Top O' the Marnin' to ya!
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| Picture from a St. Paddy's Day Celebration with friends in university - 2006. I made some sort of green vodka drink. |
I wrote a post about this on my main blog called Sharpening Knives and Picking Up Chestnuts. It’s about how every fall I pick chestnuts up off the ground and put them in my pocket. I do this because my grandfather did it - for luck - but I don’t really know the story behind it. I’m not even sure if my reasons for doing this have anything to do with luck, but more me wanting to hold onto a memory.
Another “good luck” ritual I tend to adhere to is the whole “find a penny, pick it up, all day long you’ll have good luck” thing. When I see a penny on the ground I always want to pick it up, even if I’m with people who will judge me for being weird and gross.
I’m not superstitious though - I have a black cat (though she has a tiny patch of white on her belly, so she’s not entirely black), I frequently tell people “good luck” instead of “break a leg,” and I’ve probably broken a mirror before and not freaked out over being cursed with seven years of bad luck.
When my brother was in university studying chemistry he moved home one summer and my mom did some of his laundry. He was a bit distraught when he noticed she’d washed his lab coat. “It’s bad luck to wash your lab coat.” My thought was that it’s probably only bad luck because they probably spill poisonous materials on those things that might react badly when washed. Who knows.
Some athletes won’t play a game without their lucky socks. Some people need trinkets and charms with them when they’re about to do something important. I really don’t have any of these things. Since I can’t grow a playoff beard, and pollution has made it difficult for me to see, let alone wish on shooting stars - I will have to settle for making my own luck. I’ve always been one to stare luck down and challenge her. When I used to play soccer I picked, on purpose, #13. I like to live dangerously like that.
Although, one night at work I was adding up the debit and credit card transactions and one added up to $88.11 and the other $11.88. I showed my co-worker and she said, “that’s going to be a good sign.” I’ve also had some prices add up to $6.66 and thought “yikes.” I’m not religious - but I notice these things.
So I wish you all (the Irish and non-Irish alike) a very Happy St. Patrick’s Day. Wear some green, drink some green beer, eat some potatoes and feel lucky to be alive.
Cheers!
There are many good reasons for drinking,
One has just entered my head.
If a man doesn't drink when he's living,
How in the hell can he drink when he's dead?
- Irish Saying.
I totally pick up pennies too! Even when I'm with other people. Haha.
ReplyDeleteLove the picture - you look so young! :P
Yeah, I definitely pick up pennies - but I have let some go. But if it's a dime or something, I for sure pick it up.
ReplyDeleteYeah - I was probably 21 when that was taken...yikes.
I'm the same - sometimes I pass a coin on the floor and don't pick it up because I worry people will judge me, then I spend the rest of the day thinking about how I should have picked the bloody thing up, regardless of who could see me.
ReplyDeleteI am posting soon, promise. Sorry.
Yay - I'm not alone in picking up small amounts of change off the ground!
ReplyDeleteSpeaking of British currency - my mom just gave me 30 pounds and change she had saved from the last time my parents were in Scotland.
I love your whole not-washing-of-the-lab-coat theory. Very clever. Hope you had a good St. Patty's!
ReplyDeleteI never did get the full story on the lab coat thing...I'll have to ask my brother again next time I see him.
ReplyDelete