Tuesday, December 15, 2009

Superstitious feeling

I like to think I'm a reasonable rational adult. I know superstitions about luck are pretty foolish and yet, from time to time, I have them. Primarily they show up in two areas - curling and the weather.

A prime example of curling superstition happened during my game last week. I shot shit in the first two ends and we quickly fell behind 3-1. Disgusted by the whole thing I took off my curling gloves for some reason. And then, magically, I started shooting better and do did the rest of the team. For the rest of that game I wouldn't even go near the spot where I had tossed my gloves because I was convinced they were the source of my ill-luck in the first two ends.

Never mind I probably just adapted to the ice better and I gave the guy who was sparing for us and shooting lead stones a few tips and he instantly started shooting better....no, no, clearly the gloves were cursed that game. I've been superstitious about curling ever since I first started playing it.

The other thing is the weather. Now, last night, completely out of the blue, Environment Canada called for a blizzard. As I've stated previously, and many times, I do not trust Environment Canada's accuracy when it comes to predicting blizzards, especially ones they decide to conjure out of thin air. Monday morning, the forecast for Tuesday was a typical northern day. By Monday evening, it was a blizzard. I call shenanigans when I see that sort of thing.

Or, as I said on Facebook this morning, " I would say that Environment Canada was as useless as tits on a bull, but that would be insulting hermaphroditic bulls everywhere."

(I like that line and I don't know why. Forgive me)

Anyway, that didn't stop the crowd at the staff Christmas party I went to last night from hoping and praying for a snow day today. I don't think I'm giving up state secrets by saying the only people who enjoy snow days more than students and the people who teach them. So they were convinced today there was going to be a blizzard and school was going to be cancelled.

I, of course, was appalled. Not because they wanted a day off. I can understand that. But because so many of them are catching flights on Saturday to head somewhere else for Christmas. And for the love of God, you don't wish for a blizzard when you're trying to fly out in a few days. The Weather Gods are fickle creatures. Oh, they'll give you a blizzard all right...a nice four day one right starting right on the day you're scheduled to fly out. Wishing for a blizzard this week is lunacy. It took all my strength not to go up to several of them, start to shake them and scream "for the love of God, shut the fuck up!"

The week before a trip, you don't even think about weather. You don't hope for good or bad, you just ignore it and hope it ignore you.

It's probably too late now. If Environment Canada is to be believed we're supposed to get rain on Friday so who knows what will happen on Saturday. Probably a biblical plague of frogs that will delay our flight. ("We're sorry, but we have to, ummm, defrog the plane before take off.") If this happens and I'm stuck in the airport with a bunch of teachers, I may well start beating them. They're nice people and all, but they will have brought this down on all of us, what with their wishing for blizzards and all.

Last Five
1. Bill (live) - Allison Crowe
2. Burning wheels - The Trews
3. Know your enemy - Green Day*
4. Only in the past - The Be Good Tanyas
5. Lines on palms - Josh Pyke

3 comments:

Tammy said...

I think superstitions and curling go hand and hand. My husband has a whole procedure laid out before he gets in the hack, that involves spinning the rock so many times, cleaning the rock then the ice and then the rock again...god forbid he gets rushed to the hack and the shot doesn't curl enough or picks. The best yet is when he will either 1. Tell me to leave cause I'm bad luck or 2. Call me up and say get down here we are down by two in the 8th end...but since you are a curler you probably understand completely.

Aida said...

LOL, it called for a blizzard alright up till tuesday afternoon. crock! it cleared before i got up, and when i thought we are going to have another blizzard, the sun came out just before i stop cursing :) yes the weather gods are fickle creatures, its insane ppl actually wished for blizzards here, i dont think anything will close except the schools anyways.

and it calls for +3 on Thursday..oh joy, i better unpack the skates!

Steph said...

I would beat the teachers, too! They've totally jinxed things!