Another year & Yakudoshi (Unlucky Age)

Thanks for all my birthday wishes. I was lucky to receive some packages in the post & there's more on the way I hear as well, I received a couple from students. I went out for cake & a glass of wine after my evening walk & it even came with a candle!

So I'm 33 which I think is cool, you know double numbers & all but apparently it's an unlucky age - lucky I'm not superstitious ^o^

(The following copied from http://www.japanlink.co.jp/ka/shuk2.htm)

Yakudoshi (Unlucky age)

With yakudoshi there is a big chance of encountering misfortune or injuring one's health, so it is an age when one must be careful. This happens when men turn 25, 42 and 60, and women 19 and 33, in the yakudoshi measurement. The ages of 42 for men and 33 for women are considered to be particularly bad years, and are called "great calamity." This may be just a superstition, but, because there have been many occasions when these ages actually have corresponded to turning points in people's health or jobs, there are those who go to Shinto shrines for exorcism.