It figures that on what the Mayan's have predicted is the last day of our existance, winter finally arrived at CCC! Last night Winter Storm "Draco" impacted the Midwest causing travel woes and general headaches for millions of folks trying to get from point "A" to point "B". Here in Champaign we only saw an inch or so of snow, but howling winds that made it seem like much more. I was finally able to get the plow out and push some snow around, which is good therepy for this Minnesota native!
Assuming the Mayans were wrong about the world ending today, and I think they were, the cold weather that Draco has ushered in will prove to be a benefit to our winter productivity on the golf course. We have some large sweetgum logs to bring in yet and have plans for more tree work that will be easier if the ground is frozen.
As far as the Doomsday is concerned, odds are you are reading this sometime after December 21st, 2012. If you are, then we made it! Having read several articles on this date and what it means, it seems that today truely is special. Today, the winter solstice, the Earth is in perfect alignment with the exact center of the Milky Way, where scientists have recently discovered a black hole. Some believe that this alignment will cause a polar shift in the Earth's mantle, causing apocalyptic world wide catastrophies. This alignment, along with many other celestial events was predicted by the Mayans thousands of years ago. According to their Long Count calander, today marks the end of the 12th Baktun, a period consisting of 144,000 days. This date is specifically identified as 12.19.19.19.19. It also marks the beginning of the 13th Baktun, also known as "13.0.0.0.0" which ironically "restarts" the Mayan calander. It is sort of akin to the odometer on your car "flipping" back to all zeros. There is research that shows that the Mayans actually looked at today as not the end of the world, but a period of cleansing and rebirth. A new beginning. To me this is a better outlook than one of doom and death!
Ironically this day falls at the end of a work week preceeding a long Christmas weekend, the holiest of all Christian holidays. It falls during a time in our country where clarity, cleansing, and "a new beginning" may be needed more than ever before, with Hurricane Sandy, the shooting in Newtown CT, and the impending Fiscal Cliff that has so many Americans losing hope that 2013 will be better than 2012. This day falls on a day that preceeds four to five days that will likely be spent with family and friends, away from the stress and monotony of our daily work lives, and hopefully in some state of relaxation. I challenge you to take this time to heed the Mayans advice and look inward. Cleanse, strive for clarity, and search for a new beginning. Spend the Christmas holiday weekend reconnecting with family members and friends who you have lost touch with, taking stock in the things we have and the people we love. Enjoy this time of rebirth.
With any luck the world will not end, but will get better. All of us will return to work with renewed vigor and a more positive outlook on life. Life will carry on and the 13th Baktun will prove to be prosperous!
Here's hoping you have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
