I’m in stealth mode yet again today because I’ve had my fill of emotional roller-coaster rides brought to you courtesy of Facebook, Twitter, and the news. I love to read history; it’s fuel for characters, true… but I’m of the mind that old adage “truth is stranger than fiction” is eerily accurate. Supposedly, the world ends to-day. Hogwash and horsepuckey. (EDIT: Okay, I lied. I wrote this earlier in the week, and I had not one but TWO new release announcements that dropped on my head! So yeah, I did get back online to promote. And then got distracted by all the celebratory shenanigans…)

The next time you believe that we are somehow smarter and more sophisticated than our historic predecessors, remember the following:

• NASA campaigned to educate folks on why the world is not, in fact, ending. [link] and another here to a myth-debunking article on Yahoo! [link]
• The belief in the Mayan “Apocalypse” is not world-wide; this is a predominantly Western myth. What we encounter here in our culture is a fraction of what’s experienced elsewhere.
• Remember Y2K??? — and we’re still kicking!
• For every major date, milestone, and turn-of-the-century, there have been (and will be) a group of people who believes the world will end. That could be on a small scale, like a religious organization or cult, or on a larger, social scale. The spread of these beliefs will continue to evolve the more connected we become.
• If you were born before 1999 and are still alive today, then you’ve experienced not one, but TWO of these purported major “end times” dates.

In addition to his performances, Houdini spent his life dedicated to debunking spiritualists. I could easily do the same with respect to the paranormal and the end times — but there is no modern-day need for that. Others, like Mythbusters, have already taken up that call. There will always be rumor and conjecture. I simply choose to err on the side of research. *shrugs* What can I say? Reading is fundamental. Education is crucial.

(Yeah, this post got a little more lecture-y than I was aiming for… Um… Go “End Times!” Okay, that didn’t work either. Hmm… A CafePress store capitalizing on the survival of yet another fakepocalypse? Am I that evil? No time. Ah well. Guess I’m better off pouring my energies into another story. Gee, how should the world end this time? So many options to choose from. So many…)

Annnnnnnnd as long as I’m committing all kinds of bloggery faux pas, I’m providing you with another reminder that the apocalyptic anthology We Are Dust was released this week. READ IT BEFORE THE WORLD ENDS!

Mood: contemplative with a blend of listening and wondering
Caffeinated Beverages Consumed: Well, it was epic. I must admit.
Work-Out Minutes Logged Yesterday: Werk it gut
In My Ears: Adele
Game Last Played: Dragon Age: Awakenings
Movie Last Viewed: The Hobbit
Latest Artistic Project: Holiday gifts
Latest Release: “The Button” We Are Dust anthology