I know everyone is currently writing their thoughts, memories and sadness about the untimely death of a true comic genius, in Robin Williams, but I certainly won't let that stop me from adding my "two-cents" worth. 

When I first read yesterday that Robin had committed suicide, I was deeply saddened, much more so than when I have read of other famous people's untimely demises. I'm not quite sure what Robin had that so appealed to me and millions of others all around the world, but it was something special that spoke directly to your heart and your soul. He simply made people happy, he made them briefly forget the problems of their lives and of the world, and so it was for me. I mourned his passing in much the same way as I would mourn the passing of someone I knew personally and loved personally. He had that ability to inculcate himself into your very being, through the roles he played on television and in the movies. Few actors or comedians have that ability, and Robin had it in "spades". 

Like many people everywhere, my first view of Robin Williams was that of the zany, but adorable "Mork from Ork". The very first time I saw "Mork and Mindy", I was hooked. It is a tribute to his comic genius and the show's brilliant writers that words such as "Nanu-Nanu" and "Shazbat", became a living part of our lexicon. I suppose for many people, like myself, Mork represented the unusual outsider, the odd-ball, who wanted nothing more than to fit into regular society. We watched, each week, transfixed, as Mork encountered mundane, everyday, earth dilemmas and brought to them his simple, yet refreshingly sweet, cosmic responses and solutions. We also watched the sweet romantic relationship develop between Pam Dawber (Mindy) and Mork. Mindy was the quintessential "girl next door" - beautiful, sweet and adorable. Men wanted to marry her and women wanted to be like her. We all rooted for Mork and Mindy to be a couple, that was part of the magic of the show. It's staggering to think that 35 years later, after all Robin's amazing comedic and dramatic movie roles, for most of us, it is that naive, little alien, Mork, that we remember and love him the most for. 

Of course his movie career was stellar as well. With a string of roles that highlighted his comedic and dramatic talents, he rode the wings of success and we loved him for it. From "Good Morning Vietnam"; to "Good Will Hunting"; to "Dead Poets Society"; to the hilariously funny "Mrs Doubtfire"; to the playfully "little-boy" appeal of "Jumanji"; to "Patch Adams" and to many, many more roles, he made us laugh, he made us cry and most of all he made us see our humanity. 

My personal favourite movie of his was actually not a great success at the box-office, but it was such a departure from his usual roles, I found it intensely compelling. "What Dreams May Come" was, for me, a highlight of his career. This comic actor played a harrowing, gut-wrenching role focused on death, the afterlife and hell. His performance in this movie was compelling and I for one, rate it as one of my top movies ever watched. 

From a comedic point of view, I still think the funniest line ever spoken by Robin in a movie was from "Mrs Doubtfire". When Pierce Brosnan's character asked Mrs Doubtfire if she had seen who threw the fruit at him, she replied with a perfectly straight face; "I don't know dear - perhaps it was a 'drive-by' fruiting". Truly classic comedy - I loved it.                  

Robin Williams gave so much of himself to others. His work for charities has been well documented, but it is a measure of the man's immense generosity and empathy for others that so many people have benefited directly from from his largess. He knew so well the joys of giving and yet somehow he could not find that joy in his own life. Whatever demons Robin Williams may have lived with, ultimately we can just be thankful that he lived so fully and completely and that he enriched our lives so wonderfully. 

For me,, like millions of others who didn't know Robin Williams personally, it still is like saying goodbye to a dear and close friend. 

Goodbye my friend, you deserve the ultimate accolade - "This world was a better place, for your having been in it". Now you may rest in peace. 

#RIPRobinWilliams       

It totally floors me when I realize that the last blog I wrote was dated 6/28/2014. Could it really have been that long? It was my original intention to write something at least once a week, but clearly I failed dismally in that respect, still I'll try to remedy that today by writing two blogs. I have been so intensely focused on the editing and re-writing of my first novel, "The Second Coming", that everything else pretty much played second fiddle.

