It may surprise you to know this, but I am very superstitious about New Year’s. It’s true. Me!
My superstitions are not based on ancient history. They didn’t come from ancient ancestral rituals. They do not pop into my head based on numerology.
Nope. I earned my superstitions. And it happened, like many transformative events in my life, in the 1980s.
It was a terrible year, 1981. I’d been sick, hospitalized. My dog died. I broke up with a boyfriend of 5 years whom I’d expected to marry (he hadn’t given that much thought). I got sick again. And then again. I was spending the Holidays in un-Christmas-sy Florida with my parents and my brothers. Florida, where the palm trees were decorated and where Santa would have perished from the heat wearing all that fur.
By Christmas, I was toasting the arrival of 1982 at Christmas dinner.
“Whoa, Lease,” said my Dad, “one Holiday at a time!”
“I can’t wait,” I responded. And then I uttered those famous last words:
“Next year has to be better.”
Don’t ever say that.
Because, in fact, 1982 was worse. Way worse.
I got sicker. And sicker. I got broke and broker. I tried to commit suicide in the stupidest way and in the silliest place imaginable.
I had to have major, new, just-beyond-experimental surgery.
There were good parts about that year, of course. My friend Keily and I became roommates and fast friends. We’re still close. 1982 was also the year I got Goliath, the Goose, whose craziness kept my sanity in check. Well, sometimes.
But overall, the year I expected to be an improvement, was anything but.
Yeah, I learned in 1981/1982 to be careful what I wish for. Because you never know what’s ahead.
Don’t Jinx It!
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(Google Image)
Happy New Year to all of you. And if you’re looking for a simple way you can celebrate that costs nothing, look here.
FiftyFourandAHalf 
Happy belated New Year to you as well, Elyse.
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Happy New Year, Elyse. I have a chronic case of optimism, so I always assume things will get better. And I’m right about 50% of the time. 🙂
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Better than my odds, that’s for sure!
Happy New year!
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Elyse, Happy New Year. I wish for you all the things you wish for yourself. I hope if you made any resolutions you achieve them effortlessly.
For all of us, may our candidates win. May our nemisis lose. May the world become kinder, filled with just a little bit more empathy and compassion.
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That is a beautiful wish for the New Year, Val. May I only add that I hope you find peace and laughter.
Winning candidates would be nice, though, wouldn’t it. Of course you and I would be blogging less frequently!
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My “don’t say it” year was 1995. My best friend and I said ” ’96 can’t be any worse, can it?” to each other.
We’ve learned never to say those words again. (But your ’81/’82 seem so much worse.)
I’m glad to read of your new canine family member … unconditional love in a warm and furry package. I can’t wait to see pics!
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It’s not that I’m glad you did the same thing, exactly, Cindi, but misery does love verification! Glad you learned the lesson though. I imagine there are people who experience a good new year gone bad who never get the connection!
Sadly, I have not yet won the battle for a new puppy. My husband is still grieving over the loss of Cooper in August. And since John works at home, he will have the lion’s share of the training of any new friend. So he has more power over the decision than I do (plus, I trained our previous three dogs — it is way past his turn! — Then again, non of them were terribly obedient!) But i will win
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Oh no…..I already said 2014 will be better even though my husband continues to call me a jinx. Crap. Can I take it back? 😉
New follower and looking forward to reading more!
-Deanna
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Deanna, I am pretty sure that my “follow” button functions just like knocking on wood for overriding promises better left unspoken. So you’ve got that going for you! (And so do I — Thanks!)
May 2014 be a happy, healthy year. In my book, that’s all that counts!
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Wow. Happy New Year! Sounds like you got all of your rotten luck and bad stuff out of the way in a short period of time. If anyone deserves a free pass on some bad luck in the future, it’s you!
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Why thanks, Brantley. Happy New Year to you, too.
