Comments on: Very Superstitious, Writing’s On the Wall

By: introspectre

introspectre — Mon, 01 Aug 2005 17:01:31 +0000

I think Stevie Wonder had it right when he sang, “Superstition ain’t the way…”

That being said I do have to confess to superstitious moment. Someone told me a bird flying in your house means your pregnant. One day I had a bird land on my screenless windowsill and I jumped up screaming, “Out! Out! Out! Don’t you dare fly here, you bastard!” as if the poor traumatized bird could knock me up.
Embarrassing.

The stupid thing? I don’t believe it for a second. But I wasn’t about to tempt fate on that one.

By: Neil

Neil — Sun, 31 Jul 2005 02:51:07 +0000

Thanks, Sofochka. Great list of Russian superstitions. You even got me to stop putting my keys on the dinner table (bad luck, or was it no money?)

And you’re right. We found that Chinese astrology placemat at that restaurant on Wilshire, the one where the waitress lectured us about feng shui. Remember — we went home and re-arranged our bedroom according to what she said, and we ended up with the sun shining in our eyes every morning. Those were the days!

By: Sophia

Sophia — Sat, 30 Jul 2005 15:10:00 +0000

Neil is mistaken, it wasn’t a “Love Signs” book I mentioned to him. Once, after eating at a Chinese Restaurant that had a Chinese Astrology placemat, I decided to look it up on the Internet and found that I could do a Chinese Astrology compatability chart.

Here’s some of the results:

This is one of the two or three worst unions known to Chinese astrologers. It may prove even more hazardous than that between a Tiger man and a Snake woman, given the Goat’s more frivolous, fickle and irresponsible - albeit more charming - character.

It would be preferable that such a match never exist. In the contrary case, the partners would be well-advised to part company as soon as possible in order to avoid a possible tragedy.… and then it said that no self-respecting Chinese astrologer would ever dare recommend this union…

Now, Neil is wrong again about superstitions. I don’t believe in superstitions, for one simple reason - it’s really bad luck to be superstitious.

Here are a few Russian superstitions for your enjoyment (or intimidation):

If a bird comes into the house through an open window, you’ll have bad news.

Do not greet anyone or say goodbye to anyone over the threshold. If you do, you will have an argument.

Never collect bread crumbs with your hand - you will be without money for a long time.

Do not celebrate your birthday in advance of the actual date. (You might not make it!)

Single people should never sit at the corner of the table – if they do, they will not get married for 7 years.

If you sneeze while saying something, it means you are telling the truth.

If the right eye is itching, you’ll be laughing, the left one – you’ll be crying.

If your nose is itching, you’ll soon be drinking.

If your right palm is itching, you’ll get some money, and if the left one is itching, you’ll have to give money away.

If your lips are itching, you’ll soon be kissing.

If you do not recognize someone when you see them or call them on the phone, this person will get rich.

Before embarking on a long journey, you should sit for a minute in silence. Otherwise you’ll have bad luck on the way.

Do not whistle in your own house. If you do, you won’t have any money.

If you have an attack of hiccups, somebody is gossiping about you or cursing you.

And last but not least:

If a fly gets into your soup, you’ll get a gift or a treat.

By: Tatyana

Tatyana — Fri, 29 Jul 2005 23:54:46 +0000

Helena, I see that we, Leos, are really alike!
I’ll not tell you my own superestitions (or things’ll come alive, heh) - but here’s someone else’s one nobody mentioned yet.

My ex’s family legend: when his greatuncle has been putting clothes on in the morning and accidentally put it on the wrong side, he’d quickly take all off, throw it on the floor and stamp on it, to avoid “bad side of the day”…

By: Helena

Helena — Fri, 29 Jul 2005 23:37:46 +0000

All of my best friends have been Pisces. They’re special people. And a little crazy. Seem to be the only people patient and benevolent enough to put up with a Leo.

I try not to “jinx” things by talking about them. I also believe that lies people tell about misfortune befalling them (Oh, sorry I flaked out…I was really sick) often come true. Sometimes I read into events as omens, including dreams.

By: Rachel

Rachel — Fri, 29 Jul 2005 22:02:22 +0000

My own personal superstition, from no tradition of superstitions that I know of, is I don’t like to get into bed with my shoes or slippers facing the bed. I just have this feeling, I’ll leave them that way and wake up dead. You know, my last step. A friend of mine told me her mother would never allow her to wear a new outfit on Fridays because it brought bad luck. I often wear new clothes on Friday, but I always think of her when I do.

By: kris

kris — Fri, 29 Jul 2005 22:01:05 +0000

Ah, superstition. Does it qualify as superstition when one is afraid that having cats will make her end up old, single and alone with cats? Maybe that’s just foreshadowing . . .

By: Brooke

Brooke — Fri, 29 Jul 2005 20:32:53 +0000

Tatyana, have Neil consult his ouija board about this. Or better yet, maybe he should consult his mother. She does read his bolo after all.

By: Edgy Mama

Edgy Mama — Fri, 29 Jul 2005 20:20:20 +0000

But have you read the latest Nick Hornsby novel yet?

By: maribeth

maribeth — Fri, 29 Jul 2005 19:36:57 +0000

Back in the day you didn’t have to pick one or the other. You were just independently wealthy and spent your time looking distinguished, drinking brandy and screwing around with Leyden jars in between painting tigers and writing books about your African safaris, like Francis Galton. He once spent two years on a parametric study of what conditions produce the best-tasting cup of tea. He stopped because he was distracted by the problem of how much gold there was in the world and whether or not it would all fit in his house. Then he invented eugenics. Those were the days, I tell you.

Nowadays if you do that kind of stuff, you’re usually an eccentric supervillain wannabe.