P is for Patterns

This post is part of the A-to-Z Challenge.

My life runs in patterns. Or at least I recognize or evaluate everything as being part of a pattern. Let me give you an example. Here is the pattern of cars I have owned:

Subaru   Subaru   Mazda   Mazda   Saturn   ??

Based on the above pattern, what would you expect the ?? car to be?  Obviously a Saturn, right?  No, it is a Honda.  Hmmm, messes up the pattern, doesn’t it.  You may think so, but what if the Saturn is middle of the pattern? You can see it better if you view the pattern as numbers:

1   1   2   2   3   2   2   1   1

Number 3 would be the Saturn and the first 2 after 3 is the Honda. That means that the next car I own should also be a Honda.

Wacky?  Yup!!  But you have no idea how the thought of messing with the pattern (by not getting a 2nd Saturn)  caused internal stress.  Silly indeed, but it is how I think. Of course I did override the pattern and fabricated another pattern because the Honda was the best choice at the time. I just changed the pattern to fit my life instead of having the pattern dictate my life.

Here are a couple of pattern recognition tests for you to assess your ability.

Of course, if you need some pattern evaluation, just let me know as I have become an expert. Patterns are important to me, but I run the patterns; they don’t run me.