The Story of My Life

Everything I do must follow the rules of a good story. Everything about me, every project, every relationship, everything!

Why is that? I don't know. Maybe because I started reading (spontaneously, I suspect that I got it all from packaging and TV subtitles) when I was four and then entered a rhythm of three (children's) books a day, until I was, I don't know, twelve? Then I discovered big novels and non-fiction, and kept at it, underlining and copying quotes in my many notebooks. Then there was a combo of fiction and non-fiction ever since, but still, I remained a steady reader, doggedly turning pages and extracting a maximum of pleasure from it.

I don't even watch many movies. Nope. Sorry. I find books way more entertaining. Last night I struggled through "Harry Potter & the Goblet of Fire" (da movie) like mad, despite HD and a sound cranked up to the max... Over two hours of boredom. I managed, of course, to identify with Harry, Harry and his moral fiber... Oui. That's exactly who I am. Crossing spells with Valdemacallit. Happily, no friends or allies have succumbed in the process. But I was hurt.

I'll get over it. Life as a story, what can you expect!

Even this blog is conceived as several stories. Once it's done, one will just have to read its major "labels" chronologically. Or not, I don't really care. But, although this is just the beginning, the key one, "Core", already is taking shape. Plus, I sprinkled foreshadowing devices elsewhere. Sick? Who cares? Entertaining... Me, at least...

If you ever entered a real or virtual relationship with me, you should already know that I live and die when it comes to "us" by story rules. Read chronologically, analyzed, all of our communications made up a story that led somewhere. If you were really paying attention, you saw where I was planting the seeds for the next movement. I sometimes plant several clues, I foresee several potential outcomes, and I'm open to them. The next act. I "act" for the ACT, so to speak.

If I ever disappeared from your radar under no ambiguous terms, look behind you! The answers are always there, even clues are lined up properly.

I do drop the ball on some stories, though, I admit it. Like, friends whom I don't keep in close contact with, just as many "stories" that I don't unravel properly for lack of time. So, unless I said something to the effect of "The End", our story is ongoing...

Do I fake anything? Hell, no! I feel everything, and then some! Total drama! I'm not ACTING in the sense of FAKING it. I am ACTING emotionally according to embedded rules of the story. There is a story chip in my head/heart, OK? Myths and stories gobbled insatiably from an early age placed it there. And don't kid yourselves, you have one too. Be it from your computer games, or movies, or soaps...

Story rules our lives.

I'm more proactive about it than most people. I've had an interesting life, as a result. Sure, when I start telling the story of it, people watch sometimes in disbelief, it sounds so damn much like a movie! Like I MADE IT ALL UP! Only, yes, I did MAKE IT ALL UP, as in "built it so", not as in "invented/fabulated". I am aware and slightly embarrassed, I say, "Hey, I just happen to be in the right place, at the right time, "happy go lucky" kinda Beagle. Forrest Gump? That's me, folks!" But I know I built every damn "plot point" to perfection.

So... what happens when my story intersects others' stories? We, of course, battle. Like Harry and Voldemort, we cross our energies, our sense of self, sense of composition, all the arsenal, and we struggle. May the best storyteller win! That's what happens. Hence, an interesting life, a "work of art" of a life.

It may get annoying when others don't really play up to your potential, or willingly try to diminish you, when they cast you as a secondary character in their puny plots. That calls for immediate termination. End of story. "Short stories" often have these surprise endings, so that's appropriate, too.

See, it doesn't matter WHOSE story wins. I'm not desperately trying to fit others into my stories. Nope. Should the OTHER(S) come up with a better solution, one that fits who I really am, I'll be all there, playing that part just as willingly! Even more so, I can always respect a better storyteller and I love a good challenge!

May the best story win! Life stays interesting that way. And characters change in the process. Of course you won't recognize me from one year to the next...

Well, OK, I'd like to think that I do keep the moral fiber. That's the perfect floating device on the sea of any life... story...