The Origins of Friday the 13th

Friday the 13ths is considered the most unlucky day of the year.  Most people aren't entirely sure where this bad luck comes from, but fear of Friday the 13th  can affect as many as 1 in 4 people.   The fear of Friday the 13th is known as triskaidekaphobia. 

"It's been estimated that [U.S] $800 or $900 million is lost in business on this day because people will not fly or do business they would normally do," said Donald Dossey, founder of the Stress Management Center and Phobia Institute in Asheville, North Carolina.

So where does this fear that can cripple a nation come from?   There really seems to be no consensus on the origin of Friday the 13th.  Everyone has a story, but most of them are different.  The fear comes from an unknown source.  Here's a look at a few of the Friday the 13th origin stories I've found.

One folklorist traces the origins back to Norse mythology.   There were 12 gods who had a dinner party in Valhalla.   A 13th guest, Loki, was uninvited.  Always the trickster, Loki tricked the god of darkness, Hoder, into shooting Balder, the god of joy.  Balder died and darkness descended on the earth.  Joy was lost to man and from then on 13 was considered unlucky.

In 1307, on October 13, 1307, King Phillip IV of France ordered every member of the order of the Knights Templar executed on charges of  high treason and heresy.  King Phillip owed the Templar's a good deal of money and they had amassed an enormous amount of wealth on their crusades.  It is thought that the order was actually to strip the Templar's of their wealth.   The Templar's were tortured horribly and forced to confess  to crimes they didn't commit.  They all died, but as the grandmaster died he cursed King Phillip and the day making Friday the 13th unlucky for future generations to come.

Many believe the fear comes from the number 13 itself.  According to numerologist, the number 12 is associated with completeness.  There are 12 months in a year, 12 zodiac signs, 12 apostles, 12 Olympian gods, 12 tribes of Israel,  12 hours in the clock, 12 labors of  Hercules.  The list goes on and on.  The addition of the 13 ruins perfection is utterly bad and unlucky.  In many stories, the 13th guest is always a bad sign.  Think Judas at the last supper and Loki in the above story.  It is the number 13 that lends the curse to Friday the 13th.   Combine that with the unlucky Friday, when Jesus was crucifies and Adam tempted Eve and you have a recipe for an unlucky day.

It is clear there are many reasons to fear the dreaded Friday the 13th, but for me Friday the 13ths have always been lucky.  So have a happy Friday the 13th, watch one of the 12 million Friday the 13th movies (I like the one in space), and wish me luck on my lucky day!

The only thing worse than law school finals....

is WAITING FOR THE GRADES from the law school finals.

Let me clarify: I'm pretty sure 1Ls have it the worst the second semester of each school year, because their professors literally wait until the very last day to submit their grades. 2Ls are lucky in that they take classes with 3Ls, which means the professors have to turn in their grades so the 3Ls can graduate. 3Ls don't have it that bad in terms of waiting....unless they have to pass a particular class to graduate and have to wait to see if they will be walking down that aisle.

But the first semester of a school year, we're all on even footing. This means we are suffering, and I don't know about you, but a five week wait for your grades is excruciating to me, not because of the worry I may not pass a class, but because of the ANTICIPATION of awaiting my grades. This stress and anxiety is amplified a quatrillion times by the system we have to use to collect these grades. We can only sign into this system between certain hours of the day (which means weekends are even worse! Damn you, 12-12 availability). We must then click on an option to view our grades. But no, this is not it. We must THEN select the semester's grades we want to see (as if to say, no, Ms. Dr. J, we don't have your grades now, but would you like to see that C- you made last year?). May I also impress upon you how difficult the selection process is while using a cell phone? My fat fingers cannot manage to navigate this process smoothly. No....it requires about three "refresh" clicks, a couple of "back" clicks, and a shitton of cussing.

And then, what do I see?

A BIG FAT TON OF NO GRADES.

Excruciating, I tell you. There should be an easier option. I mean, WHY is my grade from a totally multiple choice scantron final examination not posted? Why do I have to jump on one foot while rubbing my tummy to see these grades (or lack thereof)? WHAT ELSE DO PROFESSORS HAVE TO DO THAN GRADE MY EXAMS? (We all know they live at the school and don't even go to the bathroom).

But then again...maybe it's just better not knowing.

Question of the Day

I am not sure how many people actually read this blog, but I'd like to pose a question to you (something that was constantly raised during Crim Pro)--

Imagine you are in your backyard. You're surrounded by police officers (let's just say 5 or 6). They are asking you a few casual questions, then ask if you would accompany them to the police station.(For this hypo, they don't show you their guns or speak in an intimidating matter.) Illegal seizure? DISCUSS. (Also...I'm open to discussions regarding the average person's opinion. Do you, "average Joe," feel like you would be compelled to go to the police station in these circumstances, whether you want to or not?)

