UFC 320 and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Brown Belt

I watched UFC 320: Ankalaev vs Pereira 2, and it was a really fun event. I viewed it with a different set of people not at my place, so it saved me some money, which is always nice. Alex Pereira just steamrolled through Magomed Ankalaev in the main event, regaining the UFC Light Heavyweight Championship in this rematch. It was a lot different from their first fight, which was more tentative, as Pereira just immediately went forward and put heavy pressure on Ankalaev, who was on the back foot for as long as the fight was. In the co-main event, UFC Bantamweight Champion Merab Dvalishvili defeated Cory Sandhagen by unanimous decision in an interesting fight. The fight had its moments, especially in the second round when Merab nearly finished Sandhagen, but the fight ended up in a similar pattern throughout the rounds with Merab using his superior wrestling and cardio to get the win. Otherwise, the Khalil Rountree vs Jiri Prochazka was my favorite fight of the night.

I actually received my Brazilian Jiu Jitsu brown belt last week. It was an unexpected happening, and with something like getting a belt promotion in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, there is always the question of whether it is deserved or not. As a purple belt, while we are constantly learning, a practitioner’s style of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is more or less established at that point. I was pretty much just grinding away with some days just going because it is routine. I have to admit though that I got really complacent at times, and unfortunately, the roll that I did before getting the brown belt, I was far too complacent and did not try as hard as I could. When I got the brown belt, I honestly did not feel like I deserved it at that moment, but it was a really good lesson for me. Now, with this last stretch to a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu black belt, I am already establishing a goal of being more mentally ready and attentive each class.

Combat sports has a way of teaching individuals in a very physical and mentally demanding way. I can only imagine winning and losing at the highest levels of combat sports, and even as just a general Brazilian Jiu Jitsu practitioner, it is quite draining. It definitely builds character and tells a lot about oneself.

Lea Salonga and Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle

My wife and I went to see a Lea Salonga concert at the Segerstrom Center for the Arts in Costa Mesa. My wife is a huge fan of hers, and I am familiar with her being the singing voice of Princess Jasmine in Aladdin (1992). The venue really had no bad seats, and we sat at the top balcony. Despite our seating, we could see the stage just fine and enjoy the show. There was a full band with two keyboard players, a pianist, a drummer, a bass guitar player, a lead guitar player and two background singers. The performances from Lea Salonga consisted of songs from movies, Disney, one Filipino song and other songs. I’ve been to hip hop shows and smaller concerts, but this one felt more professional, sophisticated and elegant. My wife loved it, as it was her first time seeing Lea Salonga performing live. I enjoyed it much more than I thought that I would, and it helps that I was familiar with a majority of the songs that were performed.

We also watched the Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle anime movie, and it quite honestly was one of the best movies that I have seen all year. Visually, this movie is just amazing with so much movement and kinetic energy on screen. I own and have read the whole manga series and am up-to-date with the anime series, but this movie just takes the existing manga material and elevates it with the colors, visuals, fight choreography, music and whatnot. The Infinity Castle setting is already a character in itself, and every one of the good guys from the low-level swordsmen to the Hashira were fighting for their lives. The first part of the movie where Tanjiro and the Hashira freefalling was quite a visual. The last part of the movie spent a lot of time on the backstory of the Upper Level three demon, Akaza, which makes him much more human and sympathetic. Overall, I could not recommend this movie enough, but only for those who watch Demon Slayer or have read the manga.

The Lea Salonga concert and the Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle movie were the top of their forms of entertainment. Both were well worth the price of admission, and I am glad that my wife and I got to see them both.

Family Time and the Summer 2025 Anime Season

My wife and I went to The Welk Resorts in Escondido, CA, with my mother and father for a mini vacation. We used our timeshare, and outings like this are exactly why we got it. It was only for two nights, but we got to have family bonding time. The villas were very nice, and we even got to bring our dog. My dad told us how he got into the U.S. Navy from the Philippines and how hard he worked to really achieve the American Dream. We also went to National City where there is a big Filipino community and many Filipino stores. We ate some Filipino food for breakfast and got some halo-halo dessert as well. We even went to church together in the neighboring city, Vista, and we got to get brunch at a local breakfast place there. It was a fun time, and I could tell that my parents enjoyed it.

