Friday the 13th (no really it is still Friday)
June 14, 2008
This is taken mostly from wickepedia the part about me is at the bottom, enjoy (or don’t as you see fit)
Friday the 13th is considered a day of bad luck in English-, French- and Portuguese-speaking countries around the world, as well as in Austria, Germany, Estonia, Finland, The Netherlands, Belgium, Republic of Ireland, Poland, Bulgaria, Denmark, Iceland, Sweden, Norway, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Slovenia, Hungary, and the Philippines.
Similar superstitions exist in some other traditions. In Greece, Romania and Spanish-speaking countries, for example, it is Tuesday the 13th that is considered unlucky. In Italy, it is Friday the 17th.
The fear of Friday the 13th is called paraskavedekatriaphobia,[1], 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). The term is a specialized form of triskaidekaphobia, a simple phobia (fear) of the number thirteen appearing in any case.
In History
Both the number thirteen and Friday have been considered unlucky:
* In numerology, the number twelve is considered the number of completeness, as reflected in the twelve months of the year, twelve recognized signs of the zodiac, the twelve tribes of Israel, the twelve Apostles of Jesus, etc., whereas the number thirteen was considered irregular, transgressing this completeness.[2] There is also a superstition, thought by some to derive from the Last Supper, that having thirteen people seated at a table will result in the death of one of the diners.
* Friday, as the day on which Jesus Christ was crucified, has been viewed both positively and negatively among Christians. The actual day of Crucifixion was the 14th day of Nisan in the Hebrew Lunar calendar which does not correspond to “Friday” in the solar calendar of Rome. The 15th day of Nissan (beginning at Sundown) is celebration of Passover.
Despite the reputation of the two separated elements, there is no evidence for a link between the two before the 19th century. The earliest known reference in English occurs in a 1869 biography of Gioachino Rossini:
[Rossini] was surrounded to the last by admiring and affectionate friends; and if it be true that, like so many other Italians, he regarded Friday as an unlucky day, and thirteen as an unlucky number, it is remarkable that on Friday, the 13th of November, he died.[3]However, only in the 20th century did the superstition receive greater audience, as
Friday the 13th doesn’t even merit a mention in E. Cobham Brewer’s voluminous 1898 edition of the Dictionary of Phrase and Fable, though one does find entries for “Friday, an Unlucky Day” and “Thirteen Unlucky.” When the date of ill fate finally does make an appearance in later editions of the text, it is without extravagant claims as to the superstition’s historicity or longevity.[4]
Though the superstition developed relatively recently, much older origins are often claimed for it, most notably in the novel The Da Vinci Code (and later the film), which traced the belief to the arrest of the Knights Templar on Friday October 13, 1307.[4]
Effects in People and Culture
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. “It’s been estimated that [US]$800 or $900 million is lost in business on this day”.[2] Despite this, representatives for both Delta and Continental Airlines say that their airlines don’t suffer from any noticeable drop in travel on those Fridays.[5]
A British Medical Journal study has shown that there is a significant increase in traffic-related accidents on Fridays the 13th.[6]
Today was the only Friday the 13th this year the next will be February 13, 2009 followed by November 13, 2009 I like the symmetry of that.
Now lets talk about me a bit I tend to have bad days on Friday the 13ths today was not an exeption, it started with my coffee not tasting good and not quite doing it’s job this was followed by not even being in the school room for one hour before one of my students (Adrian in case you were wondering) smashed his finger in one of the chairs with all due cerimony and drama I had to take him to the little house to get it iced, this incedent was followed by yet another of my students (Alan in case you were wondering) coming down with a pain in his side I had to escort (carry part of the way) him back to his mother in the Big House so by the time I get back Devo has to overextend leaving us of course with less time for the brass tacs of scholastics (both Adrian and Kenny only finished 2 subjects) this was followed by nearly twisting my ankle, now as a bright shining light in the midst of all this darkness I did complete Ben’s Birthday Post ( I know it’s 2 days late but scroll down to it anyway) this was followed by an afternoon in which I did not get as much as I wished to done (niether Kenny nor Alan, who was up again, did thier reading) after that we have another ray of light, I had get out, which is prodigiously hard for me to get around to and then I wrote this which (I suppose in honour of the superstition) will be posted on the blog the 14th for it has taken me too long it truly is 7:30 pm Friday June 13th, 2009 but our dear blog’s clock is set to fast it thinks I’m clacking away at the ungodly hour of 12:30 am Saterday June 14th, 2009. This (as I’m sure you’ve noticed) has ruined at least three of my posts but I will now take a deep breath and meditate on the fact that our admin (Dale you know) has way too much to do I seriously doubt he has time to read this.
Well I think I’m done now wish me luck in my endevore to be a better person by the time the next Friday the 13th rolls around.
Your sister
Gweniver R. Borst
Happy Birthday Ben I know this is late but it’s kind of cool that it’s Friday the 13th, (see the Lord works in mysterious ways) if I manage to finish and post this before 7 pm that is. Dale still hasn’t changed our blog to local time maybe I’m the only one that notices but it’s like five hours ahead. Anyway Ben your 17 and I wish you a good time of it you should have a good amount of tests and trials, nothing you can’t handle with Jesus though stick close to Him and you’ll have it made I wish you luck in all your endeavors including the picture of me but maybe that’s just being selfish you’re a terrific artist and I can’t help of I want a few of the benefits. So as I was saying I really love you and I know you can go places, if you can keep your head out of the clouds long enough to get there (then again statistically flying is still the safest way to travel) I’m tempted to leave it at that but that was kind of mean let me think of something truly sweet but at the same time true hhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhmmmmmmmmmm……………………………………….. hhhhhhhhhhhhmmmmmmmmm………..YOU HAVE REALLY COOL HAIR if you kept it combed and get it cut hhhhhmmmmmmm…………..
No, really I’m just kidding (not about your hair but that that was the only thing I could think of) did you know that I actually really admire you for your connection with the Lord and how you’re so faithful with your word time, and getting prophecy time, and prayer vigil and staying on top of your memory work(I really have trouble with that) it’s awesome to see you so dedicated to staying close to the Lord and in the Family(it’s the best place to be). I congratulate you for finishing the 10th grade (well almost, right?) stay on top of the 11th and you’ll be finished in no time. I know it can be tough to have Joy bossing you a lot but stay calm blowing up at someone never helps the situation especially with her. I like your new house once you guys fix it up it will be super cool and I can’t wait to see it I know it means a lot of work for you but just thinks of how the ladies will like your guns (and farmer’s tan) and that should help you when you feel like fainting from exhaustion (I hope no brother of mine would ever ‘faint from exhaustion’ though, you guys already have to deal with fainting at the sight of blood I don’t think your ‘manly’ pride would be able to handle it) I’m sure I have many other words of wisdom to impart to you (keep your face clean and clear for instance) but I can always say them in person (I’m pretty sure I’ll see you tonight) so I think I’ll end this post here I need to take the boys in about 15 min. so see ya.
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