Sunday, May 10, 2009

I think I'm hooked

I accidentally watched some show tonight when I should have been taking out the garbage. And I think I'm hooked. This is not a good thing. I believe that it's called "Life After Humans." It's supposed to be a fact based representation of what would happen to animals, structures and the earth in general if for some reason humans no longer inhabited the earth. I missed the part about why humans aren't around any longer, which was probably a good thing because I have enough to worry about without pondering another reason for the extinction of the human race, but was sucked in by the changes that would befall Los Angeles and Washington, D.C. over the course of about 600 years.

I now remember reading or discussing somewhere that our nation's capital was built on a swamp, and boy will that cause some issues once people aren't around to maintain the drainage systems that take care of that pesky little water problem. I felt more sorry for D.C. than I did L.A., not sure what that says about me, good, bad or otherwise. Part of it was that they talked about the animals at the D.C. zoo and how they might adapt or not, and part of it is that I'm more drawn to the monuments, museums and history of D.C. than I am the bright lights of L.A., which would of course not be bright for so long once humans are gone.

They also featured what would happen to some of the monuments. I have a special affinity for the Lincoln Memorial, as Honest Abe has always been a favorite president of mine, and a very special little lady in my life happens to share a birthday with him. It was sad to watch it disintegrate, collapse and disappear under the encroaching water.

Ironically, we were just discussing Washington, D.C. the other day. N asked if the church next to his daycare was where the president lived, because it has "a big round roof." I said no, that the president does not live inside the First United Methodist Church, but instead lives in the White House in Washington, D.C.. He said "oh yes, that's right," and wouldn't it be neat to go there someday to see where the president lives. I agreed, secretly thrilled as I think I could spend weeks there. After viewing this show, I now feel a greater sense of urgency.

No comments: