Friday the 13th

Such is the way of all superstition, whether in astrology, dreams, omens, divine judgments, or the like; wherein men, having a delight in such vanities, mark the events where they are fulfilled, but where they fail, though this happen much oftener, neglect and pass them by.” - Francis Bacon

Does it seem like we're having a lot of these this year? Haven't we already had two (and only three months into 2009!). Turns out we're going to have THREE of them this year, which appears to be pretty unusual.

According to Wikipedia: Friday the 13th is the thirteenth day in a month that falls on Friday, which superstition holds that it is a day of good or bad luck. In the Gregorian calendar, this day occurs at least once a year.

So, there's no getting away from them, is there?

Are you afraid of Friday the 13th (the day, not the movie)?

The fear of Friday the 13th is called paraskavedekatriaphobia,[1][2] a word derived from the concatenation of the Greek words Paraskeví (Παρασκευή) (meaning Friday), and dekatreís (δεκατρείς) (meaning thirteen), attached to phobía (φοβία) (meaning fear). This is a specialized form of triskaidekaphobia, a simple phobia (fear) of the number thirteen, and is also known as friggatriskaidekaphobia. The term triskaidekaphobia was derived in 1911 and first appeared in a mainstream source in 1953.

Evidentally, there are many folks with this phobia! Who knew?

According to the Stress Management Center and Phobia Institute in Asheville, North Carolina, an estimated 17 to 21 million people in the United States are affected by a fear of this day. Some people are so paralyzed by fear that they avoid their normal routines in doing business, taking flights or even getting out of bed.

Want to know more? Try How Stuff Works (they have articles on Murphy's Law, too).

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So, are you superstitious? I have to admit, I tend to hedge my bets. I don't walk under ladders, and I've been known to toss salt over my shoulder. But, for the most part I don't really believe in them.

You?

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You Are a Carrot Cake Cupcake

You are a complex person. You have many interesting layers to your personality, though others might not know it. You are drawn to a cross section of people. You friends play different roles in your life. You are like a cupcake because you are are deceptively simple. There's actually a lot to you! There are many ingredients in your life, and you only want them in proper amounts. Being you is a delicate art.

What Flavor Cupcake Are You?