Paraskevidekatriaphobia

I learned a new word today.

Paraskevidekatriaphobia.

Paraskevidekatriaphobics are the people who have a morbid and irrational fear of Friday the 13th. Then there is this word - tridecaphobia.

The fear of the number thirteen is called tridecaphobia. Being that tomorrow is Friday the 13th, I thought I would look at some superstitions. I now know that there are some tasks I should carefully avoid on Friday: never

begin any new work,

write a letter,

knit,

launch a ship,

begin the harvest,

cut finger-nails,

start a journey,

get married,

or give birth. Most of these are easy for me - so I feel confident that my Friday the 13th will pass by relatively peacefully.

Here are some of the extremes which we have some to accept as normal - even though few of us would admit to being superstitious!!: More than 80 % of high-rises do not have a 13th floor Many airports skip the 13th gate Airplanes have no 13th aisle Hospitals and hotels often have no room number 13 Many cities do not have a 13th Street

Then there are the ladders, which must be carefully avoided, the black cats and the cracks in the concrete.

Be careful... watch your back and be grateful that you are not paraskevidekatriphobic!