Ask a Tim
Ask a Tim
Finally an answer to all your questions about everything. Not only an answer, but an answer from a Tim! E-mail all questions to AskingTim@Gmail.com or by clicking on the link on the left hand menu bar titled "Get your questions answered" and leaving a comment! I will reply (if I can) as soon as possible!
Monday, January 30, 2006
Tennis Anyone?!?
Why do they call it a diamond tennis bracelet? What does it have to do with tennis?
-Rika
Dear Rika,
This is a very good question, and I've always wondered about it myself. Having played tennis most of my life, I know that wearing something on your wrist can be an encumbrance while playing. I once broke the face of my watch on my follow through. Though, to be honest, most good tennis players don't usually end up hitting their wrist with their racket, but the question remains!
First off, for those without a penchant for "bling", the term tennis bracelet is used to describe an in-line diamond bracelet. It was originally called an "in-line diamond bracelet" but as that term is just plain boring, the stage was set for something exciting to happen.
And something exciting happened indeed. In 1987, the ever elegant, always graceful, former #1 World women's tennis player, winner of whopping 18 Grand Slam singles titles, and sometimes grunter (not to mention the love of my life at the time), Chris Everet was sporting (pun intended) said bracelet during one of her U.S. Open matches. During an especially powerful return, the bracelet - in what some describe as a "slow-motion-event" (or SME) - was flung from her wrist to land carelessly on the hard court.
Play was stopped to allow her to find her bracelet, and while awaiting play to resume, the television announcers jokingly referred to it as her "tennis bracelet".
Due to Chris being such a popular player, the name stuck, and demand skyrocketed for the bracelet.
In all her glory...
***Did you know***
Tennis Rocks! And my all time favorite player was Jimmy Connors, mainly because of his arm spin and pump that he would do after an especially great winning shot! He also played with a wooden and metal racket long after most players had moved to the newer, graphite models.
Jimmy!
Friday, January 13, 2006
Freaky Friday!
How did Friday the 13th become an unlucky day?
-Freaking out in Fredericksburg
Dear Freaking,
That is a fantastic question, and even with all my research I really can't find a definite answer. But let's start small.
First off, Friday's in general have a had a bad rap for a long time. It has long been an old wives tale that Friday's are a bad day to start a new venture, finish an old venture, birth a child or do anything that is really important. This can be verified in literature beginning around the mid-17th century
Christianity usually gets the credit for this, for a few reasons. It is believed that Jesus was crucified on Friday, Eve gave Adam the apple and they were expunged from the garden, Noah's flood began, and the mass confusion at the Tower of Babel occurred. Non-ironically enough, Good Friday is considered a very good day to do anything.
Pre-Christianity (yes there was a time) Friday was the sabbath. This could also be a reason that it is considered a bad day to do things, as anything done would not have the blessings of God upon them. Friday was also execution day in pagan Rome.
There were also other pagan relations to Friday being a holy day. Since a pagan holy day couldn't be the same as a Christian holy day, the sabbath moved to Sunday and friday became known in the Middle ages as the "Witches' Sabbath".
Thirteen also has had bad connotations for awhile. Once again, the reason for this are lost in the mists of time, but we have some really good ideas. One of the main theories is that it originally began as bad luck to sit down to a meal with only 12 other people. If that occurs, one of the members will certainly die within the year. This could stem from the Last Supper, where Jesus sat down with his 12 disciples, and was shortly after killed.
There is also a Nordic myth that 12 gods sat down for a meal, and Loki, god of mischief and the uninvited "13th" guest, arrived in quite a mood. He lobbed a mistletoe branch at Balder, god of joy and gladness, and killed him instantly, plunging the world into a period of darkness and mourning. (for Vikings to have a such a fierce reputation, they sure have wimpy gods)
Thirteen people at a table has also been considered taboo in Hindu cultures for quite a while, though the reason for this is unknown.
A proper witches coven contains 13 members.
My favorite theory I found on this was that prehistoric man, when he first began counting, could only count as high as 12, having only 10 fingers and two feet. What lay beyond this finite number of 12? Why, it could only be 13, which is scary and freaky! wooooo!
The Egyptians taught that life was a quest for spiritual ascension, unfolded in stages, 12 while alive, and the 13th being death and the afterlife. Though they viewed death as a positive thing, it is possible this belief of death being associated with 13 has been corrupted by later cultures.
The fear of 13 people at a table eventually grew into hating all things that come in thirteen's. Except perhaps a baker's dozen, because there is nothing wrong with 13 donuts! This has led to, among other things, buildings not having a 13th floor and Bilbo Baggins joining a crew of dwarves to steal their treasure back from a dragon.
For whatever reason, both 13 and Friday have long been considered an evil thing. So adversely to the wondrous invention of whoever it was that put their chocolate in my peanut butter (Loki!!!), when Friday and 13 meet up it is a very bad thing.
Fear of this day is thought to be no older than the 19th century, as there are no literary mentions of it before that time. Though a recent myth (thank you very much DaVinci Code) is that it is feared because October the 13th, 1307, a friday, was the day that most of the Order of the Knights of Templar, were arrested and falsely accused of crimes, in order to get rid of the Order, forever.
It is estimated that somewhere between $800-$900 million is lost every Friday the 13th, due to people skipping work for fear of leaving the house.
Recent scientists believe that it is the fear and anxiety the day produces, rather than any foul luck, that creates the increase in accidents and mishaps on these days.
***DID YOU KNOW***
In Spain, Tuesday's are considered the "bad" day, with Tuesday the 13th being even worse. There is a proverb "En martes, ni te cases ni te embarques" (on Tuesday, neither marry nor begin a journey).
