Monday, April 4, 2016

Guest Blogger - Duffy Brown and Tote Giveaway!

Lucky Charms…in or out?

Many people believe in lucky charms! And no, I’m not talking about the cereal! A real lucky charm can be anything that brings you good luck and good fortune.

Some common lucky charms you may have heard of are 4-leaf clovers, horseshoes, rabbit’s foot, etc.! But realistically, people’s lucky charms range from one end of the spectrum to the other. It doesn’t really matter what your lucky charm is – as long as you believe it brings you luck!

So why does it bring you luck? Maybe someone  told you it did. For example in Braking for Bodies:


   “What’s with the garlic and bottle of olive oil?” I asked Fiona when I bumped into her, the two of us heading down the ferry dock crowded with tourists visiting Mackinac Island. “Spaghetti for dinner and I’m invited?”
            “The devil himself in three inch lifts is on that ferry.” Fiona growled. “And Irish Donna said garlic and holy oil got rid of evil forces. I figured olive oil marked extra virgin was about as holy as I could get on short notice.”

So for Fiona the good luck charm is garlic and holy...sort of...oil to get rid of the jerk coming in on the ferry. On more than one occasion Irish Donna gives characters in the story her four-leaf clover necklace to protect them when they are in trouble.

And Irish Donna is not alone in the lucky charm department. In baseball many of the players always stop over the base lines. Colin Farrell. Heidi Klum designed a four-leaf clover as the logo of her clothes line and it brought nothing but bad luck. Cameron Diaz wears a lucky horseshoe necklace given to her by a friend to ward off old age. Tiger Woods has a red shirt that brings him luck.

Personally I think I’m bad luck for the Cincinnati Bengals football team...I watch and they lose. I don’t watch and they win! They should pay me not to watch the game. I’m not a lucky person. I don’t win raffles or prizes. My grandparents were amazingly lucky. They always came home from Vegas winners.

My daughter felt that there was a bad vibe in her house and cleansed it by burning sage. I have no idea if it worked but it smelled great. A friend of mine says that his lucky charm is a special $1 bill that his kids signed on a past birthday and he carries in his wallet.

Good luck charms, talismans, rituals come in all shapes and sizes so my questrion to you is do you have a lucky charm? Is there a ritual you believe in like tossing salt over your shoulder or never walking under a ladder?



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33 comments:

  1. Duffy, you have outdone yourself on this one. I laughed until I cried in several places! Oh, and my lucky charm is a sterling silver Celtic cross brought back from Dublin for me 16 years ago. I've worn it ever since.

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    1. I just love stories like yours. I think a lot of it is keeping good memories close to our hearts Thanks for sharing and Thank you so very much for the kind words on BFB. You make my day!!!

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  2. That is hysterical about Heidi Klum!

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    1. It’s the truth. LOL. I hate that things bring bad luck as well. My son had a mailbox like that...of all things...and heaved it off a cliff. LOL Thanks for chatting, Terri!

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    2. Well - that took care of that! LOL

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  3. Loved Braking for Bodies, it was so funny! I have a little tiny gold angel, I carry her everywhere in my purse. I have had her so long I don't even remember where she came from. I also carry one of my Daddy's handkerchiefs with me. I am pretty superstitious so I always throw salt over my shoulder and .i won't walk under ladders.

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    1. I always thought not walking under ladders was an obvious safety thing more than anything!

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    2. the ladder thing does make sense. Love that you carry your dad’s handkerchiefs. What a lovely idea. And an angel with you is always a good idea. Hugs, Duffy

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  4. Had a prof named Miss Or. Social Studies and psychology. I did my thesis on Superstition. What a fascinating subject. Until I did the research I had no idea of all the things that people believed. Take saying "Bless You" when someone sneezes. Most all cultures say it. I had just thought it is simply common courtesy rooted in social etiquette. But the expression? “It comes from the idea that you are sneezing out your soul that the sneeze itself was the expulsion of a demon or evil spirit.” To say “God bless” "Or Bless You" is a protective charm meant to protect the sneezer from evil, in effect, asking God to restore & protect the soul. Amulets, or charms come in many forms. You mentioned Heidi Clum and her 4-leaf clover. There is the president of a multimillion-dollar company in the United States who has a special rock as a constant companion. Since her first successful trade show, she refuses to leave home without it.
    Della at deepotter@peoplepc.com



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    1. Oh that you did your thesis on superstitions is so neat! There re a lot of them for sure. I touch on voodoo in my Consignment Shop series set in Savannah. So fascinating. I’m not saying I believe but I don’t NOT believe either. LOL Hugs, Duffy

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  5. I have this thing about the number 9 always popping up in my life. So, I gave each of my kids nine letter first names--Johnathan and Stephanie!!

