Today is Friday the 13th
No one really knows how Friday the 13th came to be considered such a harbinger of bad tidings. The earliest known written reference to the day as unlucky dates to 1869.
Regardless of origin, Friday the 13th is anchored in our minds and popular culture as a day of dread. It's even launched a never-ending horror film series. For most that doesn't mean much. It's just a day like any other. There may be some joking about bad luck or evil omens, but for the most part we laugh it off.
For some, though, the fear is very real. Mental health professionals say anywhere from 17 to 21 million people are affected by the fear -- called paraskavedekatriaphobia -- in varying degrees. A few are so paralyzed by a Friday the 13th they avoid leaving the house.
How About you? Do you have degree of fear about Friday the 13th? Do you take any precautions? Or do you think it's just a bunch of bunk?
Send your response (50 words maximum) to [email protected] by Wednesday, May 18. You can also mail your response to the Texarkana Gazette Friday Poll, at P.O. Box 621, Texarkana, TX 75504 or drop it off at our office, 101 E. Broad St, Texarkana, Ark. Be sure to include your name, address and phone number. We will print as many responses as we can in next Friday's paper.