2 x 6 = enjoyment!

Some of you are no doubt aware that I had a six-word memoir published a year ago. Well, the folks at Smith Magazine are at it again, and they've just released another tome of shorter-than-short non-fiction -- this time with a theme: "Love & Heartbreak." And believe it or not, *I* am at it again, too. I had a second memoir published, one of the few people to be featured in both books.

The first memoir was pretty serious stuff. "Changing mind postponed demise by decades" refers to a few simple decisions that, when repeated every day for years, pulled me out of a suicidal depression. The memoir and accompanying image are here (ninth one in the series), and the back-story was published by Smith Magazine here.

Interestingly my mother and one of my sisters commented on the back-story, both saying they had no idea what I was going through. I know that wasn't true for my mom, but I believe my sister. And it surprised me that she didn't know -- but she was probably dealing with her own demons from the crazed family environment. I didn't really know what was going on with her, either. Maybe someday she'll write a six-word memoir that *I* can comment on :)

Anyhow, the second memoir is on the topic of Love & Heartbreak. Rachel Fershleiser and Larry Smith from Smith Magazine were in town last Tuesday on the book launch tour. I checked in with them at the event, at the Brookline Booksmith, and got more than I bargained for.

First, the bookstore's projector was missing a cable. Calling on my years of IT experience, I figured out that we could scavenge one from an old monitor and that's how IT Man saved the day (and got his first round of applause!). They got to show a nice presentation with some choice memoirs from the new book, and it was a great way to warm up the crowd.

Once things got rolling, they called me up to talk about the first and second memoirs, the back stories to each, and how I felt about the process. After telling a shorter version of the back-story from the first one, I moved on to the second memoir.

"They all came before they left."

That got a hearty laugh from the audience, and after some banter between me and Rachel, the story I told was basically this. The memoir refers to a string of women who broke things off with me right after I got them to... er, the "promised land," if you know what I mean. I realize that each relationship ended for different reasons, but it was an odd coincidence that they never seemed to fall apart *before* I got to show my mastery.

My friends sometimes joke about my video game fast-twitch fingers, but it did come in handy during that time. Just wish the good times had kept rolling longer. And I sort of felt like Elaine (from Seinfeld), when she helped her boyfriend become a doctor, and he dumped her after reaching that goal. Sure, the goal I helped with was easier, but... well, I felt *used* -- NOT!

The icing on the cake for the evening was that a reporter from the BU daily newspaper interviewed me and included a paragraph about me in her story (link). From the story:

Scott O'Neil, an information technology manager from Waltham, said he submitted his six-word memoir for both books because he enjoyed the project. His six-word memoir, published in the book about love, was "they all came before they left," he said.

"It opened up my emotional life a little bit more," O'Neil said. "It forced me to go back and live through those [memories] and experience them again."

In any event, I just thought I'd write about this a bit, because it was one of the most satisfying projects I've ever been associated with. I've remade connections with past friends and relatives and found new connections with my friends of today. I thank Rachel and Larry for coming up with the idea and Rachel especially for her endless encouragement.

More about this soon.

- Scott