Acrophobia & Aviaphobia

Everyone fears something... whether it be small spaces, spiders, heights or any of the others which make it t0 the list classified as a "phobia." Some phobias are taken to the extreme and the individual in fear will make changes to their lifestyle in order to avoid coming face-to-face with it. And then there are the other people who tend to make the best of it and deal with their phobia while still being afraid. I am that kind of person. I have a few phobias but thankfully nothing serious enough that I am limited from them. I have a fear of heights and a slight fear of flying because of it. Fear of heights is called acrophobia and fear of flying is called aviaphobia. Despite my fears, I still go on roller coasts and amusement park ride of any height. I would prefer to not take an elevator or even a high escalator if it was my choice. When I went on my cruise, I walked up and down the stairs of a 9 floor cruise ship as often as I could to avoid the elevators. My fear of flying can be directly related to my fear of how high I am in the sky when you go on an airplane. The new media on plane crashed and the horrifying events of terrorist attacks like September 11th, 2001 definitely add to my fear that was less prominent when I was younger. This however has not affected me to not travel or to ride in airplanes. I have traveled to many places and I have taken many planes to get there. This is the basis on why I say that although I have these phobias, I refuse to put limitations and restrictions in my life as a result of them.

Pure Bad Luck

Hmm... have you ever seen the comic skit, Delirious, by Eddie Murphy? It was released in 1983 and was one his earlier performances. He does a standup about icecream and I could remember the skit perfectly the other night. Everyone acts like a little child when the ice cream man is coming. You can hear the music from blocks away and you wish on anything it will come up your block as soon as possible. Your ear perk up like that a little puppy dog and your eyes brighten with excitement. Well the other night, I heard it. My back door was opened and it sounded like it was coming around the block. I ran to the front window two minutes later and realized he was already passing the h0use. I was thinking "oh my god!!" and I ran down the stairs as fast as my legs could carry me. I ran out the door with no money, no orders for what anyone in the house wanted from the truck and no shoes on my feet, just socks. He stopped for me halfway down the block but when I ran back for the money, he was starting to pull away. I tried so hard to run after him but he was driving too fast. I then did something I never had done before. I got into my car and started to follow the icecream man. With my sister in the passenger seat, I could not stop from laughing. Everytime he had stopped, I threw the car into park and started running down the block. Unfortunately, he never stopped. I couldn't tell if he hadn't seen me or if he was ignoring my persistence and was laughing at my expense. I looked like such a heffer running after this truck. It was as if I had never was going to have ice cream again. My sister and I were hysterica laughing the entire time. Thank god for my self esteem because anyone else would be mortified to admit the possibility of someone else watching this juvenile and insane act. I looked like a crazy person but I was determined. All i wanted was a screwball ice. My mouth was watering everytime I got out of the car to run. My last attempt while completely out of breath was when the truck was stopped at a red light. Even with my running abilities and screaming for the ice cream man, I was shit down. The light turned green and he did not hesistate. I will always wonder whether or not he had seen me. I basically ran around my entire development and what a disappointment I was left with; no icecream screwball. Now that is what I call bad luck!!!

Sweeter Side of Superstition Spectrum

On the opposite side of “superstition spectrum,” there tends to be a sweeter side. Those who are superstitious believe in tales to bring bad luck as much as they bring good luck. The most widespread symbols of good luck are clovers. Four leaf clovers and shamrocks are believed to bring good luck. If you see a coin with the heads side up, you are supposed to pick it up to have good luck for the day. You should wear a new outfit on Easter to have good luck for the following year. When you spill the salt, you will regain your good luck if you throw a pinch over your left shoulder. If the palm of your right hand itches, you will soon be coming into money. Some ways to bring good luck are said to be spilling wine while proposing a toast, finding 9 individual peas in a pea pod, picking up a pencil in the street, looking at the new moon over your right shoulder, finding a ladybug on yourself, dolphins swimming near a ship or a spider spinning in the morning. A horseshoe should be hung above the doorway to bring good luck in the house and hung in the bedroom to keep the nightmares away. Knocking on wood tends to protect us against misfortune. Symbols of good luck that is even carried around on a day to day basis include a rabbit’s foot, a clover and a horseshoe. With all of the superstitions and bad luck in the world, it is nice to see that some beliefs end in a better fortune of the day, month or even year. It gives an easier perspective to those in the “glass half full” mind set.

