For many of us, the specter of doomsday?a.k.a., the end of times, the end of days, the apocalypse, or, simply, tomorrow, Dec. 21, 2012?elicits a certain seriousness or a particular amusement, depending on whom you ask. Put the date aside for a minute and consider these end-of-world thoughts that Yahoo! News collected this week. They are serious, heartfelt, creative or funny, and they attempt to tackle the metaphysical:
What do we want to address personally in our lives? What would we like humanity to accomplish? What advice do we have for our fellow survivors, should the world meet a near-total demise tomorrow or any other day?
Some excerpted responses are below.
What would you do before The End? Tell us in the comments.
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Keep it simple: Let us resolve to pick up some trash. Brew hot coffee and serve it to someone shivering in the December cold. Read a poem out loud to friends, family, loved ones. Fill your home with music and fling open the windows to share it with the neighborhood. Leave the car in the driveway. Walk to a nearby woods, creek, field, pond, beach, hilltop. Pick up some more trash. Find that shoebox of old family photos and sort through them. Say the names of those you have lost. And don't forget to turn out the lights on the way out.
? Thomas Boyd, New York
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It's the little things: I'd like to have lunch with the inventor of the chip clip.
This small clasp may be one of the greatest fabrications in the last century, but is often overlooked. Countless bags of Doritos, Funyons and Pringles that would've previously been eaten stale enjoy extended life with this great device.
"Thank you," I'd say to him or her. "Order whatever you'd like."
Also, earthly destruction may not be pleasant, so I'd like to buy pants that fit comfortably. My entire life has been spent in size 33W x 30L (too short) or 32W x 32L (too tight, too long). I need to buy 33W x 31L. I know they're out there.
? Gary Georgevich, Detroit
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Only one thing matters: Caring for the dying taught me that the only thing that does matter when our days are limited is who loved you and who you loved. I have never heard the dying talk about their job, finances, homes or worldly accomplishments. Rather, they talk about those who touched their lives.
So, my last few days would be spent hanging out with my partner and my daughter. They live in my heart, and there's no better way to spend the last beats of my heart than having them near and being grateful for all they gave me.
? P. Query, Vero Beach, Fla.
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Lose 20 pounds before the end: There's a reason doctors pooh-pooh fad diets. The weight you lose always comes back?and then some. But if the world comes to an end on Dec. 21, who cares?
My doomsday resolution is to find a fad diet that allows me to lose 20 pounds in three days by feasting on forbidden foods like buttery lobster, cheesy pizza and fudge brownies?all while shedding pesky pounds. The secret to the diet will be something silly, like squeezing drops of a tasteless potion on my food prior to eating that will make my fat burning metabolism rev up like a new furnace.
With my suddenly svelte body, I'll spend my last day on the planet shopping, natch, trying on clingy dresses and even bathing suits (if I can find them in December). Daring to look in the three-way mirror, I'll marvel at how well everything fits without having to tighten my ab muscles.
? Nancy Tracy, Sacramento, Calif.
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Thinking of others: If the world will end soon, each of us need to start now to spread kindness, in our neighborhoods, in our countries and finally in our world. Let's commit to being compassionate, generous and loving every day.
Some ideas we can start with:
1. Give someone a genuine compliment.
2. Go out of your way for someone: open the door, help carry groceries, or give up your seat on the bus or subway.
3. Donate new or used clothes, toys and household items to the poor.
Could we possibly end the aggression, the hate, the negativity that is prevalent in today's world? I believe so, one kindness at a time.
? Anne-Marie Ngo, Singapore
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Survival of the buggiest: Do you want to survive the Dec. 21, 2012 apocalypse? Eat live bugs.
Note: Post-apocalyptic Earth will have an extremely limited carrying capacity. Be sure to share this information only with those who can further your chance of survival.
Eating live bugs will:
? provide the instant adrenaline rush you'll need to outrun zombies.
? give you the courage you need for hand-to-hand combat with zombies.
? keep you from falling asleep and dying at the hand of zombies.
? provide a food source not likely to be exploited by zombies.
You can also use bugs for emergency medicine.
- Maggots can be used to clean wounds.
- Leaches can be used to restore blood flow.
- The mandibles of soldier ants can be used to suture wounds.
- Insect venom can be used to alleviate pain.
Many species of bugs will also eat the rotting flesh of fallen comrades, limiting the amount of air and water borne pathogens in the environment.
