MMXVII prognostication – SJBMCPRS Diagnoses

Disclaimer: The following post on the SJBMCPRS Report is not to be taken overly seriously, and is purposely expressive with an intent to imply the author’s perspective (which people are free to view if they choose to). However, the contents of this post will contain some real-world properties and questionable language, which along with the entirety of this post may be taken as offensive to people.

“The only way to predict the future is to have power to shape the future.” – Eric Hoffer

Alright; let’s get the easy stuff out of the way... Happy New Year (in 2017), best wishes to all ...blah, blah, blah. ...And in case some are looking at the title of this post and thinking “huh?”, MMXVII is 2017 in roman numeral.

Got that? Good, we can move on. To what in 2017, I don’t know for sure, because I am not a fortune-teller with a crystal ball striving to learn everything in advance so that I can win the national lottery, and place bets on which celebrity dies next. That said, it would be very useful to have that kind of ability to see into the future, so that I won’t be as shocked or taken by surprise when something in life occurs, plus I would be rich! Alas; like a rubber ducky in a bathtub on Mars suddenly transforming into a flying robot that takes the shape of the next United States of America elect (after Donald Trump’s years as President are over), ...me getting psychic powers and becoming rich isn’t going to happen. Shame really, because I really would like a new space hopper, and I think America at least will be more satisfied with a transforming rubber ducky as President compared to what they will get in 2017. But hey, at least there will be more anime in the form of Dragon Ball Super, the newly announced Yu-Gi-Oh series, and Star Wars episode eight (8) in cinemas, that has to count for something to some people, right?

So, there’s a chance that more of people’s favourite celebrities/famous people will be checking in to Death’s retirement home (or putting it simply, dying) in 2017, and there will be mourning. And yet as ‘tragic’ and ‘unfair’ people may say deaths are, it is an inevitable reality that comes for everyone when it’s time. Sure, someone passes, but that doesn’t mean life for every fan ends at that precise moment, because there is more to life than one (1) or a few significant people that starred in films, write music or did something admirable being no longer around. ...At least I hope the majority of people are wise enough to move on with their lives, and don’t become entirely obsessed over a loss of someone else. As devastating as my Mum’s and Dad’s deaths will be on me and the rest of my family when they pass on, I am wise enough to know it’s going to happen someday, and that I will adapt to not having the greatest people around, and be able to appreciate even the smallest of gems like during Boxing Day in 2016 where my Dad unwrapped a tin of garden peas and a HMV gift card, which as intended; was for fun, and brought joy to the whole family knowing that my Dad doesn’t like peas. So, while there are people mourning the recent loss of individuals like Carrie Fisher and Rick Parfitt (from the band Status Quo), it isn’t all doom and gloom as their achievements will continue to exist (and be exploited). In conclusion to this paragraph I state that as ‘bad’ as 2016 was for celebrity deaths, it is no different from previous years and future years to come, therefore we as people should accept that things happen, and people die.

But while it’s a guarantee that there will be people that die in 2017, and other happenstances like temperature changes are also going to happen; forecasting what else may or may not happen in 2017 is not as easy. Let’s focus on New Year’s resolutions since it is a good example of when one (1) might make assumptions or plans. A hypothetical resolution that one (1) person might make on New Year’s Eve (2016) is to get into better physical shape after having a week or so of celebrations during the holiday season. Its cliché yes, but not unrealistic, because it’s based on attributes that influence one’s processes to make that implied resolution. If for example I could comfortably wear my preferred shirt prior to Christmas, but then afterwards could no longer wear it as comfortably because I put on some pounds consuming Christmas holiday food, then I will mentally realise this as a fault of my own doing and resolve to correct the fault by losing some pounds (as in a unit to measure someone’s size, not as in the currency used in the United Kingdom). The purpose of fulfilling this resolution has more significance than just bragging rights, because mentally you overcome a boundary that inhibits you from something that you want; in the case of the example given above, losing enough pounds to once again wear the preferred shirt has a more profound beneficial effect then the alternative which would be to buy a new and bigger shirt.

