Superstition, prompt # 49Sunday 4 march, 2007
I'm a non-believer! There I said it. No regrets...I'm not superstitious. I can't think of one superstition, common or obscure, that holds any validity. Does that make me abnormal? (Don't answer that.) It certainly separates me from the majority. There are enough superstitions floating around in our collective consciousness to fill a Great Lake. Some are considered blatantly absurd, but others; well, let's not chance it!As a child, my friends and I taunted and challenged the common superstitions of the day. My mother never did suffer any back problems. We were never able to find the end of the rainbow so we never found the pot of gold...don't know anybody who did. I've been able to blow all the candles out on my birthday cake since the age of three....never got what I wished for. Anytime I got the longer end of the wish bone didn't bring me my wish. The first time I played poker I lost my whole paycheck...so much for beginners luck. I don't recall ever taking a superstition seriously.
Currently we harbor a black cat. He was feral when my wife took care of him and finally made him a house cat. He's more afraid when I cross his path than I am when he crosses mine. Our first black cat ran out in the street and was hit by a car. He only had one life.
Every year on the vernal equinox (on or about March 21st), one of the two days per year in which the length of day and night are the same, we hear about the magical quality of this day which allows eggs to be balanced on end.Rarely does a year go by in which a local TV news station doesn't send a reporter out to a neighborhood park to capture images of people delightedly placing eggs on the ground and watching in amazement as the eggs stand on end.Rarely do we see any new stories reporting that this same feat can be achieved every other day of the year as well.Snopes.com
© R.E. LaRockSeveral years ago (15-20) I read in the newspaper about this phenomenon of standing an egg on end on the spring equinox. In front of my children I did infact stand an egg on end on the smooooooooooooth kitchen counter...to the utter amazement of my children and their friends. They all tried to do it but were unsuccessful. In fact, I repeated the act numerous times that day and took the above photo of the achievement. I also did this at other times of the year. Does that mean I'm always well balanced and will have good luck 'til the end of my days? No? I didn't think so.
Earlier today, my friend Jellyhead asked about whether I had had any hospital superstitions (Jelly is a physician in Australia):
Some people close to me, ie: wife, children, believe that if they say a test was easy, or say "I think I did well on that exam" will jinx themselves and the opposite will out.I've predicted outcomes and been wrong, or right, but I don't believe in jinxes.
A true story about superstitions in our house: I observed with interested amusement and without comment when my children would have an exceptional game or if the team won the game. From that point on the participants (team members/parents) had to wear the same clothes, ie; shoes, socks, shirts etc. etc. to every succeeding game. Interestingly all three of my children, 4 and 5 years apart played on State championship teams. I could say coincidence, but instead I'll say talent. Oh, and the odor kept the opposition at bay.
- That's my story and I'm sticking to it!
- Good night and good luck. ;-)
posted by rel at 6:32 AM
Jelly is right on the mark with that one. I have, much to my chagrin and the entire ER staff, said outloud when leaving the hospital through the ER; "everything looks quiet here tonight." If they get busy, which ER's are wont to do, then rel is a shit head. If they don't get busy then rel is still a shit-head.
I don't believe more women deliver at night or during the full moon. The records tell the story, but the superstition persists.