There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven: a time to weep, and a time to laugh … Ecclesiastes 3:1, 4a
Yesterday fellow blogger Mitch Teemley posted these timely words:
“After performing tragedies, the ancient Greeks always staged comedies, often making fun of the tragedies they’d just presented. Why? Comedy relief. Likewise, humor flourishes during wars and epidemics. Morbidity? No, survival. When we’re under attack, we ridicule our attackers and tease ourselves. Why? Because it helps us cope, reminds us we’re in this together and, well, simply provides comedy relief. Those Greeks had it right.”
Inspired by Mitch’s words (and in honor of April Fool’s Day), I’m finally posting a piece I had hesitated to publish …
So, people are stockpiling non-perishable foods, drinking water (not sure why on that one … ) and of course, toilet paper. (What is it with the toilet paper???)
For anyone over 30, this scenario brings back memories of another world-wide emergency: “Y2K.”
For you who don’t remember this crisis, here’s a little background:
It seems that when computers were first invented they had built-in clocks keeping track of times and dates. Unfortunately, the years registered only in two digits, so 1984 was just “84,” 1999 was just “99.” Apparently it hadn’t occurred to the technology geniuses until the late 90’s that there might be a problem when the year “99” turned over and became “00.” This situation provided fuel for a major scare world-wide. By now virtually every part of our society from our car engines to our banking to our communication was computerized. Rumor had it that even the latest toys, “Furbies,” were more technologically complex than our first space shuttle – Don’t quote me on that one, please.
It just happened that I was asked to sing at a Christian Women’s Club luncheon on January 4, 2000. The format was to sing one light, secular song early on, then a “sacred” song just before the speaker. For the “secular” selection I couldn’t resist writing an original song for just such an occasion. I only performed it once, but here it is, resurrected after 20 years+.
You can sing along. The melody is the same as “Jingle Bells.” The song should start out light and fun, then gradually build in speed and intensity until it reaches a frenzied climax just before the last two lines, after which the song should end with a line of hesitation and an abrupt final line, sung with a big, relieved smile.
(Have fun, and happy April Fool’s Day.)
Y2K
Y2K! Y2K! What is Y2K? The end of all life as we know it, coming any day now! Y2K! Y2K! Everyone beware! Stock up fuel and food supplies, so you will be prepared.
All commercial planes will fall out of the sky! Reservoirs will drain and leave us high and dry! Every ATM will tell you that you’re broke! All cars on the road will simultaneously choke – OH!
Y2K! Y2K! What are we to do?! I’m prepared for Y2K. (But I won’t share with you – Ha!) Y2K! Y2K! All computers die! We have great technology. At midnight it will fry.
Desktops all will fail, and laptops lose their drive! If we don’t comply, we will not survive! Floppy discs will flop, and CD’s will not work, While a million Furbie toys go totally berserk!!! – OH!
Y2K! Y2K! Panic in the street! Will we freeze to death that day or have no food to eat?! – OH! Y2K-Y2K- Running-out-of-time!!! … what? … It’ January 4th?
In that case … never mind.
*(Today this song is dedicated to all the computer engineers and technicians who worked tirelessly to make “Y2K” a non-crisis, and to all the doctors, researchers, and world leaders battling the Corona virus today.)
Prayer: Dear Lord, we see everything from the worldly, temporary perspective of this life, and quite honestly, things seem very grim today. But we know that nothing is out of Your control, and from Your throne things look very different. We know that when we get to heaven we will be able to look back on everything You’ve brought us through – including death itself – and smile. Give us the faith and trust to smile even now, when we can’t see the outcome, but we know that You are all-powerful, all-wise, and all-loving. And Lord, for those reading this who aren’t there yet, please use this blog to draw them closer to You, their loving Father, in Jesus’ name, amen.
Great lyrics! Many people came out looking like fools during those days, sadly, many from the evangelical community. Thanks for the humorous diversion!
