This series is a form of creative writing known as fan fiction. Detective Robert Goren is a regular character on the Dick Wolf television show Law & Order: Criminal Intent. What follows is one longtime viewer's breath of life into an already popular character.

Don't you get tired of having to deal with people that thrive on drama? Everywhere they go a cluster ensues and they seem to be the only ones that don't notice this pattern. Come on now, if there is drama in every single situation you're involved with I just have one question for you- what (or who) is the common denominator?

You are.

Do you really think that is coincidental? Me neither.

I guess I just really don't get it. Everyday life is hard. Work is hard. Interpersonal relationships are hard. The curveballs of life are harder yet. It's not at all necessary to embellish or to create situations just so that you can reiterate how bad it is later on.

No matter where you go you inevitably run into these people and the bottom line is always the same. They are so desperate to feel powerful and to be in control that they create situations that they actually believe they can control. You might be able to control one person but no one can successfully control a whole group. People are people, not pawns to be shifted around for your wide-eyed entertainment. They do as they please, whenever they please. Many of us don't thrive on drama or feel any need to even so much as dip a toe into the mess. We just want to do the best we can with the life we have and maybe that doesn't involve purposely hurting others for no reason other than to know we've inflicted pain — somewhere.

I've seen and heard more pathetic attempts for attention, recognition and praise this week than I care to even remember. How can anyone burn away so much time and energy on nonsense? Think of all the productive things you can do instead. Better yet, you could use that time to attain the things you most crave WHILE helping others.

I guess I must be in the minority that still half believes in the Golden Rule and also in the concept of karma. Everything cycles. Everything. In my mind when karma returns our way it's a reminder that our everyday actions do indeed affect our fate.