Okay, now that I've gotten that out of the way....I'm going to keep this blog brief. Maxine apparently thinks she is funnier than me. She also thinks she writes better stories. I'm going to call bullshit on that. To call bullshit effectively, I've set her up with a blog. And as soon as she SOMEHOW figures out how to work the little thing called the "internet," maybe she can prove herself.

I'm not gonna hold my breath....

(Because her+technology=hopeless and me=infinitely funnier. Trust me.)

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The Gaurdian Ghost of Cloudland Canyon

Cloudland Canyon is one of the most beautiful places I have ever been camping.  It is quiet and filled with the gentle sound of trickling water.  It is known for its waterfalls, but the small waterfalls are just as beautiful as the bigger more famous waterfalls.  The park is situated on the Southeast corner of  Lookout Mountain, but isn't overrun with tourists like the Northeast side of the park.   A deep gorge runs through the park, which is filled with creeks, waterfalls, and lush vegetation.   On a quiet evening, camping in this park, the children can explore and discover adventure while the adults find peace around a fire.  During the day, extensive hiking trails innervate the park offering views of rare beauty.

At night, after the campfire is out and all the campers have retired to their tents to sleep,  it is said that a ghost wanders the park leaving footprints behind him.  The ghost is often seen on a high point in the park looking down on visitors.   He is seen on horseback and in the garb of a Cherokee brave.  Many campers report seeing him at their campsite and other campers have reported finding the tracks of an unshod horse in their campsite when they wake up in the morning.   He is often seen wandering between campsites, watching the campers.  These sightings are not described as fearful encounters and many believe the Native American is there to protect the park and its residents.   I never saw this ghost while we were camping in Cloudland Canyon, but I could see why he would want to stay in the park, even after death.   It is one of the most beautiful places I have ever camped.

For this bountiful semester, I thank you, baby Lord Jesus....

I think finals should be celebrated much like Thanksgiving....with praise to the dear baby Lord Jesus, many thanks, and reflection regarding the reasons you should be happy with your life. So, without further contemplation, here are my reflections upon the school semester (on the subject of lessons learned, things I am thankful for, and things I would probably do differently):

1) You are not always in control of your grade. Especially in classes that require you to demonstrate a skill and rely on another person's reactions, performance, and unforeseen obstacles....sometimes that A is just not in the cards. (Or that B....)

2) I would not hire most law students to be my lawyer....I'm not talking now. I am talking about five years down the road when we are established and certified to practice law. In five years, I would not want 90% of these people to be my lawyer. I understand waiting until the last minute for something that impacts your life, but not waiting until the last minute for a huge case that impacts another person's life. Another big reason: these people do not give a shit about anyone except themselves. Selfish lawyers and potential lawyers....do us all a favor. Jump off a bridge (or move to Cambodia and live under one).

3) I will not take another class that is not required just because it may be helpful on the bar exam. I do not do as well in these classes, I don't listen as hard as I should during the year, and I almost certainly end up having to teach myself the subject last minute. Which I would have done anyway before the bar....and certainly closer to the bar. Not making this mistake again. (Read: if you are not interested in this subject and not self-motivated enough to keep up with it through the year....it.is.not.worth.it.)

4) Sometimes, maybe you should consider planning your schedule around your final exams. Back to back final exams in difficult classes are NOT fun. They are even less fun when they are both at 8:30 in the morning. Tests on the same day=spontaneous combustion. Yeah....I need to start looking at final exam schedules.

5) I should dwell on the questions I got wrong a whole lot less. Worrying is not going to make it better. Obsessing is not going to somehow change my answer for me. Comparing notes will only serve to frustrate me. It's probably best I walk away from the exam and drink myself into oblivion, so I black out and cannot remember not only how I got in my bathtub, but even the subject I was tested on.

6) I'm thankful I go to classes. It makes it a lot easier to study when I actually decide to buckle down and do so.

7) I'm thankful I have teachers that write the books from which they teach. It makes it easier to know what they *may* want on their exams, although this is not a guarantee. If nothing else, it helps you when going through an E&E that says something different, because, HEY, in their book, they say _____________.

8) Maxine and Leonidis will never get law school finals. While this is frustrating, I'm also thankful for it, because this means they can empathize and not try to one-up me with a similar law school horror story. I'm also thankful because it means that they've not ever had to deal with the gut-wrenching terribleness of a LSF...which I (mostly) wouldn't wish upon my worst enemy.

