Thursday, April 28, 2011

Feeling luckier, one charm at a time

Lindsey Poisson
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It's not that I'm superstitious -- although I take great care in avoiding cracks in the sidewalk. I just figured I'd have nothing to lose by trying to introduce a bit o' luck into my life.


I considered the obvious options: a rabbit's foot (kind of gross); a four-leaf clover (I might look for one if I didn't know my neighbors don't always clean up after their dogs); a horse shoe; or eating Lucky Charms cereal every morning (but I'm actually more of a Fruity Pebbles gal).


Hence my newest -- and quite possibly my most cosmic-altering -- accessory: a charm bracelet.


So ... now what? Is the luck automatic? Am I good to go?


I'm guessing a lucky-charm bracelet is only as good as the charms you put on it. My collection so far is small but meaningful: An agate, which is a reminder of childhood days spent agate hunting along the beaches of Lake Superior; and a star pendant given to me by a relative that I crafted into a clip charm.


And the oh-so-noticeable glittery Hello Kitty? Uh, well, that's just super cute.


As fun as all this customizing has been, I have to wonder what kind of luck $5-apiece charms could really conjure. Could anything with "made in China" stamped on it really hold the wonder and magic I'm looking for?


Then again, maybe I'm looking at this all wrong.


Maybe it's more about the good vibes and positive feelings that come from having something meaningful or sentimental close at hand. If a Hello Kitty swinging from my wrist is what it takes for warm and fuzzy feelings to make all of the not-so-fun stuff less noticeable, then so be it.


Upside: I'll become a major contender at the bingo hall. Downside: Nothing happens, but I still have a funky, fabulous bracelet.


Time and a couple of lottery tickets will tell.


LINDSEY POISSON can be reached at 870-1871. Send e-mail to lindsey.poisson@timesnews.com.


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Four Leaf Clover Tattoos

Four Leaf Clover Tattoos

A four leaf clover tattoo is a great way to show pride in your Irish heritage. Or, if you're not Irish, you can still sport one for good luck. The 4 leaf clover is a universal symbol for Ireland. Four leaf clovers are usually a rare find amongst a field of 3 leaf clovers (aka the shamrock clover), which is why they are considered lucky. Actually, the odds of finding one are about 10,000 to 1. True four leaf clovers have three leaves of approximately equal size, and a fourth leaf that will be slightly smaller. To the Irish, each leaf has a different symbolism. The first three leaves represent hope, faith, and love, and the rare fourth leaf represents luck. So if you don't feel you need luck, you could be different and get a three leaf clover tattoo, but if you want the luck, you can get a four leaf clover tattoo!

The Lucky Four Leaf Clover Tattoo

It is impossible to breed for leaf clovers because it is a genetic defect, but some companies do clone them. Of course, this is in its own way symbolic of manufacturing luck, so I feel it sort of takes the meaning out of it. I think any Irish person would tell you that a cloned four leaf clover is not the same as a naturally occurring one! But for those who believe in the luck of the Irish, getting a four leaf clover tattoo may bring you some luck. Sometimes in different tattoos you will also see a 4 leaf clover with playing cards, dice, rabbits'feet and horse shoes. The idea is that some of these other symbols represent luck, so in combination they create an extra lucky four leaf clover tattoo. Dice and cards are symbols of things where luck is needed!

Why Get a 3 Leaf Clover Shamrock Tattoo

St Patrick used the shamrock to represent to the Irish the concept of the holy trinity, which is partly why the shamrock and color green are associated with st Patrick's Day. So you may opt for the three leaf clover shamrock tattoo for religious reasons. This is actually a great idea for Irish Catholics who feel that they have all the luck they need. After all, who needs luck when they have God in their corner? Maybe the three leaf clovers are in a sense luckier than four leave clover tattoos after all!

Images of four leaf clover tattoos

  • A four leaf clover tattoo on the back, with R and S on the left and right, respectively. An X seems imposed on the clover.I see "RXS" on this four leaf clover back tattoo. Perhaps a tribute to luck for a friend or family member who has those initials?
  • An intricate four leaf clover shoulder tattooThis is a great example of a large four leaf clover tattoo. The placement on the shoulder was a good choice.

  • This person has it all. An arm tattoo with the lucky four leaf clover and the godly three leaf clover shamrockThe Luck of the Irish and blessings from God, can't do any better than that!

  • A pretty four leaf clover tattoo on the back of a girl's neck, behind the ear.Maybe placing a four leaf clover tattoo on a certain part of the body brings an appropriate kind of luck. This girl may have been hoping to have luck in a singing career.

  • Tattoo of Four leaf clover on thumb.This man probably was after luck in efforts to plant a garden. Do you get it? Lucky thumb? Green thumb? Lucky green thumb? Yeah, he deserves luck in gardening even if that wasn't what he was after.
  • Thursday, April 21, 2011

    What luck

    via Google Alerts - four leaf clover by on 4/21/11

    Girls find 10 four-leaf clovers. By DAVID MOORE - The Arab Tribune ... She knew what it was and excitedly showed her little sister the four-leaf clover. ...
    www.thearabtribune.com/articles/2011/04/19/news/news2.txt