March 02, 2007

Force of Habit

I don't think of myself as a superstitious person. But I am a creature of habit. And I'm wondering today if those two states of mind are just different points on a spectrum. For me, indulging in a habit is giving into a pattern that gives you comfort. Believing in a superstition adds the element of implied influence or control... if you do this thing, in this particular way, then this other thing will or will not happen.

So, here are some of my habits:

I wear three rings that I rarely take off.
A day without a morning shower feels incomplete to me.
I have a particular spoon with which I like to eat ice cream.
If a day seems to get off to a bad start, I will often "upgrade" my chosen wardrobe that day to something a little fancier.
When asked for feedback, I try to always start by saying something positive.
I answer the phone by stating my full name (thanks, Mom!).
I turn out the lights in any room I'm leaving.

And some superstitions that carry at least a little weight with me:

On the first day of the month, I like for the first thing I say out loud to be, "Rabbit, rabbit!" It's supposed to bring me good luck, but I almost never remember to do it and I feel like a pretty lucky person anyway. I don't even remember who told me about this one.

I consider finding stones with naturally occurring holes to be a little bit lucky. Ditto well-worn sea glass. I know that it's silly to think that, but apparently I don't care.

Talking about a perfect game in baseball as it's happening is absolutely asking for trouble.

Wearing your pajamas inside out increases the odds that you'll get a snow day the following day.

Commenting on a closer parking space once you've already parked is offensive to Asphalta (the goddess of parking).

If you touch a ceiling while the digital clock in that room reads 11:11, it brings you luck.

Best not to mention the Scottish play by name out loud, especially around other theater people.

Face-up pennies bring good luck; if you pick up a face-down penny, you can spin around to "fix" the luck.

Hmmm, looks like I'm more superstitious than I thought! :-)

(Thanks to the folks at Sunday Scribblings
for this fun prompt, and advance thanks
to commenters who confess their own illogical beliefs.)

18 comments:

Kimberley McGill said...

I'm new to the blogging world and just discovered Sunday Scribblings. I thoroughly enjoyed both of your SS posts and look forward to reading more. You truly have an ease with words.

susanlavonne said...

these were really fun to read...and just LOOKING for seaglass is lucky in MHO because that means i'm at the beach (or as you New Jersians say, "the shore" :-)

Faith said...

I think I would spin myself dizzy if I could evr bring myself to pick up a rogue penny. I know it's good luck but still I don't know where its been:)

Unknown said...

My lucky stones are the ones with rings around them:
http://colorful-prose.com/wishing-stones/

I also loved your offering to Asphaltia. How true!

paris parfait said...

I've never heard of some of the superstitions you mention, such as wearing one's pyjamas inside out! :)

Unknown said...

Golly, that's a lot to keep up with. lol

Very fun to read.

Regina said...

I have offended Asphalta way too many times :)

Just Meg said...

I think the penny on heads or tails is one that most of us can relate to. If I find a penny, I pick it up, regardless! I told my nephew, "99 more of these, and I'll have a buck!"
Plus, I can never remember which is luckiest; heads or tails!
Fun stuff, as usual on your blog.:)

sister AE said...

Among my comforts / habits / superstitions:

I'm nearly physically incapable of passing up any coin (even/especially pennies) lying abandoned on the ground.

I so dislike things pointing at my face that I move spoon handles, straws, etc.

And on the off chance that my mental "vibes" have any influence whatsoever, I sometimes "think loudly" at people. This is usually reserved for drivers of other cars in rush hour traffic and is limited to things like "turn, turn, turn, turn" and "speed up" and "pull over, for crying out loud!".

TMTW said...

Little quirks are obnoxious, but I couldn't live a day without them in my life!

wendy said...

Who could not love a girl who has a favorite ice cream spoon!!!

Wendy said...

oh i love this list!

gilda radner used to say "bunny bunny" for luck.

Here's the book!

Becca said...

All you superstitions are new ones to me, and made for a fun read! Yes, I do believe you are more superstitious than you thought!

Jone said...

I love the pj inside out, although it is time for spring, I pick up face up pennies. I am glad the parking goddess has a name, I call her the parking angel. Thanks for a great post.

sundaycynce said...

Fun read!! Other than lucky rabbit's feet, which I have never believed in, I had no notion of rabbit oriented susperstitions but yours is the 2nd, slightly similar but not the same, of those I have learned about today. Loved learning about Asphalta, but she probably doesn't love me. The PJ one made me laugh out loud. Living in the southern part of Florida there is not a chance of that working here, not even if everyone in the neighborhood could be persuaded to wear pajamas and to wear them inside out.
Thanks for the smiles.

Nancy Bea Miller said...

Hah, what fun! Thanks for sharing these. I also do the first of the month thing, or try to remember to, but I say "White Rabbits!" instead of "Rabbit, Rabbit!" Not sure where this came from.

Here is my little spin on the "lucky penny" thingy too. I always pick up heads-up pennies, of course, but when I see a tails-up penny I turn it over and leave it for someone else to find in the lucky heads-up position. Somebody else gave me this idea, and I love doing it: lucky penny elfing!

gautami tripathy said...

I too wear rings and I seldom take those off.

Unknown said...

I heard the one about saying "rabbit" on the first day of the month, too. I think it was from my high school history teacher. I can never remember it first thing in the morning, though.

Thanks for bringing that back!