Apocalyptic Scary Stuff--Kimberly Sabatini
At first I'd planned to write an emotionally vulnerable post about all the things that scare me and how, even though it's hard, I've learned that fear must be faced head on blah, blah, blah...
Instead I'm going to write about the Apocalypse. Deep in the secret recesses of my mind I sort of picture myself like Katniss Everdeen.
Cute, but kind of a badass with the ability to bring it in times of emergency. Sounds good, right? So not true. I'm a powder puff. Okay--maybe not as soft as a powder puff, but I'm going to admit it--my feet sweat when I think about the Apocalypse. When I read books like LIFE AS WE KNEW IT by Susan Beth Pfeffer, I realize that I'm completely unprepared for life without heat, showers and chocolate. Oh, and refrigeration, clean laundry and toilet paper. *head thunk* Need I go on, because I certainly can if your imagination has not been jump started yet.
What brought on this wave of fear? Don't laugh at me, but my Mac Book Pro is having a temper tantrum. It is being as obstinate as a toddler who is holding out for a cookie. I can't get anything to work on it. Of course, I'm dropping everything and heading to the nearest apple store, right after a good breakfast (you should always stay fueled in case of emergency) and I fully expect the Genius Bar to work it's magic and make my life all appley again, But it got me thinking about what happens when the electronics don't work, when the power goes out temporarily or what it might be like if it went out permanently. *shudders*
The truth is I would likely still be able to read and write. Unless we've sunk to burning books for heat instead of ignorance and I'm spending so much time weaving new toilet paper that I fall over into a dreamless sleep, I shouldn't have to be derived. And the truth is, that long before books were in print, stories were shared orally around the camp fire and that means they were written in the imaginations of those who had art in their soul. So even a lack libraries, paper and pencils can't steal my passion completely.
So, while I'm still terrified of the Apocalypse, pretty confident that five days without power has the ability to send me into a tailspin and I know that 24 hours without a working lap top makes me nuts (even when there's another computer in the house) I'm comforted to know that if the stuff hits the fan--I'll always have my imagination and lots of really scary stuff to fuel it. LOL!
What would scare you the most about the Apocalypse coming and what would you be able to keep, no matter what scary stuff is going on around you?
What brought on this wave of fear? Don't laugh at me, but my Mac Book Pro is having a temper tantrum. It is being as obstinate as a toddler who is holding out for a cookie. I can't get anything to work on it. Of course, I'm dropping everything and heading to the nearest apple store, right after a good breakfast (you should always stay fueled in case of emergency) and I fully expect the Genius Bar to work it's magic and make my life all appley again, But it got me thinking about what happens when the electronics don't work, when the power goes out temporarily or what it might be like if it went out permanently. *shudders*
The truth is I would likely still be able to read and write. Unless we've sunk to burning books for heat instead of ignorance and I'm spending so much time weaving new toilet paper that I fall over into a dreamless sleep, I shouldn't have to be derived. And the truth is, that long before books were in print, stories were shared orally around the camp fire and that means they were written in the imaginations of those who had art in their soul. So even a lack libraries, paper and pencils can't steal my passion completely.
So, while I'm still terrified of the Apocalypse, pretty confident that five days without power has the ability to send me into a tailspin and I know that 24 hours without a working lap top makes me nuts (even when there's another computer in the house) I'm comforted to know that if the stuff hits the fan--I'll always have my imagination and lots of really scary stuff to fuel it. LOL!
What would scare you the most about the Apocalypse coming and what would you be able to keep, no matter what scary stuff is going on around you?
OMG, LIFE AS WE KNEW IT gave me nightmares. I read that book thinking the mom was brilliant, thinking of all these things I would not have thought of in the midst of a crisis.
ReplyDeleteI'm a powder puff, too. I've never even been camping so trying to survive without modern conveniences will pretty much eliminate me a couple of days after any disaster. Hold me :)
Grabs you and all the chocolate so we die happy. *grin*
DeleteThe thing I fear most is doing without my morning coffee. (I read Life As We Knew It too, and it sent me scrolling around Mormon websites. They have very good tips for how to build up your pantry. In case anyone is wondering...)
ReplyDeleteI agree--it makes you want to have a well stocked house!
DeleteI've also read Life As We Knew It (and its sequels, which were even scarier) and it not only gave me nightmares, it made me want to run right out and buy 200 cans of tuna and 200 jars of peanut butter! No, I didn't. But I WANTED to. What terrified me even more was Forest of Hands and Teeth. Zombie apocalypses are so much more horrifying than regular apocalypses!
ReplyDeleteI think I would be okay reading by candlelight and writing longhand on looseleaf paper (but I'm also old enough to remember writing before computers). But listening to music would be tough after your batteries die. And cooking over an open fire gets old fast.
Ha ha, now I understand the hair-pulling pic on your blog, Kim!
LOL! I'll sing for you. It won't be pretty, but it will make you appreciate the quiet or send you out into the zombies LOL!
DeleteYes, LIFE AS WE KNEW IT scared the crap out of me! I went through a period of hoarding canned goods. Another one that gave me nightmares was Z FOR ZACHARIAH. It was amazing, but wowza, it felt like it could really happen. I think that feeling of possibility is where the fear comes from.
ReplyDeleteOhhhh I haven't read that one yet--adds to list!
DeleteI fear the possibility of life without indoor plumbing. (This is why I fear camping almost as much as the Apocalypse.)
ReplyDeleteAGREED!!!!!!!
DeleteComputer blips scare me to death, too, Kim. So much so, I always name my computers after the characters in horror stories. My last computer was Frank (short for Frankenstein), and this one's Clarice (as in, "What became of your lamb, Clarice?").
ReplyDeleteOK, I def. need to read Life As We Knew It. Esp. since my new WIP is about rebuilding society after a global tectonic plate shift. Thanks for adding to the TBR pile! lol. I do mean that, nicely. ;) I live in a part of the world that seriously freaked out about the Y2K bug. People filled bathtubs on New Year's Eve! My neighbor stocked up on TP planning to sell it black market. That actually rubbed me the wrong way (no pun intended), that she would actually forgo essentials like food so she could make a buck in desperate times. But at the same time, I started thinking about what I'd really need. My worst fear, because I'm a hideously poor producer of human milk, was always that if we hit an apocalyptic moment when I had an infant in the house, I wouldn't be able to feed my baby. But aside from that, I would really, really, really need a big tub to heat water. I have a chronic pain disorder and try to avoid meds (which of course would also be scarce in an apocalyptic mess). I also have massive sensory issues. Hot baths and showers are my salvation. I literally pray for instant death to find me in an apocalypse when I start to think about not having the healing power of warm water. Other than that, I think I might really enjoy a good apocalypse. Something about everyone being reduced to the same circumstances. We all start from zero sort of thing?
ReplyDelete