Now O’ Clock by William Garcia

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This is the inspirational story of my journey toward this revision of my first book, Now O’Clock. With respect to your own pursuits, it may very well be a similar story and a similar journey.

Mine started in 1987 when I invented a board game called The Suppeenah Man (Copyright Registration Number / Date: TXu000301943 / 1987-10-29). It is a simple game of progression where being served with criminal or civil Process could force you to go to court, pay a fine, and/or go to jail.

At the time, I was fortunate enough, and completely out of the blue, to get a call from a reporter. He discovered that a local man—me—had been awarded a copyright certificate from the Library of Congress for a board game he had invented. The reporter contacted me, came to my house, interviewed me, and published my story in the Miami Herald Business Monday on November 28, 1988. Fortunately, it was the kind of publicity I could not afford. Unfortunately, I did not have the $90,000.00 needed to take advantage of it. So, I shelved the idea. Who knows? Maybe one day something may yet come of it.

In that same year, and with ink laced with tears from a broken heart, the force of life moved me to write poetry. I was faced with the hurt and sadness of divorce from my first wife and the relocation of my son. Writing poetry served as a faucet by which I was able to regulate my emotions and ease my mind.

 

Soon after, the idea of sharing my poetry occurred to me. So, I entered an online poetry contest, but I never got a response. I was a little discouraged, but I was still motivated to share my work—but how? I needed a medium by which to do this, and in 1991, I found it in a concept I called “Poartry,”—the marriage between poetry and art. This medium would take the form of full-colored, high-quality posters. I had already written the perfect poem, “Lady Feminique,” and it would be the first exemplification of “Poartry.” I had an idea, a medium, and a product that could sell. I started a publishing company named Willhe Publishing, Inc., and “Lady Feminique” would be the featured poster.

Unfortunately, the fuel that inspired me to write was different from the fuel needed to be a businessman. Mine was not an online business, and selling was not one of my strengths; at least not arm’s-length selling. Soon after this discouraging realization, I was out of business, and Willhe Publishing, Inc. was dissolved. Still, all was not lost. In 1992, I became a single parent when my ex-wife gave me full custody of our son. Life had taken on a new meaning, and the rest is “GoodStory.”

In 2005, while she slept, my beautiful wife Marilyn—mother to our beautiful twin daughters—slipped out of her broken body and into the eternal awakening on the other side of Time—in heaven. Five days earlier, our daughters had just turned 11 years old. From the time Mom got sick, to that day and beyond, life had a sober meaning we had to get used to, and it was hard. Difficult as it was, Time revealed to us that, as much as we had lost, our cup was still full. We had each other and a new future to look forward to; a lot to do and a long life ahead of us.

Before Mom got sick, I had started to write inspirational quotes that I would use to create a calendar, but I ran out of inspirational fuel after 295 quotes—I needed 365. So, I went back to writing poetry and wrote what would be the inspiration for the first edition of my first book, Now O’Clock—the poem titled “Now.” This was in 2009. I liked this poem so much that I was inspired to dust off an old idea, “Poartry,” and start a new one, “Arttextry”—the marriage between art and text.

Now, I could use the quotes I had written to create inspirational posters of quotes and poems. I would have two stars to begin with: Lady Feminique and Now. I had already secured copyrights for both and was now thinking about protecting my quotes. The search for the kind of protection I needed led me to the writing of Now O’Clock. In its writing, I was able to use some of my best quotes—quotes I would use to create Arttextry.

In October 2011, I started Arttextry.com, Inc., where I displayed and sold inspirational and motivational posters. Of course, Lady Feminique and Now were the main features. Soon enough, I had spent my last few dollars producing the website, engaging artists to do work-for-hire, and producing posters, after which I had no cash left to complete the entire collection, much less start a marketing campaign. I don’t know if you know, but marketing is very expensive; it was way more than I could afford. Still, I kept my window open to the internet public for as long as it was financially feasible. Perhaps, one day soon, I will reopen that window.

In 2012, Now O’Clock was published. Days, months, and years passed by, and neither my Arttextry nor my book was selling. The thought of revising Now O’Clock crossed my mind, but I ran over it with a Mack truck. The idea caused my brain to cramp. “No way, Jose,” I told myself.

Writing another book required discipline, sacrifice, patience, and hard work, and I had become discouraged, disinterested, distracted, and lazy. I was not going to go “there” again, especially with so much happening too fast in my life. I desperately needed to slow down and catch my breath.

In 2013, I had the good fortune of meeting Gus Castellanos, MD, a retired Neurologist. Listen to this: it was the word “Now” that connected us. I was in the office of the risk manager at the Mercy hospital. I was there to subpoena hospital records, and while the document was being reviewed, I noticed the lady was listening to soundscapes and the word “Now”, in big bold letters, was on her computer screen. I told her that I had written a poem with that as its title.

That is when she mentioned Dr. Castellanos. She said he was into that kind of “thing.” She gave me his email address: I contacted him, we met, and he introduced me to Mindfulness Meditation; the kind of “thing” he was into. Dr. Castellanos is a master teacher who became my mentor, and I have been learning and practicing Mindfulness ever since.

