It’s Not Doomsday Per Se…

It’s December 21*, the last day of the Mayan long-count calendar. Naturally, according to some, this can only mean one thing — it’s the end of the world as we know it. At 11:11 UTC, to be precise. Alarmists predict an apocalypse. So I guess we’re talking earthquake fissures wide enough to swallow whole cities, Himalayan peaks exploding one by one in a daisy-chain formation, and/or widespread destruction that’ll leave the LOLcats to inherit the earth. If that’s not enough, we’re also set for a collision with planet Nibiru.

If you’re concerned about an imminent astronomical disaster, I have good news for you. NASA is confident Nibiru does not even exist.

There’s no cause for panic. As NASA explains in the link above, just because a calendar runs out doesn’t mean it’s the end of days. The I Can Has Cheezburger calendar my cats appeared in runs out on December 31, and no-one’s running around saying we’re all gonna die because there are no pages left. Well, okay, the Model School is. (See their post-apocalyptic music video below. Buy the song here for $1!) Some would argue the Mayans actually anticipated a new beginning after Dec 21. Further to this, my favourite psychic astrologer, Jessica Adams, has given her forecast for January 2013. No mention of a world-destroying event. If that’s not proof our hearts will go on after today, then I don’t know what is.

I usually set up a playlist of 11 songs for each chapter of my work in progress. But in the spirit of things, I’ve put together a list of 21 songs that I think are doomsday-appropriate. Some are morbid, others a bit more cheerful and optimistic. Kate Miller-Heidke’s The Last Day on Earth is one of them. No apocalypse would be complete without a final listen to the Smiths’ There is a Light That Never Goes Out. Duran Duran’s Anyone Out There is a song I’d play on repeat as a siren call to summon survivors from all corners. The rest:

• We’re All Gonna Die – the Model School (see above)
• Sleepwalk – Santo & Johnny
• Xanadu – Olivia Newton John
• Streets I Left Behind – the Model School
• Nowhere to Run – Martha Reeves & the Vandellas
• Protection – Massive Attack
• Last Day of Summer – Magnet
• Ray of Light – Madonna (I could also include Nothing Really Matters from the same album…)
• Save Me – k.d. lang
• Miracle – Josh Rouse
• Last Goodbye – Jeff Buckley
• New Religion – Duran Duran
• Goin’ Nowhere – Chris Isaak
• (I’ve Had) The Time of My Life – Bill Medley & Jennifer Warnes
• God Only Knows – the Beach Boys
• I Believe – Chris Isaak
• Building Steam with a Grain of Salt – DJ Shadow
• Hold Back the Rain – Duran Duran

What songs are on your end-of-the-world list? Got a fave doomsday movie or book?

*in Sydney, Australia

Drink Up, Cool Down

It’s going to be a 30-degree Sunday, and I should be outside enjoying Sydney’s summer. Instead, I’m indoors and attempting to add another 2,500 words to my latest manuscript. As you can imagine, I’ll need a bit of nutritional help to reach this goal. So far today I’ve consumed a block of Lindt chocolate, had an affogato (husband’s secret recipe), and now I’m drinking this refreshing homemade beverage — my summer special:

Summer Special ingredients:

• 250mL soda water or mineral water
• 10 or so mint leaves, slightly bruised to release da flavour
• Juice of half a lemon or to taste
• Ice, loads of it

Mix it and drink it. Add sugar if you like, but I think it’s fine unsweetened. I just remembered I have two punnets of strawberries in the fridge and I reckon I could put a chopped-up berry in the next batch. A good splash of gin or vodka would work well too.

Speaking of all things summer, my hubby’s band recently released their latest single, Pictures of Summer. Filmmaker Alex Munt shot the film clip for them in Bondi:

The song is on my playlist for Chapter Seven of my WIP.

What’s on your summer playlist? Do you have a favourite cooling drink?

We’re All Gonna Die

Sad but true. I am actually referring to a song title by my hubby’s band, the Model School, though. The song has been selected as the opening credits track for an upcoming indie Aussie movie called ‘LBF‘ (which is an abbreviation for something more profane). The film is based on Cry Bloxsome‘s 2006 novel of the same name.

I wish I could embed the trailer here, but there seems to be a communication breakdown between WordPress and Vimeo. (Or, more likely, maybe I’m a bigger gumby at techno things than first thought!) Go to this link to see and hear the teaser.

Nostalgic Computer Games

Check out this cute new video clip for the Model School‘s new single, ‘It’s Hard to Dance When Your Legs Are On Fire’. Brings back memories of those early computer games, don’t it?

The brains behind the band, Brendan Wixted, egged me on to go viral with the clip. I’m actually suffering from a flu virus of some sort right now, but rest assured you won’t catch that.

Blatant Selfless Promotion

The Model School, a band my husband is in, has released a FREE digital download of their new single, ‘It’s Hard to Dance When Your Legs Are On Fire’. (Indeed it is.)

Click here to download.