Am I the only one superstitious about opening umbrellas indoor?

According to this site, the superstition stems from the umbrella's original use of protecting folks from the sun. Apparently, opening an umbrella inside totally rubs the Sun God the wrong way and sorta pisses him off. Since I do not worship the sun or any other celestial body in the sky*, you would assume that I could let go of this silly superstition, but no. The opening of an umbrella strikes terror in my heart, as my poor son found out the other day when I totally freaked my shit out as he kept opening Thomas the Umbrella over and over and over, thus damning us to an eternal life of doom and bad TV. Excuse me for a moment, while I go rap the patina off of a nearby table and ignore a recently broken mirror. At least our salt and black cat are safe, because those do not bother me.

So, it seems I am going to BlogHer '09. Yahoo! or Google! or Apple! Whatever works. I am rooming with Celeste of Average Jane, Rita of Surrender Dorothy and Blondie of Tales from Clark Street. I got one of the very last spots in an actual bed**, but I believe there is a bathtub and some spots on the floor still available for rent. Because, of course, Available Room Space = Lost Revenue. I suspect if you just email one of the others your personal square footage needs, that space could be yours if the price is right.

This year, I am not quite sure what my goal or intention is with my attendance at BlogHer, what with me being Ye Olde Blogger of Zero Influence. And since Rita, that selfish hag, did not publish a book this year, it is doubtful I will be invited to any special parties. However, I am going to carefully examine the agenda and really try to attend some different sessions - this is my fourth BlogHer and in the past, I primarily concentrated on mommyblogging.

Anyway. Overall, I hope to meet a few new folks, hang out with some old folks and knit up a storm. I found at last year's conference that I was almost bouncing out of my skin with nothing to do but sit quietly. Halfway through the first day, I snuck out and tracked down a crafts store. I bought some sticks and cheap yarn. This year, I will come prepared.

The one thing I am really sad about is that Brit and Marilyn will definitely not be there and last she said, Zoot was on the fence. For all the virtual group hugs we have done these past few years, I would have liked to get one in real life.


* I prefer my objects of worship in the forms of wispy ephemeron, thank you very much.

** I am not telling with whom I am sharing a bed so that you can fantasize any possible combinations to your heart's desire.