Friday the 13th

Did you know that Paraskevidekatriaphobia is a fear of Friday the 13th?   If you're interested, you can read more about it here.


I am not a superstitious person.  I've never owned a lucky rabbit's foot, I'm not fearful of black cats nor am I overly concerned about broken mirrors or walking under ladders.  However, I did find these facts, which confirm a kind of universal concern  about the number 13, fascinating:

·      More than 80 percent of high rise buildings lack a 13^th floor

·      Many airports skip Gate 13

·      Airplanes have no 13^th aisle

·      Hospital and hotels regularly have no room number 13.

·      Italians omit the number 13 from their national lottery

·      On streets in Florence, Italy, the house between houses number 12 and 14 is addressed as 12.5

·      Many cities do not have a 13^th Street or 13th Avenue

It might not make the worriers among us happy to know that this year, unfortunately, Friday the 13th will occur 3 times (for the record, the day occurred just once in 2011 and 2010).  What to do?  Cross your fingers and wish for the best.