What totems, rituals, or superstitions do you have?

My first reaction to this question was, “I don’t have any rituals or superstitions. What will I write about?”

The blog question was on my mind when I got up at my usual time and took my two dogs for their morning walk. Rituals? Man, I couldn’t think of a single one. While Mike and I were running, as I do every morning without fail, I asked him if he could think of any rituals I have. “Hmm. Not really.” When we arrived at home, Sassy and Gizmo were waiting at the door for the chicken treats I give them when I finish running—2 apiece, as always. Darn it! Why couldn’t I come up with anything?

While the dogs were munching at the bottom of the stairs, I double-checked my closet to make sure my outfits for the week were hanging in the order I planned to wear them. Coordinating shoes, watches, and jewelry were lined up neatly underneath, and I’d piled the week’s underwear nearby. All set there.

If only I could think of at least one ritual to write about! Maybe some brain food would help. I ate my breakfast of two kinds of cereal with skim milk, took my vitamin supplements, and left for my part-time job at exactly 7:15.

Frustrated, I decided to give up on the rituals and try for superstitions.

With luck, I’d think of something during the commute. But I made the mistake of commenting on how light the traffic was, and the next thing I knew the freeway came to a standstill. I should have known better than to jinx myself like that. When I arrived at work—late—a huge scanning job was waiting for me. As I loaded papers into the scanner I made sure never to add thirteen at a time. No sense pushing my luck. Then one of my coworkers noted that for once it wasn’t supposed to rain over the weekend. We both knocked wood, just to be certain. The best part of the day was the drive home. I hit every green light, so the package I’d been waiting for would be on my door step.

It wasn’t. Tomorrow for sure.

Okay, I don’t have any rituals or superstitions, but I have totems. If I’m facing a scary situation, I wear the gold chain my mom left me and attach the opal slide—my birthstone—Mike gave me. If I need extra luck or courage, I wear one of Mom’s watches, too. Being surrounded by love is the ultimate totem.

Hold on. I do have one superstition. I don't announce a book sale until it’s a done deal. Now that it is, I’m excited to announce that my humorous YA, ASPEN AND LAUREL DO SUMMER will be coming out next year!

Knock on wood.