And I feel fine. . .

Twas the week before Christmas and no one was gloom, even though soon we would all meet our doom.

10 years ago, I was working at a Wal-Mart in Moscow, Idaho. Oddly enough, working the overnight shift in the receiving department was not as glamorous as it sounds. But it did provide me with the opportunity to witness a very witty discussion about 2012, the Mayan calendar, and the end of the world.

One gentleman commented he would take a bunch of sleeping pills when he went to bed December 20th, so he could sleep through the end of the world. Another said he would spend his remaining years collecting guns and ammo. I simply smiled and went about my work.

Seasonable for most of the week, then a slight chance of DOOM!

I don't put much stock in the Mayan's calendar, but I am a big fan of post-apocalyptic scenarios, especially if they involve removing the heads the risen dead or helping a gasoline rich community fend off mohawk wielding bandits.

So, imagine my delight when fate led my next random book selection to the shelf populated with self-defense. Meet Selection #16: Self-Defense: Steps for Survival by Katy Mattingly.

No, I will not be taking photos of me trying out the moves they illustrate.

I've only thumbed through it, but I have not found the bandit or zombie sections yet, I'm sure it's in there.

Failure is not an option . . . wait, nevermind, yes it is

I have failed. I have read zero non-fiction in almost a month. Forget, non-fiction, aside from some Elder Strolls blog posts I've hardly read anything at all.

But it's all good. When you are attempting a project as large as this, failure should not be feared. In fact, failure should be expected and welcomed. Bad things happen if you worry about failing and you actually fail. There is that instinct to just throw your hands up and give up. But if you anticipate failing, I think you are much better to deal with it when it actually happens.

Because I knew this would happen, I am much more willing to dust myself and get back to it. . . not now of course, that would just be silly. I'm in survival mode at this point. Hunker down, survive Christmas, re-assess the situation when the New Year's confetti clears.