain. In spite of all that water coming down, our cars was filthy. (Go figure) So (gasp) Smarticus washed 'em today...

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  14. I just read that Black Dogs do not get adopted. I think that is so stupid. So that must go with the black cat supersition I guess.
    I love my Scotties, best dogs ever.
    Great post as always.

    cheers, parsnip

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    1. It is stupid. We adopted an adult dog with silky black hair from a rescue group years ago, and were told she had been badly mistreated by her former owners, who called her Devil... and treated her like one. I changed her name to Shadow, and we tried to get the fearfulness out of her, but the poor thing never quite recovered from all that mistreatment, which I suspect she got simply because of her color. She was really a sweetie, too.

      Cheers back atcha!

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  15. I was going to look up the history of Friday the 13th. Now I don't have to do so, thank you very much. I'm not superstitious at all.

    Love,
    Janie

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  16. I spent my whole life having nothing ever go wrong in the Friday 13ths, until this month. The day started out well, and went downhill so quickly after 3.30pm I thought I was caught in an avalanche. Hoo-Boy!
    Did you know we had three Friday 13ths this year? February, March and November.
    I'm not superstitious, but my mum was. she did the whole "touch wood throw spilled salt over your left shoulder" thing as well as other stuff and absolutely refused to have peacock feathers inside the house. If any friends had vases of peacock feathers, she refused to enter their homes.

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    1. Sorry this 13th gave you a hard time. Yeah, I did realize we've had other Friday the 13ths this year, so I'm not sure why I waited so long to run this post.

      My grandmothers were somewhat superstitious, but my mother was more... new-agey, I guess you'd call it. She had all kinds of books about the supernatural, read tarot cards, and even had a crystal ball. Cool, huh? Alas, I'm much more boring. :)

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  17. Hi Susan - I'm a Friday the 13th girl ... born on the 13th ('cept it was a Tuesday) but I was 13 on the 13th and that was a Friday! I knew some of this information .. but most certainly not all - I think you've only covered the basics here?!

    Desperately sadly yesterday was not a good day in Paris ... I feel for them ... with thoughts to all - Hilary

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    1. Hi-ya, Hilary.

      Woo HOO... I'm a thirteen gal, too. To tell the truth, I'm not sure what day of the week I was born on, though. I can't remember... HA!

      What happened in Paris yesterday was horrible. Beyond horrible.

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  18. Never knew that 13 was surrounded with so much mystery and history! To think, all I knew about 13 is that it is a prime number.

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    1. The number thirteen is much cooler than you gave it credit for, eh? Then again, I'll betcha plenty of people don't even know what a prime number is.

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  19. Ohhhhh, so THAT'S why I had great sorrow this weekend. I cut my nails on a Friday. Thank you for clearing that up.

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  20. Fun post! I knew of people fearing the number 13, and Friday the 13th, but never just Friday itself. Interesting!

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    1. Thanks! I'm glad you find this kinda stuff interesting, too. :)

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  21. I was superstitious as a kid, but when I became an adult I realized good and bad can happen at any time for any reason. I have nothing against the number 13.

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    1. Realizing that bad (and good) things can happen at any time and for any reason, without either having anything to do with some kind of bad or good luck, is the smart way to approach life.

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  22. And what a Friday the 13th it turned out to be. I was all set to veg out with my hubby and enjoy a scary movie when we got the news report. I'm not superstitious either, but I do believe in the powers of evil. Not to bring anyone down, but there have definitely been better Friday the 13ths.

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    1. You've got that right. It was a HORRIBLE day, but I don't blame it on the date, just on the terrorists themselves.

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  23. Replies
    1. Thanks! It was supposed to go with my new post, which I, um, forgot to publish. (Oops!) All fixed now.

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