2016 Positivity Thread (Good things that happened, you came across, etc.)

[PC the Hedgehog]

I suppose I'll start with the more trivial things first.

Video game-wise, it was honestly kind of a "meh" year. I only own Nintendo systems, so I'll focus on NIntendo's offerings. Mario and Luigi: Paper Jam was underwhelming, and Star Fox Zero was just plain disappointing. I was hoping for the next 3D Sonic game to hit the market this fall, but then they announced it for 2017. Kirby Planet Robobot was a bright spot in a fairly empty summer. Finally, Pokemon Sun and Moon came along and made up for the subpar year's disappointments with a fantastic outing.

On a more personal level:
-My spiritual routine has improved, not to the level I was hoping, but I've done better than I have in years, so now I'm more confident than ever that I can do it to my satisfaction.
-I didn't realize this one until just a few weeks ago, but my friendships have shifted a lot. I loved my previous group of friends, but we began drifting apart as our lives and circumstances began to change. At the same time, I, without even realizing it, began cultivating new friendships with people who were more compatible with my goals and values. Now I'm more pleased with my friendships than ever before!
-I started walking regularly. Amazing how much better it makes you feel. Now it's one of the highlights of my daily routine, one I hope to continue for as long as I have working legs.
-I hunkered down on finishing my novel and preparing to submit it to publishers. While I've always loved writing, I haven't seriously thought of trying to get my work published for years. Now I truly feel like I can accomplish my dream. Current goal is to have it in the hands of agents by April!
-After 29 years of living at home, I took my first apartment tour last week. I've been staying at home for both financial and personal reasons, but I finally have the circumstances that will allow me to move out. Just a few more months of ironing out some proverbial wrinkles, and I'll finally move from the country to the big city, a dream I've had since I was a little kid!

It's been a slow-go at accomplishing my goals this year, but the end is in sight. I couldn't be more excited for what 2017 has in store!

[PaulyBFromDa303]

2016 was a terrible year for me. I would go as far to say as it's in my bottom 5. But there are some good things that did come out of this year.

 

For starters I meet you lovely people. This was the year I got all my equipment back and started writing music again picking up where I left off in 2010. Although my wrestling career is almost over, I did get to meet one of my  biggest heroes in Paul London. I did end up getting a sweet job as a security guard (and actually keep said job). 

 

That's all I can think about for now. I actually have a really bad feeling about 2017.

[Danj86]

Oh, I guess the news of this guy coming back was nice.

Especially good that he's returning to his roots as I freakin' hated the Titan games and they changed the characters to look ugly as sin. Crash new look was more tame then say Aku Aku.

...yuck! And that's putting aside the very non Crashy gameplay. Anyway, yay Crash. Maybe the new graphics could've looked a little more cartoony but...*shrugs*

[PaulyBFromDa303]

@DanimeJ86Ah yes. I can't wait for that. That'll be quite the nostalgia trip

[pastelspectre]

I had a somewhat iffy year this year so my post isn't going to be a giant wall of text like others. But the good things that did happen to me were that I graduated from high school and got Pokemon Moon, as well as some good Christmas presents. Other than that, my year wasn't too memorable in my experience.

[Emperor Robrainiac]

Well, I was hoping I'd post this before the new year... but I suppose this will be my first post of 2017!

In terms of entertainment, I thought it was a pretty good year. I went to the movies a lot more than last year, and came out satisfied out of all of them...

Looking back, I can't think of many games I played... but Pokémon Moon really blew away my expectations. And Shantae Half Genie Hero (which I helped back a when it was still on kickstarter,) Left me very satisfied as well.

If we're talking  about on a personal level, it certainly was a bit more eventful and less stressful than last year. Had less classes than 2015, and the classes I did have I managed to get some good grades in. I'm  Anxious about getting close to graduation, but I suppose that will be a story for next year.

I will say, this year marks the year that I decided to join an RP, and I gotta say, I'm glad I did. I think participating in an RP really helped ease some stress, make me somewhat more sociable on the boards, helped give me motivation to finally make a comic, and made some friends as well.

That being said, I'm still kind of cynical about 2017 being better in terms of politics... but even so, I hope the positivity in my life sticks around for this year.

[AxelPrime]

2016 has been one hellava year.