Why is this the case? To put it simply it is because we ‘program’ our own brains to recognise particular things such as a preference to a particular shirt over a new shirt, or preferring salt and vinegar flavoured crisps than cheese and onion flavoured crisps. The brain houses neurons which are ‘calibrated’ through are actions and experiences to recognise signals that comply to unique patterns. For instance; a person with experience of eating Cadbury Heroes, and Mars Celebrations during Christmas Day will be able to tell which confectionery from the other through taste and memory because different sweets trigger different patterns, which is processed and stimulated in the brain. The effect of our actions and experiences create ‘memory’ within the neurons in the brain, and the more we associate with implied item, the more that particular pattern sticks. This is why someone can recall something they learned during school more so then something they might have only heard five (5) or so minutes ago, because a particular topic in school is more likely to be repeated like how to multiply numbers, and then used in tests, thus the unique pattern for said topic is ‘stored’ in the neurons, and the brain is capable of recognising the data it is receiving.

Neurology lesson aside; going back to the shirt example above, I am more likely to go to my preferred shirt and go through the effort to fit comfortably in the preferred shirt as implied by the hypothetical resolution, because my mind identifies the preferred shirt over an alternative through the unique and profound pattern of signals that are stored in the neurons in my brain. The same process is universal with any particular item, and works the same way for anyone’s brain. That said there is more to it than that, because achieving a goal or New Year’s resolution also produces a chemical called dopamine which is a natural and beneficial stimulant for the body. Fulfilling the implied hypothetical resolution regarding losing weight in order to fit comfortably in a preferred shirt produces dopamine which creates a ‘reward’ that is associated with feeling satisfied and motivated.

In truth, a New Year’s resolution is no different than any goal one (1) might make at any time. And since the title of this post uses the word ‘prognostication’ which is associated with words such as ‘predict’ and ‘think’ (according to thesaurus.com), it will come to no surprise that I have thought about what may occur in 2017 as well as what I would like to accomplice, based on experiences from 2016.

To state that 2016 hosted a number of ‘challenges’ for me to overcome and moments I would like to forget would be defining my interpretation of 2016 vaguely. Ultimately, I have weathered the storm, and have been able to express myself via posts made in 2016 about particular events such as the Comic-con in Bournemouth, the mental health awareness art exhibition, ...and the family holiday in Hastings on July to celebrate my Dad’s 60^th Birthday. Littered among these particular events are countless moments of self-rationalisation where I perceive happenstances and outcomes in different and mostly negative manners. The question: ‘what the blue and silver, five-legged, smothered in sellotape and kitchen roll paper H*** was I thinking?!’ popped into my mind during numerous situations, and in some circumstances, I’m still unable to answer myself.

To put in perspective; 2015 was monumental for my development, and 2016 was monstrously ambitious. 2017 already is intimidating with one (1) major challenge in the form of finding somewhere new to live, however when I consider what was done in 2016, I psychologically feel dwarfed by the immense uncertainty that also awaits me in 2017. You see its one (1) thing to be wary of a tremendous challenge looming ahead, it’s another thing entirely to mentally stare at the seemingly shapeless invisible path that I will be traversing across in the next 365 days with unyielding apprehension. I could tell myself that I am in a better place than where I was at the start of 2016 due to having excelled myself by making art pieces for the mental health awareness exhibition, and gaining more trust from my friends, but doing so would put me in a false sense of security, for these ‘foundations’ could very easily crumble and break apart due to something I constantly fear I will inevitably do. For all I know, 2016 could be in hindsight the very best year I had, whereas 2017 could be the year where everything turns to s*** infused with Flubber and hits the fan, and then shoots back and hits me!   

(Record abruptly stopping sound) The clock has just changed to ’00:00 01/01/2017’. Time for my first (1^st) objective of 2017: stop and listen in silence to Shangri-La (Piano Ballad Version) performed by Asami Imai.

(Six (6) minutes and five (5) seconds later) ....................curse people celebrating with fireworks! The disruption spoils the experience.

Being apprehensive isn’t anything new for me and admittedly as much as I dislike surprises (particularly the awful kind) and not knowing how happenstances are going to unfold, this has pretty much been the case every time a new year rolls in, and it won’t be any different this year in 2017. Whereas I know a couple of things, and have established certain aspects of my life from 2016 which will carry on into 2017, I try to keep things as simple and minimal as possible to alleviate the damage and fear of ruining everything, as well as giving myself enough space to breath when something unexpected develops. Even with that stated; I cannot deny that I would like certain things to happen, as well as attempt to achieve certain objectives. I could very much state what these ambitions are and how I would like to shape my future, however I am fully aware that saying ‘I want this’ to happen or ‘I want to do this’ won’t make it into a reality. It’s not like I have a genie in a lamp waiting to grant me three (3) wishes, or a monkey’s paw to do the same thing. As the quotation from Eric Hoffer (at the top of this post) implies, one (1) must have the ability to make his or her own future. While I will try to mould 2017 in a manner that I would find preferable, establishing one’s (1) own future isn’t as easy as forming a cup out of moulding clay.

