Superstitious Stuff!
The other day when I was walking into the house from our garage, I noticed that one of my daughters did a very strange thing (at least for her, LOL!). The door leading into the house from the garage is spring loaded so it will automatically close behind the person, and my daughter was right behind me. I had my hands full so I didn’t hold the door open for her, and the door started to close after me – but instead of my daughter pushing it back open for herself, she went to great pains NOT to touch the door at all and make sure she squeezed past before it closed, and as a result literally fell against the washing machine in the laundry room. I thought this was extremely odd since she only had her backpack slung over one shoulder and could have easily pushed the door back open with her free hand, but didn’t. So, I turned around and asked her what the heck happened, and she very sheepishly admitted that as she was walking behind me she’d made a little pact with herself that if she could make it inside the door behind me without the door touching her, or closing on her, then a certain “wish” would come true (which would explain why she’d crashed into the washing machine in her attempt to NOT let the door touch her in any way). Kind of like “step on a crack and break your mother’s back”, kind of thing.
Ooookaaaay, I thought, and of course I laughed. But the more I thought about what she said, the more I realized that even I’ve done that kind of thing before, too, or rather, there are certain superstitions I was taught growing up (either by siblings or friends, etc), that have always stuck with me. Some I follow, others I don’t. So, in a way, this was like her own personal superstition, and hey, I can respect that, LOL!
But it really got me thinking about superstitions in general, and how many of us really believe in that stuff – and how many of us adhere to a superstition because we truly believe it will affect the future, or the outcome of a certain situation.
I don’t consider myself a very superstitious person, but how many times have I found a penny on the ground and haven’t picked it up because it was “tails up”, thus would be bad luck if I did 
pick it up and keep it? Then there’s the superstition that bad things happen in threes, and knocking three times on wood after mentioning something good, because if you don’t, it may not happen! Or how about a black cat crossing your path, or walking under a ladder, or opening an umbrella in the house, all of which will curse you with bad luck. Who really knows if superstitions are really true . . . or are they more a matter of coincidence?
It’s an interesting question, and as I decided to write this blog and searched out the internet for various “superstitions”, I came across some that I’ve heard of, and others that made me laugh. Some are serious, and others downright silly. So, I decided to share some of them here, and see what you had to say about superstitions.
1) If you fasten a button into the wrong buttonhole, it’s bad luck. (I didn’t know this, but I’m sure I’ll remember it. Do I believe it’ll bring me bad luck? No, not really, because I’ve done it many times in the past with no bad results that I can remember!)
2) Breaking a mirror means 7 years of bad luck, unless you take the pieces outside and bury them in the moonlight. Also, if an undisturbed mirror in a house suddenly falls and shatters, then it means that there will soon be a death. (Yes, I’ve broken a mirror before and I didn’t bury it in the moonlight – I can’t say it brought me bad luck, either.)
3) If you go to the bathroom in the night with no clothes on, insects will fall on you. (Oh, this one had me laughing out loud, because it made me think of Leslie’s blog about going to the bathroom in the middle of the night and sitting on a frog! Leslie, were you naked at the time? Inquiring minds want to know! LOL!)
4) Watching someone else yawn makes you yawn. (I don’t think of this as a superstition, but I know it happens to me all the time!)
5) A yawn is a sign that danger is near. (Yeah, the danger of the person falling asleep! I mean, who really yawns when their life is in danger?)
5) If you blow out all the candles on your birthday cake with the first puff, you will get your wish. (I think all of us were taught that from our very first birthday! However, I’ve blown out all the candles on my cake with one puff, and my wish didn’t come true, so what does that say?)
6) Keep cats away from sleeping babies because they “suck the breath” from the child. (Okay, I’ve heard of this one before, but I’m not sure I believe it. However, if I had a cat when my girls were babies, I might have thought twice about letting it near my child while sleeping – just in case, LOL!)
7) Cut your hair on Good Friday to prevent headaches in the year to come. (Hmmm, I’m thinking Carly needs to try this one for her migraines!)
8) Spilling wine while proposing a toast means good luck. (So why wouldn’t you fill your glass so that you DO spill some wine for good luck?)
