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Saturday, August 14, 2010

Friday the 13th... dum de dum dum

Do you ever pay attention to when a 13th will fall on a Friday? If you do, will you avoid certain activities on that day for fear of bad luck? I began to wonder why Friday the 13th is regarded as unlucky and found several possible answers. I learned they come 3 times in a year and any month that begins on a Sunday will have a Friday the 13th. The theories for why it's unlucky are many and widespread, but they all agree it goes way back. One belief is it comes from the Last Supper on a Friday and with 13 at the dinner table. Then there is the idea that 13 itself is an unlucky number and Friday an unlucky day.

In numerology, 12 is considered a number of completeness-- 12 months of the year; 12 tribes of Israel, 12 signs of the Zodiac, 12 hours on a clock; 12 Apostles for Jesus; 12 gods of Olympus; Since 13 follows 12, guess it cannot be complete, now can it?

Black Friday has been associated with stock market crashes and other disasters since the 1800s. It's supposedly a bad day to start a project .  Author Charles Panati (don't ask me who he is as I found this quote from him in Wikipedia) said:
The actual origin of the superstition, though, appears also to be a tale in Norse mythology. Friday is named for Frigga, the free-spirited goddess of love and fertility. When Norse and Germanic tribes converted to Christianity, Frigga was banished in shame to a mountaintop and labeled a witch. It was believed that every Friday, the spiteful goddess convened a meeting with eleven other witches, plus the devil — a gathering of thirteen — and plotted ill turns of fate for the coming week. For many centuries in Scandinavia, Friday was known as "Witches' Sabbath."
Another theory is it relates to the day so many from Knights Templar were arrested (again from Wikipedia):
'The Knights Templar were a monastic military order founded in Jerusalem in 1118 C.E., whose mission was to protect Christian pilgrims during the Crusades. Over the next two centuries, the Knights Templar became extraordinarily powerful and wealthy. Threatened by that power and eager to acquire their wealth, King Philip secretly ordered the mass arrest of all the Knights Templar in France on Friday, October 13, 1307 - Friday the 13th.'
 For me I have never found it to be an unlucky day or for that matter a lucky one. It's just a day but I generally am aware of it in a kind of backhanded way, and if I am not, someone reminds me. I have never altered plans because of it.

This Friday the 13th was a pretty good one actually. I had gone to the dentist on Monday and was told I needed two small fillings. When we called for an appointment that would let Farm Boss also get a check up and have his teeth cleaned, surprisingly we could both get it done Friday morning. Was that because some are fearful of the day and hadn't been willing to schedule something at a dentist's that day? If so, it was lucky for us.

When I was waiting in the reception area, I noticed something had changed and asked if they now had nitrous oxide. Sure enough, they did and asked if I wanted it with no extra cost. Do bears live in the woods? I love it as it helps my back a lot when in those dentist chairs and makes having fillings into a pleasant experience instead of one of stress.

Even better as I talked to the dentist, I mentioned previously I had been able to have small fillings with just nitrous. She asked if I wanted to try and that's what we did. It meant I did not have 2 hours afterward with my mouth and tongue feeling swollen. The fillings were beautifully done and the drilling only mildly uncomfortable, which with the nitrous, I didn't mind at all. I asked more questions regarding the future crown and learned there was no decay that she can see. This is more something to do proactively than required immediately. That was more good news but I will be putting money aside toward the eventual crown and maybe root canal.

The rest of the day was equally good with shopping going better than usual. At Costco the parking lot was less full. We got right in for gas with no line. Now I can't say some people stayed home due to the date; but if they did, it made it a lot quicker for me in getting my groceries and back out.

Even better is that I have now checked off the last medical type event that I felt I should do this year but had been putting off. I kept feeling guilty, and now my teeth are once again up to date.

At home, to celebrate, I made margaritas after dinner and before we laid out the irrigation line. This was my second time. They came out great. Come on over and have one with us. It was a great way to end a good day.


Photo on top taken by Farm Boss Friday afternoon in our back yard with our boys-- BB and Blackie.  Black cats cross my path very regularly in fact they sometimes try to trip me up in their eagerness to reach the door or food bowl first. Guess that could be considered bad luck.

The one below is of a set of coasters I bought Friday as a reminder every time I use them of a philosophy of life worth not forgetting.



13 comments:

la peregrina said...