But then that’s half the fun, right? Making it up along the way, or something along the lines of what some people might say. I like a lot of people will be traversing upon the yet unfathomable road of 2017 with uncertainty, and while there are people who will march into each day with a smile and seemingly infinite optimism, I cannot afford to be naïve, and to have zero (0) regard for consequences. For now, it is simply too soon to make assumptions (other than the negative assumptions), but perhaps if I can maintain the current flow of how everything in my life is throughout January (2017); I might have a clearer picture of what else awaits me. ...Or I could still be facing an enormous question mark (?) with no way of prophesying what is still to come. ...Or I could be antagonised over the littlest of things that shouldn’t make me mad at people, but does. ...Or I could inadvertently break my glasses and pay a metaphorically an arm and a leg for new glasses. ...Or I could find myself in a issue with family where I will have to provide emergency funds that I will not get back. ...Or I could be standing at one (1) end of a burnt bridge having tarnished everything inadvertently through my own stupidity.  

A new year full of apprehension... Yay... (FYI this is meant to be a sarcastic remark).

Oh, what fun awaits in 2017; especially when it comes to Christmas Day and Boxing Day in 2017 where I can expect more weirdness that will make the loaf of bread I got for a present seem tame in comparison (seriously this did happen in 2016!). This is where I will conclude this post as I must stop before I go even madder and state even more ‘...Or I’ scenarios, or plan a delightfully evil retaliation in the form of a Toblerone that has been in a freezer for a week as a Boxing Day present! In the meantime, feel free to comment, or imply your own perceptions, and until next time, see ya!

Unquantified irrationality – SJBMCPRS Diagnoses

Disclaimer: The following post on the SJBMCPRS Report is not to be taken overly seriously, and is purposely expressive with an intent to imply the author’s perspective (which people are free to view if they choose to). However, the contents of this post will contain some real-world properties and questionable language, which along with the entirety of this post may be taken as offensive to people.

“You can't fix stupid.” – Ron White

I am not going to lie; I am rather stupid, but not in the way that is perceived as mentally incapable, clumsy, or whatever word is appropriate to describe those who are more like Pinky rather than the Brain. Contrary to a stigma given to me by doctors at a very young age, who thought I would have the mental capacity of a toddler at the age of eighteen (18); I am quite capable of handling myself in everyday activities and happenstances, and through experiences have learnt when to back away when a situation turns as sour as a jar of sweet and sour left at a rubbish tip without a lid for three (3) years. That said however, I am no genius and I have made many stupid decisions, and there’s an exceptional chance that I will make more irrational or shirt-sighted decisions in the future.  

The thing is though while that can be said for anyone and that it’s a circumstance encountered through life; I am of the opinion that I am not of sound mind when it comes to perceiving not only myself, but also the world that I see. There is a notion of uneasiness within myself, that perceives many matters and happenstances as asinine. For instance; my 'good' intentions are deemed foolishly short-sighted mentally, because I can't help but think of worse case scenarios, only to be subsequently ridiculed in hindsight. Throughout the course of providing posts on the SJBMCPRS Report; I have not been shy of condemning myself, and its somewhat a cliché that this point. Heck; it’s a compulsive trait of mine and kind of satisfying to mentally kick my own backside for all the daft things I’ve done as well as the things I believe have gone wrong as a result of my actions. Did I mention I am of the opinion that I am not of sound mind?

It is unfortunate however that I feel there is an unspeakable amount of absurdity, not just from me but in an unquantified number of things around me. I would like to think that the only thing ‘wrong’ in the world is me, and that every conceivable problem will be solved with by eradication... but that’s an asinine thought because in reality I am (somehow) not accountable for everything that is ‘wrong’.

(Record abruptly stopping sound) …What a terrifying realisation! In the moment, it’s taken people to come back to their senses; the Guinness World Records has a new record for the longest period of silence, Christmas (in 2016) has passed, and Santa Claus has passed away from starvation due to not finding any milk and cookies left for him to consume.

