Yes it’s Friday the 13th again. Most people think that “Triskaidekaphobia” (Tris-Ka-decka-fobia) is the fear of Friday the 13th.

That word is actually the fear of the number 13.

Fear of Friday the 13th is actually Paraskevidekatriaphobia.” You can see how easily the two might be confused for each other.

Not to muddy the water but, if Paraskevidekatriaphobia is too much for you feel free to use “Friggatriskaidekaphobia,” another word for the fear of Friday the 13th.

While I have done various blogs on Friday the 13th I have never done one on the number 13. Until today of course.

Useless Facts You Need To Know About The Number 13

  • Friday, November 13, 1829 was a bad day for American stuntman Sam Patch (AKA the Yankee Leaper). He decided to jump the 125-foot Genesee River. It was his last jump. I’m not sure that making the jump on Saturday would have helped any.
  • Alton Towers closed his rollercoaster named Thi3teen on Friday the 13th because of superstitious riders. He didn’t realize that the number13 was pretty powerful too. On Sept. 6, 2013 it broke down standing passengers for two and a half hours. Perhaps he should have closed it for the year.
  • The number 13 is called the Devil’s Dozen in Scotland.
  • A “baker’s dozen” or a “long dozen” also consist of 13 items.
  • The European Union, United Nations, and United Kingdom each contain 13 letters. If you numbered the letters of the alphabet then the EU former name of EEC would be (5+5+3=13).
  • The US is full of 13s. The original 13 colonies plus the dollar bill contains 13 levels of the pyramid, 13 stars, 13 arrows, 13 stripes, 13 leaves and 13
  • The I.P. Address of XEROX CORPORATION is 13.13.13.
  • Chapin Hall at the University of Chicago is at 1313 East 60th Street, Chicago, Illinois, and used to be the home of the 1313
  • 13 out of 21 tattoo chemicals have cancer-causing agents.
  • North American Cicadas (insects) only emerge once every 13 years in what is known as the Great Southern Brood.
  • The Thirteen Club was created in the 1800's to debunk the theory of 13 people at a table. They meet on the 13th of the month, and serve dinner to 13 guests at each table.

Some Final Thoughts

It would seem that 13 is all around us. From PG-13 movies to the Friday the 13th series that number only 12 so far by the way. My guess is they are planning something very special for number 13.

And you should too. Have fun today. Walk under a ladder, break a mirror, or let a black cat cross your path.

You’re not superstitious are you?

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