Rabbit, Rabbit

That's what you're supposed to say on the first of the month. Don't ask me why, I don't make the rules. The big challenge is saying it first thing. Instead of "Have you made coffee?" out of your mouth should come "rabbit, rabbit". Really. That's the only way to set yourself up for good luck throughout the month. Obviously if you're not superstitious this wouldn't apply to you. Wikipedia states "Rabbit rabbit" is a common superstition, held particularly among children. The most common modern version states that a person should say "rabbit rabbit" upon waking on the first day of each month and on doing so will receive good luck for the rest of that month. The exact origin of the superstition is unknown, though it has appeared in print at least as early as the 1920s in england, where is is most commonly said to have originated, though some reports place it even earlier in the 1800s. As with most folklore...there are numerous variations of the superstition, including:

* Instead of saying "rabbit rabbit' just saying "rabbit" or "Rabbits"
*Saying "rabbits" three times before going to bed and saying "hares"" three times upon waking.
* To counteract forgetting to say it in the morning, saying it backwards before falling asleep "tibbar, tibbar"

These are just a few of the ways to deal with the first of the month. I am always optimistic at the beginning of the month, mainly because it comes with a fresh start. All of a sudden things don't look so bleak. You have a whole fresh beginning going on in your life and it's going to be fabulous.

Isn't New York life always supposed to be fabulous? I really think it would be if only we didnt have to pay rent. New York rent is terrible. Everything else about New York is fantastic. I would love to live here rent-free, work at my job and then actually have money to spend on other things like theater and art and culture and some nice clothes. I wonder what would happen if Mayor Bloomberg declared a "rent-free" month in Manhattan. Wouldn't that really benefit the rest of the city? People would have more money to spend on things like cabs and other stuff and so income would be flowing but not disappearing into oblivion. Wouldn't that be nice? I wonder what would happen to the economy. Surely it can't cost that much to keep the living up.

I think it's a great idea. If you or someone you know speaks to Mayor Bloomberg, suggest it.