I'm tagging myself for Nicole's activity.
1. Grab the nearest book.
2. Open the book to page 123.
3. Find the fifth sentence.
4. Post the text of the next 3 sentences on your Blog (Please include the book and author) along with these instructions.
5. Don’t you dare dig for that "cool" or "intellectual" book in your closet! I know you were thinking about it! Just pick up whatever is closest.
6. Tag five people

His fingers rode my fingers as my hand went over the paper. It was like nothing else in my life up to now. Then he said, "I think that's it. I think you got it," he said.

From the Ninth Edition of Fiction 100, An anthology of short fiction by James Pickering (an old college book. I was one of those nerds who didn't want to sell their books back from their major.) This exerpt is from the short story Cathedral, by Raymond Carver.

I tag everyone.

A few years ago I was playing that game where you flip open the dictionary and put your finger on a random word and see what the definition is (and then consider how much a loser you are for doing so and calling it a "game"). My finger landed on a name. The last name of my husband's ex-girlfriend. An ex-girlfriend who I was good friends with in high school all during her relationship to my husband, but I never met HIM while they dated so when I did meet him I was like, "Ok I'll go on a date with you since I know you're not pyscho." You trackin'?

When I saw this name I had three thoughts:
1) Why is that name in the dictionary? (he invented some typing machine)
2) What does it mean that of all the words in the dictionary I would land on that one?
3) What are the odds?

I was seriously freaked out by it. They dated for a while and it always kind of bugged me that I broke my rule and dated a friend's ex, even though we were all grown up then and it probably didn't matter since I didn't ever know him at the time they were dating. But still, it had to mean something. I still haven't figured it out...

Now, whenever I play this flip and read game, I get a little nervous about what I may see, especially when I play with the Bible when I'm looking for an answer to questions like, "Almighty God, what is your plan for my life?" I mean, wouldn't you be afraid if you flipped open to Genesis 4:14? That would be a lousy flip but you get my point. Is it just dumb luck when these things happen? I don't really believe in coincidences, but I don't think everything happens for a reason either.

Fittingly, last night I watched Just My Luck starring Lindsay Lohan. (I had to go to the video store incognito to rent it but it was worth it. Frothy and fun, but loaded with great discussion starters or, hey! Blog topics! Nice transition huh?) It was basically about this girl who had good luck but lost it to a guy she kissed at a party. I hate it when that happens. She's swapping luck and spit with this guy as the luck trades back and forth and I won't spoil the ending for all you out there holding your breath.

The character was clearly lucky. Winning scratch tickets everytime she tried, hailing a cab, landing that big client, etc. But she doesn't believe she's lucky until she loses it.

[In my best Desperate Housewives narrator voice]Yeees, I believe in luck. I believe in bad luck too. I think sometimes shit just happens. So it's in your best interest to make the best decisions you can about what you have control over since bad luck is also going to hit you here and there.

Last week I had a bit of good luck. Back at the video store I had three selections to scout for; The Sentinel, Take the Lead, and Friends with Money. Of course the other smart housespouses snatched all 437 copies up on Tuesday at 10:05am when they were released and the store opened. I saw an employee organizing about seven videos to return to the shelf and, not caring which of the three I got I just blurted out, "Do you have any 'The Sentinels'?" He looked down, grabbed it and handed it to me. Luck!

At the counter the guy rang up my video and candy and said, "You have a free video, would you like to use it on this one?" "Um, Yeah!" Luck!

And you know what? That little bit of luck totally made my night.