Old Wives Tale

As if some of us don’t have enough bad luck as it, there are those who believe that some of our own actions cause ever worse luck. Superstitions or "old wives tales" go from one extreme to the next. They are beliefs or notions that are not based upon reason or knowledge. The most widely spread superstition in America and in other parts of the world are of Friday the 13th. It is said to be bad luck when the 13th of the month lands on a Friday. Bad luck is also believed to be brought when you put a hat on a bed. If a black cat walks away from you, it takes the luck with it. If you say goodbye to a friend on a bridge, it is believed you will never see each other again. If someone sweeps across your feet, you will never get married. It is a belief that you shouldn’t walk on the crack of a sidewalk, walk under a ladder or to open an umbrella inside. A picture falling or getting out of bed with the left foot first is said to be bad luck. It is also bad luck when a bat flies into the house, an owl hoots 3 times, three butterflies together or hearing a rooster crowing at night. When you break a mirror, it will bring 7 years of bad luck. Bad luck will follow the spilling of salt or placing shoes on the table. There are also many old wives tales and superstitions within dreams, regarding weddings and many more other than the ones I’ve mentioned above. The only thing I wonder is where they started from. Where did the origin of a broken mirror foreshadowing 7 years of bad luck stem from? I won’t be able to get the answer for all of the superstitions in the world but perhaps some of them were researched by someone else with the same wonderings and questions.

"I see in your future..."

Luck and fortune walk hand in hand on the pathways in life. When we see a magical or abstract movie, a fortune teller will say the words “I see ________ in your future…” and the customer looks amazed, mystified and bewildered all at the same time. A puzzled look along with either a smile or a frown depending on the future telling immediately forms after. I may not believe in a fortune teller at the nearest circus but I wonder if one day I would opt to attending a psychic’s session. If someone could tell me what was in my future, would I want to hear it? I wonder if I would really want to know what decisions will cause what effects. If so, will some of my decisions and choices be altered knowing an outcome I want to change. Would I want to know whether or not I will be married to the man of my dreams or an unexpected guy who won’t arrive for years into my future? Would I want to know where I will live and who will always be a part of my life; friends, family and loved ones? Will she tell me if I am going have three or four children or won’t be able to bear any children at all? Will she tell me if the profession I am in is the right one for me? Did I always do what my heart told me to in life or did I do at times what was right for other people? Stories of heard of friends and family who have visited psychics say they were contacted with people they lost years before. Will anyone I’ve lost come to say a message to me? I guess a psychic in my point of view is like a genie in a bottle. Instead of him or her granting me 3 wishes in life, they tell me what wishes will apparently come true in the future. Only time will tell if I ever decide to go along with something like this later on. As for now, it is a mystery to me.

Lucky Clovers

Clovers have been considered a lucky symbol since long ago in Celtic cultures, particularly the four-leaf clover being seen as powerful. Today, both three-leaf clovers (Shamrocks) in Ireland and four-leaf clovers in the United States and Europe are seen as good luck charms. It is unknown the exact time the belief in its luck started but it is said that it was “a favorite forage” or search of domesticated animals like cattle, sheep and horses. Since clovers fed these animals well and made their owners wealthy, the plant was thought to do good and bring good luck for people. The four-leaf clover was important and significance for its scarcity and rarity and it was powerful since it was used in spells. It was believed to represent the four seasons of the year and/or the four elements of alchemy (Water, Earth, Air and Fire). The three-leaf clover was special in the beliefs of Catholics due to its believed representation of the trinity of God, the song and the Holy Spirit. The rare fourth leaf was added for God’s grace. Even in present times, the four-leaf clover is assumed to grant powers in detecting witches, recognizing evil spirits and seeing fairies and mystical creatures. With the rare findings of a four-leaf clover in a patch, it is said to give the discoverer enhanced luck-bearing properties which may be of good assistance and good luck in life.

An Aquarian... mostly

According to one of the astrology websites posted on the internet, there are certain characteristics that Aquarians fall under. I have come to find that almost all of the characteristics fit my personality. My dominating characteristics are said to be “honesty, tolerance, respectful for other’s beliefs, always thinking ahead, keeping one’s word and prefers independence.” On “my side of the spectrum,” I tend to at times be a procrastinator and although I am independent on my opinions and principles, I am very dependent on those close to me for support, love, advice and just in a general sense. Many of the websites drew together the same characteristics. Aquarians are “interesting, attractive, extroverted people. They are outspoken, refined and idealistic, romantic but practical, personable and likable. They are generous, independent, communicative, fair, idealist, thoughtful, loyal, open-minded, selfless, individualistic and dependable. Characteristics less appealing includes being unpredictable, unemotional, detached, rebellious, dogmatic and aloof.” I am a very attached person and my emotions are “worn on my sleeves” at all times. The characteristics of being unemotional and detached are far from being a part of me. My personality traits are very close to the general framework of the Aquarius zodiac sign. I generally don’t rely upon astrology and horoscopes, yet it is interesting to see how my life experiences either allowed me to remain under the characteristics of my sign or alter towards different traits.