9) A bat flying in the house means bad luck. (Uh-oh, didn’t we have someone here that had a bat flying around in their house? Did it bring you bad luck?)
10) An itch inside your nose means bad luck. (What? Are they serious?)
11) If the palm of your right hand is itchy, then it foretells that money is coming to you, but don’t scratch it as that stops the money from coming! If it’s your left palm that is itchy, then scratch away, as that means you’ll soon be paying out money! (I always thought it was the other way around, that if your right hand was itchy you would be getting money, and if it was your left hand that was itchy you’d be paying out money. See, what do I know!)
12) Spilling salt. If both salt and pepper are spilled at the same time, the force of this ill omen is doubled. (So, does this mean you have to toss both salt AND pepper over your shoulder to break the spell?)
13) Ahh, the bad luck number 13. No 13th floor in hotels, Friday the 13th, etc. (I choose to believe that Friday the 13th is a GOOD day, since that’s when my oldest daughter was born.)
14) Dogs howling in the dark of night, howl for death before daylight. (If that’s the case, then me and my neighbors should be dropping like flies, because ONE of the neighbors has a dog that howls all night long!)
15) A person who dies on Good Friday will go right to heaven. (I guess you get a free pass on that day!)
16) If 3 people are photographed together, the one in the middle will die first. (Okay, so what happens when those same three people have their picture taken together more than once, and each time someone different is in the middle? Do they all die at the same time?)
17) If you believe in a superstition, it will always follow you! (See, that’s why I don’t take much stock in superstitions!).
Seriously, I do think if you believe in something enough, it will or can happen. Positive thoughts bring positive energy, and negative thoughts brings negative energy — that’s my way of thinking!
So, how many of you are superstitious and how many of you believe a lot of what happens (good luck or bad luck), is pure coincidence? And if I haven’t listed one of your superstitions above, go ahead and share it with us! We all need to be aware of these things!
I still follow one of the above- i knock on wood. As for black cats- I have always had one, do right now, in fact. Strange animal.
13 is my favorite number, and nothing has every happened to me in regards to #3 (and that’s a nightly thing)
But go back and read how you wrote #11. it’s early, I may be confused???
Our old black cat slept in daughters crib anytime she was in it- you couldn’t keep him out. He would curl up at the other end from her and when she woke up he would come out and tell me. Never had a problem unless I tried to keep him out. He was worse than the dog who slept under the crib.:doggie:
Comment by ev — March 8, 2007 @ 8:42 am
I follow some of them - especially knocking on wood. Don’t think I’ve ever said knock wood and have not done it. I also heard if you have the hiccups, someone is talking about you. I get horrible migraines, so I may have to get my hair cut on Good Friday.
Comment by Michelle — March 8, 2007 @ 10:05 am
I don’t pick up a penny that is on tails - don’t know why that one has just stuck with me. My vet said the one about the cats and babies definitely wasn’t true. My cat slept in the crib with our first child and never bothered him one bit (now he stays way away from the second child though - smart kitty).
I do say knock on wood and I frequently don’t want to mention something good in case it puts it to an end (like commenting on it’s been so many weeks since our youngest got an ear infection).
I also tend to believe in the bad things happen in threes since it seems to happen that way. Probably coincidence though.
Comment by Crystal F — March 8, 2007 @ 10:12 am
I’m a fanatic about the umbrella thing. Deep down, I don’t think I really believe in superstitions, but I adhere to quite a few (umbrellas in the house, breaking a mirror, not telling anyone your wish when you blow out the candles for fear it might come true) just in case. Silly, right? But just in case there might be a thread of truth, there I go screaming at my toddler not to open the umbrella in the house. I also recently forwarded a chain letter. I know, I know. Horrible of me, but it was sent by another writer and I thought, hey, she’s not a nutcase and I REALLY don’t need anything bad to happen right now. So I did it anonymously. This is the first time I’ve admitted it. There. I feel better. That was the first time, however, and sure to be the last on account of I reamed out the writer who sent it.
I wish Janelle had run across a superstition that said bury a cracked mirror in the backyard and your next book will hit the Times list. I would have smashed my own!
Comment by Kimberly Raye — March 8, 2007 @ 10:16 am
I guess all of the above really does make me superstitious. And here I just thought I was neurotic.