Sadly, I’m pretty sure I didn’t get all of my bad luck out of the way, I merely condensed a hunk of it for a time. And it was all my fault! Since then I am more accepting — bad luck is going to find me from time to time. I just try not to invite it to dinner!
May this year be lucky for you!
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I was never a fan of New Year for some unknown reason it always makes me sad and this has been going on since I was a kid. I love the tradition of the doors. I remember that post from last year…very cool.
Happy New Year Elyse! All the best for you and hopefully you will be extending your family in the new year with a furry friend!
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This year, I hope you won’t be sad as you push the bad luck out and welcome in the good luck. Because I’m wishing you a lot of good luck in the new year.
And yes, part of the good luck I am expecting is a new dog. Life just isn’t the same without that kind of love!
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I’m sure that 2014 will SUCK! (not really…I’m just trying not to jinx it for you.)
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Funny, it’s not the wishing of luck that jinxes it. It’s thinking that next year MUST be better that guarantees it won’t be!
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Man that is a couple of really bad years… and suicide attempt no less. Well, I’m not going to jinx anything for you, but I am going to wish you a great new year, Elyse, ups and downs and all.
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Thanks, Trent. The “attempt” was a moment of insanity that could never have worked. It’s actually a pretty funny story.
Happy new year to you, too!
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Happy New Year, Elyse!
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Thanks, TD — to you and the boys as well.
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Happy 2014! Here’s to a year of good memories, fun times, and funny poo jokes! 🙂
XOXOXOX
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No year is complete without poo jokes. At least none of mine are! Happy New Year to you too, John.
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okay, this is the third time I’ve tried to comment
hopefully, this time, it will finally work????????
hope your 2014 is chock full of smiles and laughter. 🙂
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I’m glad it finally worked — whatever the problem. (That happens to me on my cell phone when another comment comes in just as I’m finishing one I’m thumbing in — so annoying!)
Hope 2014 is a banner year for you, 99!
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oddly enough, in a totally random way, my emails started showing up on my cell phone again yesterday. I stayed true to my word, and didn’t spend another minute chasing the answer to why my yahoo emails suddenly disappeared from my android phone, and low and behold, yesterday (after about two weeks of not working), they suddenly appeared again. Flummoxed, confused, and who cares. It’s working again, and that’s all I need to know. 🙂
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Maybe mine will start coming back too. But not today because I just checked.
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I’ll keep my fingers crossed for you … maybe yours will suddenly reappear, too. Sending good luck (superstitious or not) your way. 🙂
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I’ll take all the good luck I can get. I’d especially like to apply it towards the lottery ticket I have in my wallet.
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I generally have only negative feeling about the New Year– I tend to mark the years of my life as starting and ending on my birthdays though. I’m trying to be more optimistic about this year though! Usually when we think we’re at the bottom life likes to be like “har har har hold on a sec” and then kick us while we’re down. Hopefully not this year though, haha.
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You gotta watch out for those kicks — they do tend to sneak up on you.
I think of the new year starting in September, when I should have new pencils and shoes!
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Haha! Very true. I still kind of want to buy “back to school clothes” every Autumn…
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I remember your tradition of the doors. 🙂 … Happy upcoming New Year to you … and here’s a treat for you.
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Frank, that was a blast. Thanks. There was some great music — and I’d forgotten just how talented Michael Jackson was back then. My favorite of these is probably Willie Nelson’s Always on My Mind. A beautiful song and a beautiful album.
Happy New Year Frank — to you and Right Angle!
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🙂 … glad you enjoyed the tunes!
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PS: A toast to my top commenter!
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How funny, Frank — I just learned that YOU are my top commenter too! Thanks pal. See ya in 2014!
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Yea …. cheers to the power of true reciprocation! …. and a plebe following the queen!
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Oy.
My son added the term “Queen” to my name on my iPhone somehow. So I can say “Siri, who am I” and she will respond “You’re the Queen.” Jacob doesn’t even know about you and John!