Warning: Consuming raw or undercooked meat may increase your risk of food borne illness.
? Cherri Megasko, Maricopa, Ariz.
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Stop the spam emails, at least: I'd barely gotten over the hype surrounding the date 12/12/12, when a blogger friend reminded me that, according to a Mayan calendar, the apocalypse, or end of time, is on 12/21/12. What is it with the month of December, anyway?
There are a few things I think we here in the United States ought to do before the lights go out:
1. Do something, something really meaningful, about gun control; we've lost enough children to gun violence.
2. Require all politicians to be subjected to their stupid legislative ideas for at least six months before the rest of us have to suffer.
3. Implement certification and qualification tests for people running for public office.
4. Get the spammers to stop sending me Viagra emails.
? Charles Ray, North Potomac, Md.
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Brilliant red lipstick: Again, there's chatter about doomsday. I've barely crossed anything off my to-do-bucket-just-in-case-doomsday-comes list from last year. Great! I've dillydallied as usual, now I have to contrive one doomsday resolution. OK. I resolve to wear red lipstick brazenly ? in public.
My lipstick won't be boring red or "nearly" red. No, I'll throw caution to the wind and recklessly toss what smattering of beauty sense I have out the window and wear flaming red. My stunning red lips will trigger whispers of, "She's daring, spirited, a dynamo ? or she believes the world is ending."
? Cathy A. Montville, Worcester County, Mass.
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Time to dive into must-read bucket list: The world is ending (cough), so what's a bookworm to do? She's going to try to cram every single selection on her "must read" bucket list into an enormous marathon reading session. I'm a fast reader, but even I can see that it's time to take some serious action.
As a nod to tradition, I'd do it old-school, too: hardcover only, no ebooks or even paperbacks allowed. I'll finally get through my "Complete Works of Shakespeare," take a run at finishing up Robert Jordan's "Wheel of Time" series, and I'll have to take the plunge and see if the "Twilight" books are really as horrible as half the people I know say they are. (If the answer to this is in the affirmative, I've just started the zombie apocalypse a day or two early, so no real harm done.) I never did finishing Asimov's countless titles, so I'll have to squeeze those in somehow, too. Just in case eye strain becomes an issue, I'll spring for the audiobooks.
? Kimberly Morgan, Tampa, Fla.
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Get Christmas decor perfect: Naturally, before doomsday, I'm going to make sure my Christmas decorating is worth unearthing later.
"Now THIS was a good Christmas decorating job!" a future archaeologist will exclaim, happily taking pictures. "The angles between the tree and the coffee table and the lounge chairs are exquisite!"
Even if the archaeologists are extraterrestrial, arriving on our planet thousands of years post-apocalypse, they will be suitably impressed. "This room is mathematically perfect in regard to a day of celebration event!" they will say in their alien language. Somewhere, my spirit will be happy.
? Calvin Wolf, Midland, Texas
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A positive spin on doomsday: I wish everybody was really worried about it, since this could have served as a powerful motivator to get things done. Israelis and Palestinians would have made peace; since we are all going to die, why fight anymore? The rich would empty their bank accounts and give away their wealth to the poor; if we do not exist, who cares about money? Democrats and Republicans would make up and solve all their issues: no taxes, no spending, no fiscal cliff; after all, we are dying right?
Personally, I would try to mend a few fences. For example, I would text my ex-girlfriend from college to ask her why she really dumped me: Was I a bad boyfriend or was she lured by the other guy with a better job and more money? I am not sure which answer I would like, but maybe I can have some closure and finally say "good riddance" to her face.
? Anindya Chakraborty, Hartford, Conn.
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Winter solstice party is iffy this year: My friends and I are thinking that the Mayans were brilliant, picking the winter solstice as the date for the end of the world because we already have our annual party planned. We live on the northern edge of Montana in the Glacier Park area. The long nights of winter darkness can be dreary. Our winter solstice party is a great diversion.
My annual job for this party is to make a giant cake representing the sun. (Here's the recipe.)
Shortly after noon on Friday, I plan to make the 20-mile drive to the party. Presumably, the festivities will happen; but since there is no scheduled hour for the end of the world, we cannot be certain.
Goodbye. Maybe.
? R.B. McNeil, northern Montana
Source: http://news.yahoo.com/doomsday-goals-love-peace-jeans-fit-191600417.html
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