As much as I would enjoy the completely ridiculous idea of everyone sticking their pitchforks and torches of fire upon the World’s Nemesis (i.e. me) for the salvation of everyone and everything... I have to concede that the problems the world faces are quintessentially beyond my control and other people’s control as well. The problems we as people (past, present, and future) all face are circumstances that we over time have knowingly or unknowingly allowed to happen. And while its super-duper easy to blame someone or lash out in fury for things that are perceived to be ‘wrong’’ (especially in the digital age where its to be expected of small-minded people to cry out over trivial things that aren’t meant to offend) the reality is something or someone is ‘wrong’ only because said thing doesn’t meet are preferences or requirements, and that we allow ourselves to fall into an unfavourable situation.

Now before people take arms and break down my door with the desire to spill my blood, ...I should stress that I don’t think what someone else is doing is asinine, and that there are foolish as a result. I wouldn't go up to someone and say "hey that is really stupid and your stupid because of your stupidity". I acknowledge that people make choices that may or may not work out, and the last thing people want is for someone to ridicule them for every single thing that happens. Sure; I can mentally think that 'this is asinine' or think negatively about someone, but then that's my perception. I can't help but see things in negative ways, and I cannot prevent myself for making assumptions about myself, and what I do that are deemed asinine.

But let’s be more realistic now; I don’t like a lot of things, and that’s no different from other people. I can dislike something or someone and express my opinion just like anyone essentially can. I could write down a list of things I would do differently opposed to something I didn’t like, and I have expressed my thoughts often enough on the posts found on the SJBMCPRS Report. This is nothing new, and people have their means to express themselves as well, and do so. So would it REALLY be all that shocking that I perceive an unquantified amount of matters as ‘stupid’, ‘wrong’, ‘not to my liking’ and so on? The answer to that question is ‘yes’, but with a note of caution because people may react in a manner that is disproportionate to the circumstances, i.e. people can get offended by something that is merely expressive and not intended to cause offense. That’s not a hypothetical scenario of extreme proportions, it is sadly a realistic circumstance that quite frankly is scary. So with that in mind, I will share a couple of examples of what irks me with the intention of explaining the purpose for this post.

Aside from disliking people in general, being in a place crammed with people, myself, instances that disrupt my processes/flow, surprises, political correctness, and people being naive about how ‘this video game’ is ‘offensive’ and ‘it has to be banned’, ...all of which I have mentioned in the past in previous posts; I groan with things that I generally like as well. For instance: I cannot stand James Ellsworth in WWE, and I don’t like it when the WWE forces their will upon me as a part of an audience in spite of clear opposition i.e. the insistence of Roman Reigns (nothing against the person in real life, but I grew up watching the product and understood why audiences were taking a dislike to previous attempts of WWE forcing their will, and having learned this, I can tell what’s bulls*** and who and what is preferable).

I might be an outsider in feeling this way but there are things about Pokémon Sun and Moon that I do not like, such as the ‘removal’ of HMs (Hidden Machines), and the ability to teach these multi-use moves to Pokémon I WANT to use. I don’t particularly like Charizard, I never cared or liked Machamp, Tauros, Stoutland, and when I think of Pokémon that can swim/use Surf on water, I don’t think of having a Lapras or a Sharpedo. Why must I use Pokémon I don’t want? Why reduce my team of Pokémon to just battling? While its convenient that these HMs are swapped to Pokémon that a trainer can ‘hire’ as opposed to taking up a vital space in a Pokémon’s move list, some moves are very effective to use in battles as well, such as Surf and Fly. Additionally, having a team in previous generations of Pokémon games that you have to battle and help you traverse across water and bypass obstacles likes trees and large stones makes the team feel more crucial to you as a trainer and three (3) dimensional to the player. An Azumarill in Generation six (6) with great HP, good Water and Fairy moves, and can use Surf in and out of battle means a great deal to me as a player because this Azumarill is dependable, special and endearing. In Generation seven (7) however, an Azumarill is just another Pokemon I use for battling, that’s it, and that goes for other Pokemon I like and would use. In Gen seven (7) the Pokemon feel more like ...tools rather than a team of companions you can go wherever and do whatever with in the Pokemon world. A fancy new Z-Move is really just a waste of time and effort, when a super-effective move like Surf will do the trick just as well. No more does this dismaying effect become apparent when you use Machamp to bypass large stones... the player’s character/avatar looks so lazy and entitled to be carried while the Machamp literally and visually does the player’s bidding. Ugh! I think I’ll stick to previous generations.

