So here we are at the end of 2016.

What a year it’s been. So much as happened. On a personal level, I would have to say it’s been a year to forget. No books out and quite a bit to deal with on both the work and home fronts. Then again, does any of that stuff matter? I suppose it matters to me, and to the people in my immediate vicinity. But in the grand scale of things, does it really matter? I don’t know.

When looking at the big picture, it seems like it’s been a year to forget from that perspective as well. The main thing that a lot of people have been fixating on is the death of numerous celebrities. If you’re a fan of David Bowie or Prince or George Michael or Carrie Fisher or various others, I can see why that would be especially devastating. I pass on my sympathies to all affected, whether they were close to the deceased or whether they simply admired or respected their work. Then again, people are born and die all the time. Some of those people (like these celebrities and artists) make a big impact on the world but most of them don’t. And in the case of the celebrities, we still have their work. I can listen to the songs of Bowie or Prince, or watch a rerun of Star Wars (or When Harry Met Sally – a personal favourite). In the short time we all have on Earth, we can definitely say these people made a difference. But in the big picture of things, I once again ask myself whether it matters.

Then again, there are the really big picture things. You’d need to be hiding under a mushroom not to see some of the terrible things that have happened. The wars being fought and the millions forced to be refugees. Not to mention some of the politics being played out at the moment. Again, I don’t want to go into specifics, or to back one side over the other (therefore immediately putting offside anybody who backs the other side). I would just say that like many others around the world, I’m pretty concerned about a lot of things. And probably what concerns me most is that whatever problems we have, both sides seem entrenched in their positions and neither side is willing or able to talk to the other side. You’d be hard pressed to say that stuff doesn’t matter.

Seems like this is all getting pretty heavy for a blog that usually focuses on the lighter side. Which is why I have to finish by saying that even though 2016 has made me pretty sad, as it draws to an end and 2017 dawns I’m trying to clutch onto a little bit of happiness too. On a personal level, I’ve survived what 2016 threw at me and I’m hopeful things will look up in 2017. Hopefully, at a larger level, 2017 will be a better year. True, we’ll likely lose more celebrities and artists – that’s normal. We’ll mourn their passing and celebrate their work. But hopefully, in 2017 we’ll reverse some of those disturbing global trends, and see a more civil and more peaceful world for everyone.

Well, all I can do is hope.