Writing my first ever novel was a terrifying experience, but it taught me many things that I can now use in my future efforts. We all have to start somewhere and I suppose you could argue that writing a full-length novel was a pretty tough place to start, but nevertheless, despite the fear and anxiety that it created, I can now truthfully say it was a truly awesome experience.

Is it any good? I have no idea! I guess my "beta readers" will tell me that sometime in the next few weeks. Today I sent it out to eight very, very different people to read, and I'll see what the feedback that comes back is like. 

What I do know is that it was my baby, that I nurtured and cared for, for a number of months. Initially I was at a loss as to how I could possibly write what turned out to be an average length novel of around 112,000 words, in 21 chapters. My technique was fairly simplistic, but I think very workable. In my head, I knew the start of the book; I knew the basic premise and I knew how I wanted it to end, so all I really had to do was fill in the big chunk of nothingness in the middle. 

I never had a "road map", if you will, of how I wanted it to develop. I just adopted a very straightforward approach, similar to that of recovering alcoholics (one day at a time). In my case it was just one chapter at a time. I would decide on the theme and action I wanted to portray in the particular chapter and write it. Whether it all hangs together, and makes a cogent, interesting and meaningful tale, only others will decide that. For me, it is a good yarn, with some hard-hitting messages. I'm pretty proud of it...but then I AM slightly biased. 

As an experience, it is something I would strongly recommend to anyone who believes they have a tale to tell. It took me 54 years before I realised what I wanted to be "when I grew up". If I have learnt anything over these past three years that I have been here in The Philippines, it is this: 

1/ Whatever is your passion in life...that is what you should follow, and follow it with everything you are and can be.
 
2/ Life is NOT a "dress rehearsal"...you don't get a second take or a do-over, so love what you do, and do what you love. Anything less is second-changing you and the people you love. 

3/ Nobody else is responsible for what happens to us in this life...we are the masters of our own ships and the rulers of our own universe. We can spend our entire lives blaming other people or outside events and happenings for our current situation, or we can take control and change the only thing we have any real control over...OURSELVES. Choose to be happy...choose to be positive and choose to follow your bliss and you will be amazed how easily things will fall into place, just the way you envisaged they would, and finally; 
  
4/ This is the most important thing of all - never cease being grateful for the blessings you have. However small they may seem at any given time, they are blessings, and you need to be thankful for them. There is always something you can be grateful for - even if it is just another day alive on this awesome planet. Gratitude truly is the key to happiness. As an old friend of mine was always want to say; "It's not rocket science".

On that particular note I do need to take the time to express my sincere thanks and gratitude to all the people that have assisted me to make this journey of becoming an author and novelist. 
 
Firstly, to my son Christopher, a rare literary talent in his own right, who gave me the courage to write when all I wanted to do, was procrastinate. He selflessly spent hours reading my drafts and always providing honest, at times cutting, but always useful criticism...Thank you bud!


Secondly, to my beautiful, darling wife; Thess, who never once doubted me and every day filled me with enthusiasm and drive to carry on. I love you babes!

Finally to all the people who encouraged me - my "beta readers" and my family back in New Zealand who have always supported me in my sometimes, disaster prone, life to date. 

Maraming, Maraming Salamat! (Many, Many Thanks!)
 
When I first started this journey of self-fulfillment, my number one ambition was to be a successful, top-selling author and although that ideal hasn't changed, it is no longer the driving force that motivates me to sit and write for hours on end. 

What motivates me to write now is the need to express myself, and for me, the best way to do that is via the written word. I write for me...and I just hope other people can enjoy also my ideas and thoughts, but that is something outside of my control, so it is something I do not even concern myself with anymore. 

Will "The Second Coming" be published? I hope so. I may have to self-publish it, but I hope I do see my dream of a "real" book with my name on it, come true. Is it critical that it gets published to validate me or to motivate me to write more - absolutely not! I am a writer - I am an author and I will be until the day I die..............AND I LOVE IT!