As you all know, the Mayan Calendar predicts the end of the world on December 21, 2012. The countdown is on...7 days until the end.
As I have said before, I am not a believer in the end of the world. I don't want to seem negative, but...
it's just easier for me to believe that someone "dropped the ball" than it is to believe in a preordained fate for all of mankind. I totally buy into the notion of an underpaid Mayan labourer hammering dates into stone in a semi-conscious state suddenly distracted by the boss's daughter picking figs in the courtyard... Things get crazy...the horny worker gets fired and the boss figures... "What? Like we're going to need a calendar 5000 years long? Scrap that project...it was running long and over budget anyhow. Give the money to the architects!"
Besides, it seems unfair that the end of the world is scheduled for a Friday. I mean, truthfully, how pissed off are the nine-to-fivers going to be if things go to hell after 5 pm on a Friday? How effective are most people going to be at the end of a work week? We're emotionally spent from dealing with difficult customers and physically drained from our harrowing work schedules. I will be very curious to learn if there is a noticeable pattern in the workplace that emerges during the final week of our countdown to doomsday. Do we work overtime and tie up all our loose ends so that we can focus on fighting for survival without thoughts straying to the expense report we forgot to file? Do we call in "sick" and spend more time with family and friends so that we have fond memories to sustain us through the coming apocalypse? Are we distracted and depressed or are we more focused and productive? I hope that someone out there is paying attention. I can't wait to find out what happens. Human behaviour is fascinating!
I'm thinking that we would all appreciate it if, in future, doomsday activities could be scheduled for the beginning of the work week. The way I see it, Monday morning between 6 am and 8 am is an excellent time to schedule our reckoning. We'll be refreshed from our weekend away from the office, fired up on the week's first pot of coffee and ready to deal with whatever the four horsemen decide to throw at us. Fair play dictates that we should be well-rested if we're expected to endure a doomsday melee. Yup. Monday mornings...that's our day. Take note doomsday prophets!
Again...I want to be certain everyone is clear...I am not a believer. That said, I will take the opportunity to work my scheduled workdays without overtime from now until December 21st...just in case. There will be no overtime, no after hours appointments, no "catching up at home." I have also, for the coming week, sworn off professional development activities (but that is mostly just because it works for me).
It's settled then! Faced with the possibility of extinction in 7 days, I have booked Thursday, December 20th off work.
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