Season’s Greetings and Happy New Year. It’s time! …For Blog Post #9. It’s that time of year where 8 or so of the world’s major religions celebrate 30 + different holidays. It’s the season where Muslims celebrate Milad un Nabi, Jews celebrate Hanukkah, Christians celebrate Christmas, and Atheists……celebrate Christmas….for some reason. I am thinking that I may now refer to December 25th as George Michael Memorial Day. Soon, decorations, lights, and Xmas trees will be taken down leaving us all a little sad. Don’t let it get you too down though. It’ll be late September before you know it and lights, decorations, and Xmas carols will all start again.
A Review. 2016
If you’re looking for a comprehensive and accurate review of 2016, I’m Your Man. This past year was Amazing for me personally but it will likely go down as one of the worst for mankind since 1999. While I would love to be writing about human Life on Mars, the cure for cancer, a rise in the atheist movement, world peace, and the Vancouver Canucks hoisting the Stanley Cup, the year that was will go down as one of tragedy and disappointment. It’s been the year of fentanyl, when Brexit became a word, and Zika wasn’t the newest Brazilian goalkeeping sensation. The death of well known actors, musicians, and politicians combined with shocking election results, numerous terrorist attacks, and cell phones that simply exploded in your hands has many people saying, “ Hallelujah! 2016 is over!”
The biggest story of the year, according to news organization worldwide, is the election of Donald Trump to the presidency of the United States of America. I’m grateful that I’m Canadian and This is Not America. Young Americans are now Praying for Time to move quickly and get these four years over with. Unfortunately, Americans and the rest of the world will need to have Patience. Everybody Knows that Freedom is Something to Save. In four years, Donald Trump will be asking for One More Try and once again The Future will be in the hands of American voters. When The Heat is On, will they again decide to vote for The Man Who Sold the World and keep The Thieves in the Temple or will they seek better for themselves and the world. I have Faith that they’ll make the right choice the second time around.
Looking Ahead. 2017
What does 2017 hold for us? I will make some bold predictions and we’ll see where we are at the end of the year:
- Celebrities of various levels will die. Drugs, old age, and disease took many of the best artists and icons in 2016. I predict this trend will continue.
- “I Feel It Coming” by The Weeknd with Daft Punk will be the biggest song of 2017. It’s hard to believe Michael Jackson is not with us when you hear that opening.
- Atheism will continue to stagnate while people look to higher powers to explain war, disease, and the meaning of it all. Religion isn’t going anywhere.
- Fentanyl laced street drugs will be an increasing health threat. There will be cries for action from government and health authorities with little effect. The drugs will become more and more potent like the latest threat, Carfentanyl. It is only a matter of time before we’ll be saying, “What’s next?… Truckfentanyl?”
- There will be positives. There has to be. We’ll find ways to connect, to support, to be kind. News outlets will be pushed to see the positive side of the human experience. Positivity will still exist and you’ll find it… if you look for it. What will you focus on in 2017?
Bonus Prediction: The Vancouver Canucks will not win the Stanley Cup.
Did you catch the references to songs by David Bowie, Prince, Leonard Cohen, Glen Frey, and George Michael in paragraphs two and three? Trick question: Who sang “I’m Your Man”? With the birth of a new year, I give you original “jokes” about birth. The first is more of a riddle. The second is more of an amusing true story with exaggerations. Enjoy.
In recorded history, what was the youngest baby ever born?
They’re all the same age.
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Before beginning our maternity rotation in nursing school, we were asked to read several chapters on birth and babies. We then had two days of classroom time before setting out into hospitals and community clinical settings. On the first classroom day, the instructors asked us, “Who here has been to a birth?”
I put my hand up but was surprised to see more than half the group had never been to a birth.
The instructor chose me, the only male in the room, and asked, “Roy, what was it like?”
“I don’t remember. I was pretty young.”
One instructor smiled while the other continued to ask me, “Well, do you remember anything from it?”
“I don’t remember a thing but I do know the baby survived and is now in nursing school.”
Everybody laughed….except the instructor who still seemed bewildered, “Well, that’s good. Anything else you can tell us?”
“Although I don’t remember it, I know that I battled and struggled and fought my way out of that confining meat sack….to reach FREEDOM!”
Roy G Mundheim 