Comment by Kimberly Raye — March 8, 2007 @ 10:18 am
I used to believe in superstitions growing up. But now that I am older I don’t. As a matter of fact I agree that Friday the 13th is a lucky day for me. And that is the day I was married while on a trip to Disney World. So that CAN’T be bad luck.
Comment by Kelly F. — March 8, 2007 @ 10:21 am
I think like Janelle. I believe you can create your own good/bad luck just by thinking about something enough and putting enough energy into it.
I always pick up pennies (heads or tails up, I don’t care) and I say a little thank you for the extra little gift. This usually happens to me at least 3-4 times a week (not kidding) and I’m certain I don’t have THAT much bad luck. But…I found 2 pennies on Tues., don’t remember which way they were facing, and hubby was really sick yesterday so, maybe, I ought to pay more attention (lol).
Other things, I do pay attention to. Walking under ladders - no way! Wearing, or not wearing, the same clothes if my favorite driver wins or wrecks, I seem to notice that. Gong out the same door I came in - I tend to think about it, even if I do end up going out a different door. Itchy nose, I wonder who’s coming to see me. Crazy!
Comment by Jodie — March 8, 2007 @ 10:33 am
I follow the knock on wood thing and usually don’t pick up a penny unless it’s heads side up. We had all black cats growing up, so that never bothered me and I’ve always had good days on Friday the 13th, so it’s never bothered me. I do agree that bad things happen in threes and I usually don’t tell my wish when blowing out candles so the wish will come true.
Comment by Liza — March 8, 2007 @ 10:33 am
I really don’t have any … but when I lived in DC and would run the national mall, my friend’s dad said if you make a wish while running around the reflecting pool in front of the lincoln memorial it would come true … of course, he’s a very positive person, I needed (still need) all the help I could get and it kept me running when finding the nearest metro sounded like a grand idea …
Comment by Yolanda — March 8, 2007 @ 10:51 am
OK I am so not going to read the list b/c I don’t need to add to the list of superstitions I know or follow! The penny, the Friday the 13th, knock on wood, and I’m sure there are more. For me it isnt’ a matter of do I believe as much as what if it’s true, therefore I need to do these things!
Comment by Carly — March 8, 2007 @ 11:21 am
Oh man, I dont believe in most superstitions but I do however knock on wood time and again…just in case. HOWEVER, I have come to find that I sometimes experience bad luck and what I am thinking comes true only a few seconds later. For instance a long time back I was at my grandmas house with my sister. We were outside and she was swinging on the tire swing. I sat on the ground close by playing with dirt or something (I dont remember what I was doing) and I thought to myself, “someday that tire swing is going to break and someone is going to get hurt.” Not ten seconds later my sister was on the ground crying with a broken arm because the swing broke
. Then another time I was riding my bike with my younger sister. We were going up and down the street because it was the only place we could ride where our parents could keep on eye on us. Well I noticed a house that had those lights that run up their driveway and I thought to myself, “Somebody is going to knock those off whether it be a car or someone walking.” Not five seconds later, my sister ran into one with her bike and popped it off. There are other times but I cant seem to remember on the spot. LOL I feel like Hurly from Lost, people should stay away from me. Sometimes I’ll be talking to someone and I’ll think of something bad happening and wont say it in fear that it will come true. Coincidence maybe, but I’d like to stay on the safe side just in case
.
Comment by Emily — March 8, 2007 @ 11:37 am
Crystal and Ev — I’m glad to hear that superstition about cats sucking the breath from babies ISN’T true. I love my cats and can’t imagine them doing such a thing — and I love that your cats slept with your babies and protected them!
Kim — if there was a superstition about burying a cracked mirror and getting on the NYT list, do you know how many authors would be doing that?
Kelly — glad to hear that the bat didn’t bring you good luck. Again, I think it’s all in the way a person thinks about something. Maybe if you’d heard this superstition BEFORE the bat invaded your home, you’d have thought “oh no! bad luck!”
Carly — I already know how superstitious you are! But I love you anyway.
Emily — I think those are “premonitions”, and I’m a big believer in those! I’ve had those kinds of thoughts myself, and minutes later, they happen. It’s so wierd!