It was also the end of a lot of anime series this week for the summer 2025 anime season. While a few did get sequels picked up, many others did not. For those that did not, manga or light novels are the only way to continue on with the story, making the anime simply an advertisement for the light novels or manga. A lot of series every season, admittedly, are rather “mid” and really not worth continuing. The fantasy isekai genre and the banished from the heroes party sub-genre have been very prevalent as of late, and many of them are just average at best. Being someone who enjoys and writes fantasy, I cannot help but watch them anyways. As far as series that I really liked this season, there is: Gachiakuta, Dan Da Dan, Kaiju No. 8, Secrets of the Silent Witch, Dr. Stone, and Clevates. Ones that I enjoyed that I would consider good-but-not-great are: The Shy Hero and the Assassin Princesses, Bad Girl, New Saga, Dealing with Mikadono Sisters is a Breeze, I was Reincarnated as the 7th Prince season 2 and Welcome to the Outcast’s Restaurant. The fall season anime list came out, and I’m sure that I’ll watch a lot of those.

Overall, it was a much-needed relaxing week, especially considering the tragedies from the week before. Having the ability to have a short vacation via our timeshare, especially with family, is a benefit that we did not think of when purchasing the timeshare. As far as entertainment is concerned, anime is in full abundance with series that range from average to great. Vacationing and entertainment though are there for the escapism, which can very much be needed.

Charlie Kirk and Sarper Guven

It would be difficult not to talk about Charlie Kirk and what happened to him. I am familiar with him, his work, his organization, seen clips of his all over social media, knew that he was parodied in South Park, etc. Politic assassinations of this type are still pretty rare here in the U.S. (thankfully), and while Kirk was in the political sphere, he was not a politician. The reaction to this has mostly been respectful even with some of his political rivals being respectful, but there are those that have shown disrespect, which is sad to see. However, it looks like some have lost jobs because of things said about this. It was a sight to see that people in the U.K., South Korea and Australia, among other countries/continents were, marching praying and keeping vigils for Charlie Kirk, showing how far his reach had gone. It is sad that he died so young, leaving behind a wife and two children, along with the mourning of many fans and followers of his.

On a lighter note, my wife and I went to Escondido in San Diego County to see Sarper Guven from the reality show, 90 Day Fiance. He started to do standup comedy, and after just a few months, he is already headlines shows. My wife and I watch standup comedy regularly, so we have an idea of good comedians and amateurs. On the show, they showed Sarper’s first ever standup comedy on an open mic night, and he was not good, but it was totally understandable. We did wonder if Sarper was going to sound like an amateur during his routine, but thankfully, he was solid and earned his headliner spot. His act mainly talked about being married, but he did insert a few 90 day references. At the end of his set, he brought out his wife, Shekinah, who is also heavily featured in 90 Day Fiance. That was a pleasant surprise, and I hope nothing but the best for Sarper’s career as a comedy and his relationship with Shekinah.

It was a week filled with much tragedy. Something like comedy is there to help soothe and alleviate the tragedy of this world, and seeing Sarper did just that. I can only hope and pray for the family of Charlie Kirk, and I suppose that tragedy and the unexpected are just a part of this world and life in general.

Confidantes and Not Waiting

My wife and I have recently experienced situations where individuals, usually younger than us, have been confiding in us about matters related to life and relationships. Our story is one of long distance throughout the Pandemic, and by the grace of God, we got married. Now, people have been confiding in us with their own long-distance relationships or starting one. It is humbling to know that there are those that are asking me for advice. Admittedly, I never had “game” (or “rizz” as the young people call it now), but I did learn from others’ relationships and from my own mistakes. Having gone through the whole long-distance relationship, dealing with parents, travel, immigration and the like, I do have knowledge that I can pass on to others who are trying the same thing. Also, I have always wanted to be a mentor to others and wish that I had a mentor when I was younger.

For those who are trying the long-distance thing, that is an opportunity. When I was younger, I was not at all opportunistic. It took a while for me to wake up and actually start achieving things. I worked part-time for a while going to college, but once I finished college, I was still working part-time and living at my parent’s house. There wasn’t one thing that made me finally want to get out of my situation, but once I did, I got a full-time job and things just went up from there. I eventually became more opportunistic, but when I hear some younger people talk about what they want to do, a word that I hear from them is “wait.” In my opinion, the word “wait” should not be in someone’s vocabulary if they are trying to pursue new opportunities, whether that entails relationships, housing, employment, etc. The word that I would use is “initiative.”

