"I'm a great believer in luck and I find the harder I work, the more I have of it," Thomas Jefferson.
I'm in tune with Jefferson's view of luck, a sentiment echoed by many other successful people who bristle at the notion that their fame, fortune and careers can be chalked up to the concept.
But some things are beyond the control of us all - despite skill and perseverance. This is where luck comes into play, and some people are definitely luckier than others.
I've long counted myself in this former category, an occurrence I rarely take for granted and something that I remembered yesterday as I drove home from work in the pouring rain. I was listening to 107.1 in Austin, and generally spacing out when the DJ announced that caller number seven would win concert tickets for "Grace Potter and the Nocturnals." 
Despite having never heard of this band, I decided to try my luck. I called once. Busy. Then on the second dial, I passed right through and a voice told me I was the correct caller and I now had tickets for their concert this week at Stubbs. Lucky indeed.
A few months earlier, I was the correct caller and won a Van Morrison CD that I've yet to claim. These things happen.
Unfortunately, this is small-scale luck, and generally I'm no good at raffles. My one raffle win came back in high school, but it was stellar as my local movie memorabilia shop presented me with a "Pulp Fiction" movie poster autographed by John Travolta, Samuel L. Jackson and Bruce Willis. 
I still have that item framed and mounted as it has traveled with me for more than a decade.
My main fear in all of this is that I will exhaust or dilute my luck before I use this power for something grand. There is only so much luck in one lifetime, much as a man has only a certain number of erections in his genetic make-up, and I need to conserve my supply for the big score.
To help in this restoration program, I plan to call the radio station later today and release my concert tickets in hopes of returning this bit of luck into the pool. We'll see if that works.
-BDS
I've won small items from this one radio station. Apparently noone else ever listened to them LOL.
I won concert tickets to see Third Eye Blind, Tori Amos and Dave Matthews as well as numerous CD's. Nothing big though. (I've never even heard of that band).
2nd Grade Science Teacher Mr. Martin stuffs 861 beads in a Jar, then asks the human children and I to guess the number. Closest to correct wins Candy.
One volunteer human child is told the correct number and is, of course, no longer eligible to compete. Why Mr. Martin did that, I don't really know.
I guessed 861. Human child and I accused of cheating. No candy for me.
When I was big and tough enough (Fifth Grade) I kicked Mr. Martin's scrawny ass.
Hope there's a lesson with a lot of big words and philosophy in that tale for y'all.
Miss Ash - You're good with those concert tickets as that is impressive. Much more so than mine as I haven't heard of the band either. And I think you're ready to step up to bigger things now.
The Troll - What was the bead count? Was it 861? If so, that was some pretty blatant cheating. Ha. But the beating of Mr. Martin by a 5th grader sounds like a blog post to me.
You should at least get the Van Morrison CD.
Some people are just plain lucky their luck will not "run out" it trickles all through their lives you'll see. I on the other hand am not lucky- when they have prizes where the winner needs to be present- I leave a moment to go to the bathroom convinced they won't call my name. So...
I have a friend who has refused requests to do interviews for the newspaper, and declined being filmed for local news stations. He says it's because if he really does only have fifteen minutes of fame, he doesn't want to use it up on lame crap like that. Goes along with your views on luck I suppose.
Nobich - Ha. I like the bathroom scenario as sometimes luck runs that way. But I do think everybody has some of it, so I think the lesson might be to de-hydrate yourself prior to raffle drawings.
Native Minnow - Same general philosophy. The only problem I see is that some people manage to parlay their 15 minutes into careers (or at least slightly longer durations than 15 minutes - say 30 - 45).
I'd work karma over luck any day, smart to release the tickets if you don't want them. Someone will. And might I say how jealous I am of that poster? Now that's a prize!
One boring Sat. night my mother called a radio station to make a request, unbeknownst to her, they were doing a 7th caller through wins a prize pack. A CD, movie and concert tix. The movie was Billy Madison, she didn't go. The concert was a band so meaningless I can't remember and the CD was by Simple Minds. It friggin' rocks. I still listen to it today.
I've done the same thing, won concert tix or movie tix to things I would never see depriving those diehard fans from seeing that must see band or movie. Maybe that is why my sewer line backed up recently....karma shit!
Linda - I knew you could appreciate that poster. Ha. It's still a prized possesion of mine too. And I'm all for karma as well, which might be a future post.
WhatIgot - Of course you're still spinning that CD. Nice one. I've actually never seen Billy Madison despite some people swearing that it's funny. I'm just not sure.
Vivavavoom - Karma can be shit. Ha. In which case, I'm definitely calling about the tickets as that sounds like very little fun at all. Personally, I would be more inclined to attend a suspect movie than check out a band I'd never heard of. I think.
I am distressed about the erection news. It's... it's just not true.
Paying it forward will definitely win you points in the Karma stakes and that is way more reliable than luck my friend. Or at least I think it is.
Getoffmylawn - I haven't seen any scientific studies to back this up, however, I think each man has his own number which is based on many factors. Luckily, I think the number is fairly high for most of us. Let's hope, eh?
Gypsy - I think so too as a little good karma never hurts. It can only help, and I'll take the reliability factor. Gladly.
I didn't cheat. I GUESSED the exact precise number. 861. Purely good luck.
And yet I received scorn instead of candy.
I may track down Mr. Martin again.
Then the beating was warranted. No doubt.
About twenty years ago, some L.A. radio station morning DJs had a weekly bit where they would read three ingredients off a food label. Once, I somehow managed to correctly guess that it was a box of Hamburger Helper, which they sent me. And that was it. No station bumper sticker. No T-shirt. Just the Hamburger Helper.
They should have at least given you a year's supply of Hamburger Helper. Everytime I hear of that food, however, I always think of the "Vacation" movie where Randy Quaid tells Chevy Chase "I don't know why they call it Hamburger Helper, it does just fine on its own."