Characters like Hau and Professor Kukui are obnoxious for me. When I see those care-free grins and happy-go-lucky theme songs associated with these characters, it feels like I’m Dracula and I am being exposed to sunlight and holy water consistently (which is bad!). I get it; it’s a video game that appeals to all ages (mainly younger audiences), and therefore a smile rather than a frown upon a character is more inviting for a player, but amongst what feels like a more serious plot with Aether Paradise the goofy yet enjoyable Team Skull, I’d expect a more serious tone and for characters to show appropriate emotions like Lillie and Gladion, rather than a grinning, and energetically sociopath like Hau. I know the player’s character isn’t much better with his/her one (1) expression fits all look, but then the player’s character has remained universally blank for many, many games so that the player can to imagine themselves as that character exploring the world within the video game, thus it makes sense.

Lastly for Pokemon Sun and Moon; the character customisation is lacklustre. Limiting particular colours depending which version of the game you have? That’s irrational bulls***, and the lacking variety of clothing and styles for your character/avatar feels like a step backwards from Pokemon X and Y. There are other points of contention here and there, but ultimately its not going to make me angry and spew unnecessary nonsense like ’Screw you Game Freak! It’s a horrible game!!’, because despite its faults, it’s still a tremendous Pokemon game and without a doubt its easily the second (2^nd) best game of 2016 I’ve experienced.

The examples given above are just a few amongst the many matters that I don’t like, though these asinine instances are not so antagonising that I angrily complain and rant about depending change. The reason for this is simply because I know it’s not a deal-breaker and the straight forward solution for me is to turn my attention elsewhere. I might not like certain elements with the WWE right now, but then it’s never been perfect and I know that I can take the parts I want to know and see, rather than watch the product in full filled with triteness every week. If I hear the happy-go-lucky songs in Pokemon Sun and Moon (and in other media), I have the option to turn the volume off and listen to something else like the Harry Potter audiobooks, or the anime movie soundtrack for Kimi no Na wa (Your Name). I might not like the fact that I have to get another external hard drive for my Xbox One due to a lack of available space, but frankly with the Xbox One I am better off with this approach rather than having to compromise with the alternative option known as the PlayStation 4 and its more problematic hard drive issues. I might question from time to time the absurd reasoning for why Constructor HD, and Bloodstained: Ritual of The Night have been delayed, but I have other options to fill the time, and that the stupidest option I could make is to obsess over something that simply isn’t ready.

With this in mind; I am actively trying to take this approach with other instances and matters like going out for a meal at a restaurant/café. Personally, I think its daft paying an arm and a leg for food that has such a fancy foreign name that I cannot pronounce correctly, whilst feeling a little uncomfortable being in a place where there are other people. Call me a hermit crab, but I do prefer my own space and am content with bargain food found in supermarkets. I do understand though that these meals at restaurants/cafes are for special occasions and are infrequent which means I can tolerate these situations, in spite of what I personally feel.   

I know I will have to take this approach very soon when it comes to Christmas Day, and Boxing Day in 2016, ...and come equipped with my headphones! The endless Christmas songs, overblown giddiness, rowdiness, and eye-rolling when I hear the rest of my family groan that they feel their efforts and contributions are inferior to my contributions. ...(sigh) The reason that is stupid is because despite my family knowing that I do what I do for occasions like Christmas and I am happy with what I receive along with the hospitality, they STILL moan and complain when this has been a stable of knowing for YEARS. Only they feel this is a problem, to which I say: ‘build a bridge and get over it’, because its tedious bickering, and it spoils the occasion. The moment my family stops groaning, is the moment I find myself confronted with one (1) less occurrence of absurdity.

