Friday 13th, Uncle Sam Day, Snack a Pickle Day, Peanut Day

~★~♥~♥~★~ El Morno! ♥~★~★~♥ ~
September 13, 2013

piano keys

★~ Today’s Quote:  “Matilda said, “Never do anything by halves if you want to get away with it. Be outrageous. Go the whole hog. Make sure everything you do is so completely crazy it’s unbelievable…”  ― Roald Dahl, Matilda

★~ Friday 13th,2013: 

Friday 13

Superstition being what it is — abstract and irrational — it’s impossible to pin down precisely why Friday the 13th became synonymous with bad luck. Fortunately, people with degrees study these things for a living, and they say it’s because Fridays are considered bad luck and the number 13 is considered bad luck, so when you put them together, you have really bad luck.

Donald Dossey, a folklore historian and author of Holiday Folklore, Phobias and Fun. traces the fear of 13 to a Norse myth about 12 gods having a dinner party. In walks the uninvited 13th guest, the mischievous Loki. Once there, Loki arranges for Hoder, the blind god of darkness, to shoot Balder the Beautiful, the god of joy and gladness, with a mistletoe-tipped arrow.

“Balder died, and the whole Earth got dark. The whole Earth mourned. It was a bad, unlucky day,” Dossey said.

There is also a biblical reference to 13 as an unlucky number. Judas, the apostle said to have betrayed Jesus, was the 13th guest to the Last Supper.

Meanwhile, in ancient Rome, witches reportedly gathered in groups of 12. The 13th was believed to be the devil.

Thomas Fernsler, an associate policy scientist in the Mathematics and Science Education Resource Center at the University of Delaware in Newark, said the number 13 suffers because of its position after 12.

According to Fernsler, numerologists consider 12 a “complete” number. There are 12 months in a year, 12 signs of the zodiac, 12 gods of Olympus, 12 labors of Hercules, 12 tribes of Israel, and 12 apostles of Jesus.

Fernsler said 13’s association with bad luck “has to do with just being a little beyond completeness. The number becomes restless or squirmy.”

As for Friday, it’s well known among Christians as the day Jesus was crucified. Plus, some biblical scholars believe Eve tempted Adam with the forbidden fruit on Friday. Perhaps most significant is a belief that Abel was slain by his brother Cain on Friday the 13th.

Good to know (below) will share 13 things that happened on Friday the 13th

 ★~ Uncle Sam Day:

Have you ever wondered who the heck Uncle Sam was and why he was chosen as an icon to represent America? If so, you’re not alone. Although stories vary, it seems Uncle Sam got his start during the War of 1812. Sam Wilson, a meat packer from Troy, N.Y., used to ship meat to American servicemen. The shipments were marked “E.A. – U.S.” and from Sam Wilson. Eventually the servicemen began to jokingly refer to them as being from “Uncle Sam,” and the idea caught on and spread from there.

Sept. 13 was Sam Wilson’s birthday, and is celebrated today as “Uncle Sam Day.”

★~ Snack a Pickle Day:

Pickles!

Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers;
A peck of pickled peppers Peter Piper picked;
If Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers,
Where’s the peck of pickled peppers Peter Piper picked?
Don’t look at me I did not take them!

A few snack a pickle facts:

The Department of Agriculture estimates that the average American eats 8.5 lbs of pickles a year.

When the Philadelphia Eagles beat the Dallas Cowboys in sweltering heat in September 2000, many of the players attributed their win to one thing: guzzling down immense quantities of ice-cold pickle juice.

If it weren’t for pickles, Christopher Columbus might never have “discovered” America. In his famous 1492 voyage, Columbus rationed pickles to his sailors to keep them from getting scurvy. He even grew cucumbers during a pitstop in Haiti to restock for the rest of the voyage.9. Speaking of people who get credit for discovering America, when he wasn’t drawing maps and trying to steal Columbus’ thunder, Amerigo Vespucci was a well-known pickle-merchant.

★~ Peanut Day:

Found a peanut, found a peanut, found a peanut just now. Just now I found a peanut, found a peanut just now. One must sing this song on National Peanut Day. All together now…

[youtube]http://youtu.be/dMJ2wugESQo[/youtube]

Mike such a nice deep voice. Irene, and you said you can’t sing. Ha!  Debbie, good job with the hand motions. Beth Ann, you are quite the spoon drummer. Sue, I had no idea you could play the harmonica so well! And thanks to the peanut gallery for joining in!

Ok  time to settle down now, for a few peanut facts…..

The peanut started off in South America, but now its crunchy shells can be found littering the floors of sports bars all over the world. The peanut is one well-traveled legume.

Speaking of legumes, that is technically what peanuts are. Legumes are simple dry fruits in the same family as peas and beans.

★~ Today in History:

Mary Kay Ash

♥~ 1922 – The mercury climbed to 136 degrees (Fahrenheit) in El Azizia, Libya, the highest temperature ever recorded on Earth.

♥~ 1954 – The cover of LIFE magazine was adorned with Judy Garland’s picture, with the caption, “Judy Garland takes off after an Oscar.” Garland had been nominated for her role in A Star is Born.

♥~ 1963 – Mary Kay, the direct-sales cosmetic company, was founded by nine people gathered around Mary Kay Ash’s kitchen table.

♥~ 1997 – Mariah Carey’s Honey debuted on the Hot 100 at number one — her third single to do so. The others wereFantasy (Sep 30, 1995) and One Sweet Day (Dec 2, 1995). Carey was the first artist to have three singles debut at #1.

