A Few Questions

A couple of years ago, I was asked by another blogger to answer a few questions about myself. I had forgotten about it, and then today I was going through my documents looking for old things I had written, as I have finally and officially started writing my book, and there it was, the questions I had answered. So, I updated them just a tiny bit and here they are...

Who are you?

My name is Robert, but everyone calls me Robb. I am 43 years old, was born in Orange, California, grew up all over the US, spent 13 years living in Holland, 3 ½ living in New Delhi and the last year in Istanbul.

What do you do?

Before the recession hit, I was an executive in an advertising agency, heading up planning and strategy. Since the recession, I have been doing freelance work which includes plays, writing articles, voice-overs, acting in television pilots, movies and TV commercials. I also try and spend part of each day writing and taking pictures.  I have been teaching English for the past year as the other activities don’t really pay the bills.

What is your true passion?

I have a few of those. Writing, traveling and photography. I am happiest when doing all of those at the same time.

What do you like?

Travel – exploring places I have never been, and even better if nobody I know has ever been either. Scuba diving in the Red Sea. Going to the cinema. Watching entire seasons of television shows on DVD. Cold pizza for breakfast. After clubbing, late night meal consisting of pancakes, onion rings and a chocolate malt – seriously. Snowboarding – especially if I can be the first one down a piste after a night of snowfall. Elephants. Long walks on beaches – I love stormy beaches with rough seas. Spending time with friends. Long conversations ranging from the completely stupid to the stimulatingly intellectual. A great book with strong characters – I love Victor Hugo. A great play – I love musicals. The smell of Christmas. Vin chaud after a long day of snowboarding. Disneyland. Fondue with lots of friends on a snowy night. Champagne for no reason at all. Dancing like a lunatic. Singing in the shower. Going out on my terrace in monsoon rains and just getting soaked. Making people laugh. Being the center of attention.

What do you hate?

Anything and anyone who succeeds or profits in any way at the expense or detriment of others. Selfishness, people who hate, prejudice, war, people with no respect to other people, the earth or themselves. People who can willingly and intentionally cause harm to someone else.

What are you also good at?

I haven’t shown it in the last few years to anyone, but I am pretty good cook. I am also good at making people laugh. Usually.

What was your childhood dream?

My childhood dream was to be a star, a great big movie star. Then I decided that movies were not real acting, so I decided I should be a star of the stage. Then I decided that opera was the highest form of theatre, so I decided I would be an opera star. My voice didn’t agree.

What is your adult dream?

To travel, write and take pictures. I want to see and document as much as I can about the world around me and the things I experience.

What makes you happy?

Travel. Photography. Spending time with the friends I almost never get to see.

If you could, what would you change?

All my friends would be with me. My dad would still be alive. My family would all get along. I would speak more languages. There would be no borders between countries, the world would be an open place, free and safe to go anywhere.

What are your favorite 3 objects?

I try not to have favorite objects, as I prefer experiences to possessions, but if I must pick, then I will say: My camera, my passport and the teddy bear I bought at the Christmas market in Brussels. If I can pick things that aren’t objects, then my memories, my friends and the life I have had that far exceeds anything I ever imagined for myself.

What is your favorite…?

I can never pick a favorite anything, as most of what I like and how I like it is driven by my mood and the moment. I find having an absolute favorite of anything to be too constricting. I always have lists of favorites and it always annoys people who ask this question looking for one response. There are just so many fabulous options out there, I can’t ever pick just one…  Of anything.

And what about love?

What about it? I am not usually one to kiss and tell… Unless there is a book or movie deal involved…