Friday the 13th

Do do do do, do do do do, do do do do, do do do do...

You unlock this blog with the key of my imagination
Beyond it is another dimension
A dimension of sound
A dimension of lyrics
A dimension of tune
You're moving into a land of both music and real world
Of scenarios and ideas
You just crossed over into...
The Soundtrack Zone

Duh duh duhhhh!!!!

Happy Friday the 13th!

Okay, okay, the creepy theme song to The Twilight Zone is more a jingle of sorts than a song, but it has transcended pop culture and every time something strange happens I always revert to those classic "do do do's". In fact, I did it yesterday! I guess my brain was ready for Friday the 13th. I was helping set up video conferencing in one of the conference rooms in my office and I had to lower the shades in the room in order to lose the glare on the screen. As I began pulling the very noisy shades down on 5 ceiling-to-floor windows, a coworker of mine (having lunch in a nearby conference room) walked over to the room I was in a little slowly and cautiously. In contrast to the din of the shades, I must have snuck into that room as quiet as a mouse because he said he didn't hear anyone come by, that he thought there was a ghost or something in there. We laughed a little at how timid he was and I wiggled my fingers like a witch and chimed those "do do do do's," pretending like I was that ghost.

While The Twilight Zone may be more about eerie occurrences, less superstitious ones like Friday the 13th, I find that these two entities share a common characteristic: the unexplained. I'll admit, I totally believe in things I don't understand, like Stevie Wonder sings in "Superstition." (Clearly this is my number one choice for this rare date.) Everyone does. I remember when I was little there was a playground chant that said "don't step on the crack or you'll break your mother's back." Maybe I didn't totally believe that that would really happen if I stepped on a crack, but to this day I prefer avoiding them if I can.

"Superstition" touches on your classic wide-spread superstitions, i.e. walking under a ladder and breaking a mirror, thereby impressing 7 years of bad luck on yourself. Personally, these don't concern me. I avoid ladders in general because I'd prefer not to get crushed by accident if it falls; although I wonder if scaffolding counts as a ladder, I've been walking under a lot of that lately in the District. And really, when was the last time you broke a mirror? You have to try to break a mirror, that doesn't just happen. Plus, I thought 7 was supposed to be the lucky number, so I'm cool with doing my time if I jinx it tonight (yep, you caught me, I believe in jinxes). Besides, if I am going to be superstitious, I prefer to spread my neuroses across many days, not just limit myself to one. For example, on momentous occasions my grandma always tells me to enter and exit where I was going and coming from with my right foot. I don't know why, but I listen to her!

Everyone's got little things they do on a daily basis that may not even cross your mind as being superstitious. So I'm not afraid of Friday the 13th, in fact I'm already looking forward to the next one. Bring it on, April!

And if all else fails I recommend going out and getting a voodoo doll, singing a little incantation and protecting yourself from all harm: "Oo ee oo ah ah..."



The Twilight Zone
Superstition
The Witch Doctor