Comment by Janelle — March 8, 2007 @ 11:57 am
I’ll never forget the line by comedian Steven Wright: “I broke a mirror the other day. I’m supposed to get 7 years bad luck. My lawyer thinks he can get it down to 3.”
But seriously, I’m not so much superstitious as I believe in the jinx. Example: Back before I sold, Blaze requested the partial on a book I hadn’t finished. I sent it in and while I waited for a response, proceeded to finish the MS in the hope they’d ask for the full. BUT. I felt I’d jinx myself if I got the MS completely polished and ready to go before they requested it. It’s like counting your chickens before they’re hatched. So I completed all but the last scene in the last chapter. (And yes, they came back asking for the full LOL).
I’m WAY big on the fear of jinxing myself. I have no idea why.
Comment by Lori Borrill — March 8, 2007 @ 12:19 pm
I love this!! Some of these are hilarious
especially 4 and 5 a yawn?!
I have learned at a young age that you make your own luck, that doesn’t mean that everyone in my family believes this.
The other day while on the phone with my sister, she got very upset because her daughter Victoria (who hasn’t even turned 2 yet) was playing with an umbrella in the house!! Do you really think a baby could have bad luck! Mary Poppins always had an umbrella opened in the house, I don’t recall her having any bad luck
My grandmother was always superstitious, she believed if a pregnant woman had a craving and didn’t eat the craved food the baby would get a mark, so she would always tell us to touch our ass, so the babys mark would be on his/her ass and not their face
She also believed that if someone complemented your baby but didn’t add a “God Bless” that they were really “overlooking” your baby so you needed to say a quick prayer for God’s blessing.
One last gem from Nana, if you put your shirt on in side out or backwards, Nana believed you would get a surprise…my answer was, well isn’t that the surprise, that I’m walking around with my shirt on inside out or backwards
Comment by Tina Martinesi — March 8, 2007 @ 12:35 pm
lol Janelle…umh, I was wearing a nightgown. Maybe if I *had* been naked I’d have scared the little bastard away before I sat down on him!
Comment by Leslie — March 8, 2007 @ 12:39 pm
Kim–I’ll smash mirrors with ya if you find out that one’s true!
Comment by Leslie — March 8, 2007 @ 12:40 pm
You know, I once heard that the cat “stealing a baby’s breath” thing originated with cats licking the milk off baby’s lips after they’d been fed.
Comment by Leslie — March 8, 2007 @ 12:41 pm
Just curious about the knock wood thing, it’s usually my head that I knock on, does any one else do this?
Comment by Tina Martinesi — March 8, 2007 @ 12:42 pm
I’m a pure coincidence gal. I have never been superstitious.
Comment by Susan — March 8, 2007 @ 12:48 pm
I’m such a wuss.
Janelle told me to go ahead and read … I LOVE the comments she put after them. Since I’ve had a headache for two days, maybe I need to cut my hair on this upcoming Friday 13th. I LOVED the one about her and her neighbors dropping like flies. So glad I read this! 
Comment by Carly — March 8, 2007 @ 12:54 pm
Has anyone been told this one…When you visit someone you must exit the door that you came in and if you don’t it brings bad luck to you and the person that you are visiting. I don’t believe in the black cat theory but the opening an umbrella inside well that’s a whole different story. As a kid I must have opened an umbrella and had a bad experience. I don’t even like to bring them in the house. They stay on the porch!! WEIRD I KNOW!!
Comment by Tina — March 8, 2007 @ 1:21 pm
I am not so superstitious…I do ‘knock on wood’, though. I pick up a penny only because it’s a free penny. I do believe that you make your own destiny or energy. Call me weird. I think the baby/cat one was probably because they would both be breathing in CO2, although, I like Leslie’s explanation better.
Comment by katie — March 8, 2007 @ 1:24 pm
Lori — I’ve done stuff like that before, too. Silly, yes, but I do believe in the “jinx” factor, LOL!
Tina — too funny about your grandma! And I usually knock on wood, not my head, LOL!
Leslie — that makes total sense about the cat licking the baby’s lips after he/she drank milk! That’s probably where that one originated from!