9) Drinking is not an adequate way to deal with LSFs. I mean this. I like alcohol as much as the next gal. But I liked this one phrase that came out of the movie "How Do You Know?" (an otherwise completely useless bullshit movie that I do NOT recommend you seeing) where Reese repeats her father's mantra: "Don't drink to feel better. Drink to feel EVEN BETTER." I like this. I drink in celebration. However, I will maintain my earlier option that if you are simply drinking to forget, then that doesn't count.... ;)

10) I'm thankful for post-finals celebratory sushi. Sushi tastes even sweeter when you are eating it after endless days of micromeals, black coffee, and power bars. No really...it does.

What are YOU thankful for/reflective about/reluctant to do again?

If my life were a play....

Normally I write every single day. It's very cathartic and a great way to get rid of things that are bothering me. On the other hand, 14 hours of sleep does roughly the same thing....the only casualties of my hibernation was a missed call to my boyfriend and a half-finished "Earl the Squirrel" story I was making up for my brother. This leads me to my topic of discussion today: I've somehow neglected to name some of the main characters of my life, and I'm pretty sure calling my peoples "the boyfriend" and "my mom" will eventually get old, so I'm going to engage in a (drum roll please) SUPER AWESOME NAMING EXTRAVAGANZA.

In the interest of anonymity, I will not give official or even semi-close names for my peoples. I also will not give them names of inanimate objects (because that would just be weird). So without further adieu, here are the main characters of my life and many of my stories:

My mother (aka: sometimes will be referenced as crazy, ridiculous, or lacking in superior mentality): she is a source of a great many stories, many of them told from a frustrated point of view. She calls me at least 50 times a day (seriously.not.joking) and many times just doesn't get it. She can also be quite witty, although I find she's generally funnier when her barbs are not aimed at me. I think I shall call her Maxine, after that mean lady from the cartoons who is occasionally funny. Apparently she prefers Irma (seriously, WHO PREFERS IRMA?!?!?!) but Maxine it is.

Brother #1: he is not too much younger than me, and favors sleeping to being awake. However, when he is awake, he has a wicked sense of humor that girls generally turn and run from. It's like garlic to a vampire. He is literally the equivalent of a human sloth. I therefore shall call him Cyd. (My mom would also have you know Cyd is creepy and, if he weren't her son, she would seriously question his lack of a criminal record.)

Brother #2: he is quite a bit younger than me, and a lot like me. He's incredibly smart, but lacking in common sense to a degree that is hilarious and very endearing (note: I am neither incredibly smart or hilarious/endearing....I meant in the sense of personality). He likes playing video games to a point where he should technically be blind, but somehow he managed to escape from the terrible fate of blindness I have inexplicably been given. In light of all these facts, I think I shall call him "Calvin," after his favorite comic strip (although I'm pretty sure he prefers Hobbes).

Boyfriend: he has somehow managed to put up with me for quite some time now, and doesn't show any signs of giving up on me. He's funny, likes reciting movie scenes in the shower, and is a serious car enthusiast. I also suspect he hates my cooking (although he professes to love it), simply from the sheer amount of times he opts to go out for dinner instead of staying in. From here on out, he will be known as Leonidas, the character he probably quotes the most in the middle of his showers. (Note: this was a tough decision, because he also loves quoting the movie "Troy" and might have preferred another name. Too bad. Leonidas stands.)

I have another friend who follows my blog that I shall simply refer to her name she has already given herself: "Blog Creeper." Her biography can come at another day, although I may allow her to write her own, if she so likes.

My dad doesn't really come up a whole lot in my stories, but he's pretty damn funny too when I actually get to hang out with him. He likes fishing, working, and sleeping (though not to the extent that Cyd does). I say this because any time we go on vacation, we end up staying in the hotel more than leaving...because it's his "damn vacation too, and he deserves a break." I think I shall call him Danny, due to his very minimal resemblance to Danny Tanner from Full House. Maxine thinks this makes no sense. I don't care, Maxine. (She's pissed I gave her a shitty name and gave him a decent one. Like IRMA was any better???)

So, there are the main characters in my life, although I'm sure the secondary ones will come up from time to time, and I shall name them as they come. As for me, I'll just refer to myself in the first person rather than the third, thus taking away all need for one. However, Maxine thinks I need a name for the conversations I have with her that I sometimes illustrate in third person. She hereby has deemed me "Fidget," the bat from The Great Mouse Detective (apparently because I'm blind as a bat)...although I do NOT have a gimpy leg. (I can do a great impersonation of him though, if you ever want to hear it.) I guess Fidget is a decent enough name.

I think that about sums up the vast ridiculousness of my life....Maxine, Cyd, Calvin, Leonidus, Danny, and Blog Creeper.

And me....Fidget.

May God have mercy on our souls.