About MAD FR

Who am I?

It's a big question (even though it's made up of just three little words, averaging three letters each). Yet, basically, it's not that complicated. We start with a body we're given at birth, and we evolve with it over the years to become who we are at a given moment. We are shaped by our interactions with the world, those who inhabit it now, and those who came before us, so you can learn a little more about who I am from what I watch, read and listen to.

So, the question should be, "Who am I now?", because I'm not the same person I was ten years ago, and I hope I won't be the same person I am today in ten years either. But there are still some constants, things from the past that can't be changed. So let's start with those.

Current profile

Retired after more than 16 years at Google and previously more than 13 years at Softimage (which was owned by Microsoft and Avid Technology). This career was a Plan B that worked out too well; Plan A was an artistic career. Nevertheless, my artistic side has been satisfied on several levels. First, as a bassist, singer, and keyboardist, with cover bands in bars and at private parties, as well as original bands that didn't quite make it big. Then, as an actor in a theater group and in amateur short films, and finally, with the writing of three novels: one self-published, a second currently being edited, and a third in progress. As if that weren't enough, after retiring, I also started making short, fun educational videos, which I thoroughly enjoy. Since December 2024, I have also been enjoying acting in student short films and others, as well as in a homemade feature film and a TV commercial (nearly thirty in my first year).

The invariants

Where I'm from

I was born on April 28, 1966. I grew up in Maple Grove, now part of Beauharnois, on the South Shore of Lake St. Louis, an expansion of the St. Lawrence River near Montreal, Quebec, Canada. My parents were born and raised in Montreal.

If you're interested in genealogy, I have a small, unassuming website about my Decoste ancestors here:https://sites.google.com/site/ancetresdecoste/

School

I had very good grades, though not necessarily in French. My writing experience nevertheless began in first grade. I wrote a short play that I performed with my little brother and my best friend for the principal's party. But my real passion for writing only began later, and with songs.

Even though I was what was called a "bolé" in Quebecer slang at the time (which can be translated to straight-As student), I dropped out of engineering school at Polytechnique Montréal to try my luck in music full-time. But after two unsuccessful years, I went back to university to pursue a double bachelor's degree in Mathematics and Computer Science. I then started a master's degree and a doctorate, which I never finished.

Beginnings in music

I learned to play music as a teenager, and I was lucky enough to perform on stage before I was even an adult... and I loved it! I eventually grew tired of performing and focused on composing. That's how I developed a taste for writing lyrics for my songs.

I initially wrote in English, a language I felt was better suited to the rock music that resonated with me at the time. When I started writing songs in French, my passion for the sound of words gradually surpassed my passion for music. At least for a while.

Literature

I continued making music during my university studies. With my career in IT and family life, it became increasingly difficult for me to be part of a band. So I turned to an art form that's easier to pursue alone, at any time of day or night: literature. After song lyrics, I wrote several short stories, one of which I submitted to a contest in a science fiction magazine; it's called "Universal Generations."

My first attempt at writing a novel lacked inspiration and turned into a rather naive, long short story called "A Glimmer in Space." When my eldest daughter turned one in 1998, I was looking for a longer-term artistic project, and that's when I had the idea for my first novel. Very different from anything I had written up to that point, and from what I was reading at the time, I produced the story of a troubled teenager entitled "Les mots de la Délivrance", which I self-published. I have now completed a second novel, which is currently being proofread, and I have already begun writing the third.

The career

I always dreamed of an artistic career, but I like to joke that my Plan B just worked too well. At the end of high school, I made the difficult choice to study engineering rather than art. I didn't want to put all my eggs in one basket. My studies were my backup plan, in case my artistic career never took off.

I interrupted my PhD in computer science to work at Softimage, which was bought by Microsoft and then sold to Avid Technology. I was very successful at this great Montreal-based company. The experience I gained there allowed me to join Google, which at the time was just a small local software development office. Sixteen years later, when the office had become too big for me and I felt I had done all I could contribute, I decided to retire.

My potential artistic career, which was just a hobby during my successful career in IT for almost 30 years, has now returned to the forefront.

My Family

Last but certainly not least, this aspect of my life has ultimately taken precedence over all others. I am the father of two adorable daughters, and even my backup plan has often been put on hold to allow me to succeed as a parent. And if you read my first novel, you will notice a clear emphasis on parent-child relationships.

Even after a divorce that split my family in two, my role as a father remains the most important of my career. Building a blended family has also allowed me to learn the role of stepfather. Observing the development of a human being from conception to their greatest achievements is, in my opinion, the greatest gift an author can give themselves. It allows them to better develop their characters, connect with their readers, and, above all, understand themselves.

And now?

With what my parents gave me, and what I've learned from early childhood to raising my own children, I've become who I am today: a firm yet loving father; a passionate and engaging lover; a self-reliant and respectful employee, now retired; and an honest citizen of a world without borders.

My passion for words and music drives me to cultivate my curiosity about human beings and their needs. I'm primarily interested in the need for entertainment, which I hope to fulfill to the best of my ability with my boundless imagination. But I also take great pleasure in exploring how to help others grow, to change the world, to make it a better place... starting with myself.

I've begun acting in short and feature films, as well as commercials. Let's see where this new path may lead me in the future.

And then?

What awaits me? What will become of me? Who knows?

The path I'm choosing today is unlikely to remain constant for very long, but for now, it's all I have, and so I'll follow it as long as it makes sense. When I wrote the previous sentence, I was focused on writing. With the pandemic, I returned to composing music, and after retirement, I transitioned to acting.

I want to hone my skills to better captivate my audience, choosing the right words to construct appropriate sentences, amalgamated into effective paragraphs that will inspire you to keep turning my pages, listening to my songs, or watching my films, and discover the ideas that inhabit me and define who I am, so that I can share them with as many people as possible.

I also hope to continue satisfying my curiosity about human beings: what motivates them, what drives them to communicate with others, what keeps them active, and above all, what inspires them to constantly surpass themselves. With the help of today's cutting-edge technologies, I dare to hope to reach as many people as possible, to entertain them, and perhaps even help them grow. Will you be one of them?

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