Friday the 13th! Oh, noooo!

It's Friday the 13th. Why do we always beat up on this date, whenever it pops up? There's a whole movie franchise that couldn't exist if susperstition didn't have a regular place in our lives every time it shows up on the calendar. It's a touchstone for all the nasties we dread. And, maybe, it's a way to release some of the fears we have about them.

Of course, some superstitions are actually benign. Blow out all the birthday candles at onece and your wish comes true. A cricket in the house brings good luck - or, maybe, means a crack in a wall or slovenly cleaning habits. Drop a fork, and a man's stopping by for a visit.

On the other hand, let's not even think about walking under ladders, black cats walking in front of us, or stepping on a crack (poor Mom!)

There are lots of rationales for fearing 13. Numerologists consider 12 a "complete" number - months in the year, signs of the zodiac, gods on Olympus, tribes of Israel just a sampling - and 13 seems to them like taking things a step too far.

So, when was the last time you were in a highrise building with a 13th floor? And it isn't limited to America. Italy's national lottery has no number 13. In older times, French socialites customarily availed themselves to be the 14th guest at parties to keep bad luck away from the soirees. Of course, if someone dropped the punch bowl, everyone must have stood around nodding over how much worse it would have been with only 13 revelers in the house.

So, if you have a healthy dose of triskaidekaphobia working today, let your freaky Friday flag fly. And remember...Freddy Kruger is only a movie actor...right? Touch wood!