Magnify: To cause (a person or thing) to seem greater, more important, etc. than is really so; exaggerate: as, she magnified her sufferings in telling about them.

I never tire marveling at my ability to imagine that things are worse than they are. If I do something wrong -- or think that I've done something wrong -- I can feed and nourish the illusion until it dwarfs King Kong, who was the absolute largest of all of the Kongs. He was no minor Kong, and don't you wonder why we don't ever hear of any of the other Kongs? If he was the King of one, what's the big deal? It would be like me being King Horseface. Sheeyat.

Most of the time, of course, I haven't really done anything wrong or, if I have, it isn't that big a deal. Often, I've just made a mistake. It's not the end of the world.

I never beep my car horn any more unless I'm trying to warn someone or greet a friend. When someone annoys me with their aggressive driving, I think: "Meh." The guy probably made a mistake. People aren't out there trying to find me, Horseface Steve, so that they can cut me off.

And god help us when things go well. I assume it's a cosmic mistake, a divine joke, Lucy pulling back the football one more time, as I soar through the air and land flat on my back. I assume the good times won't last long. I feel guilty.

Honestly I'm probably right in the middle of the Spectrum of Pain. I have some bad stuff happen and some good stuff, too. Nothing really awful and I haven't won the lottery yet.