INTRODUCING AMY WALLACE:
We've got a great guest blogger today! Amy Wallace's new book, Ransomed Dreams, is a great romantic suspense. Check out our website below for more details on it. Now here's Amy!
Today is Friday the thirteenth. My husband calls me superstitious because this day gives me the willies, but I think it has less to do with triskaidekaphobia and more to do with bad movies choices in the 80’s.
So in honor of the day and to prove I’m not afraid of (just mildly dislike) the number 13, here are my top thirteen reasons why 13 is a bad number…
1) The triskaidekaphobia composer Arnold Schoenberg, born on the 13th, convinced he would die at age 76 (because 7+6 = 13), did die on Friday the 13th of July at 11:47 PM - 13 minutes to midnight.
2) Many hotels lack a 13th floor or room # 13, and the same is true of rows in airplanes, as well as cabins aboard cruise ships. (See, I’m SO not the only one who doesn’t like the number 13. I’m really not afraid of if though.)
3) Infamous serial killers Jack the Ripper, Charles Manson, Jeffrey Dahmer and Theodore Bundy all have 13 letters in their names. (I’m a suspense writer, what can I say? This makes me rethink not being afraid of 13.)
4) A British Medical Journal study showed a significant increase in traffic related accidents on Friday the 13ths. (See, science agrees with me.)
5) Microsoft is moving from Office 12 right to Office 14.
6) Corel released the successor to WordPerfect 12 as WordPerfect X3 (Even techies know 13 is not so great.)
7) For all you history buffs…The arrest and murder of the Knights Templar occurred on Friday October 13, 1307. This event is said to be the origin of the supposed unluckiness of Friday the 13th. (It was certainly unlucky for those knights!)
8) Memphis International Airport, Long Island MacArthur Airport, and Birmingham International Airport do not contain any gate 13’s.
9) In Formula 1, there is no car with the number 13.
10) Apollo 13 mission to the moon also shows the number 13 is unlucky. Apollo 13 was launched at 14:13 EST on April 11, 1970 (11/4/70, digits summing to 13) from Complex 39 (three times thirteen). It launched at 13:13 CST- local time in Houston, Texas, the location of mission control. (See, the number 13 is bad even outside of earth’s atmosphere.)
11) In the United States, there has never been an F-13 fighter aircraft. The Grumman F-14 Tomcat directly followed the Lockheed YF-12
12) Even some Christian traditions say that at the Last Supper Judas, the disciple who betrayed Jesus, was the 13th to sit at the table, and that for this reason 13 is considered bad.
14) In my debut novel, Ransomed Dreams, chapter 13 is chock full of reasons why 13 is bad for my main characters. I promise I did not do that on purpose!
But it all goes to show 13 truly is a bad number.
Of course, with a little internet time and some good chocolate energy coursing through, I imagine most of us could find “proof” for just about anything. Good thing Jesus loves us anyway, even with quirky little number issues.
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INTRODUCING AMY WALLACE:
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13 Comments:
How funny! This post shows how numbers can affect our lives if we let them. I have a couple for you: yesterday on April 12th I got gas at pump 12 and put $12 in my car (that's all the cash I had!).
Also, something pretty bad happened to me on 3/3/03.
But... I'm not superstitious either (Rom 8:28). Thanks for the neat post!
Okay, numbers: I can't believe how often I look at the clock and the numbers are the same. Eleven eleven. Two twenty two. Four forty four. It's become almost a mind game now! Check it out and see if you're playing the same game!
Hi, Amy--
That sure was a shocker about the number 13 and Apollo 13! Who would have thought that so many instances of "13" would occur in one mission launch.
Thanks for not giving in to the prevalent fear of 13. God is still in control, even if He's let's bad things happen, and if those things tend to occur related to the number 13!
Personally, I think He does like certain numbers...40 and 7 are a couple really obvious ones from the Bible. Only these typically number POSITIVE things.
I have examples from my own life with the number 8:
On 8/8/1997 (digits in 1997 total 26) I learned I was going to be a middle school teacher, teaching 8th graders.
On 8/8/2004 I met my future husband.
It's fun to look for number patterns.
August is a good month for me!
LOL! Amy, you're funny. My best birthday was my sweet sixteen on Friday, November 13, 1981. That broke me of the "superstition." So throw a party on the next Friday the 13th!
Another book?!? I'm never going to get caught up in my reading this way...I wonder if Jesus allows us to take our books with us?? LOL!!
I had a great day today!! For the first time in my new house I tried to fix something and it actually got fixed!!! Wooohoo, I am the proud owner of a new garage door chain!!! Also, both my grandparents (87, 91) are still alive and were each born & Married on the 13th. SOO YAY!! Kristin
Thanks so much for having me over today and for all the great comments!
I survived this day and actually had a good one too. Must be the company I'm keeping with such awesome bloggers. ;-)
Abundant blessing you all!
Amy
The Same thing happens to me too Eileen. For a long time I kept seeing 2:22 and 3:33 A.M. I'm glad to know it's just not only me that happens to. lol
Your list really made me laugh. I'm not superstitious, but I don't like the number either. BTW, you left John Wayne Gacy out of your list of serial killers with 13 letters in their names. (I grew up in Chicago and I'm a suspense writer. What can I say?)
I have 13 letter's in my name. should I worry? LOL.
I'm with Dineen - I was born on the 13th too so there gotta be something good about it ;-)
It's fitting that I'm now the 13th comment. LOL
Dineen and Rel, you've certainly given me something to be thankful for on the 13th. ;-)
Jill~ thanks for sharing and adding to my serial killer reason for not liking 13! We suspense writers have to stick together. ;-)
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