Solstice Renewing

Okay, it's December 21, 2011.  365 days from Winter Solstice 2012.  151 days from the Toltec/Aztec New Age as portrayed in EFFIGY.  Only three months from the next Spring Equinox - the date that launches EFFIGY's Equinox Killer into action.

As I sit here one year away from the "dreaded" 2012 world end date, how, you may ask, am I feeling.  And I will reply - just fine.  I'm actually looking forward to enjoying Christmas with my family and don't even consider this to be the last Christmas of all time.  But at the same time, I recognize that today, this day, is the official step onto the backstretch leading up to the big day of 2012.  But let's not fix our focus so tightly on the finish line that we miss the marvels we'll pass along the way.

Of course, Mexico expects to capitalize on this date as a time of rejuvination, and why shouldn't they?  They are expecting tourism to more than double their annual average visitations next year, particularly in Yucatan and Chiapas - not coincidentally, two regions featured in EFFIGY's upcoming sequel, DEITY.

Even if you are not planning to join in the year-long celebrations south-of-the-border, there are plenty of things to pique anticipation in the skies.  Yup, astronomers can lead us through the cosmological journey from the conjunction of Venus and Jupiter on March 14th, to the solar eclipse on May 20th (you remember that from EFFIGY, right?), to the Venus Transit in June, to the December Solstice 2012, and so much more astronomical stuff in between.

But my favored thread to follow are the archaeological excavations in progress in Mesoamerican ruins all across Mexico.  If you've been following me on Facebook and Twitter, you are already aware of some of the treasures they are discovering in Teotihuacan and I expect to continue posting updates on new discoveries throughout the coming year.  However, in celebration of 2012 and all the hype that goes with it, expect a little more news on the Maya side of things.  After all, it's what DEITY is all about!