Apparently life is imitating art. My last story involved the tragic death of a squirrel who haunted the forest and spooked hikers in mean-spirited glory for all eternity. And while taking a leisurely hike on my favorite trail last week, what did I see but … seriously… a very dead squirrel perched on a branch, most definitely not sleeping. I, of course, was spooked. It looked kinda Blair Witch-y.

My friends, this means it’s time to write a much more strategic story while Life is still enjoying imitating my Art.

Once upon a time–like now– there is a lass in Colorado who writes silly animal stories. Trifles, really, but they bring laughter to a small segment of the amusement-deprived population. She is incredibly attractive, witty, and a fabulous piano player with unparalleled creative genius. Her charming tales delight and inspire all who read! Some suitably hip and quirky famous person (oh, don’t make me name names) gets a copy of ”Ulrich the Tooth Goblin” and loves it so much that he instructs all his/her Twitter followers and blog readers to check out her website.

And while the website enjoys massive popularity, a publisher makes his/her entrance and sets up the lovely young lady for riches beyond all imagining.  But who cares about that–a time traveler appears at her bedroom door (which is now overlooking a peaceful tropical beach due to all that stupendous wealth)! Our handsome time traveling friend says, “Let’s cruise through time and space to see sights no human has ever  witnessed!” She returns full of inspiring stories based on her travels and the alien species and customs she has witnessed. A wild kundalini awakening occurs! She visits New Zealand! She performs on stage with Steve Kilbey! She knocks back drinks with Grant Morrison! She goes hiking with Thich Nhah Hanh! She is the perfect picture of health and develop such awesome martial arts skills that all Evil People cower in their presence. In fact, their very awesomeness prompts all Evil People to question their motives and experience profound existential crises.

She plants a garden that astounds all with its magnificent abundance, and feeds the homeless with the fruits of her labor! And at no point does the garden wither and die. No. No it does not. In fact, she barely has to look at the garden and it’s throwing vegetables around like a peasant at a public hanging there’s no tomorrow. She and her lovely friends and family lounge in the exquisite garden all day, eating grapes, raspberries, and cherry tomatoes and having scintillating conversation. Sometimes the fruit is consumed via cheesecake. Absolutely no one gets porky due to frequent cheesecake consumption.  This is a welcome development because cheesecake and World Peace go great together, and World Peace is exactly what happens. Seven months and two days after her amazing rise to power, everyone on the planet bites into a delicious piece of cheesecake (because she is wealthy enough to supply all 6-7 billion people on Earth with a slice*) and realizes that they no longer need to act like jackasses! They all develop a gentle form of telepathy which prevents misunderstandings, and the crime rate drops dramatically. Rappers no longer sing about how they will put a cap in yo’ ass. Hippies start dressing in less offensive color combinations. Indie kids realize the folly of faux trucker hats. These changes in pop culture might have something to do with the powerful influence of her new alien friends, who dress in shiny silver suits and listen to concertos played on brainwave-controlled invisible instruments.  They have discerning tastes.

Furthermore, everyone who has ever killed another person in the name of religion wakes up and goes, “Holy crap, why did I believe such asinine stuff? I would rather spend the rest of my life baking cookies, cookies that bear no trace of arsenic, God’s Wrath, Satan’s hellfire or evil hexes.”

Oh yeah, and climate change stops, pollution-causing technology is swiftly replaced by environmentally-sustainable tech, and people begin living to a longer age and procreating more responsibly. Children are no longer succumbing to boredom and depression in school because some brilliant teacher actually figured out how to make learning fun, and everyone just loves being alive. Even Charles Manson no longer has an urge to kill. Instead, he develops a passion for scuba diving and devotes the rest of his life to protecting coral reefs. There aren’t many prisons anymore because of the staggering drop in crime, but Charles still needs some supervision.  That’s what the dolphins are for.

Yeah.

Yeah, that’s what happens. Come on, Life, you can do better than a dead squirrel. I wanna see the delights of time and space, and Charles Manson singing Kumbaya with Flipper! In fact, here is a picture to help you get started.

And in case you need help envisioning cheesecake, Life, here is a song that explains why cheesecake is so awesome.

I love you, Life.

——————

This is your chance to make life imitate your art, too.  Maybe by reading this story, it will rub off on you, too.  What are you going to create?

I love comments.  If you comment, a little love goes to you!“

Tags: Based on a True Story, Mythological Mishaps, True Weirdos by splarks
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I’m taking off the rest of 2009 so that I can concentrate on creating more stories.  In the meantime, let me get “serious.”  Yes, contrary to popular belief, I do have a Serious brain cell that occasionally likes to surface.

Christine Kane, a favorite blogger of mine, eschews New Year’s resolutions in favor of a Word of the Year.  Read her excellent blog post “Resolution Revolution:  A Better Way to Start Your Year” for full details, but the Cliffs Notes version is that Christine suggests picking a New Year’s word to help you stay focused on your goals, rather than make an obligatory and flimsy “promise.”  Instead of “I resolve to spend two hours daily at the gym because working out is healthy, even though I hate the gym and historically give up mid-January,” you might choose the word “well-being” to remind you to choose whatever contributes to your well-being and health, whether it’s the gym or yoga or just being deliberate about what you eat.

I’m expanding mine to be a phrase:  Glorious Eccentricity.

If you read my blog, you’re probably a bit … eccentric.  Go on, admit it.  I’m undeniably weird–these little stories are like juicy berries in a big Jamba Juice Smoothie of Weird.  The people that matter to me are also intriguingly bizarre.  Even my cat is a bit strange with his lettuce addiction and all.  Many of my stories focus on eccentric characters.  Let’s face it, Mabel the Teenage Komodo Dragon clashed with her peers.  Beatrice the Three-Eyed Marmot had some … issues.  And poor old Ulrich struggled to blend in with the fairies he longed to befriend.  But none of them let their differences stop them.  Ulrich took his dream and flew with it, albeit clumsily.  Beatrice turned her deformity into an asset (let’s overlook her untimely demise for now).  And Mabel rejected the standard Komodo Dragon Dream in favor of her own vision, which blossomed into Island Domination.

Our world frequently discourages eccentricity, weirdness, and authenticity.  Things flow more smoothly in the World of Work and School when we’re all identical.  You get less flak when you pretend to be  just like everyone else.  However, I’ve learned the hard way that denying your true self is disastrous.  It hurts your mind and your body.  It doesn’t make people think you’re cool;  it makes you seem stilted and boring.  It stifles creativity and makes you do things like give a shit about Tiger Woods’s scandalous love life.  When you deny your eccentricity, the only people and situations you attract are those that bore the crap out of you.

So in 2010, I will continue to embrace my Inner Weirdo.   I have ideas!  They are WEIRD ideas, and I am terribly enthusiastic about them!  Care to join me in the quest for Glorious Eccentricity?  If so, leave a comment and tell me what you plan to do or what you’re thinking about.

Happy New Year.

Tags: True Weirdos by splarks
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