I am an expert in bad luck. I was born with 8 toes. I am allergic to peanuts, grass, and gluten, to name a few of the more mainstream allergies. I was diagnosed with a learning disability at the age of 9. My parents did not speak fluent English and refused to teach me their native language because they felt it would hinder my opportunities in life speaking English as a second broken language. My youth baseball career ended abruptly when a batted ball proved faster than my reflexes knocking out my two front teeth. That day, I learned I also faint at the sight of blood. In summary, I have extensive experience dealing with bad luck.

In early 2018, a film took the globe by surprise. Rolled out with little fanfare or promotion, The Black Lion premiered. According to industry insiders, what followed was an inspiring journey for a throwaway film, meant to achieve a diversity quota, to a global blockbuster. Cinema fans everywhere praised the unknown cast members, the direction and production, the story-telling, along with the mesmerizing special effects. I eventually gave in to the hype. However, the theater was out of popcorn when I saw this movie and I stepped in some gum too. I also fainted once during the climactic battle scene. Anyways, I say all that to say this, ever since a record number of global audiences saw The Black Lion, the world has seen an unprecedented streak of bad luck because we all collectively saw a black cat, ushering in an era of global bad luck.

Think about what the world has experienced over the past few years. A virus grinded global supply chains and factories to a halt. Fraud ran rampant when government loans failed to properly regulate trillions of dollars earmarked to keep payrolls current and business afloat. Citizens raged and rioted against authority. Autocratic governments emboldened themselves against the order of global democracy. Technology advancements and access have made the actual truth as rare as a Big Foot sighting. Crime and inflation have accelerated at rates unseen in decades. Why? Bad luck, that’s why. All because the globe saw a black cat in the form of the The Black Lion.

Now, things seem to be calming down. Supply chains and production are catching up to pre-virus levels, leading to less product shortages. The loan fraudsters are being located and punished. There are less frequent combative public demonstrations. While autocratic governments refuse to cease operations, they are suffering losses much greater than their bluster had anticipated while democracy has been strengthened in the face of tyranny. As each day passes, there are technological improvements being made to protect the truth. Crime and inflation remain steady, unfortunately. But, recent measures project inflation tapering down towards the end of 2022. Perhaps as inflation diminishes, so will crime. The global outlook is trending up.

Although, I do have some bad news. While circumstances are improving since The Black Lion premiere, a full recovery cannot be expected. The sequel premieres in November 2022, likely ushering in another few years of bad luck. Unless, the sequel flops. I do have a confession, I will be in line to see this movie in November. I enjoyed the first movie too much to miss out on the sequel, even if it means the world has to end.