Word of the Day for Friday, July 13, 2007

triskaidekaphobia \tris-ky-dek-uh-FOH-bee-uh\, noun:

A morbid fear of the number 13 or the date Friday the 13th.

Thirteen people, pledged to eliminate triskaidekaphobia, fear of the number 13, today tried to reassure American sufferers by renting a 13 ft plot of land in Brooklyn for 13 cents . . . a month.
— Daily Telegraph, January 14, 1967

Past disasters linked to the number 13 hardly help triskaidekaphobics overcome their affliction. The most famous is the Apollo 13 mission, launched on April 11, 1970 (the sum of 4, 11 and 70 equals 85 – which when added together comes to 13), from Pad 39 (three times 13) at 13:13 local time, and struck by an explosion on April 13.
— “It’s just bad luck that the 13th is so often a Friday”, Electronic Telegraph, September 8, 1996

Triskaidekaphobia is from Greek treiskaideka, triskaideka, thirteen (treis, three + kai, and + deka, ten) + phobos, fear.

In Christian countries the number 13 was considered unlucky because there were 13 persons at the Last Supper of Christ. Fridays are also unlucky, because the Crucifixion was on a Friday. Hence a Friday falling on the thirteenth day is regarded as especially unlucky.

Some famous triskaidekaphobes1:

* Napoleon
* Herbert Hoover
* Mark Twain
* Richard Wagner
* Franklin Roosevelt

Joke of the day entitled “Crisco”.

An old lady is walking around in a supermarket calling out,
“Crisco, Crisssssssco!”

Soon a store clerk approaches and says, “Lady, the Crisco is
in aisle D.”

The old lady replies, “Oh, I’m not looking for the cooking
stuff. I’m calling my husband.”

The clerk is astonished. “Your husband’s name is Crisco?”

The old lady answers, “Oh no, no, no. I only call him that
when we’re out in public.”

“I see,” said the clerk. “What do you call him at home?”

“Lard bottom.”

My thoughts on Sunday and Rest.

Sunday is a wonderful day. Or is it. . .?

My answer to that question is a heartfelt yes. Without it, we would die of fatigue, exhaustion, and but. With it, we can relax, do nothing except whatever we want to, worship God at church, and have day of rest.

I have been getting much less sleep than I normally do because of wheat harvest. Loyal said that he worked 70 hrs. this last week. I probably worked several hours less than that, but it was close to that number. I had stress with sleeping in church this morning because of being overworked and under slept. Such is the life of a farmer during wheat harvest.

I am happy to report that we are virtually finished with Wheat Harvest 2007. For this, we rejoice greatly and marvel that we got finished before the rain comes that is in the forecast for the early part of next week.

I am finished philosophizing on Sunday and Rest. Thank-you for bearing with this exceptionally boring post.

Here is your random picture of the day.

thesinger

Joke of the Day.

What’s the difference between Boogers and broccolli?

Kids won’t eat broccolli.

Random Post

Yup, Here it it. My random post of the week. I will just say random things as my random and tired brain thinks them.

1. Gas prices are too high.
2. The Anonymous Somebodies had an amazing practice today. It was good, but yet it really struggled in some ways. . . It was good for us.
3. We had a singing at Virginia Cumley’s house tonight. Amazing, but good.
4. I bought a lens. It’s a Canon 50mm f/1.8. It’s blitzing fast, compared to what I have now.
5. I am tired. (And it’s the day of rest. SHAME ON ME!!!) I worked very hard at our rehearsal. Good, but not good on Sundays. No, not good on Sundays. 😦
6. I am going to go now.
7. That last point is closely related to the 5th point. . .

thesinger