The Mayan’s calendar ended today. I kidded around that my Steelers wall calendar ends every year, I
just get a new one. However our
infatuation with a culture that could not even predict its OWN demise somehow
became known around the world. A
few months ago I am sure most people never even heard of the Mayans. But here I was in New York City,
passing bar after bar that had their “Mayan End of The World Party”. People were flocking to these events
for one last hook up before time ran out like they were Craig in the movie "Last
Night". I guess if I were single I
might have found my self perusing those pubs. However a quiet evening at home watching "Scrooged" would have
to do.
Party like its 1999.
That was seemingly the last time the world was going to end. Computers would fail because
programmers did not take into account a four year number only applying the last two
digits. Instead of 1999 going to
2000, 99 would go to 0…and we would all go to 0. Nuclear plants would explode, planes would fall from the
sky…I know, I ALSO saw that Simpson’s episode. However, being single at the turn of the century, I decided
to go out in style. Billy Joel had
announced he would hold a Millennium concert at Madison Square Garden…and I
would attend. I said if the world
was going to end…why not be at ground zero. Those words would turn out to be hauntingly true less than 2
years later as “Ground Zero” would not be that far from the Garden. The Piano Man opened with Miami 2017,
which has had resurgence lately with Hurricane Sandy. The song depicts the demise of New York City. That New Year’s night as we awaited midnight,
the song seemed like it’s own prediction.
As the melody ended, Billy Joel thanked us for risking our well being
just to attend the concert. Midnight
came and went…and we went right on with the show.
Yesterday was only an ancient prophecy of the world
ending. However it was a
mainstream one. Y2K had nothing on
the Mayans. And, much like at the
end of 1999, people seemed a little nicer, a little more polite…just in
case. “Scrooged” turned out to be
an appropriate movie to view last night.
Faced with his own demise, Bill Murray gets a revelation to be a better
person. He says that once a year during
Christmas we act a little nicer, we become the person we always wanted to
be. He goes on to say that the
feeling is addictive, and soon you will want to feel like that every day. And maybe we should listen to that
message.
Why, as human beings, do we have to face the end before we change? Is that why we hype any doomsday event,
so we get our chance to repent? The two-minute offense in football, the bottom of the
ninth rally. New Year’s
Resolution. The deathbed
confession. Backs against the
wall.
Seems we always have to wait until our last possible moment…
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