I payed more attention to politics in 2016 than any other year in my lifetime. From the YUUUGE Birdie Sanders, to the size increasing Mexican Border Walls, the email scandals everywhere, facts getting sideswiped by emotions and ignorance, the sudden revival of white supremacy groups, the Russian Hacks, mass debates, protests following the end of the election, Brexit, and the approaching horror that is our new orange haired Overlord and his Legion of Doom. This will definitely be one crazy year of politics that we will never forget.

But while there were some not so great moments, there was still plenty of cool things that happend in 2016 such as...

• Scientists confirm the existence of Gravitational Waves

• The Chicago Cubs, after 108 years, have finally won the World Series in a movie-like finish that even Screenwriters would find cliche

• Leonardo di Caprio wins his first Oscar

• Harriet Tubman is voted to replace Andrew Jackson on the $20 Bill

• Deadpool and Sausage Party helped make strides for more acceptance for R-rated flicks in the Movie Industry

• A Meme actually helped someone for a change (Stefan Karl GoFundme/We Are Number One meme)

• After many years in development, Final Fantasy Versus 13 (now called Final Fantasy 15) and The Last Guardian were finally released.

• Earlier this year, within a month after notable gaming newsite Gametrailers was shut down, many of the original staff and the support of the fans have started a brand new newssite/youtube channel called Easy Allies

• Movies like 10th Cloverfield Lane, Deadpool, Zootopia, Finding Dory, Kubo and the Two Strings, The VVitch, and Rogue One

• The Pokemon 20th Anniversary was fantastic with Sun/Moon, Pokken Tournament, Mystical PKMN distributions, Pokemon GO, and Pokemon Generations

• Many great Videogame announcements this year including Crash Bandicoot Remastered, Insominiac's Spider Man, Yakuza (0, Kiwami, and 6 plus they are all  coming stateside) Marvel vs. Capcom Infinite, Death Stranding, God of War IV, Quake Champions, Sonic Mania, Sonic

  2017, and last but not least The Nintendo Switch

• New Games like Overwatch, Doom, Fire Emblem Fates/ Birthright, NES Classic, Owlboy, Battlefield 1, Dark Souls 3, Firewatch, Titanfall 2, Uncharted 4, Watch Dogs 2, and Ratchet and Clank

• The Sonic the Hedgehog Twitter feed of memes and secrets

• Big's Big Adventure 3

• And lastly, Sonic's 25th anniversary livestream of Buzziness, Totinos' Pizza Rolls, and Earth-Shattering announcements like Hello Kitty in Sonic Dash.

As for me this year, ever since moving here to Texas and moving into a city for the first time, the weather here is very different from what I'm used to with the winters being almost springlike and the summers too hot to handle at times. It is very nice how everything is more convient with more stores, resturants, and malls much closer to home living in the city(“You know have to surviiiive”). The resturants here are great (some of the best Tex-Mex/Southern Cooking I ever had) and there are a lot of cool videogame stores and arcades. Throughout this year, I attended many conventions such as Retropalooza & Fan Expo that were very fun and I can't wait for them next year. As for movies, I've mostly watched alot of older movies and some of them for the first time(Ex. The Neverending Story, Hackers, The Iron Giant, Nausicaa, My Neighbor Totoro, Animal House, and American Psycho). For games, I played My first Nuzlocke (Pokemon Y), Yakuza, Metal Gear Rising, Anarchy Reigns, Mafia 2, and Pokemon Sun. As for everything else, things were ok for the most part.

2016 was very rough for a lot people, lets hope and work for a better 2017.

Happy New Year and Cheers to all of you!

[Stardust]

Even though I don't eat junk food and have a healthy diet, I've always had difficulty to lose weight, particularly in the abdomen. I feel like a bloated monster everytime I stare at the mirror.

But ever since last year, I've managed to follow an exercise program which seems to be performing miracles. My abdomen has shrunk quite a bit - not as much as I'd like -,but it has definitely deflated. In three months, I lost the equivalent of 7.5 kg. My belly still looks swollen and flaccid, but it has visibly deflated and it doesn't look so bloated when I sit down. 

I've been struggling with this problem for 18 years. I have a very stressful routine and all the stupid fighting at home tend to increase my level of stress even further. All this contribues to weight gain and low self-esteem. But now, for the first time in almost two decades, I have hope to change my appearance and feel beautiful, not having to worry whether I'll look like a bloated, unshapely monster in my clothes or not.