Superstitious or Not?

And congratulations on your daughter's birth and birthday, too! 

Friday, November 13th (still a few hours away for me here in KY) is also my DD's boyfriend's 21st birthday.  Now, I have no particular superstition about that, but I can see how that could possibly be an unlucky day for my DD's boyfriend since he will now be officially old enough to drink.  However, to help insure that he doesn't accidentally drink too much and drive because of not knowing how much alcohol he can handle, she has already told him she'd come and pick him up tonight. 

I agree with you on the full moon thing.  Based on my own personal experience, I believe that the full moon brings out the crazies in people.  I don't have any idea why this would be the case, but it seems to be.  Many times I've wondered what was up with people on a given day, and then someone will say, "Oh, it's a full moon!"

Even though I'm not superstitious about it, when a friend or family member and I walk around opposite sides of a pole, I tend to say "Bread and Butter" or sometimes "Pan y Mantequilla" just because it's fun.  Like you, I'm the first one to break those darned chain letters and emails -- especially the ones that promise that Bill Gates or Cracker Barrel or Neiman Marcus is going to send me something wonderful if I pass it along.  Funny ones I'll be glad to forward, but not those.  I just deleted one today.  In fact, I used to respond to them with a little video of a guy on a soapbox saying that no one can trace your emails, etc.

I'm also the one who doesn't hesitate to open an umbrella in the house or to let a black cat (my father's cat is black) cross my path.  I do take extra care that he doesn't cross anyone else's path around this time of year, though, because there are some sickos out there who are inclined to do nasty things to black cats around Halloween.

Lucky the 13th doesn't bother me cos there have been 3 Friday the 13ths this year.

My parents always make a fuss about the 13th as they were married on this day 55 years ago and man, I've just realised I never rang them to say Happy Anniversary and now it's a bit late at night down here, oops! I better be very contrite tomorrow!!! and early !!

I come from a long line of superstitious women - I think it's the Irish ancestors!  I still remember my mother's utter horror the first time I put new shoes on the table - and since she yelled and I nearly died of a heart attack, maybe it is bad luck!    Spilt sugar over one shoulder, salt over the other. Honestly it's hard work being superstitious!

But I must admit I've grown out of it mostly now - and I break the chain letters too.  I don't like that subtle (or not so subtle) blackmail element that they come with at the end. There are too many vulnerable people out there being manipulated by the promises of good fortune, or the threat that not passing it on to 5/7/9 people in the next five minutes will mean bad things.

I do have a new superstition in our house now though - the day I got the call from the editor, my husband discovered I'd sent him to work in odd socks (one black, one navy)  So I reckon that's a fun superstition - if I want something good to happen I need to send him off to work in odd socks!  A good look when he's all dressed up in his suit!

Sharon 

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Happy birthday Laura!

I'm not at all superstitious, but my sister is. She won't have three lights on, or walk under ladders and throws salt over her shoulder when she spills it. I don't know how she can move some days, she's so busy taking precautions. As some of you know she came with us to SA recently. The day before we were due to leave she found the death tarot card tucked into her passport. I am truly amazed she agreed to get on the plane. Needless to say, she survived the trip. 

I also ignore those chain messages. I tell my niece (who does worry) to pass them to me and I'll break the chain for her. 

Okay having said all that- maybe I'd better touch wood. Just in case you know?

Anne 

My ex-husband was born on Friday the 13th and he also thought it was a lucky day.  I guess I am somewhat superstitious.  I never pick 13 as a lucky (or lottery) number.  But, I break e-mail chains all the time. 

I may (okay, do) have a few superstitions, but Friday the 13th has never been one of them. Knock wood. But today my co-worker and I managed to direct paperwork to the wrong sister site. Fortunately, we realized it before Monday, so all should be well. (G-d willing and the creek don't rise.) 

As I nurse who watched too many wacky evening when the moon was full, I do believe there is something to that. And there is too much fey blood flowing through my blood vessels to discount all superstitions, but I try not to let them control my behavior.

I'm another person who is guaranteed to break the chain mail that floods my email inbox.

Years ago one of my friends and I hosted a Friday the 13th party, we had squads more people show up, but they all came with drinks or food. All comers were welcomed into the house. It was a blast!

Laura-Happy birthday to the birthday girls! 

Right off the top, I'd like to wish you many happy regards for your birthday.  "And many moooooore!" as the song goes....

As for superstitions, I am also someone who breaks those emails.  As soon as I see something that says you must send it on, I either delete the entire email without reading further or I forward it on MINUS all that crap at the bottom about it being a chain email.

I won't walk under a ladder for the exact reason given earlier -- something can fall down on me!  Duh!

When I was a teenager, I purposely walked on sidewalk cracks ("Step on a crack, break your mother's back!").  My mom was not the easiest person to live with.  'Nuf said.  Oh!  BTW, she never broke her back!  Funny that!

I have no problem with sitting in Aisle 13 or requesting 13 on a lottery ticket.

I often DO wonder about bad things happening in threes, but it's like your horoscope:  you can make it come true if you manipulate the obscure examples enough.  For example, when two people die near the same time, you wonder who the third person will be.  (Case in point:  Ed McMahon, Farrah Fawcett, and then Michael Jackson all in 24 hours.)

I am not allowed to walk in the front door then exit the back door. My grandmother always said that you had to go out the same door you came in or it was bad luck. Black cat crossing is bad luck. Breaking a mirror is 7 years bad luck. Walking under a ladder, rocking a rocking chair with no one in it, walking over someone laying in the floor, and the list goes on and on and on they are all suppose to be bad luck. My grandmother drives me crazy. I have tried several of these things she has said and nothing terrible has happened. So I am not a huge believer in all of it.

I had forgotten all about the entering and exiting the same door until mentioned here. My mother and grandmother were both adamant about that one. Another thing they used to say to me was, "Wash and wipe together, quarrel and fight forever." They would get upset if I dropped the dish towel on the floor, "company's coming, go pick up the living room." 

If any of us dropped a knife on the floor, a man would be visiting. If we dropped a fork, a woman would be stopping by and a spoon meant a child would be coming over.

If you managed to peel all the apple skin in one long coil, drop it over your right should. The look at the letter it created and it was the first initial of you future spouse.

I'm not saying I believe any of these sayings, but it is fun recalling them. This is a fun blog! 

Thanks for drawing my name.  I just sent you an email.  Let me know if you didn't get it.  I am very excited to get your book.  

Tammy I hope you enjoy your book.

It's not just the full moon that does it.

When I was teaching on a day when there was a blustery wind, there were groans in the staff room from all those who were teaching kids in the side of the building where the wind was striking because it would be almost impossible to get them to sit still and concentrate on anything... and it didn't matter whether they were eleven or eighteen.