Katie — for the most part I believe as you do, that you make your own destiny, that positive energy brings positive stuff and negative energy brings negative stuff.
Did anyone happen to watch Medium last night? I love that show, but this one was more about the “ripple effect” of how one thing a person does can change everything that comes after, and into the future. It had me thinking about how the things we do in our lives, in every second, affects what comes after. Kind of like the “Back to the Future” concept (loved those movies, too!).
Comment by Janelle — March 8, 2007 @ 2:03 pm
Tina - I think the “knocking on your head” came from when people felt like they needed to knock on wood, but couldn’t find any. They’d turn around and knock on their head like their head was made of wood - at least that’s what I remember from when I was a kid and saw people do that. They’d look around for wood first and then beat their head. Didn’t make any sense to me then, or now, but I think I do it too!
Comment by Jodie — March 8, 2007 @ 2:34 pm
Jodie, You’re absolutly right! I guess I’ve seen people do that when I was a kid and it just stuck with me….Although my husband has called me “thick headed” so who knows maybe my head is made of wood
Comment by Tina Martinesi — March 8, 2007 @ 4:07 pm
Wow
I can’t really say I’m superstitious since they say you shouldn’t believe in that.
I just chalk anything up to god in regards to good luck and my muddled brain to bad.
Comment by Qua — March 8, 2007 @ 4:43 pm
I’m going to be the only person who will readily admit she’s superstitious. I think it’s the whole “why f*ck with fate” attitude that I have…yes, you can make your own luck, but you can also make your own BAD luck by screwing around. I can say the one time I broke a mirror, I was about twelve. I remember shoving all the broken pieces (it was a full length mirror that was on the back of my door and I think I slammed it too hard and it fell or something) and I picked up all the broken pieces and put them in a paper bag. Of course, the bag was too heavy for me to lift, so I shoved it in a corner until my father came home. Later that day, I was dancing around my room, lost my balance and fell into the bag and cut my hand very badly. I was terrified and decided to tell no one. I clenched my fist until the bleeding stopped…and then couldn’t open my hand for hours because the muscles cramped. I know I probably needed stitches, but I wouldn’t open my hand so anyone could see! I still have a scar.
The trouble is, I can’t tell you any of my superstitions because if I tell you, something bad will happen. But you will never see me NOT throw spill salt over my shoulder, umbrellas stay outside, ladders are to be avoided at all costs and even black cats freak me out and I owned one for years. I have no idea how I got so superstitious, but like Kim said, it’s just a sign of neuroses!
Comment by Julie Leto — March 8, 2007 @ 5:54 pm
About the cat and the baby thing. I heard that that came about because the cats were attracted to the milk around the baby’s mouth and were licking it off and people freaked out.
Comment by Kris — March 8, 2007 @ 8:08 pm
I am always out positive energy.
I do pick up the lucky pennies.
After all if you don’t learn to be careful with your pennies
you’ll never have dollars.
Comment by jeannie — March 8, 2007 @ 8:43 pm
I think I do some of the things that are meant to avoid unfortunate happenings, but I don’t go out of my way to not walk under a ladder.
I know some people who if a black cat crosses the street when they are driving down it, they will turn around and find another way!! With the price of gas these days, tsk tsk tsk. ~~~ {{twilight zone theme music playing here…}}
I believe that people are the biggest drivers of the things that do or don’t happen as a result of choices made at some point. But, I do think that premonitions can happen - and the de ja vous thing can really freak me out sometimes.
Comment by Lynn Matherly — March 8, 2007 @ 8:55 pm
Interesting subject! I think most of us carry some superstitions around with us. My birthday is on the 13th so I’ve never felt the number was unlucky! Then a few years ago I got rear ended in my car I’d only had a few months & it was my birthday, Friday the 13th & I think it was the only Friday the 13th that year!!!!
I pick up all pennies & I open umbrella’s inside, how else are they going to dry out??!! 
I don’t usually walk under a ladder but it is more for safety reasons, think about it!! :lightbulb:
Ok, that’s my input!!
Comment by Donna M — March 8, 2007 @ 11:33 pm
there is a superstition that you must not face on the wall when sleeping? what does it eplains?
Comment by mamu — October 4, 2007 @ 9:34 am