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BLITEOTW 2009: They Just Keep Coming

Jeff — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 13:24:37 +0000

Tomorrow heralds the return of a peculiar annual tradition that just won’t die: Blog Like its the End of the World 2009. Over two years ago, Steve Wilson started promoting an unusual idea of his that involved a global zombie pandemic that swept the globe on June 13th, midnight local time, to be acted out exclusively on blogs all over the world. It was wildly popular, and rightly so, but why do the zombies keep coming?

After two years of fighting zombies here in and around our nation’s capitol, I’ve taken steps to avoid the zombie jamboree that’s set to begin in a few hours time. These steps are magical in nature and arise from my complete and utter boredom of what will certainly be a “zombie threepeat”, as opposed to a glorious alien invasion, demonic uprising, robot rampage, or some other non-ambulatory-deceased catastrophe.

Zombies are so 2007.

Update: the closest thing to a compendium seems to be the BLITEOTW community at LiveJounal.

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BLITEOTW 2008 Roundup

Jeff — Sun, 15 Jun 2008 21:25:45 +0000

First, I’d like to thank our fallen hero Steven Wilson for first warning the world about the Zombie Menace well over over a year ago, on his site My Elves are Different. Thanks also go to those survivors and honored dead who left messages here, and helped me personally endure with their sometimes uplifting, but always brutally honest accounts:

P@RIX, Misty, Mata, Patrick Nottingham, Neth, A Brand New Boom , Jeremy Ruhland, Naoko @ Geminian Eyes, Sylvan (Dave), David, M H Ayinde, Patrick Nottingham, ladyfox7Oaks, Dred Pirate Bunny, Christine, Cheshil, Kerry, Ryan V , Yaseanne, Phr3d, Jacky Tar, Di @ Magickal Realism, Sarah, Arthur, Lisa, Jade, Cheshil, Novander, The Storm Cellar, Ebony14, Danica Enjolras, Tenchi Kaze, Apryl Knight, and Ooka.

I’ll add to this list as I find other personal accounts of those who really did “Blog Like it’s the End of the World.”

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Dawn Greets a Zombie-Free World

Jeff — Sat, 14 Jun 2008 19:27:35 +0000

As dawn broke a few folks drove into town to confirm that the undead were now simply dead. They stayed to help the survivors, and we’ll be joining them shortly. I can still feel that squirrel bite, even though my hand is downstairs on ice in a cooler. But at least I was the only casualty here. Lucky me.

Once life gets slightly more normal, I’ll work on a master list of everyone who told their stories, and then maybe the truth can be told, in spite of the lies our governments will tell us. There’s already speculation about how this will influence the US presidential election, but now it’s time to mourn the dead and comfort the living.

detail of original photo EOD by Vivek Chugh

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Midnight Quiets the Undead

Jeff — Sat, 14 Jun 2008 04:59:20 +0000

It’ll be 1am soon, and the little monsters that made it into the ductwork are all dead… not jumping around gnawing at things dead, but just lying there slowly decomposing dead. A few minutes ago we took a quick look outside to find nothing remarkable: no zombie anythings shuffling around, and no strange lights in the sky.

Now that the skittering has quieted down, and the effect seems to have passed, it’s kind of funny, really. Last year, faced with a metropolitan sprawl full of undead the family survived unscathed. Now, holed up in the wilds of Kentucky, an undead squirrel took my hand.

It was a small bite — a scratch, really — but we all agreed that loosing a limb was better than going zed. Of course it hurt like hell, and most everyone’s eying me nervously, but I’m sure I won’t turn.

Well, pretty sure.

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Small Comforts for the Approaching Night

Jeff — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 21:51:32 +0000

It’s hotter in here, now that all the vents have been boarded up. Of course, we weren’t going to waste the generators on AC, but it only adds to the sense of claustrophobia. More politically themed images are floating around now among the survivors. Anything to distract our attention from the horror that surround us, I suppose.