Still, my restless mind found something else to do. I would become a professional Life coach and, in 2014, I was certified. Then it occurred to me that I may be good at being a public speaker—a motivational speaker. So, I did a speech for the Phoenix Center for Healing here in Miami. The speech is titled, “Slow Down.” As you can see, I kept changing outfits, but I was always dressed. I knew where I wanted to go but had no financial means of getting “there.”

One day in 2015, while I was meditating, Now O’ Clock again crossed my mind, and this time I embraced the idea of revising it. So, I planted my butt on my chair, started to write, and here we are. Yes way, José, and I did go “there.”

This is what I attribute to Mindfulness. Being honest with myself, I did not put my heart into the first writing of Now O’ Clock, and because I did not, I was less than proud of it. So, I asked my publisher to remove what copies there were out there and to terminate the title. In the revised edition, you will see that my heart, my mind, and my soul are in it. What a journey!

I invented a board game, The Suppenah Man; created a poster, Lady Feminique; and a concept, Poartry. I started a home business, Willhe Publishing, Inc., from which to sell my Poatry, then replaced the old concept, Poartry, with a new concept, Arttextry: Inspirational/Motivational Posters. I started an online business, Arttextry.com, Inc. (now closed), from which to sell my Arttextry; wrote and published my first non-fiction book titled Now O’ Clock; became a Certified Professional Life Coach; did a speech; and now, I have written and published this new and revised edition of Now O’ Clock.

Oh! By the way, I am also what I call a “Wordchitect” (word-key-tect)—a word I built to describe what I became—someone who constructs new words. You may have already noticed a few of them: GoodStory, Suppenah (sub-pee-nah), Feminique (fem-in-neek) (Poartry (poh-art-tree) and Arttextry (art-text-tree). There would be others.

Evidently, I have a creative mind and a passion for doing what I do. Most importantly, however, is that I believe in myself and in what I do. Obviously, I would like to be in the business of helping people; people like you—in one way or another and through one medium or another.

As fate would have it, in each case I had gotten all dressed up, had in mind places to go, but no financial means to get “there.” In each case, I always knew I did not have the means needed to get “there.” But that did not STOP me from getting dressed or discourage me from staying dressed.

The proof is in the many outfits I’ve donned over the years: Marshal, Criminal/Civil Investigator, Civil Deputy Sheriff, Inventor, Poet, Concept Creator, Entrepreneur, Author, Life Coach, Speaker, Wordchitect—all I have underachieved in.

All while dressed as a single parent—my best outfit, my greatest and most consequential achievement—raising three special human beings: my son Angel Luis, and my twin daughters Amada Mia and Vex (formerly known as Bianca Jude). They, by simply “being,” make the world a better place to live in.

You know what? I just had an epiphany. It is about something I was told by my Karate teacher, Sensei Woodrow Wilson. I had to be about 14 years old.

“If you do not become a better martial artist than me, it would mean that I have failed as a teacher,” he said.

I want to believe I did not fail as a father. I digress.

Listen, it has been my experience that there is a cost associated with offering to help people in the ways I would like. I’m also aware that the universe doesn’t always conspire with us when or in ways we would prefer. When that happens, as it has with me, I still must think. I still must believe in myself, and I still must keep an open mind to “thought occurrences.”

This time around, I not only wear many hats. Now, I am more mindful, in control, able to set my own pace, and always expecting that something good will happen today—to me or to someone I love.

That being so, there are at least 5 billion people on this planet who do not know me or the media through which I can help. You were one of them, and like me, you have your own inspirational story; your own journey. So, set upon your own path, and if you’re not already dressed, get dressed and stay dressed. You never know when opportunity will knock on your door and take you “there.” This is when readiness meets opportunity—when your future becomes your present living reality.

I also encourage you to be patient and hopeful because the achievement of your goals can NEVER arrive too late. I will always arrive at now o’ clock. You will need only to have the mindful capacity and awareness to appreciate what it means to your life at that time. Hopefully, this time I will be able to get “there” with what is, to me, far more valuable than capital: your help, that of your friends and family, yours and their shares, follows, tweets, likes, and most importantly, your reviews on Amazon.com. I’m already dressed. So, thanks in advance.

You know, I reflect on the many short trips on my enduring journey in time, and I don’t see failure as so many do. Here is a quote I live by. It is one of my many originals:

Think of failure as nothing more than a temporary experience; it is not a permanent condition or a terminal disease. Experience it and then let it go. Survive it and try again.  Nothing scares away failure more than another Try. Nothing is more attractive to success than courage; the courage to try again-William Garcia.

Living-along, the journey of my life continues to be paved with many, many valuable emotional experiences lived while in pursuit of my goals—worthy goals—a life best lived. Read my definition of success and you will understand what I mean.

This revision of Now O’Clock, (Now O’ Clock. Being Mindful, it Always is), I believe, is a more mindful and beneficial read. There is something here for almost anyone. I believe there is something here for you.

Thanks. Order your copy now. Enjoy the journey. Embrace yours.