1. Preface--- because every story begins somewhere

Someone, somewhere once said that life is a stage and we are all the star of our own play (Or something to that effect). From my long nineteen years of experience however, I have learned that life, at least for me, isn't a play; its more like a sitcom. Whoever invented reality TV really had something going there! Life is never boring, especially when you're me!

You could begin somewhere in the pre-existence or at birth or with a first conscious memory, but I think my story begins when I first realized how much I love to tell stories. It wasn't so much the story as much as it was the attention, the reactions, and the thrill of being the center of it all!

I learned first by watching. My mother would hold me and make up stories of "Katie and Squirrely" and their adventures to foreign lands. I would listen with all the attention my five year old brain could handle with awe at how her voice could actually take me (Katie), and my flying squirrel best friend (Squirrely) to places unknown or undiscovered by other humans! Other times my father, after much persuasion, would turn off the lights and grab a flashlight, and weave a tale of Sasquatch and Mummies and things that go bump in the night! When their imaginations were exhausted, they would then read from the scriptures, poetry books, Dr. Seuss, mystery novels, and just about anything else we had in the house, and let experienced authors have a turn at weaving a story for me.

At age eight, things began to change though. Instead of wanting to hear others stories, I wanted my story to be told! There was a high associated with getting my family to laugh at what I had to say, or having all my friends scream as I told the best scary tales at the sleepover. Everyone's attention was on me, and if I was telling the story, no one could interrupt or interject! It was wonderfully thrilling!

And that is when I realized, life is all about the stories. Some moments you may ask yourself: "This is so stupid, why am I doing this?" The answer is simple: "This will make the BEST story!"

Welcome to my life: one long, exciting story, with many chapters and an unfinished ending.