So here we are; the future.

I remember in the 80s, and doubtlessly before, many a movie, game, book, were based in 20XX.

In some cases, literally.

Did you think I was kidding? This shit happened ALL THE TIME. It was a dark age.

The above is Megaman X. The list goes on and on. Double Dragon II, I think it was, decided to be more specific, with 199X. Like it matters when a double dragon game is set.

We tend to hear the cop-out "near future" a lot. Hi! I'm guilty, right here! I'm far from alone. Why? Look to the past, and see what they thought the future was.

Hey baby.

Anyone seen my flying car? No?? It must be the stealth technology!! Well, that's ironic, really. Stealth tech wasn't all the rage back in the day, and now we have our stealth bombers, and a number of firms making light-bending fun, which works. I think I haven't seen any results, personally. (lol) But heck, there's a company working on it about a ten minute drive from me! Okay, the photo mock-ups are photoshopped, and look kind of bad, but they say they won't show the real tech to the public for security reasons, and than government agencies have seen their stuff at work.

As cheesy as that sounds, you'd have to live here to see their claims in the cheesiest of contexts.

+

Maple Ridge. Jus' saying.

So yes, writing about the 'near future' frees us from much Scorn from the far future, and their hindsight.

 But yeah! About the future! Here we are! My house? Looks pretty much the same as houses from the past! The future misfired! Well no, we have small things, which happen to be 'big'. Microwaves, flatscreens, computers, wifi... small components to everyday life that allow so much more than a past that was very recent. Aids being used to cure cancer, cancer being used to cure lycanthropy, 3D printing human organs, Not to mention societal progress.. which can be agonizingly slow, but it progresses.

In summary:

THE FUTURE IS NOW!!!!!

Yeah, thanks for that, Joe. I'd never heard that one, Joe. Neat. Thanks for wasting my time, Joe.

You're welcome.

Next post: My adventure to Robert J Sawyer's launch event for Red Planet Blues at the Vancouver library. Fun was had, transit was ... transited.