Who is Fizzy Oceans?

Hi! My name is Fizzy Oceans. I am the main character in the novel The Virtual Life of Fizzy Oceans by David A. Ross. As my creator, Mr. R. says that I’m supposed to write this blog about my Virtual Life. Honestly, I don’t know where I’m going to find the time to document my many adventures in VL, but Mr. R. is hard to argue with, so I guess I’d better just get on with it.

Actually, I am a split personality. Primary is the afore-mentioned novelist who created my physical life counterpart Amy Birkenstock. Amy lives in Seattle and used to work at a Medical Billing office (now she works part time in Mr. Chang’s fish market). Finally, there is Yours Truly, Fizzy Oceans, archivist, researcher, adventurer, VL Greeter and all around nice person!

Confused? Don’t worry; you’ll learn to tell us apart. I’m the chirpy one with big ideas, Amy is the realist and always, it seems, down on her luck, and Ross is the typist, a bit grouchy at times but, all in all, a pretty special guy.

So, what exactly is VL, you ask? Well, VL is first and foremost a simulated, digital world in which we can create whatever reality we wish. But it is even more than that. Some say it is a whole other dimension, and I would agree. Others say it is just a computer game, and for those who see it that way, that is true too. I fell into VL quite by accident, as do most who end up there. Was it an errant keystroke, a wayward click of my mouse, or was it just fate? Who knows? At first it seemed pretty strange in VL – something like walking around inside a Roadrunner cartoon, or a Tim Burton movie. Then I met Crystal Marbella, who showed me around and got me acclimated. Crystal is my best friend in VL, and I’m sure she’ll drop by for a cameo appearance here on the blog from time to time. Kizmet Aurora is another good buddy; we go to the beach together, go gaming in virtual Las Vegas and we shop for clothes on the Côte d’Azur. Some of my other VL friends are actually quite famous: Mark Twain, Jacques Cousteau, the Dalai Lama and others.

Here in VL, the so-called rules of engagement are rather different: for instance, we can fly without effort from place to place – even to civilizations long ago consigned to history. It is also possible for personalities to return from the dead, and for formerly unknown species to manifest and interact with whomever they might encounter.

VL is a Brave New World. And you are invited!

Now, back to Amy for a moment. To be sure, life is not going well for her in PL (Physical Life). Her job sucks and she’s usually pretty broke. She used to work for a doctor but she couldn’t even get health insurance. Finally, she lost that job and had to find work at Chang’s Fish Market cleaning up fish guts just to get enough money for a burger and fries. Sound like somebody you might know? Well, I hope not. Circumstances like Amy’s are not all that uncommon these days, but that certainly does not make them any easier to bear. You’ve got to feel for the girl – I know I do. But I also have to hand it to her because she just won’t give up on her dreams. And that’s where I come in. Amy is my fictional representation in PL (everybody’s got to have one, I guess), and since she’s not working much anymore, she retreats into her computer, into VL, and she lives vicariously through me, Fizzy Oceans.

At least that’s how Mr. R. planned the whole thing. To be sure, it works for all of us: the writer, the medical billing clerk/fish market janitor, and for me. I’ve got the best part of the deal, I guess. I go all over and meet interesting people and cook up wild activities and generally have a blast. Which is why Mr. R. wants me to write this blog, I guess. And who am I to refuse? One keystroke from the author and I am history. He’s got me there, so write I will, fast and furiously.

And I hope you’ll come along for the ride. You never know who we might meet, or what new and interesting idea we might uncover. We’ll be talking about everything here – not just VL reality, but Your World, too.

So come sign up! Don’t be shy; you are welcome here in our world(s)!