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LMAO … that’s awesome!
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Personally, I hate it when the person I should be commanding ticks me off — I can’t figure out how to stop her!
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Now that’s surprising!
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Happy new year to you, too! I never thought about jinxing statements before I started dating Anthony; now, it’s second nature to cringe whenever I murmur a statement like, “Man, I didn’t know downtown traffic could be this good!” :p
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It is true. You have to be very careful not to jinx something. Knocking on wood (or in my case on my head) does help for the run of the mill. But when you say aloud that the new year will be better than the current/previous one, there isn’t enough wood to knock on to prevent total calamity!
Happy New Year to you Deb, and your whole family. But shhhhhhhh!
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“because you never know what’s ahead” Truer words were never spoken! I guess in the long run, you just gotta go with the flow in life. Happy New Year’s to you, Elyse!
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Yup, that’s really my motto, go with the flow. Because you just can’t change things.
Forgive me. I am a child of the 50s …
Happy New Year to you, my friend!
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I love that song. I can frequently be heard saying “Kay Sara, Sara” to looks of total incomprehension.
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Another child of the 50s/60s. We were clearly separated at birth.
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Thanks for the warning – just as I was hoping 2014 would be better than 2013! 1981 was the year my daughter was born, so it was a good year for me – I’m sorry to hear it was such a bad year for you.
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Well, you can hope — I think that’s OK. It is when you assume it is going to be better — that’s where the jinx comes in! 1981 was a good year for many things, Benze. And I bet that your daughter is tops of that list. Happy New Year!
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What ever it is Have a Happy and Healthy 2014!
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Thanks, Heard, being healthy would make me happy! I hope you have a terrific 2014!
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I think it would make me happy too.
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then that is my wish for us both!
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🙂
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If you want, I can snitch one of the wife’s mirrors, tie it to my ladder, then carry one of my black cats under the ladder while dropping the mirror. I can even get some salt mixed in somewhere, if it’ll help. 😉
While my 2013 didn’t come anywhere near either your 1981 or 1982, I will be rather happy to see 2013 get it’s butt outta here. May 2014 bring BOTH of us a heckuva lot better than 2013!
(Ya know what? I say a bunch of us bloggers pitch in and buy some land in Colorado, then start a marijuana farm. I’m very handy, and my wife has a good green thumb! 😯 😀 )
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Now, now, John. I have long been a law abiding citizen. Even though it is now legal in Colorado, I would pass on that business opportunity.
As for your lucky charms, I’m not sure. Have they worked for you 😉
My 2013 was OK, so I’m just going to go into 2014 hoping it is OK, too. Besides, I can’t really control it, so I’ll go with it! I hope you and your wife have a terrific 2014 (the superstition only goes for me — I am happy to hope for you!)
It is nice to have you back on 54.5, John!
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Well … I’d hate to force you to listen to John Denver’s “Rocky Mountain High” 24/7, so I guess we can tank the pot farm. For now, anyway! 😀
And thanks. For the good wishes, for your company on my blog, for everything. It is VERY nice to be back!
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We’re all crazier for your return, John. Trust me on that!
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Happy New Year!! May 2014 not be worse than 2013. Your mention of Florida reminded me of the first time I spent Christmas in Florida. I was there for the winter, doing seasonal work, living in an apartment with too many people in it (it’s the only way to afford living in Key West). One of my apartment mates woke me up with a cheerful “Merry Christmas!” and I burst into tears. It was warm, and it was also my first holidays away from family. Fortunately I adjusted to it all. Now I kind of miss spending Christmas and New Year’s in shorts and flip flops.
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Thanks, M2M. May your 2014 be no worse than 2013, too!
I’ve never been to Key West — which is a place I’ve long wanted to visit. I was in Ft. Myers, where my parents decided to move the weekend I moved out of their house. There is no flare in Ft. Myers!
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Happy New Year, Elyse!
