Let's Just Stop And Ask For Directions, Shall We?

Lately, I've been thinking a lot lately about what an apocalypse is. And, in doing so, what surviving anypocalypse means.

One of the definition entries on Dictionary.com for apocalypse is a "prophetic revelation, especially concerning a cataclysm in which the forces of good permanently triumph over the forces of evil." I picture the Avengers, the X-Men, the Justice League, and that lot fighting sentient robots hell bent on destroying man, hate-mongering tyrants, and genius lunatics with money and weapons.

From NBC News

Mirriam-Webster's simple definition of apocalypse which reads, "a great disaster: a sudden and very bad event that causes much fear, loss, or destruction" seems to be more personal than Universal. This definition speaks to me of sick children, stage 4 cancers, and the other small horrors people face.

For the last several months, I have been pondering the direction I should take.

• Should I focus on Apocalypses like Alien Invasions, Killer Rabbits, sentient broccoli uprisings, and viral outbreaks that causes a large portion of the population to turn into raving mad, cannibalistic beasts? 
• Or, should I re-direct my attention to the more personally affecting apocalypses like diseases, health issues, and the death of loved ones? 

This year has been rough for me and for some people I care about. We have faced - are facing - some apocalypses. The distinction between the Capital "A" and the small "a" is the difference between the Universal and the personal. Our lives are affected, but the world isn't ending. But this doesn't mean that Apocalypses are more important. Personal problems, apocalypses, are just as important as Apocalypses because they are immediately Universal: they happen to people all over the world every day.

In the past, I have shied away from the small "a" apocalypses because they didn't seem to fit into the blog's subject matter. I've come to realize that this was a mistake. I cannot call my blog The Ladies' Guide to Surviving Anypocalypse and pretend that an entire type of apocalypse simply doesn't exist.

Follow me on Twitter: @Anypocalypse

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