bestest ever + need help + zombie apocalypse

Well yesterday was by far the bestest ever Valentines Day I've ever had. Firstly I noticed how verymuch love there is in my life, though it does not look at all like the Disney version, but it is my life, and I'd seriously be horrified and appalled to have to live a disney life instead.

I got Valentines gifts too, a sparkley frog card, a drive-by fabric drop-off, sweet online words and pictures, and in the evening, this very Japanese bit of flower and foliage (now residing on my nightstand) My friends are awesome - I love you so much!!

~ ~ ~≈:::≈~ ~ ~

I'm looking for uber-geeky help here in PDX, I may have some computer issues, and need help understanding and following the instructions S gave me to continue to diagnose and deal with... will trade my skills for yours... hoping I do not need to mindwipe my computer

~ ~ ~≈:::≈~ ~ ~

I keep noticing all the zombie references in the last few years, keep seeing/hearing about the zombie apocalypse, books about the undead of various types... the "appeal" of all this has really baffled me. Two different comments on friends blogs yesterday and I'm now wondering if the term "Zombie Apocalypse" is actually a kind of code word for what we formerly called "when the shit hits the fan", back when we all had grab n go bags at the foot of our beds, and the fastest route on foot out of the city memorised. (Of course, back then it wasn't exactly clear what we would do once out of the city...)

But I'm really wondering if this term "Z-A" isn't a way to make taking steps towards independent living a little less frightening. Stocking a pantry, learning self defense (hand or weapons), growing neighborhood connections or whatever seems helpful; it isn't like we are really in the handbasket going to the hot place is it? The World As We Know It isn't really going to change that much, right? Maybe I'm just overimaginative, or maybe all of us sense a tectonic shift and are reacting each in our own way, and calling it out in different languages.