Friday the 13th

Would it surprise you if I said that I LOVE Friday the Thirteenths?

I used to be afraid of them. I was raised under a roof of superstition. My Mom and Nana had every superstition DOWN! I can't remember if it was knives or forks falling on the ground that signaled vistitors, but my Nana would curse that. I was always like, "YAY, Company! Maybe they'll rescue me!" Then there were the times we would be driving down a street only to see a - YEP, you guessed it - Black Cat cross the road. I remember more than once my Step Dad turning the car around and going down the next street. I always wondered what would happen if that cat kept going and crossed in front of us again. That would have been the end of the night, I suppose. My sister and I were so frightened by everything. We would even think twice about going out to a party or football game (or even the library!) on a Full Moon.

Good Lord!

Superstitions can really hold your mind and soul in bondage. So it was a great thing when early on I experienced quite the opposite of what I had been told.

I turned 13 on a Friday the Thirteenth. Cool, huh? I thought so... Anyway, there was a school dance... it was the end of the year and we were all ready to GET OUT! I remember all of my friends requesting the coolest Duran Duran songs and dancing with Dan to Spandau Ballet. I can still picture a hall full of new teens bursting into cheers every time one of my songs came on. It felt like they were cheering for ME! I was getting hugs and birthday wishes all night. It was AWESOME!

And to think I almost DIDN'T go because of superstitions.

Mind you, it still took a while after that night to deprogram the silliness that the adults in my life had put into my vulnerable little mind. It took a while for me to not be afraid of one crow on the lawn but happy about two. I finally learned to turn it to my advantage. Just for fun a few years back, we adopted a beautiful black cat, aptly named Snowball. Mom seriously asked me if we had done it to keep her away. Well, that might have been kinda true...

Ever since that dance, I've tried to find something to do on a Friday the Thirteenth that turns the Bad Luck vibe upside down. Alas, this one snuck up on me. We were wrapping up our first homeschooling year... my computer was being upgraded for more (WAY more) space... I had a copy deadline... yada yada yada...

So here I sit, Friday the Thirteenth, with nothing fun planned. Hmmm... Any suggestions?

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