Special Snowflakes Melt - The Mediocrity Principle

For those who ponder whether we are alone in the universe, some bright sparks have combined the Fermi Paradox and the Mediocrity Principle , deducing that we are still some 1500 years from our first contact with aliens.
Not only that, but the fact is we're not special. 
'The Mediocrity Principle', basically means that we are not alone in the universe, and there are probably so many versions of humanity that we really are quite banal.
Bit of a blow for the schools of thought that say we are all special snowflakes.
So, perhaps we should get over it, and embrace our galactic banality.
Only then will we make contact with other, equally banal but possibly more technically advanced, aliens.
Personally, I find it oddly discomforting that a think - tank exists to remind us of our ordinariness...
...but 1500 years before we meet another (supposedly dull) race of beings?
The mind boggles...are we watching the galactic equivalent of  paint - drying ?
Mediocrity, indeed.
So, how will we know when we finally encounter these aliens ?
After all, if, like us , they are not special or unique, surely it's possible that we might totally miss them ?
Or will we identify them by their shapeless grey clothing with no distinguishing features ?
Will they look alike ?
Shall they all be named Derek ?
Apologies to any readers named Derek.
How can a technologically advanced race seem dull ?
Are they beyond the world of strong emotions ?

Provenance unknown

Some time ago I mentioned the discovery of a star with the mysterious property of intermittent flickering.
A kickstarter to pay for precious telescope time observing ' Tabbys star ' has just been successfully funded - so we are much closer to the truth of the mysterious star thanks to public crowdfunding - I think this is a great idea, even though it will almost certainly prove to be anti - climactic, with no evidence of sci - fi / aliens whatsoever.
Still, nothing ventured, nothing gained.

A highly improbable  ' Dyson sphere'

Interesting trivia regarding LIGO - which is tasked with registering gravitational waves generated by the merging of black holes and suchlike - apparently, the equipment is so sensitive it can be affected by passing clouds.
To avoid too much ' background noise' , some people have mooted that perhaps it should be set up on the far side of the moon - but won't that signal be messed up by the secret alien moon-bases ?

Just kidding.
Or...