A Few Things I've Learned From Zombie Movies

This weekend, I went to see World War Z and it blew my mind. I loved the book. The film was a real departure, but I still enjoyed it a lot. I’m a huge fan of the genre and I’ve spent hours talking to friends about what we would do if. (Especially when we watched the trailer for WWZ we saw last year. Between the squealing we may have laid bets over who would survive the longest.)

But, this post isn’t exactly about World War Z or those plans. It just got me thinking. And even though you think you know what I was thinking based on the title of this post, I can assure you, this has little to do with how to survive the apocalypse and everything to do with everyday life.

And we’re still not talking survival.

Zombies themselves have a lot to teach us about how we get through things, get ahead of things, get behind things.

First of all, and this was hugely important to my morning: How to get in.

Hey, Guys? Can someone let me in?
The weather out here's for shit.

What the “in” might be is variable. For me, I had a really hard time getting into the office suite this morning. And that’s part of where I had this particular revelation. As I was trying to turn the key in the door (and getting nowhere), I found myself banging my head against the glass. Much like the early zombies in World War Z, or the solitary zombie in so many other movies that the protagonist just doesn’t see on the other side of an unblocked window, sometimes you’ve just got to break through it with whatever means you have. A head is a very effective method. You have a bony plate there thanks to your early proto-human ancestors. Use it. Of course, the parasitic wriggle to get your body through the glass is just flair on the part of WWZ zombies. But, go with what works.

And, if banging your head doesn’t work, try this: Get help from your friends.


 



We are out of brains. Seriously. All we've got is a moldy cauliflower.
Come back tomorrow!

This may seem like a very Beatles reference, but you really do get by with a little help from your friends. Whether it be two or three or a full horde, sometimes it takes a number of us to overcome the barrier of what is going on in life. In the case of getting into my office, I didn’t need brute strength or overwhelming numbers, but a single person with a bit more finesse and finger dexterity helped. Also, I regularly forget my key, so this option is generally the one I usually look toward. A good friend with a key of their own and a sweet tooth is better than a good memory sometimes. As long as I remember to bring cake.

To a zombie, anything is surmountable.



We can do this, guys! It's just a wall!

There is no “when God closes a door....” When there is no door, a zombie just climbs the walls. Or, breaks them down. Whether resourcefulness or sheer stubbornness, they’ll get there, generally before you do and be lurking in the dark. Waiting. Like a creeper. Barring yourself in doesn’t help. They’ve got all the time in the world and even when they don’t, they use their heads or get help from friends. Believe me, there was a moment this morning I thought about breaking down the door. And, then I used my head. ;)

For something good, go the extra mile.

 



Have you tried the brains at this place? They're DELICIOUS!

I don’t know if you’ve seen Warm Bodies, (I thought it was HILARIOUS!) but this is a key lesson you can hear from the z-spective in why brains are awesome. And they must be awesome. In every movie you see them shambling mile after mile, never tiring, never stopping -- rarely decomposing -- all looking for one thing. Brains. If it means that much to you, be the zombie. Keep going. For me, there have been crazy things I have been willing to go an extra mile for as well as the more mundane. But, I thought it was worth it. So, whether that be a treat from your favorite bakery or that opening night ticket, that hard to find book or that friend that just lives a wee bit too far: shamble on, zombie. Shamble on. This morning? Breakfast. Most important meal of the day, people. Don’t get between me and that first meal. Or, any meal for that matter. You will get bitten.

There is never such a thing as too late or too early.

It's the weekend! Who left that alarm clock on???

You never know when zombies are coming, right? They’re just on the move. They’re on a mission and sometimes they may be dormant, but they’re still there. And they’ll keep coming. Day or night. Be there. My cat’s got this one down like a champ. He is there at three in the morning when I blearily stumble to the bathroom. He’s there at seven when I’m scrambling to get out the door for work. He’s there when I shamble through the door at night. When I’m home at noon with a head cold, he’s there. Regardless of time and schedules, he's there, demanding to be fed. I’m still working on that level of persistence myself. But, my boss assures me that someday I will also have that much focus on work. Even if it shakes my marriage. Four in the morning is never -- apparently -- too early for an email. Or, to look for a response. (Gad, I hate Monday Morning email checks. Maybe I should make it my mission to go looking for some coffee.)

I hope you have a good Monday and enjoy whatever it is that kicks you out of the coma. I’m going to get buckled into what I’ve got going on here, but maybe -- if you’re interested, and let me know in comments -- I might tell you more about what I’ve been learning from zombies of late.

In the meantime, shamble on.