Given the auspiciousness of today, I thought it would be a good time to do a post on the ‘silliness’ of Friday the 13th. The absurdity of Friday the 13th has always puzzled me. It really is just a day and the only reason that it garners “power” over anything is because we give energy to the idea of Friday the 13th by perpetuating the myth. The title of this post includes the phobia: friggatriskaidekaphobia. One can ‘learn’ from Wikipedia that this is a compound of Frigga, the name of the Norse goddess who gave us the name “Friday,” and triskaidekaphobia, fear of the number 13. I happen to like words, but a word like friggatriskaidekaphobia — when, outside of days like today, would you use that? Maybe more importantly, who would use that word? Maybe psychiatrists or psychologists?
Some people like to say that Friday the 13th doesn’t occur very often, so that’s what makes it special. Really? Over the next three years (up to and including 2015), there will be 9 Friday the 13th’s. In fact, of the days of the week that could happen to be the 13th, Friday is the one that is most likely. Meaning, Friday the 13th happens more than (Monday the 13th, Tuesday the 13th, Wednesday the 13th, etc.)
There is no clear evidence as to exactly where the myth of Friday the 13th started. Some say it started with the assassination of the Knights Templar (which happened on Friday the 13th). Others believe it might be a combination of a Norse myth of a 13th dinner party guest arriving and causing havoc and a similar event occurring as cited in the Bible. The fact that this myth has no definite traceable history further convinces me that “belief” in it causes it to continue.
One more note about the 13th comes to us from Spanish-speaking countries who believe that it is Tuesday the 13th that needs to be feared. This all stems from the fact that Martes is the Spanish word for Tuesday and the word Martes is derived from Mars, the Roman God of war.
And war, accordingly, signifies death.
Other Calendar Quirks
In July of 2011, there will be 5 Fridays, 5 Saturdays, and 5 Sundays? Bring on the parties during those weekends, right? More importantly, this, according to some chain letter e-mails, only happens once every 823 years! Buyer beware, huh?
Did you know that this (2011) December, there will be 5 Thursdays, 5 Fridays, and 5 Saturdays?
Or, how about in 2012, there will be 3 Friday the 13th’s?
This coming Monday (the 16th), is Love a Tree Day!
2020 will be a leap year and *gasp* the Roman numerals signifying the year will be MMXX.
In 2193, Canadians [if they’re still called that] in Toronto [if it’s still called that] will open a time capsule that was buried in 1997.
In 2285, unless there is reform to the religious calendar, Easter will be on March 22 for the first time since 1818. This is also the earliest possible day that Easter can occur.
And my personal favorite: the aptly named Longplayer, which is a 1,000 year song that started on January 1st, 2000 and will end on December 31st, 2999. From Wikipedia:
“Longplayer” is based on an existing piece of music, 20 minutes and 20 seconds in length, which is processed by computer using a simple algorithm. This gives a large number of variations, which, when played consecutively, gives a total runtime of 1000 years. It uses Tibetan singing bowls and gongs, , which are able to create a range of sounds by either striking or rolling pieces of wood around the rims. This source music was recorded in December 1999.
Jeremiah Stanghini 
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