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Back at you Jaded!
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I don’t want to jinx your 2014, so how do I go about it with New Year’s wishes? Am I supposed to wish you an unhappy new year to break the jinx? 🙂
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Now if you were to wish me an unhappy New Year, then I might have to blame you for all the bad that will (no doubt) happen. So that’s not a good idea.
I think of saying “Happy New Year” like I say “Have a Good Day” — a pleasantry. Not a guarantee of a good year or a good day.
The Jinx comes when you assume that the next year will be better. Because it might just surprise you. (And in your case, you might get X nasty surprises!)
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I’m glad you survived those unhappy New Year’s and hope 2014 is great year for you and your family 🙂
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Thanks, Paprika. May it be a spicy one for you, too!
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Happy new year, Elyse.
I’m not saying ’14 will be better. I’m just glad to see the end of ’13.
(And I for one am glad you didn’t manage to kill yourself.)
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I think you are wisely playing it safe, Guap! It was 2013 when you lost your Mom, right? Those years are always the hardest.
May 2014 be a great year for you and your wife. And may you defy gravity often without pain!
(And I’m glad I didn’t manage to off myself, too Guap. It would have been hard for my family not to laugh at the method and then how would they ever get beyond it?)
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Happy New Year Elyse!…. no better…. no worse…. how’s that?
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That works pretty well for me, Mae! Happy New Year to you!
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Sound advice although I’m thinking 2014 is the Year of Hugo.
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Then I will keep my head down, S7! May you and your family have a Happy New Year and may we all survive The Year Of Hugo!
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OK, I was a bit worried about the new year, until now. Does the Year of Hugo include him finally starting up his own blog? because then I’d have a reason to live again…
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I fear for your sanity, Darla. I really do.
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I’m pretty superstitious about New Year’s too, actually. I need to have certain things in place (clean house, certain items in the kitchen cupboards, etc) by midnight, and besides champagne, the first thing to hit my mouth in the new year has to be lime Jello. It’s just a thing I’ve been doing since I was a teenager. Even though I don’t especially love lime Jello, I have to do it. May your 2014 be happy and healthy, Elyse–happy New Year to you and your family!
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Having been hospitalized so many times for GI problems, Jell-o used to make me cry. (One of my sisters hilariously gave me The Joys of Jell-o Cookbook for Christmas one year.) Green Jell-o can still make me cry. Once I was hospitalized and for 5 days they would give me nothing to eat but green Jell-o. So I won’t be sharing in that particular tradition.
The other ones, sound great. I’ve been cleaning my extremely messy house for days. I will clean my extremely messy office tomorrow. And the champagne is already chilling.
May 2014 be a happy healthy New Year for you and Mr. Weebles.
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I hope that means your worst years are behind you. They sound like they were really trying. 😦 Here’s hoping your 2014 will be a sweet one full of love, laughter, and lottery wins. You’ve earned it!
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That is a terrific wish, Carrie. And may I wish the same for you. Only let’s win the lottery separately 😉
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Works for me!
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Happy New Year and wishing you only the best parts.
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Thanks, Kate. I’m wishing the same for you and your family!
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I wish you a Merry Christmas (I hope it was) and a Happy New Year ♪ (without the “figgy pudding” part which just sounds sticky.) No, no stickiness, sticky situations or superstition in ’14. Would that be a negative toast?
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Figs — yummmm. When we lived in France we had fig trees — they are amazing plucked warm right from a tree. But I’ll pass on the pudding!
And I think your toast sounds quite nice. But I am not adverse to saying “Happy New Year” — it’s just a normal thing to say. It’s the idea of pushing one year away and expecting the next one to be great — that makes me nervous. Now I just open/close the front and back doors, drink champagne and keep my fingers crossed! Because you just never know.
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Happy New Year to you too Elyse! Best wishes, – Bill
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Thanks, Bill. Hope you stay “in the pink” next year 😉
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