Daily Dirt: If you’re a Swifty, your favorite number should probably be 13

Daily Dirt for Thursday, Jan. 25, 2024

Maybe some day there will be a Stevie Dirt tax, too … Welcome to today’s three thoughts that make up Vol. 848 of The Daily Dirt.

1. Admittedly, this is Taylor Swift’s world, and we’re fortunate enough to occupy a small space in it. Here are a few off-the-beaten-path things you might find interesting about the all-American girl:

• She’s named after singer “Sweet Baby” James Taylor. Plus, her mom, Andrea, wanted her to have a “gender neutral” name because she thought it would help her forge a career in business. Looks like mom was right.
• As true Swifties know, 13 is her lucky number for many reasons, starting with her birth date of Dec. 13, 1989. 
• She was born on a Friday the 13th.
• She turned 13 on a Friday the 13th.
• Her first song that ever went to No. 1, “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together,” had a 13-second intro.
• Her Twitter is @taylorswift13.
• Every time Swift has won an award at an award show, she’s either been seated in row 13 or row M — the 13th letter in the alphabet.
• Swift has a holiday home in Rhode Island, which she bought in 2013 for $17.75 million. Under a tax by the Rhode Island government, those who have second homes in the state worth more than $2 million must pay a charge. The tax has been affectionately nicknamed “The Taylor Swift Tax.”
• “As all Swifties know, Swift is obsessed with cats — and has three herself,” London journalist Imogen Howse wrote. “Her oldest is named Olivia Benson, after the ‘Law and Order: Special Victims Unit’ character, and her second oldest is named Meredith Grey, after the character from ‘Grey’s Anatomy’. Swift’s most recent addition to the family is a cat named Benjamin Button, who she adopted after he was featured in the music video for her 2019 single ‘Me!'”
• Swift typically places one of her saddest — if not the saddest — song on each of her albums in the fifth spot on the trackless. Heartbreak anthems such as “Dear John” and “All Too Well” appear in this spot, and soul-crushing ballads like “My Tears Ricochet” and “Tolerate It” are both track 5s, too.
• Swift has had many nicknames, some of which are Tay, Swifty, T-Swift, T-Swizzle and T-Sweezy.
• Swift is extremely talented. She can play the guitar, piano, ukelele electric guitar and banjo. She is also a talented painter.
• She says Shania Twain is her biggest musical influence.
• Her favorite dessert is cheesecake.

2. After going 3-1 in last week’s NFL quarterfinal playoff games, we’re back with our picks in this weekend’s conference championship games:

AFC: Kansas City 31, Baltimore 27: OK, Chiefs fans, what former Kansas City defensive legend was the first player from a small college to be elected to the NFL Hall of Fame? If you said Buck Buchanan, you are correct.

NFC: San Francisco 35, Detroit 21: Former 49ers quarterback Joe Montana, receiver Dwight Clark and defensive back Ronnie Lott sang back-up for Huey Lewis on “Hip to be Square.” You’re welcome.

3. The latest and greatest of “Found on Facebook”:

• “If I’m ever murdered, feel comfort in knowing that I ran my mouth until the bitter end.”
• “Why can’t humans hear a dog whistle? Because dogs can’t whistle.”
• “Don’t forget to pay your taxes this year. A lot of other countries are depending on you.” 
• “January … Ugh. The month is just one giant Monday.”
• “After this weekend, the Detroit Lions will have appeared in more NFC championship games (1) this century than the Dallas Cowboys.”

Steve Thought O’ The Day
I saw an advertisement recently for creamsicle jelly beans. I need to get a package.