Today is Friday the 13th (we had one in February, too...'09 is a two-fer!), and to be honest, I don't have a problem with the day. I have never had anything worse than normal happen on a Friday the Thirteenth (FTT). I've never had any particular problem with black cats, ladders or spilled salt. I was trying to think of any superstitions that I have, and I can't think of any. I do have a lot of little rituals, though.
For instance, I clean my desk (file what needs files, shred what needs shredded, chart what needs charted) when I finish a book. I enter all the data into my Character Charts (a notebook that contains all kinds of info on all my books to date)...basically, I clean up after one book so I can start fresh on the next. It's more of a ritual than a superstition. But hey after another dozen books or so, it could become a superstition! LOL Maybe that's how superstitions start...little rituals that make sense, and somewhere along the line the 'sense' part is forgotten and all that's left is a superstition.
I mean, not walking under a ladder makes sense...something on it could fall off and hit you, or the ladder could wobble and...squish. Not breaking mirrors makes sense, too. I mean, who wants stitches from a cut?
So, maybe somewhere along the line, my little ritual will become...a superstition. Something I feel I HAVE to do before I can start the next book. I'm on the wrap up side of this book, a SuperRomance for next spring. In a few weeks, I'll be cleaning off my desk, filing and tidying. It just wouldn't feel right to start the next book if I didn't do it.
What about you all? Do you have little rituals that could morph into a superstition? Or hey, do you already have your own handy-dandy superstition??
Happy FTT everyone! Hope it's a great day for everyone!
Holly
Holly JacobsHarlequin American's American Dad trilogyOnce Upon a ThankgivingOnce Upon a ChristmasOnce Upon a Valentine's
For instance, I clean my desk (file what needs files, shred what needs shredded, chart what needs charted) when I finish a book. I enter all the data into my Character Charts (a notebook that contains all kinds of info on all my books to date)...basically, I clean up after one book so I can start fresh on the next. It's more of a ritual than a superstition. But hey after another dozen books or so, it could become a superstition! LOL Maybe that's how superstitions start...little rituals that make sense, and somewhere along the line the 'sense' part is forgotten and all that's left is a superstition.
I mean, not walking under a ladder makes sense...something on it could fall off and hit you, or the ladder could wobble and...squish. Not breaking mirrors makes sense, too. I mean, who wants stitches from a cut?
So, maybe somewhere along the line, my little ritual will become...a superstition. Something I feel I HAVE to do before I can start the next book. I'm on the wrap up side of this book, a SuperRomance for next spring. In a few weeks, I'll be cleaning off my desk, filing and tidying. It just wouldn't feel right to start the next book if I didn't do it.
What about you all? Do you have little rituals that could morph into a superstition? Or hey, do you already have your own handy-dandy superstition??
Happy FTT everyone! Hope it's a great day for everyone!
Holly
Holly JacobsHarlequin American's American Dad trilogyOnce Upon a ThankgivingOnce Upon a ChristmasOnce Upon a Valentine's
12 comments:
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I woke up this morning to no heat. How's that for Friday the 13th?
But that aside, we've always considered it a lucky day. Eleven years ago today - on a Friday the 13th - our first baby was born. I was in labour and my husband went to fill out forms. He came back after quite a long time and I asked him what took so long. He had gone to buy a lotto ticket, lol.
We didn't win by the numbers but we sure felt lucky around 6:37 that evening. :-)
Hey Holly. :) I grew up with a parent who had a lot of superstitions, and a few of them stuck. The one my husband thinks is the funniest is that I can't stand anyone putting shoes up on a table -- even new shoes in a box. My mom would have a fit if someone did that, too, and I find I can't help myself. It's supposed to be bad luck, which, when you consider both of my parents grew up on farms, also makes sense (and would make sense now) when you think about how much ick you bring in on your shoes. So it's just cleanliness, but then it extends to even new shoes and becomes superstition.
I was doing some research on this for a book, and found that Superstitions are also cultural. Many of the things that US folks think are bad luck, like black cats, are considered extremely good luck in other countries, like Ireland. It has to do with histories where you find witch trials, but the bit I read. But, I like the idea of black cats as good luck (although it's supposed to be bad luck if you chase one off of your property, and good luck if you find one on you porch, etc). My mom, for some reason, thought that red/orange cats were good luck --maybe because she was a redhead. ;)
Either way, Fri 13 is not a problem for me, either, in fact, I met dh in person for the first time on that day, and it was a very good one. :)
Sam
Er, hmm. I'm wearing a necklace with an elaborately worked book as a charm. The book's spine says "Good Karma."
Nope. Not superstitious. Not even a little. Okay, maybe*g* but Friday the 13th doesn't bother me at all. I just wish we had a full moon to go with it.
Nat, The necklace sounds wonderful!! Wishing you all kinds of good karma!
Holly
Holly, I'm not superstitious, but I have a thing against gossip. I actually do feel yapping about someone else invites trouble! :-) So--my only superstition is self-serving. I don't want anyone bad-talking me!
I do remember my grandma saying it was bad luck to throw a hat on the bed. I was trying to use Sam's reasoning to decipher that, but I can't think why that would start--unless maybe Grandpa sat on her hat once. :-)
Anna, I'm with you on the gossip. Life's too short. I'd rather concentrate on the nice things!
And LOL. Yes, if your grandfather sat on your grandmother's hat, that could definitely be construed as bad luck! LOL
Holly
Huh -- interesting on the hat on bed...my mom got in trouble with my Dad once saying she wouldn't mind if Perry Como left his shoes under her bed, LOL, so maybe tossing the hat on the bed is related to that?
I think you are probably closer -- hats might have been pricey, and if you crushed it, you'd have to get another one?
Sam
I have also found that Friday the 13th is no better or worse than any other Friday and since I like Fridays I'm okay with that. I don't have any superstitions but my son and husband go fishing and were on a boat that had 50 people not catch anything and then they found out that someone had bananas on board and apparently that is bad luck so they all blamed the banana people for the lack of fish.
Sam, Perry Como was the the George Cloony of his generation, and I so wouldn't mind if George left his shoes under my bed...or his hat on it! LOL (George is on my mind since I just watched last night's ER...I love that they're bringing old cast members back for cameos!)
Maureen, LOL Better to blame bananas than the fishermen!
Holly
Hi Holly,
Happy FTT to you to. I'm a little superstitious. You can't help but think of those things on a day like this.
Hi, Kimmy! I think everyone is a bit superstitious, even if they don't think they are! LOL
Holly
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