We also appreciate the comments that are coming in… it’s good to know others have found refuge. Keep ‘em coming!

Aside from the pervasive undead horror across the globe, folks are now reporting more strange lights in the sky: Sylvan published a short, cryptic message about the sky, but we don’t even have a way to see the sky here. Can anyone verify this?

The affected are also showing evidence of language comprehension, according to Amy. Kelly also sees evidence of coordinated undead behavior in her neighborhood.

Finally, a lot of detailed reports are showing up over on the LiveJournal Community “Blog Like it’s the End of the World“. Seems appropriate, don’t you think? I’ll run through them shortly to try to see what’s going on… you know, besides the dead walking among us.

image stolen from Steve Wilson (He’s dead now, he won’t mind)

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Zombies in the USA

Jeff — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 16:56:40 +0000

As the effect swept across the globe, word spread on emails, blogs and panicked phone calls:

Sylvan, reporting from Eagle Prairie, Minnesota, noted the similarities between normal teenagers and zombies, but teenagers don’t eat the Fraud Department. Here’s hoping the power holds!

Beguine posted a very helpful rundown of undead pathology. It seems our government might know more about this event than they’re letting on.

Astor’s still a little out of the loop, but to be fair; riots in Philly aren’t that unusual.

The undead uprising is still in full effect in the regions struck earlier: In the UK, Crys seemed to be handling things well, but all it takes is one carrier to turn a refuge into a morgue.

Up north in Ontario, the Bruce noticed the strange reactions from local fauna. Are puppies immune to the effect? Have their been any zombie children sighted? I wonder…

I also caught a late report back in western Australia from Heidi Kneale about using sheep for defense against the hungry undead. I’m not sure what Linux has to do with this plan, but feel free to use it: I’m sure it’s Open Source.

Pamela is also fighting the good fight down under, and is hoping her 24th birthday tomorrow won’t be celebrated only by the undead.

Damn! Someone just said they heard scampering from the vents. Did the little rodents get in through the heat pump?

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Why Did it Have to be Squirrels?

Jeff — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 15:49:15 +0000

We thought we had all of our bases covered. Maybe it happened last year and nobody noticed, or maybe this time the disease, effect, conspiracy, whatever… is worse. However it happened, we discovered this morning at around 4am that our biggest problem wasn’t going to be undead humans… but squirrels.

The little rats took out our cameras quickly, but at least they haven’t been able to breach the house yet. before we lost the last video feed, it looked like one of them cooked itself on the car battery we ran the cameras with. Could that be the solution? Electricity?

Back on OZ, where the effect should hopefully be ending soon, Steve had the great idea to get off dry land altogether… but so did lots of other folks. And we can only wish Martin the best of luck, but things don’t look good.

When first we heard from Naoko Kensaku in Malaysia, her office was quiet…. too quiet. It looks like she made it home in one piece and is… cooking eggs? Also in Malaysia, Michy’s post-exam celebrations seem to have gotten a little out of hand.

I’m still gathering news from here in the States. Trying to make sense of it all… I’ll post an update shortly!

original photo Ocean Squirrels by Linda Lopez

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The Land Down Under Torn Asunder

Jeff — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 04:25:24 +0000

It’s just after midnight here, and while we now have no illusions about this event being anything other than deadly real, everyone is still in relatively high spirits. Those who think they can sleep are trying, and the others watch the monitors for any signs of trouble.

If Australia is any indication, it may be morning before any unusual events hit the networks. The situation looks rough, but workable for Steve, while “Lab Brat” is holed up somewhere hopefully well-insulated from the horde.

Stranger still, Tiara published a short, but very confusing entry referring to “something that looked like people floating” and several sudden disappearances. No one here knows what to make of it.

Maybe it’ll make more sense after I get a few hours sleep.

original photo Past Midnight by Jasper Greek Lao Golangco

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Zombies Too Cool for School

Jeff — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 03:39:17 +0000

Martin Livings posted some first-hand accounts from Edith Cowan University in Joondalup, Australia, just north of Perth. Hopefully we’ll hear more from him soon.