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My pleasure. I admit I had some extra canned foods in the basement, but I figured if it turned out to be nothing at least I wouldn’t have to buy groceries for a while.
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I love your little ditty. It brings back memories of going to NYE party where one guy spent the whole night making sure that all of our computers were ready for Y2K to come at the stroke of midnight.
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Wow! Awesome. We were home, watching other parts of the world on TV – in time zones that had passed midnight already.
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It was a weird night 🌙
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🙂
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I Love it!
I wasn’t buying the Y2K hype, so I did not prepare at all. But on the morning of January 1, 2000, I went out to the garage, climbed into the driver’s seat of my one year old Subaru Outback — and it would not start! There wasn’t even a “click” when I turned the key in the ignition.
Had Y2K killed my car? Nope, it turned out to be just a dead battery. Why it choose that moment to die, when the car was nearly new and very well maintained, only God knows.
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Yes, God knows … Maybe He was just messing with you. 😉
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Hee, hee. This is fun.
Have you seen this handwashing/social distancing parody?
My family busted a gut over it. It feels good to laugh.
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Yes, laughter is good medicine – and we need it right now. Thanks for sharing the video. 😀
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😂 very nice. It just so happens that one of my computers is old enough that it thinks it is 1920, but guess what, it still works perfectly fine. 😁
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I love it! 😀
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Love the lyrics! I well remember the panic of Y2K, although at the time I mostly ignored it. I felt it was a case of unnecessary panic, “the sky is falling, the sky is falling” chicken little kind of thing. Panic is never helpful anyway and leads to other difficulties. Trust in God (or whatever you may choose to call a higher power) leads to calm and to peace.
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Earlier, when I had mentioned Y2K in a comment on someone else’s post, I got a response from someone who was in the middle of the struggle to get everything back on track before midnight new Year’s Eve. She assured me it was a very real problem, but thanks to the people behind the scenes, it seemed to have been nothing when it was all over. Maybe now we have those working behind the scenes (human and otherwise) that we should not be taking for granted. (Psalm 91:11) When this is all over, I do hope we don’t get back to “business as usual.” (It would be nice to see people turn to God when times are GOOD, too. 😉 )
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How fun, love that upbeat little song!! I remember y2k and getting all hyped about it as a teenager and then it turned out to be just another day…
Hoping this current mess clears up quick…from toilet paper shortages to sickness!!
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This song is pure gold, Annie–an undiscovered classic!
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Well, now you’ve discovered it. 😉
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Maybe someday you can use it in one of your movies. – Hmmm, a movie about Y2K … I can imagine what you could do with that topic! 😀
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Actually, it would make a great period comedy.
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Go for it, Mitch! You could call it “Y2-What-For?”
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Amen to a wonderful prayer!!! I could see your face somehow singing with a little mischievousness 😉
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Haha! Ya think? 😉
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😊😃
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Very interesting.
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Thank you. 🙂
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Amen! (I love the end of the song! Hilarious!) Blessings, Annie!
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I guess that’s kind of the way it is with a lot of the stuff we freak our over. 😉
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Great Post. Like your little song. I remember the Y2K fever. I didn’t buy that. And I refuse to feed fear. I choose to feed my faith in God. Perhaps the empty grocery shelves reveal more than just erring on the side of caution. But how empty our lives are of faith in God as opposed to having so much faith in our money, intellect and technology. God is our only hope. Do we really trust Him? The earth is the Lord’s, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein. For he hath founded it upon the seas, and established it upon the floods.(Psalm 24:1-2) As we used to sing in Sunday School—“He’s got the whole world in His hands.”
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Amen. Thanks for stopping by. 🙂
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I remember Y2K; there were some Christians selling survival gear!
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Some churches will turn anything into a fundraiser. (*eye roll*)
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Sadly
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They need to try turning souls to God.
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Loved it! Thanks for the memories! 😉 Oh the things we get to witness!
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Haha! So true! Things to tell our grandchildren. 😉
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