Did you realize that today is Friday the 13th? Are you in any way superstitious? Do you have “paraskevidekatriaphobia” – fear of Friday the 13th? Or do you just have “triskaidekaphobia” – fear of the number 13?
I must admit, I am just the slightest bit superstitious. It comes to me naturally. My dad won’t go down a street if he sees a black cat cross the road. I’ve actually been in the car with him and had him turn around and go another way. And I can remember my grandmother saying things like “don’t open that umbrella inside, it’s bad luck”. And “be careful, don’t break that mirror or you’ll have seven years of bad luck”. So things like that, even though they are silly, I am mildly superstitious of. I don’t walk under ladders either 🙂 I do, however, pick up pennies, no matter if they are heads up or down. And unlike Rachael Ray, I don’t throw salt over my shoulder for luck. 😆
I’ve always been interested in this kind of stuff. I was a mathematics major in college and I did a term paper one time on the number 13 and why people have trouble with it. It’s rooted in paganism and Christianity and numerology and a host of other “isms”. 🙂 Friday, of course, was the day Christ was crucified and the number 13 stems from the number attending the Last Supper (Jesus plus the 12 apostles). I think most American hotels and office buildings don’t have a 13th floor. There’s a lot of these kinds of things, once you start thinking about them. Or looking them up 🙂 You can Google like I often do, or go to Wikipedia and read more about it (click here for Friday the 13th info or click here for info on superstitions in general).
Anyway, there are a lot of things that some people are superstitious about. I thought it would make for a fun and maybe interesting “Question of the Day“. So, how about you? Do you consider yourself superstitious? Do you walk under ladders or open umbrellas indoors? Do you think if you break a mirror it will bring you bad luck? Would you stay in a hotel room on the 13th floor? Or anything else that someone else might consider a little superstitious? Leave me a comment and let me know!
What an awesome post!
I am a little bit superstitious, too. Friday the 13th doesn’t bother me too much and I probably would stay in a room on the 13th floor of a hotel. But I feel a little freaky if I open an umbrella indoors or if I see a black cat.
I think it’s fascinating to read about superstitions and folklore and the like. Thanks for those links! 🙂
Happy Friday the 13th to you!
As usual, a very interesting QOTD. I don’t think I’m superstitious. I pick up any money I see laying around! And not walking under ladders is just plain good common sense and safety. I like odd numbers so 13 is a good number for me! (Watch, I’ll break a leg or something today!)
I’ve never had any superstitions… but deja vu/black cat is really cool and it always reminds me of the Matrix!
Hi Stacy. I grew up surrounded by many kinds of superstitions. Many Filipinos are superstitious in nature. I also believe in those superstitions you mentioned but personally I try not to be afraid of Friday the 13th. I just pray for protection before leaving the house. Like today, we all went to the mall and everything went perfectly well. I’m thankful to God for a wonderful day and for keeping us safe from harm.
Thank you for visiting earlier for your sweet thoughts. Since, we’re attending a wedding tom, I might as well share some superstitions about weddings:
1. A groom cannot see the bride before the wedding. I guess this one is a common practice.
2. Siblings cannot marry on the same year because it will bring bad luck.
3. If a younger sibling marries ahead of an older sibling/s, he or she should give the older sibling/s a gift to avoid bad luck.
Ya know, I am not superstitious at all. I can’t think of one single thing I *believe* that falls under that.
OK, this is strange. I just started to type something and it just deleted itself!
I was going to say that I don’t have any superstitions about Friday the 13th, but I might have to change my mind now!
I won’t open umbrellas in the house and won’t walk under a ladder. Those are pretty common. My strange thing is that I won’t eat veal because a fortune teller once told me that I shouldn’t eat it. She never gave me a reason, but from that day on, I’ve never eaten veal.
I don’t think I’m superstitious. I do think about it being Friday the 13th though. In fact, my wedding date was originally going to be the 13th of September and it fell on a Friday, so I changed it to the 14th! So, I must be somewhat superstitious!
And to answer the comment you so kindly left on my blog…. Groceries came to 61 and some change today! Woot! But I still need pita bread, plain yogurt, and probably a gallon of milk towards the end of the week — so it will be close!
The “Love Comes Softly” movies have been good, I’ve loved them. HOWEVER, they do not follow the books! At least the last 3 haven’t! The books have more content and depth. They are still really light and lovely reads. I recommend them to everyone I know!
And I just started to read Victoria Holt last year when an online friend recommended them to me. VH also goes by the name Jean Plaidy — and one more I can’t think of. All the same genre of historical fiction/romance. I like her a lot.
Have a blessed weekend!
Sherry
ps I tried the 6-can soup on hambones w/ some tweaks and really liked it!
Not too superstitious……I think the ladder thing is good common sense! Don’t want that thing falling on you! The cat thing that Daddy does is just plain weird!
Don thinks 13 is lucky for him, or rather he likes that day……he was born on a 13 and born again/saved on a 13!
Oh, did you ask Sherry what tweaks she made to the soup? Just curious since it’s one of my recipes and I always like tweaks you know!
I don’t think I’m the least bit superstitious, though I’m not overly fond of odd numbers for some reason. *g* Now, my maternal grandmother was VERY superstitious about just about everything. When my mom was pregnant with my brother, she was cuddling our new bassett hound puppy, and my grandmother told her she’d better not hold that dog — that the baby would have eyes just like it. And she was serious! 😉
I am mildly superstitious. It’s like in my head, I know that these things mean nothing, but somehow I can’t make myself *fully* believe it. I will also turn the other way if I encounter a black cat, won’t walk under ladders, don’t like Friday the 13th (yes, I noticed today), and one time I did break a mirror and was upset because of the fear of bad luck.
Philip thinks it’s all ridiculous, and he often scolds me for my superstitions. I can’t help it, though…I know he’s right, but I just can’t stop! 🙂
Im not really supersticious im just wacked. My way of thinking is odd when I do things. I have loved reading your comments here
Hi Stacy,
Nah, I don’t have any superstitions at all. My son was born on Friday the 13th and I consider him to be a wonderful blessing, so 13 can be all that bad. lol
Hope you are enjoying your weekend. 🙂
Well wouldn’t you know I called up your post, read your post, and there were 13 comments posted. So I thought i’d better post a comment so you would have good luck!!! Weird, eh?
Whew, thanks Suzanne! Can’t have an unlucky 13 number of comments, hehehe 🙂
Hi! I totally didn’t know it was Friday the 13th! I was out of town…
But no, I’m not particularly supersticious. I might throw salt over my shoulder but only for good luck. I used to do a variation with throwing the entire salt shaker:)
Have a great weekend!
Great question! Yes, I am slightly superstitious. Nothing happened to me on the 13th though.
I hate when I’m given a number and it’s odd. I love even numbers. My friend is just like I am. When we were given walker numbers for a cancer walk, we both had to trade for an even. We didn’t know this about each other. Too funny!
I think you can jinx yourself by saying something will happen or you’ll get sick if you say you haven’t been all year, etc.
I don’t really worry about a black cat but would worry about going under a ladder or breaking a mirror! LOL
This is interesting! I think I’m kinda superstitious too. I’d walk away in an opposite direction if I see a black crow. I remember I brought my mom to see an oncologist, and we bypassed this huge black crow. I didn’t feel right, but it was too late to turn to the other direction, anyway she passed away last year because her cancer was in the later stage, but still I can’t shake the thoughts away…
I would say mildly….I never realize its the 13th until I go to write a check. Ladders, mirrors and black cats….I will laugh them off but think about it later……
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