I did not realize yesterday was Friday the 13th until late afternoon. I guess it has no meaning for me either. I wonder if less people booked to fly yesterday because of the date. If so I bet it was easy to get a cheap airfare. I'll have to look into a taking a quick weekend trip the next Friday the thirteenth.

Anonymous said...

Love the nitrous too. Wont sit without it. How did you feel on it? I float to the ceiling and fall in love witht he lights...lol.

Anonymous said...

Interesting information about Fridays and 13ths. When I worked full time, I always loved Fridays, the last day of the work week for me. My birthday is on a 13th and I always thought that was pretty special!

The thing about novocaine is that it has epinephrine in it to speed the effects, but also makes it last longer. It also gives that heart-racing feeling. So, dentists often keep a novocaine in their office that does not have epinephrine. It takes longer to get numb, but it also wears off very quickly. I always ask for that. I have had nitrous oxide when I was in my teens. A very interesting sensation.

Rain Trueax said...

She offered me a Novocaine that wears off more quickly but it turned out I didn't need it. I first had nitrous when we moved to the farm and found a wonderful dentist in a nearby town. Until then I never knew it existed and he said he considered it like a little vacation for the patient.

This time they said they used it conservatively offering to strengthen it if I wanted but it was perfect for me and the level of work needed to be done. I don't want to get too spacey but with a little oxygen to clear it out, the effects are gone immediately. It is more relaxing for my muscles and body, my neck doesn't hurt after being in the chair for an hour, and not having to wait for Novocaine to kick in made it faster too. I have had it where it made me feel like anonymous mentioned-- floaty. When I have to have that crown (or maybe root canal), then I'll want it stronger.

For me nitrous has made dentistry much more pleasant. Given the years of torture in those chairs, when the drills were worse and the whole thing was so painful and I had so many deep fillings that I'd be in tears over the pain, this is such a relief.

People who grow up where I did, with the water we had, are lucky to keep their teeth. I wasn't that sure I would but now I think I will even if many of them end up crowned. It's a pleasant surprise

Ingineer66 said...

Sounds like you had a pretty good Friday the 13th. I didn't realize it was the 13th until after lunch and I had a great day. Nothing bad happened which is pretty good for a work day.

Kay Dennison said...

I didn't even notice that it was Friday the 13th. Every day has felt like Friday the 13th lately. LOL And the one thing I know is that it will get better.

Darlene said...

My mother was born on Friday the 13th and always considered it to be her lucky day.

I am not superstitious at all so it is always just another day to me. I am happy for the tip that it's a good day to schedule appointments, though.

J said...

My mom once found $50 stuck to gum on the bottom of her shoe. We were pretty broke and payday was Monday. She wasn't sure what she could afford to buy for us to eat. $50 was a lot of money back then, so we had enough groceries to get us through quite nicely, and I think we went to a movie as well. Yes, this was a lo...ng time ago. Ever since then, Friday the 13th has been a good omen to me.

I had a filling once with no Novocaine, no nitrous, no nothing. It was so small, and I was pregnant, blah blah blah. It was better than the numb mouth. Far better.

J said...

I did have nitrous once, when I had my wisdom teeth out...I loved it. Good thing the dentist wasn't on it as well, because I wanted him to take ALL my teeth out. Yeah, I was a little stoned. If he had been, too, I guess I'd have dentures now. :)

Sandy said...

It's funny you mention Friday the 13th, I had to fly on this past one, thought about the date a few time but the flight was great. I love the coasters you got! Do you mind sharing where you picked them up?

Rain Trueax said...

They were at Bath Bed and Beyond. I wonder if it's easier to get airline seats on a Friday the 13th.

OldLady Of The Hills said...

I've always liked Fridays that are the 13th....In fsct three one act plays of mine Opened on Friday, February 13th 1981 and were HUGELY Successful--Acually making money for the Theatre...!

Your 13th sounded like it was a very very good day....
It's funny about Nitrous---I don't like the way it makes me feel, at all---and I still needed Novacaine along with it. It is true, I was having some very heavy duty proceedurse and spending many msny hours in the denrists chair....But after a while, I told the Dentist, No More Nitrous....That was a long time ago and maybe they have improved it in some way.....

Margerita's sound so yummy and they look great, too---but, Alcohol and I don't do well together, so I have never tasted one. But I love to see other people enjoy them.....!

LOVE the coasters, Rain! And I love that picture of you, too!

Sandy said...

Thanks Rain, and for me it was no easier to get seats on Friday the 13th, there was already a seat sale and my flight was full.