What I do when it's too cold and icy to walk

I'll bet you don't know what Triskaidekaphobia means. I didn't either until I went cruising through the numerology sites—more on that below. Triskaidekaphobia is the fear of 13, or as my computer's dictionary says, "extreme superstition." I can hardly wait to use it in a sentence.

Because this year has so many numerological oddities (1/1/11; 11/11/11; 1:11:11; 11:11:11 and more) I thought it might be fun to learn what numerologists have to say. I spent about 30 minutes coasting through various sites—some of them really ugly—to conclude that numerologists aren't particularly interested in 1/1/11 etc. unless you add all the numbers together. Indeed, 2011 is really 4, a number that has many meanings. I also skimmed through several numerological predictions for 2011 so you won't have to, but I'll only quote the most literate, from Hans Decoz:

If, in fact, 2012 is to be the major turning point, then 2011 is the last year when all things flow downward. There will be confrontations over the most trivial disagreements. If most politicians today are considered narrow-minded and foolish, during 2011 the little bit of vision and greatness that managed to survive thus far will be all but wiped out. Details are blown out of proportion, frustration rules and tunnel vision becomes the accepted norm. There will be less progress and more regress.

Don't say you weren't warned.

As to whether I believe in numerology, it's an open question. I'm prepared to believe anything given enough proof. After all, the universe is a wondrous place holding far more unanswered questions than answered, so until we know more, I refuse to commit. And really, it's more fun to believe in fairies than not, don't you think?