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SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
Today is one of the worst days of the year, if you're superstitious, that is. It's Friday the 13th, one of two times the date appears on the 2012 calendar, with the other coming in April.

Nancy MacNeill presses the button for the 15th floor to get to her 14th floor Northern Heights apartment. - Kevin Allerston/NNSL photo

Nancy MacNeill said she isn't superstitious, but when the date rolls around she is very aware of it and doesn't do anything to push her luck during that day.

MacNeill lives in Northern Heights on what is officially floor 15. The Dover elevator omits the unlucky number, so she actually lives on floor 14.

"I am very aware that I actually live on the 14th floor, and I would prefer that no one live on 13. I mean, who would want to live there? It's terrifying," said MacNeill. "The whole thing's silly, but so is the zombie apocalypse and I'm preparing for that. I try to make sure that I am not in any situations where I invite bad luck. I mean, I don't want to tempt fate."

Management for Northern Heights couldn't be reached for comment,

Daniel Gillis, a patron at Javaroma Wednesday afternoon, said he actually considers 13 to be a good luck.

"Thirteen has always been a lucky number for me. Good things have happened to me on the 13th," Gillis said. "I was in the 13th platoon in the military and we used to win all of our competitions. Whenever I see the 13th on the calendar I am a little happy about it."

The fear of Friday the 13th is known as friggatriskaidekaphobia, or sometimes paraskevidekatriaphobia, and there are several stories for why the day is considered unlucky. One holds that it is because Judas Iscariot, known for betraying Jesus Christ, was the 13th person at The Last Supper. Another traces it to a legend about 12 Norse gods having a dinner party in Valhalla, which is crashed by the trickster god Loki, with chaos ensuing. Some tales hold that the date is sinister because witches reportedly gathered in groups of 12 with the devil making 13.

Friday is also considered by many to be unlucky because Jesus Christ was crucified on a Friday.

Yet another explanation made popular by The Da Vinci Code novel by Dan Brown links the day to Oct. 13, 1307, when officers of King Philip IV of France carried out mass arrests that left several thousand Templars in chains awaiting possible torture and death.

And there are many more explanations still.

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