Don't Whistle at Night

When TNB's hometown Chicago Blackhawks won their conference final the other day, a brand new superstition was revealed to him. Athletes are notoriously superstitious but TNB was surprised (this was first conference final win for Blackhawks since 1992) that their captain, Jonathan Toews, refused on national television to touch the trophy awarded to the winning team for fear that this would jinx them in the upcoming Stanley Cup finals.

While this might sound extreme, it's worth noting that most everyone, no matter how intelligent and educated, still harbors certain superstitions which are really the irrational beliefs that unseen forces control one's fate or certain events usually with a negative effect. Many of these notions of course go back to childhood and have been passed down from generation to generation ("old wives' tales"). Consider some examples:

Those Indicating Bad Luck:

• Spilling Salt
• Black Cat Crossing Your Path
• The Number 13 (You'll never find a 13th floor in a hotel or office building)
• Walking Under a Ladder
• Breaking a Mirror
• Opening an Umbrella Indoors

Those Indicating Good Luck (or at least some chance):

• Rabbit's Foot
• Knocking on Wood
• Crossing Your Fingers
• Blessing Someone Who Has Sneezed
• Breaking a Turkey Wishbone

Honestly, don't you believe, at least subconsciously in some of the above? Hopefully, you're not obsessed with most of the above (or others). TNB will confess that he has one phobia (recently acquired, but it makes "sense").

TNB follows the maxim "Don't Whistle at Night". It is a "scientific fact" (unlike all of the foregoing superstitions) that if you do, it will bring out the snakes who might bite. References will be furnished on request.