In another education-related dispatch, a brief undead encounter was recorded earlier today. As the effect has previously been seen closely following the arrival of the 13th day of June, this must certainly be some sort of zombie encounter training video. You be the judge.

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Trouble in the UK… Zombie Trouble

Jeff — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 01:36:04 +0000

Mata’s hastily scrawled note begins: “The power died around 6pm yesterday. It came on again at 8 and there was nothing about it on the news. It went out again a couple of hours later. At 3 in the morning there was a car crash outside, and when I went out to see if I could help….”. Read the rest for yourself.

Meanwhile, Steve seems to have made it to his office in one piece, but he should definitely stay away from that rally!

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The Second Wave Has Begun

Jeff — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 23:11:13 +0000

A few reports of trouble are beginning to surface. Steve commented earlier about some rowdy neighbors and some suspicious workplace vandalism, but is either playing it cool, or hasn’t yet put two and two together.

In nearby New Zealand, a supermarket employee named Courtie had a run in with some unfriendly midnight shoppers. Her hindsight can still be of use to those of you who have not yet encountered the carriers: stay away from population centers!

Honestly, I was slow to believe the full scope of last years outbreak, but this year we packed up and headed west. I don’t want to be too specific, but I’m hoping the Blue Ridge Mountains will keep any east coast zombies at bay.

Vintage Map by Ove Tøpfer, original photo Shopping Cart by Eva Serna.

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The Calm Before the Apocalypse

Jeff — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 12:49:24 +0000

Steven Wilson, the father of BLITEOTW, stands as our vanguard on the battleground that was once our peaceful, zombie-free planet. As this post is written, Friday June the 13th will shortly arrive east of Vadivostok on the global dateline, then sweep over his big island called Australia.

Locally, early rumors of an undead American presidential candidate are hopefully just an uneasy attempt at gallows humor. Whatever else happens in the chaos to follow — now that we are ready and waiting for this second wave of the undead — we’ll soon know if this catastrophic, unexplainable plague honors daylight savings time.

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BLITEOTW 2008 Frappr Map

Jeff — Sun, 08 Jun 2008 03:58:03 +0000

[Frappr map is no more]

If you’re going to tell your tale of reanimated resistance, please mark your spot on the BLITEOTW Frappr map. This will also help to coordinate efforts in your region, and potentially reduce collateral damage. The life you save may be your own!

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Veronica Leads the Zombie Uprising

Jeff — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 14:00:05 +0000

After no small amount of begging, Veronica V. Jones agreed to provide a not so subtle reminder of the doom to befall us all next Friday the 13th: Blog Like it’s the End of the World!

Her cute little zombie girl is apparently not satisfied with the polyfill brains of her teddy bear, nor will the restless, rampaging horde of the undead be satisfied by anything less than the flesh of the living.

You have a week to get your affairs in order…. warn your friends and neighbors with this handy, yet chilling graphic:

Not quite sure what’s going on here? Read Steve Wilson’s original post to learn how to participate in the mayhem!

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Blog Like it’s the End of the World 2008

Jeff — Tue, 27 May 2008 14:14:11 +0000

After last year’s catastrophic events, bloggers of the world are keeping especially vigilant for any unusual signs of impending doom in the weeks leading up June 13th. It should come as a surprise to no one that this also happens to fall on what promises to be a very unlucky Friday.

Steve Wilson of My Elves are Different fame has set up a geographical registry to keep track of volunteer lookouts, should the improbable events of last year somehow recur. If you’re interested in telling the world what — if anything — happens on Friday, June 13th, put your pin in the BLITEOTW ’08 Frapper Map.

But honestly, what are the odds of apocalyptic lightning striking twice?