★~Famous Birthdays:

Roald Dahl

♥~ 1857 – Milton S. (Snavely) Hershey candy tycoon:; died Oct 13, 1945

♥~ 1916 – Roald Dahl writer: Charlie and the Chocolate Factory; screen play: Chitty Chitty Bang Bang; died Nov 23, 1990

♥~ 1924- Chester “Zeke” Cieslak. Awesome father, lover of books and baseball and all things Polish. “Pops” to El Morno friend Teresa Cieslak.

♥~ 1939 – Neil Sedaka, singer, songwriter, (1959 UK No.3 single ‘Oh Carol’ plus over 30 US & 14 UK other Top 40 singles

♥~ 1944 – Jacqueline Bisset actress: Rich and Famous, The Deep, Airport, Bullitt, Wild Orchid, Murder on the Orient Express, Choices

♥~ 1952 – Randy Jones singer: group: The Village People: Y.M.C.A.

★~ Good to Know:  13 things that happened on Friday the 13th

black cat ladder

♥~ Benjamin Franklin writes “Everything appears to promise that it will last; but in this world nothing is certain but death and taxes” on Friday, Nov. 13, 1789.

♥~ One of America’s most loathsome historical figures, Confederate general/slave trader/Grand Wizard Nathan Bedford Forrest, is born on Friday, July 13, 1821.

♥~ Anthony Foss, patents the accordion on Friday, Jan. 13, 1854.

♥~Tennessee passes a law making it illegal to teach evolution on Friday, March 13, 1925.

♥~ Spielplatz, generally considered the first nudist colony, opens in Bricket Wood, England, on Friday, June 13, 1930.

~ German bombs damage Buckingham Palace on Friday, Sept.13,1940.

♥~ A huge south Asian storm is estimated to kill 300,000 people in Chittagong, Bangladesh, and create floods that kill as many as 1 million in the Ganges delta on Friday, Nov. 13, 1970.

♥~ Howard Stern begins broadcasting on WRNW in Briarcliff Manor, N.Y., on Friday, May 13, 1977.

♥~“Friday the 13th” opens Friday, June 13, 1980.

♥~ Ringo Starr — releases “Wrack My Brain” on Friday, Nov. 13, 1981. It does not chart.

♥~ The Olsen twins were born on Friday, June 13, 1986.

♥~ A 2008 Dutch study showed that fewer car accidents, fires and crimes occur on Friday the 13th

♥~ The US market has been up 80 times out of the past 140 occasions when the 13th of a month landed on a Friday.

#

Today, I suggest leaving your Triskaidekaphobia behind, putting on your lucky undies and/or socks and having a wonderful day. Please don’t tell me that your wardrobe doesn’t include lucky undies or socks.

Sometimes, things are a little off kilter when Friday falls on 13th, so why not look  triple numbers, watch for signs of Synchronicity, go with the flow and have some FUN. . .WHY NOT!

Odd Loves Company!

12 thoughts on “Friday 13th, Uncle Sam Day, Snack a Pickle Day, Peanut Day

  1. Putting my spoons up now that I have a peanut song headache thanks to you. 🙂 Have never been a real fanatic about Friday the 13th—just another day for me. I guess we will see if something monumental happens to me today to change my mind.

    • Sorry about the Peanut song…you were so good on those spoons tho! Hope nothing monumental happened! I had a great day!

  2. Morno,
    Human again. I’m heading into the office for a few hours humming the peanut song along the way. Maybe I will pick up some bags of peanuts for the office.
    I have lucky socks and plan on having a good day but I won’t go out of my way to walk under ladders.
    Have a good one.

  3. Love snacking on pickles and peanuts! Kids loved that it is Friday the 13th. I tried to add to the fun by telling them to be careful not to walk under ladders, open umbrellas, and for gods sake they stay clear of black cats. They all have lucky undies and wore them to school.
    Now, I am putting on my lucky undies and heading out to make to start my day with coffee date. Lucky me.
    TTFN!

    • Lucky undies are a must! You know of-course that your kids went looking for umbrellas, black cats and ladders the minute they could! Fun.

  4. Glad Mike ^ is feeling better!
    I’m planning on laying low this Friday the 13th (though yesterday was so rotten, bad luck wouldn’t plague me two days straight. Or would it??)
    If peanuts are in the same family as peas and beans, which I can eat just fine, why can’t I digest peanuts? Odd, I know.
    Love the photo of the piano keyboard front steps — what a clever idea!
    I am WAY below that average 8.5 lbs. of pickles a year.

    • Sorry your Thursday was so bad–I hope Friday was much, much better. Your digestive system is Odd? I mean that in the nicest possible way.
      Get snacking on those pickles and do your part!

  5. I’ll celebrate peanut day by enjoying some Amish peanut butter. Just made it to Shipshewana where we’ll have a late lunch before trekking on to Toronto!

    We had a very late start – definitely Friday the 13th is to blame for all the weird delays today. The weirdest one was when we finally left. I had to drop by the bank and post office. The street out front was under construction and they were pouring concrete curbs. We were stuck in a line of traffic waiting for the light to change. The concrete mixer wa right beside us. No problem. Then suddenly the mixer started up, beginning to rotate. There we were, point blank range, trapped like rats as the ENTIRE passenger side of our car got splattered with wet cement. Sigh. Yet another delay as we had to find a car wash.

    • Oh, that is just awful! Did the cement damage the car? If this is in Evanston the construction has been enough to make me scream all summer. One delay after another. Hope today has made up for it and your are on your way to Toronto to enjoy a lovely time.
      BTW, I was just sent to test four jars of peanut butter for peanut butter day in a few weeks and it is just god awful. Not sure what I will do. I’m going to make Cole and Vickie test them just to make sure it isn’t me, but I am pretty sure we will end up in agreement!

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