We lost a giant today. It feels weird to use that pronoun: We. I think that sometimes when celebrities pass away there is a sense of sadness followed by guilt. “Who am I to be so upset by this? It’s not like I actually knew the guy.”
It’s different tonight though. Robin Williams was like our favorite uncle. You know who I’m talking about right? He was the uncle that makes you laugh hysterically when you are a child. The uncle that drops in a curse word when your parents aren’t looking. The uncle that inspires you. (“Carpé Diem, boys. Seize the day. Make your lives extraordinary.”) And the uncle that’s around to give you the wake up call as you struggle to reach adulthood. (“You’ll have bad times, but it’ll always wake you up to the good stuff you weren’t paying attention to.”)

When I first heard the news of Mr. Williams passing I was (fittingly) in a movie theater. As I sat through the previews of the movie I tried to think of what roles of his shaped me the most. I tried to narrow it down to the three or four movies that were my favorite. But we know that’s impossible, there are too many. I was introduced to him as the Genie of the Lamp. (You could often find a young version of me walking around the house singing “Mr. Aladdin Sir! Have a wish or two or three… you ain’t never had a friend like me.”) The first time I ever really remember being affected by a movie was Dead Poets Society. I remember when my parents let me stay up late and we would watch re-runs of Mork and Mindy. (That stopped when my parents got sick of me sticking my index finger in my drinks and saying, “Nanu, Nanu” over and over again.)
The year that I saw Hook I had to go as Peter Pan for Halloween.(You would have found me in front of Robin Williams and the TV for much of that October perfecting my crow.) My first realistic exposure to the Vietnam War was Good Morning Vietnam. (You can imagine how shocking it was for me to hear “The Genie” cuss for the first time.) I have watched Good Will Hunting so many times I can practically recite the movie.

The thing about actors, especially the good ones, is that they show us all the layers of themselves that they could be. Robin Williams had such an astounding range that over the years we really did get to know a version of him, he peeled back a lot of layers for us.

This is why it’s ok to be sad. Because we did know him and he helped us know ourselves a little bit better. And this is why it feels like the world is a little bit emptier now that he’s gone. Fortunately for us, he left a lot behind. A huge body of work for us to celebrate.

So if someone comes in and says, “Boy, why are you crying?” Tell them it’s a tear for every happy thought. One for Peter Pan, One for the Genie, one for Mork from Ork, for John Keating, Mrs. Doubtfire, Sean Maguire, and so many more.

Rest In Peace Robin Williams. You will be missed. Thank You for all of the joy and wonder you have brought to my life. We will make sure to pass it on.

So I, like many others, have been desperately awaiting the next chapter of George R.R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire, entitled The Winds of Winter. And as it appears winter is, in fact, not coming anytime soon. Because of that I thought maybe it would be a good idea to share some of the reading material that is going to get me through Spring, Fall, and Summer.

What's at my bedside?

When I finished Dance With Dragons, I was pretty distraught. The cliffhanger is intense and finishing the last page without knowing when I would have the chance to read the next page almost made me slip into I.R.M. (Irish Rage Mode- More on that on a later date.) I immediately called my brother, who is the biggest GoT fan that I know and he sent Steven Erikson’s Malazan Book of the Fallen my way.

Steven Erikson is an accomplished Canadian anthropologist and archaeologist who has created the most immersive literary world that I have ever encountered. If you are looking for something that captures all of the medieval fantasy and politicking as Game of Thrones these books should tide you over. The best part? It’s a ten book series (That’s already finished!). Which means if you start reading now, when you finish in a couple of years Georgie may have a release date for Winds of Winter.

What's on my desk?

Arguably by Christopher Hitchens. A collection of essays by Hitch. I love this guy, he was sharp, smart, and sarcastic in all of his writings. Arguably essays cover topics from Thomas Jefferson to Harry Potter. My desk reading is usually saved for content that spawns critical thought. A lot of times when I am reading Hitchens I feel too stupid to be devouring his work… so I try to devour more, I have an inherent need to make this writer like me. Will someone figure out how to bring him back to life so he can tell me I am a good guy?

What's sharpening my tools?

Let me explain ‘sharpening my tools’: I try to read one or two plays a week in the hopes that I can better understand how to be a successful playwright/artist. This week is Topdog/Underdog by Suzane-Lori Parks. I’m taking notes on the way she uses dialogue to develop tension. I’m going to need it for my next writing endeavour(More to come later? Maybe?). Saw this show directed by one of my mentors/role models when I was in college and I am hoping I learn as much about writing by reading it as I learned about directing when I watched it.

What's in iBooks?

Ulysses by James Joyce. Free download as part of “The Gutenberg Project”. It is …. You know what I’m not even going to pretend I have started reading this yet. This book terrifies me. But you know what? I will probably still finish it before George R.R. Martin releases another book.

Thanks George.

Allow me to introduce myself.

Hi. My name is Brian. I’m a playwright, an actor, and an aspiring director. Of course I am not David Mamet, or Brad Pitt, or Steven Spielberg , and like most artists I occasionally find myself on extended hiatus from my noble endeavors.

So why am I here?

I am looking for an outlet to stay sharp, and while I do carry around three sizes of moleskines™ and two zebra pens at all times (Am I in the running for the most pretentious man you have ever encountered yet?) I am also a child of technology and I understand nowadays that no one is really alive unless they live on the internet (That’s sound logic right?). I am also here for:

Shameless self promotion.

Shameless promotion of my friend’s artistic endeavours.

Illusions about the importance of my opinion.