Jan's Rabbitings

Rabbit, Rabbit, Rabbit - EXCEPT... I was always taught to say "Rabbit, Rabbit", and exclude the third "Rabbit"

Thank you.

Funny thing... I had been doing this for years when I was a kid growing up in Northern California, "Rabbit Rabbit" being the first thing you said on the first of the month, and then you'd have good luck. But I don't remember where I picked it up from (this being 30 years ago or so). Then a few years back, I met a guy at work who would "White Rabbit" us (only one "White Rabbit"). He has since left the company, but a couple of us have carried on the tradition, calling or faxing or emailing the first rabbit of the month. I must tell you, though, he has recently written some "rules", including such things as time zones and faxing or emailing the night before so the other person will get it first (that's a no-no). Well, good luck on your research, and take care!

- Jan on 5/23/2000

Wait a minute here - isn't there something in the rule book that says email doesn't count?? :-) You'll never believe this - at about two minutes after midnight on January 1, as we were out in the street yelling Happy New Year, my 9-year old screams "White Rabbit, White Rabbit!!"

Yo Jan,

Good work, kid! But I thought you were a "rabbit, rabbit" (twice) fan! Where did he get the white?? ... And as for email, I think it depends on whose rule book. What else doesn't count?

- Jan on 1/2/2001

Well, personally, I am a believer in the "email counts" version, but I will attach below the rules set forth by my long-time "White Rabbit" pal. I suppose the rules can be modified to include email, for those participants that want it to - but should be similar to #2 below. Regarding "Rabbit vs White", I guess I became confused over the years whether it was "Rabbit Rabbit" as I grew up with, or "White Rabbit" as he always touted... thus, my children have become confused as well... Happy New Year JB!

Here are the basic rules for White Rabbit. Please feel free to offer clarification or add additional rules for discussion.

1) Full credit will only be awarded for live contact. This means either meeting in person or speaking to the other person on the phone.

2) Contact will be determined based upon the time where the individual is residing when contact is made. In other words, if I'm in Wisconsin and I'm calling you in California, I can only get points if it is 12:00 a.m. or later in California.

3) Contact must occur between one second past midnight on the first day of the month and midnight of the 11:59.59 on the first.

4) Partial credit may be awarded for unusual and creative contact. This could include items such as flowers, balloons, sky-writing, dancing messengers or other similar efforts. The receipt of the special message must occur prior to 11:59.59. Contestants are bound by honor to report receipt accurately.

5) Faxes, e-mails and letters will not be considered valid contact.

6) January 1 of each year will count for double credit.

7) Contestants must be of age to enable them to initiate contact in future months. In other words, it's no fair to white rabbit a new born.

8) The winner each month is entitled to gloat during the remainder of the month.

9) It is not legal to disguise your voice in order to make other contestants believe that they have reached a party other than yourself.

10) In the event of any question over the interpretation of these rules, final determination shall be made by a mutually agreed upon, neutral arbitrator.

- Jan on 1/3/2001

Actually I meant that: I had thought that the great challenge was to remember to say Rabbit Rabbit AFTER waking up on the first day of the month. This is the real bugger for me. Each month presents a different reason for failure. This month's distraction was the cat who was tearing up the comforter on the bed!

Can I take it from the unofficial Rabbit Master that the only standard is to say it as the first words of the month without the requirement of a night's sleep?

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You raise central questions, Jan. These are being debated internationally at this very moment. For example, Jack had this problem... I will pass your "rules" around and see what falls out ... JB

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You know, Jack has a point. When I was younger, it was much simpler - you had to remember to say it as the first words out of your mouth on the first day of the month. No contest with others. Just yourself. And it meant good luck. In later years, I ran into a fellow Rabbiteer, although he was a White Rabbit fan. It was then that it became a contest.

Hmmm... are you updating your website with all these new ideas?

- Jan on 1/4/2001

Thanks JB - I've been having fun with all these notes you've been sending me. Another "rabbit rabbit" fan... I wonder where she did come up with it - I bet Kenneth will question her now!

- Jan on 1/17/2001

Ok, since many of us agree, let's ignore rule #5 - the only problem is, how do we know where we all are so we can surprise each other at the beginning of the month? I know where I am, the young mother is in Wisconsin, and I believe you are in MA, right? There was Aloha Mike in Hawaii, too. Jeez this can get quite confusing, trying to time it right.....

- Jan on 1/17/2001

Hi John (oops I mean JB),

I am in the heart of Silicon Valley, CA. The evening of 1/31 I was in a quandry because I wanted to send you a "rabbit rabbit" at 9:01 pm my time but didn't have your email address at home. That's ok, I managed to totally forget the next morning anyway, and now I've had bad luck all month. For instance, we drove to the snow last Friday afternoon (a 4-hr drive) and it had been sunny and warm all day Friday, skiing was great, and we get up Saturday morning to a white-out. My husband and my boys went snowboarding anyway, though. I decided to cross country, and could hardly see two feet in front of me! Of course Sunday morning when it was time to go home, the sun was out shining again. See? I have to remember the "rabbit rabbit"

- Jan on 2/26/2001

Aha!! So my old friend from work wasn't the only one who made it into a game! We didn't take the other person luck, though; we just "got them and were able to feel smug about it". Unfortunately, I've lost touch with him over the past year - he changed companies again and I haven't heard from him since. I've been wanting to forward all this info to him - I know he'd be very interested. Have a great day!

- Jan on 3/26/2001

Wow - even Gilda did it - that's pretty cool. Thanks for sharing JB.

- Jan on 5/9/2001

Hello JB! Rabbit New Year! I finally got a chance to read through all your updates - very interesting! I've gotten a few of my friends into the rabbit groove, now, and between them and my kids, and now my husband, I really have to watch out on the first of the month! Thanks for taking the time to do this for the rest of us Rabbiteers.

- Jan on 1/6/2003