Stories

I am reading one of Graham Norton's memoirs. In the introduction he talks about how we are our stories. We don't live in a list of details about ourselves. We live in the stories about the things we love. He says and I agree with him:

It seems to me that we are all made up of the things we adore and by telling my stories through the prism of my passions I hope you will get an insight into my life.

So as I hopefully put cancer behind me, I thought I would share some more of my stories. Stories through the prism of my passions. This blog started because I wanted to keep people informed about my health, so you wouldn't have to ask me, or my work colleagues, awkward questions. If I am completely honest I also hoped that if things took a sinister turn some of my stories were recorded for my daughter, because as Graham Norton so beautifully puts it:

We live in our stories, and the best stories go on. Funerals see the end of a life but at the party afterwards, it is like a form of resurrection: the person we have just said goodbye to is back in the room as people share their tales.

Cancer gave me the opportunity to focus on my passions and it is a reasonably eclectic mix: music, dancing, books, singing, London, fashion, shoes, party dresses, family, animals (particularly Abyssinian cats, dogs and horses), friends, Northland, eating, laughing, sweating in the gym, travel, justice, nature, gardening, beaches, leading a team and working.

I was called a nerd at school. It is kind of fair - I am someone devoted to intellectual, academic or technical pursuits or interests (especially at school where the purpose of it was to learn) but I also like to have fun. I choose the company of interesting and funny people. My favourite people dazzle me with their wit and/or intellect as opposed to their good looks. I'm not saying my friends are ugly - some of them are gorgeous - but the way they look isn't the reason they are my friends. I am not really concerned with superficial BS, I like people's souls, hearts, brains, character and humour. Since friends are the family we choose, I think our choice of friends says a lot about us. My friends and loved ones will feature heavily in my stories because they've shared lots of adventures and hilarious times with me.

This little blog post is really just a statement of intent. This year I will aim to write some more of my stories. Hopefully you will find some of the topics interesting or funny and I will find a bit of immortality. That seems like a fair exchange.