Blame Someone Else Day – Friday the 13th

May 13, 2011 in No More Mondays with 14 Comments

Yep, it’s official.   Today is Blame Someone Else Day – the first Friday the 13th of each year.  And since there is only one Friday the 13th this entire year, today’s your only chance to blame others all day long.  So have at it.  You don’t have to take responsibility for anything that goes wrong.  And you can blame someone else for all the problems, mistakes and unfairness in your life.

However if you are a Paraskevidekatriaphobic, you may not even want to get out of bed today.  Yes, this is the official term to describe those people afflicted with a morbid, irrational fear of Friday the 13th. Whatever you do, don’t walk under a ladder, and don’t let a black cat cross your path on this day.

According to the Stress Management Center and Phobia Institute in Asheville, North Carolina, an estimated 17 to 21 million people in the United States are affected by a fear of this day. Some people are so paralyzed by fear that they avoid their normal routines in doing business, taking flights or even getting out of bed.  According to Wikipedia “It’s been estimated that $800-$900 million is lost in business on this day.”

Oh, and I hope you have a wonderful Saturday, May 14th.

 

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  • http://www.thebootstrapcoach.com/ Josh Bulloc

     I am already screwed, I know my successes and failures are my fault.  

    Josh Bulloc
    How can I help?

  • Heather Balthrop

    Thanks alot Dan!  I hadn’t realized it is Friday the 13th…now I’m sure my day will go down the tubes and it’s all your fault!!!  ;) 

    • Anonymous

      There you go – blaming me!  Have a wonderful 13th —  

  • Randy-linder

    I’m shocked at times by those who hold to such superstitious beliefs, especially those in the “Christian” community. If God made this great big huge planet that we all live on (and I believe he did), then why on God’s green earth would he put a curse on any one specific day or date. I don’t know of the origin, but this superstitious belief certainly is not biblical; quite the opposite. And as far as superstition goes, I love my black cat Nashville; where’s the ladder?; I’ll open the umbrella on any sunny day; and I’ll take lucky 13 (or better yet blessed 13) and day of the week, month, year, decade, lifetime. And I’ll just go ahead and have 13 million out of “that $800-$900 million [which] is lost in business on
    this day.”

    Well …. that felt pretty good. Sorry for the rant, Dan. Great article BTW.

    • Anonymous

      Randy – ha, I love it.  I’m like you – give me the 13th car off the assembly line, I’ll gladly stay on the 13th floor of any building and bring on the black cats – they’re the most beautiful.   

  • Annie (Evadne) Smith

    The “blame game” is nothing new it has been going on from creation. When God questioned Adam about his disobedience he told God “The woman whom You gave to be with me, she gave me of the tree , and I ate” and when God asked Eve what she had done she told Him..”the serpent deceived me, and I ate.” We must all be willing to take responsibility for our actions..accept the consequences of the choices we make  and learn from our mistakes otherwise we will welcome such as day “Blame Someone Else Day” For me, today is another “Day that the Lord hath made, I will rejoice and be glad in it.” Blessings!

    • Anonymous

      Yep and ever since Adam we’ve been blaming him when we each have the same decision to make every day.  The question is not what Adam did, but what I will do in a similar situation.   

  • mrdweeble

    I’ve lived 57 years and have observed in my life and others that God plants a desire in our hearts that cannot be achieved and we live lives of frustration. We are born out of our times, cultures or bodies. There were people who lived in the 15th century who would have been great computer science wizards had that existed. They starved to death because they weren’t farmers. We have people living today who would have made great writers 100 years ago, but because of the digital revolution, their work has no value today and they cannot support themselves with their talents. It’s all about timing, not so much to blame God or someone else, but to blame our place in time, is probably more proper. Who of us who are married have not met someone 20 or 30 years younger whom we could love much more than our spouse? Again, it is about timing.

  • Scottabilly

    Sweet! I officially blame President Obama for me getting downsized out of two companies in two years. I even wrote a song about it. Check it out at:
     http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LdZ6hkY0hZo
    It’s called “Obamaville”.

  • Annie (Evadne) Smith

    I know a brilliant 25 year old college graduate who sits around doing nothing but blaming the government.  “It is the government’s fault” he says “why I am not employed, they have mashed up the country”…..Pathetic..In trying to get him to take responsibility for his life he keeps on insisting “it’s the government’s fault, they refused to lift a finger to put policies in place to stimulate the economy” I have given up trying to “stimulate” his mind. He got mad at me a few days ago when I told him “Guess what, your problem is not the government, or lack of a job, or the society at large, or whatever other excuse you might have. Be honest with yourself, your biggest problem in life is you. Since your life is not going the way you want it, you are responsible for changing it. Stop blaming the government…you are responsible for changing it. Much has been given to you….you are an educated man, you must want to change, decide to change and work each day toward that end. Take responsibility for your life!!” Needless to say, he went away very annoyed with me. Well, the truth usually have that effect on folks. I am still praying for him that he will come to his senses. Blessings!

    • Mike

      Annie, I have a 25 year old just like yours.  The biggest problem with mine is that she is being supported by her In Laws.  That keeps her motivation to find good solid work at a minimum.  The reason she lives with her In Laws is that her parents won’t support her anymore.  I am convinced that as soon as her In Laws cut off the support her career will take off.  Consider a study in Denmark where the government paid 5 years of unemployment to its citizens.  They reduced the entitlement to 4 years and now are considering reducing to 2 years.  Why?  The study found that the citizens found work after 5 years and then that decreased to 4 years directly in proportion to the unemployment benefits expiring.  WOW!  Funny how that works out.
      Mike
      catalystcoachnation.com    

  • Wetshanus

    I was so busy being my kids mom, Yes some women still give themselves over to the Lord and their families, that I missed the day. Can we turn back the clock so I can whine? 

  • Mike

    Dan this sounds like a golden opportunity for someone who can help those overcome the fears of Friday the 13th day.  Maybe create a small handbook with quotes and sayings and proverbs and all sorts of words of wisdom and overcoming etc….People can read the words from the E handbook as they go through this terrifying day.  I think the book would easily sell for $5 each and if you can reach just 1% of the 20 million affected by the day that would mean gross sales of 1 million dollars.       

  • Rusticus

    Both on the same day? OK I do blame the corolla, that cut the older corolla, that tried to exit at an island curb, moreover I blame the rav4 in front of me that did not flash brake lights while decelerating almost at a hard brake (rav4) I changed lanes and the older corolla had almost done a hard brake because of the corolla that tried to exit late. Their faces were in wonderment and fear. Wait this happened on a Saturday, maybe it was those May 21st 2011 billboards Judgment Day thing. What happened on Friday the thirteenth was I gave way to a work Tundra as soon at it sped up my lane whooossh! 9×4 plywood panel flew out of this truck. My advice live your life. We’ll go out and come home. But say a little prayer and sing it well, as you go. Harmony is the Creator’s venue.

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