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  6. Well, perhaps I have luck that I have not recognized, but I don't think that the BLUE DOT that used to be in one of the tabloid magazines years ago is doing its job. (My mother laminated one and gave it to me with my promise to save it forever; and each time I see it, I think of her, so that is a good thing that can make me smile even with her having passed many years ago.) I also have a four leaf clover encase in glass, and that doesn't seem to be doing anything but I sure won't throw it away. I have my "lucky numbers" which have never worked out that I can see, but I still like them, and when I hear them, I wish I could put them to use, but all in all, I have nothing lucky except a great marriage for almost 53 years with a husband who takes really good care of me in sickness and inability to do any housework many days, and that IS lucky. He is a "charmer" as I tell him often. :)
    Seriously, I have no luck for much except finding some wonderful author friends online such as Duffy Brown and many others that I would love to meet.

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    1. I hear you on the luck thing. No luck here either. But that you have an amazing husband is way more than luck it’s love. I guess that makes you lucky indeed! Hugs to you, Cynthia. Duffy

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  7. I have a Connemara Manley worry stone. Doesn't seem to be really lucky though. ;)

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  8. I have a little lady bug on a stone and a four leaf clover

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    1. I had a friend who could just SEE four leaf clovers easily. She would look at a patch of clover and reach down and pull up one. ALL the time. It was an amazing talent. Was she luckier than anyone else -- not so much....

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  9. I definitely don't walk under ladders! Looking forward to visiting Mackinac Island again! Thanks!

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  10. I don't really have a lucky charm, per we. I do not like to walk under ladders, tho. Great post, really funny!!

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    1. Hi Jame. Thank you. We all need to laugh more. Hugs, Duffy

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  11. I don't really have a lucky charm, per we. I do not like to walk under ladders, tho. Great post, really funny!!

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    1. Hi, Jame. So glad you have fun with the blog. It was fun writing it. Thanks for chatting. Hugs, Duffy

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  12. Does my hubby count as a lucky charm? because my luck changed when I met him!

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    1. That is adorable!!!!! Love it. I’d say that’s the best luck of all.
      Hugs, Duffy

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  13. My lucky charm is a silver skull necklace that my grandsons gave me one Christmas.

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    1. Anything given by a grandchild is lucky indeed. Hugs, Duffy

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  14. I have several little charms that can be found in my purse among them are a tiny silver four leaf clover and a frog.

    I don't walk under ladders. The only time I ever did, the same day I ended up being locked in a bathroom (good place to be locked in though)for a good while because the door handle broke and they had to figure out how to get me out. LOL

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    1. Wow, you made me a believer! No more ladders for me. Yikes. Thanks for sharing. Hugs, Duffy...and be safe.

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  15. Lucky charms? I have a drawer full, all very useful: a little amethyst crystal keeps me out of harms way, a SF Giants flip-flop charm helps me root for my team, and an old penny given me by my father...just plain 'lucky.'
    kat8762@aol.com

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    1. Oh, Kathleen. I love the drawer of good luck charms. I might have to start one. The penny your dad gave you is a great lucky charm. Bet he was a great guy. Thanks for chatting. Hugs, Duffy

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  16. I love 4 leaf clovers but have the ppposite of a green thumb! In fact I kill solk flowers somehow so for me to try and keep pots of clovers would be unlucky for them! But consider it good luck if6I find one!
    I was never much fond of yhe rabbits foot as a lucky charm because it didn't seem too lucky for the poor rabbit!

    I use to wear a necklace in college that my dad gave my mom when he graduated from seminary. It was his seminary key and on the back he had engraved P.H.T. 1962. That stands for Putting Hubby Through! Dad slways said he could only get through seminary because of my mom's love and support! Dad is gone now but mom still wears that necklace. I wore it in college during tests for good luck. Not sure it helped but I always felt calmer!

    I have a necklace with a celtic cross on it that I wear daily. I don't wear any other necklaces. There is something about the celtic symbols of my heritage that seem lucky! At least it is fun to think so!!

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  17. We were painting this week and I knew there was a saying about ladders...but I couldn't remember where to walk. I figured if I avoided falling off, I was getting it right!

    Sounds like a great little read!

    Maria (BearMountainBooks.com)

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  18. And the winners of the totes are:

    Maria and Inquisitivefelinesand fibers!

    Congratulations!

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