If only other people in the rest of the world can take a chill-pill and think before presenting themselves as irrational headless chickens. I may not watch television and the news coverage on dedicated news programs these days, but it doesn’t mean I am safe from the eye-rolling nonsense that transcends everywhere else in all its triteness. Did you know about the United States presidential election of 2016? How could I not know... it was every-freakin’-where! News coverage, live reactions, constant analysis, slander, advertisement, campaign videos, and so on. This was built up so much, it came across as if this was the end of the world with a 1000 ft. Gumshoos (from Pokémon Sun and Moon) wrestling the unrelenting Rhea (from mythology) for supremacy (okay that is an exaggeration, but it would have made the whole matter far more interesting).  Now with the results in, and Donald ‘Gumshoos’ Trump winning the overall vote, the outcry is STILL spouting about how the end is night and how we are doomed. I’m going to shrug my shoulders and let whatever transpires unfold, not much I can do about it. The majority of US voters wanted Trump as the next US President, and the people who opposed made their decision that didn’t work out. In a way they have all contributed to create this situation, and if anyone is to blame them my advice is to take a good long like in a mirror. If Donald Trump does indeed mean the end of the world, then it is what it is. Matters not to me who is the next president of the United States, or the next Government, king or queen, they’re all just playing pieces on the chessboard like us with the ability to call upon the rapture, the end of days and in the meantime, contribute to the circumstances that shape our lives. It would be more peaceful if the countless voices across the globe providing 24/7 coverage of events zipped their mouths and allowed a moment of respite.

Of course, that won’t happen. If it’s not about the people ln charge of ‘running’ the world, it’s something else. In this day and age where people have video recording mobile devices and the internet in the palm of their hands; literally anything can spread and go viral. This is scary enough, but when a fad that should have died away after its fifth-teen (15) minutes of fame is still being mentioned long past its expiry date, its then I just face-palm, or as King Ross of WhatCulture implies by saying ‘I push my fingers into my eyes’. In the same way that tired employees feel annoyed by having to be held up from returning home after a training session in order to fill out a questionnaire and feedback slip asking trivial things like ‘how did you think the session went?’ and ‘what do you think could improve future training sessions?, the exasperated and stern glare of an tired employee wanting nothing more than to be at home will elaborate how I feel when something so asinine is mentioned to me. This is another level of absurdity; things like Harambe, social outrage over the 2016 Ghostbusters, VR (Virtual Reality) and every other fad that has been brought up that should’ve keeled over and drowned in a cesspool but hasn’t, is just another reminder of why I cannot tolerate society for long periods of time.

It’s my perception that we as people pay attention to one (1) certain thing, and subsequently move on the newest instance that attracts attention. While I am a person and therefore am prone to being captivated by something, I like to think I do not dwell on matters that are not significant to me. At most; I’ll hear something, subsequently decide if it’s important to me, and 9/10 I turn my attention to something else. When it comes to fads however; the publicity and attention that draws people in prolong something that doesn’t need to be remembered twenty (20) minutes later. I know that’s my interpretation, and I am perfectly fine being alone in thinking this way. I will find ways to block out what I feel is asinine (which at this point seems like quite a lot), ...just don’t bring up an asinine matter to my face, because I may shrug it off in a coldly manner and quote Ebenezer Scrooge by saying “Bah! Humbug!”.                  

With all this being stated, along with instances of irritations mentioned in previous posts like my dislike for the Final Fantasy XIII trilogy, and the ruckus caused by SJWs; it’s safe to assume I won’t be sending golly Christmas cards out to those people and establishments who are accountable for causing the unquantified amount of irrationality that exists. Putting it simply; the amount of Christmas cards I would have to write and send out would be far, far too many, as well as impractical given how many stupid things there are. Bear in mind though that this post highlights some of my encounters with irrational instances and events, and that number is only going to grow as events unfold on a daily basis. Regardless whether I make any coherent sense or merely come across as a moody self-centred monstrosity; its not just me who finds any number of things and instances ‘wrong’, ‘unlikable’, ‘absurd’ etc. Agree or disagree; there’s no escaping the fact that everyone has thoughts on matters, circumstances, and happenstances that transpire. Need proof? Perhaps you will find all the proof one’s requires through the use of the internet, and maybe then you can interpret what you’ll find in your own way. ...Just don’t expect to find a cure for what can be defined as ‘stupid’ because it can be applied to anyone or anything with the slightest of effort. Its effectively everywhere!

With the festive season drawing closer, I shall conclude this post as all of us will need to prepare for the weeks coming. The dawn of 2017 is approaching, as to what 2017 will mean is yet to be determined, though it is a reasonable assumption that people everywhere will have their means of traversing across the unfolding road ahead. I will no doubt try, as long as situations do not turn sour, and the number of irrational instances do not overwhelm. For now; feel free to comment or imply your own perceptions, and until next time, see ya!