12 June 2008 - Blog Like It's the End of the World - Again!

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‘Zombie’ Pandemic Hits Washington DC

Jeff — Wed, 13 Jun 2007 12:35:54 +0000

While I work in our nation’s capital, I live in an extreme suburb over 30 miles away. This usually means a crowded commute of over one hour each way, but this morning started out a little light.

I dismissed this as good luck and VRE’d into the city. The big train, however, doesn’t take me quite where I need to be, so Metro is the last leg of my morning voyage. This is where things went askew.

There were far more police than normal, even for this paranoid city, and everyone seemed a little on edge. I only had to ride a few stops, but there were several people that seemed a bit more creepy than normal. I’d blame it on the flashmobbers, but they rarely wear suits… or are still acting up at 50-plus.

There’s nothing on the news sites but rail delay notices, but I’m only a few blocks from the White House, so I’m sure they’ll let us know if anything unusual or dangerous happens.

10:30 am

There’s still nothing about the walking wounded on the Metro this morning, so I suppose whatever was isn’t contagious. I don’t believe for a moment than the dead have risen.

It’s impossible to deny that something is happening, but it’s much more likely to be a weaponized virus or other kind of black bag hanky-panky than a b-movie monsterfest.

11:45 am

Local news is reporting police cording off Arlington Cemetery, while long motorcades have closed all the southbound bridges. They’re also beginning to confirm some of the riots and mayhem reported elsewhere. The paranoid voice in my head says all the fatcats are heading to their bunkers, but I haven’t heard any news to that effect… yet.

12:25 pm

Whatever they are, the carriers are causing trouble nearly everywhere now, including here in the states. The National Guard have set up shop on both corners I can see, and the normal lunchtime traffic has been replaced by streets filled with abandoned cars. There are still a few cars and delivery trucks moving outside, but it’s quiet enough to hear automatic fire in the distance.

I know a few folks up the road at Homeland, but they’re not answering the phones or IMs. Metro is certainly going to be useless now, but the big trains might still be running. Google maps says its about a mile to the station, but I’m staying put for the moment.

1:15 pm

The Guard put up a good fight, but the few stragglers that weren’t eaten beat a hasty retreat. Whatever the carriers are, they don’t seem to have much humanity left within them. The creatures are still shuffling around outside, and don’t seem to be interested in the buildings. The general wisdom seems to be simple: stay inside.

Other than a few vending machines, there’s not much food in the building. I’m going to have to leave before it gets dark. I hope DC fares better than London.

2:20 pm

It’s raining, but not enough to wash away the horrible stench from outside, even from the closed lobby doors downstairs. We can see smoke in every direction, but the sirens have stopped. The freaks outside have thinned bit, and there are a few of us here who are willing to slug south to find our families. I doubt anyone living is still holding the bridges, so the trick will be to find a vehicle and a clear path to the Potomac.

It’ll be rough, but I’ve had tougher commutes. Good luck, everyone!

Thursday, 12:30 am

Made it home a few hours ago. Everyone was safely barricaded in the basement. The carriers kept to the major population centers, so it got easier the further south we rode. I’ll never speak ill of DC Metrobus driver again — but I’ll still give them plenty of room on the roads. Once they’ve been rebuilt, that is.

It’s been quiet for the last hour, so I took a few minutes to check the news. If we’re very lucky, the trend will continue and we’ll just have to hold out ’till sometime before morning. If the situation takes a turn for the worse, we’ll head out west and take our chances in the mountains.

8:10 am

They all ‘died’ a few hours ago. Whatever was driving the carriers on stopped an hour or so before sunrise this morning. Hopefully everyone who’s posted — often using the darkly funny keyword ‘BLITEOTW’ — will check in to assess the damage. The biggest loss so far locally is the Pentagon, with the 9:30 club a close second. I’m certain we can and will rebuild, and I know it’s crazy, but can’t shake a nagging little concern: someone mentioned that next year June 13th is on a Friday. Do you feel lucky?

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