Strange noises?

Have I spoken too soon when I dismissed the 2012 phenomenon as a load of hype and hooey? No sooner did I submit my last post than I found some reports and videos on the Internet describing strange noises being heard worldwide.  From Russia to the US, there were was footage with strange metallic groaning sounds, humming, and other effects that resembled more sci-fi than reality.  And always with nothing visibly making the sound; no aircraft or anything

I read further reports suggesting that these videos could be fraudulent.  I certainly wouldn't be surprised if stock Hollywood sound effects could have been uploaded into some of these videos (especially since they sound so similar to the scary alien horn in 2005's War of the Worlds).  It certainly wouldn't surprise me if there's a singular party out there taking advantage of people's fears and anxiety by faking supernatural phenomenon.

Far be it for me to go around perpetuating the rumors of supernatural noises, it is an intriguing (and perhaps ominous) subject that warrants discussion.  But I wouldn't have given it any more credence if it wasn't for my own mother, calling me earlier today and saying that she heard a strange noise.  She described it as an explosion, and it sounded as though it occurred right next door, or in the back yard.  She heard a loud roaring sound, as if there was a blazing fire.  But there was no such explosion or fire anywhere to be seen.  Per the article linked in the text above, perhaps it was the sonic boom of a passing airplane.  However, she didn't seem convinced.  Having not heard the boom at the time it happened (in my safe concrete-laden office), I have no idea what to think; it makes sense to me that it would be a passing aircraft (which happens a lot around here, with thunderous roars that could shake all our houses).  But if this (perhaps all-too-convenient) explanation does not match up with the experience, then I must concede that it could be something unnatural.

If that's the case, what does it mean? Undoubtedly, jillions of other sites are probably carrying on about secret government conspiracies, contact with extraterrestrials, the coming of the apocalypse, and countless other otherworldly explanations.  I rarely believe in government conspiracies.  I do believe that aliens could exist, but I rarely give UFO sightings much credence.  And, of course, the world will end some day, I just never thought it'd be anytime soon (I'm also unclear as to whether or not the apocalypse is supposed to be gradual or sudden).

Regardless, it is rather disconcerting to wonder whether or not I'll wake up tomorrow and see fleets of alien spaceships in the skies, or a host of angels with all the powers of creation and destruction in their hands.  Or, dare I say, both as one and the same?

Regardless, I wonder what the arrival of such supernatural beings could mean for the world? Will it be total obliteration, as we all seem to fear? Or, as few suggest, will it be a peaceful transition from one era to the next, with the human consciousness turning into a different direction?

But in the end, I often question whether any of this is even real.  Human fears, paranoia, and hysteria make it seem real.  But if these videos are indeed faked, and the explosions heard in Yorkshire really are sonic booms from aircraft, and every other supernatural phenomenon in the world can be explained away scientifically, then that just leaves mass hysteria to blame.  I do find this a likely scenario, and I often wonder how much panic there will be when December 21st comes around.

Despite whatever skepticism I harbor, I do grow wary and anxious concerning all this phenomenon.  As Arthur C Clark wrote:

"Two possibilities exist: Either we are alone in the Universe or we are not. Both are equally terrifying."

2012: The Beginning (...of the End?!)

New Years resolution #1:  blog more.  :p

Seriously though, it has indeed been a long time since I bothered to write anything down here.  November was fairly busy, but I managed to participate in the National Novel Writing Month challenge and produce a rough draft of 50000 words.  It's a nice accomplishment that reinvigorated the joy of writing fiction, and helped me see that a combination of perseverance and time management can allow me to squeeze more writing time into a day.

Unfortunately, my momentum was lost in December.  A lot of it has to do with me being sick during the holidays.  I must have had a sore throat for three weeks; it's the most horrid virus I've had in years, and it might actually be the sickest I've ever been.  It's not fun being sick during a time when one is with family, celebrating the holidays.  It's especially not inspiring for getting any writing done.

Thank goodness, the New Year has passed and my sickness has abated.  I haven't gotten around to writing as much as I should, but I managed to finally finish editing a manuscript I've had for years (a nice vampire novel with lots of bloody action), I've started a fun piece of fan-fiction (Star Wars with attitude), and I'm reaffirming my conviction to finding publishers and reaching out to them (unfortunately, such conviction tends to vanish as the year progresses, so we'll have to see if I can keep up the queries.  I'm getting half a mind to just make another print-on-demand novel...).

Although I haven't been posting movie reviews here, I still love the movies and enjoy writing about them.  With a number of thrilling new movies coming out this year (titles like The Hobbit, Prometheus, The Avengers, and more), I'll certainly try to stay on top of it and post my thoughts here.

So, as it is with previous years, I'm starting 2012 with the notion that I can be more productive and get some real stuff done.  My ambitions are overshadowed, however.  We all know that 2012 is a magic number of a year, for it is the year in which the Mayan long count calendar ends.  Many folks believe that this means it'll be the end of the world; I'll be expecting an awful lot of scare-mongering in the media, and perhaps some mass panic as 12/21/12 gets closer.

Do I believe that the apocalypse is upon us? Well, from what I've read around the Internet, scientists find no creditable threat to Earth.  Fanatics may claim that the Earth's magnetic poles will switch, or the galactic alignment will screw us over, or some other planet will swoop on over and snuggle up next to our planet...but scientists can discount a lot of these theories.  Just do a simple search, and you'll see the counterarguments.  That being said, these are still very disconcerting times.  Just recently, the Doomsday Clock was advanced to five minutes till midnight, meaning that we're slightly closer to the threat of a worldwide thermonuclear war.  Combined with the threat of global climate change (which scientists affirm is really happening), poor economy around the world, and continuing social unrest, I think chances are tragically good that the human race may be the cause of its own demise.  And who's to say that it won't happen this year? At the very least, this could be the end of one era and the beginning of another, meaning that massive social change could be inevitable.

Whatever happens, I just hope and pray that catastrophe doesn't befall the human race.  I have faith that we'll see 2013 the same way we passed through the years 1999 and 2000 without anything happening.