The Streak Ends

Hubby and I have gone to a decent number of sporting events over the past 7 years. We've seen three Packers games at Lambeau. We've seen 2 or 3 Admirals games and LOTS of Brewers games here in Milwaukee. In Madison, we've been to a UW men's basketball game and a hockey game, as well as a Mallards game or two. We've been to UW-Whitewater (Hubby's alma mater) football games, too! And every game we've been to, the home team won...

Until last night.

The Brewers gave a valiant effort to rally at last night's game against the Cardinals, but they fell short in the end. 

We thought our streak was going to end with an Admirals game a few months ago. Ads were down by two goals with less than 2 minutes on the clock. But then they managed to tie it up and win in OT. That gave me hope last night when the Crew got within a run of the Cards. Maybe they could win this thing! But, alas, it was not to be.

I think it's good that our streak has ended, as a few good things have come of it:

1) I can talk about it now. Yes, I'm one of those silly superstitious sports fans, and talking about the stream out loud was forbidden. Now I can tell you all how amazing it was to be at all those victories! We watched the Crew's only win during the post-season in 2008, and we watched them clinch the division in 2011! We've seen crazy comebacks and absolute waffle-stompings, both equally exciting in their own ways. It's been a great run!

2) I know that a loss isn't the end of the world. I mean, I've seen PLENTY on TV, but this was the first (in a long time, anyway) that I'd seen in person. And you know what? We still had fun! We cheered on our team and played along with the games in between innings, just like we would during a win. The only thing that was really different was the lack of energy from the crowd, and even that picked back up when we got close! 

3) No more pressure. It sounds silly, but I felt this sort of pressure when I went to games, like it depended on us being there. (It's not just me; check out this Cracked.com article... We love to think we have a hand in the outcome of a game!) Now I can go and whatever happens just happens. 

So it was definitely a bummer to lose last night. But as we walked out, they reminded us not to worry, "Cause every little thing gonna be alright..." There's still a lot of baseball left this season... Let's go, Crew!

Unlucky 13? Nah.

I have never really gotten into the superstition of Friday the 13th.  Oh, sure, I tried to act like it was some magical day where black cats and bad luck rule all, but I never actually cared.  

Today, in fact, is my mom's birthday!  She was born on a Friday the 13th, so it's hard for me to think it's a bad day.  Strangely enough, my dad was also born on a Friday, so it happens than whatever day of the week Mom's birthday falls on, Dad's will, too (though, not until September).

Similarly, I grew up with a friend who was born on Mother's Day.  In case I haven't mentioned it here, I was born on Father's Day.  This year, since my birthday falls on Father's Day, I know that my friend's birthday will fall on Mother's Day.  Just one of those fun bits of trivia that no one cares about (except me, of course).  

Anywhoozles, I'm sure some of you are superstitious about this day, even if I'm not.  I'm not saying I'm never superstitious.  I am.  It's just certain things I'm superstitious about and I've gotten less superstitious as time has gone by; or maybe my medication works better and I'm just less obsessive...  I don't really see anything wrong about having superstitions as long as they don't interfere with your day to day life.  

There is a fine line between being superstitious and having OCD.  Superstitious is not wanting to step on cracks in the sidewalk and cringing when you do.  You later attribute some bit of "bad luck" to having stepped on said crack, but life goes on.  OCD is feeling like stepping on a crack might mean the end of the world as you know it, and if you should happen to step on one, you may feel the need to start from the beginning or even to go home and crawl back into bed because today clearly is just not happening.

Growing up, I thought some of my quirks were just superstitions.  And some of them probably were.  But some of them were definitely bordering on obsession, and even though they didn't necessarily interfere with daily activities, they sometimes came close.  Or, at minimum, they made me think I was pretty effing weird.

Whenever we drove somewhere, I would stare out the window from the back seat.  Any time there was a driveway or a cross street, I had to keep my teeth apart.  So, picture me riding along in a residential neighborhood.  It probably looked like I was chewing gum, since I was opening my jaw (but not my mouth) for each "interruption" in the road we were on.  Not life-changing, but odd.

For the longest time, I wouldn't set my alarm clock for anything that ended in a 0 or 5.  I woke up at strange times like 7:12 or 6:48.  I did the same thing on the microwave.  If something called for 30 seconds, I put the timer on for 29 or 31 seconds.  

There were others, but those are the two that stick out most in my mind.  I used to do the typical little kid superstitious things (holding my breath past a cemetery, for example), but beyond that, none of my superstitions were as... common.  A touch of OCD will do that, though.

I hope you all have a lovely Friday the 13th today!  I'm done working in about an hour and will be spending most of my day doing homework, but here's hoping y'all have better plans than I do!  And remember, superstition ain't the way.  ;-) 

EDIT: So, it turns out my mom wasn't actually born on Friday the 13th, she just happens to have a lot of birthdays on Fridays.  Oh well.  Still not an unlucky number for me!