Being a confidante and mentor to others is something that I have wanted for a while, and it is good that is now happening. I hope that more younger people take opportunities, take the initiative, and do not wait as I have done in the past.

Rob Schneider and WWE Clash in Paris

My wife and I saw a Rob Schneider comedy show at the Brea Improv, and it was really good. We got VIP tickets, so he was right in front of us. Before he performed, we noticed musical instruments and wondered who this is for. It turned out to be for Rob Schneider, who played some covers of Elvis, Paul McCartney, and others. He even acknowledged my wife when he made a joke about being Filipino. Rob Schneider these days has made no secret as to where his political affiliation lies, and there was a good amount of politics in his act. However, I thought that it was funny and not particularly mean-spirited. Besides the politics, he brought up women, marriage, and other topics. At the end, my wife and I got to shake his hand.

WWE also had their Clash in Paris PLE, and I thought that it was a lot of fun. The Rusev vs. Sheamus match was a bar fight, and most of the other matches were good to great. The ending with Becky Lynch helping her real-life husband win the fatal four-way made sense, and I am curious to see how they work together this time with both being heels. The worked together as babyfaces some years back, and it was terrible. However, I think that this time, it can work out. Others like Bronson Reed and even Logan Paul really stepped up to the moment despite losing, with Reed losing to Roman Reigns and Paul losing to John Cena.

It was a fun with some fun surprises. My wife and I were very happy going to the Rob Schneider show and even shaking his hand at the end. WWE Clash in Paris ended with a surprising finish that sets stories up for the future. Sometimes, things just end up well going above expectation.

My Wife’s Birthday and 90 Day Fiancé: Hunt for Love

My wife’s birthday was this week, and we celebrated with a massage, head spa and eating out. The massage and head spa were incredibly relaxing to the point where I just felt totally idle. As a birthday gift to her, I gave her a bag that she has wanted for a long time. I bought it in secret online and had it shipped to my work. I then put it in the trunk of our car. However, we had to stop by a Costco to buy some things, and I opened the trunk hoping everything would fit. However, the box took too much space, and my wife saw the box. I had to admit to my wife that was her birthday present. Thankfully, the part of the box that was visible was blank, so she had no idea what was inside. I then hid the box while she was busy in one of our closets and presented her the gift right when it became midnight of her birthday.

My wife and I are also regular viewers of the reality television series, 90 Day Fiancé, and all their spinoffs. This season had 90 Day Fiancé: Hunt for Love, where previous members of 90 Day Fiancé and their spinoffs along with other people not a part of the franchise are taken to a resort in Tulum, Mexico to try and find someone. It was one of the spicier spinoffs of the 90 Day fiancé franchise, and I could not help but feel good for some characters by the end of it, but also felt bad for others. One person had a full hero-to-villain arc, while other characters had redemption arcs and other things going on with them. The 90 Day Fiancé franchise though really illustrates the differences between men and women, and it really showed with Hunt for Love.

This was a fun week with the last episode of 90 Day Fiancé: Hunt for Love before the Tell All, and my wife’s birthday. Things may not go as planned whether that’s birthday gifts or finding someone, but they ended up turning out to be good at the end of it all.

Freakier Friday and UFC 319

My wife and I watched Freakier Friday, and it was an enjoyable movie. We went to an arthouse theater about a year ago and watched the original Disney Freaky Friday, so we still remembered the story beats, characters and whatnot. Freakier Friday pretty played the same story beats as the original, except with a changed dynamic involving four characters switching bodies instead of two. Lindsay Lohan and Jamie Lee Curtis can pretty much play these roles in their sleep at this point. The actresses playing the daughters of the main couple were good enough. There was enough nostalgia in the movie for fans of the original while having its own story for new fans. There was even some Filipino representation in the movie as well, and it had next to no social-political messaging.

I also watched UFC 319: du Plessis vs. Chimaev with friends over the weekend. On the main card, there were two spinning back elbow finishes, which is surprising considering how rare those finishes are. In the main event, challenger Khamzat Chimaev totally dominated Driscus du Plessis, who was the UFC Middleweight Champion at the time of their fight. It was a wrestling-heavy fight with Chimaev just being a wet blanket and du Plessis really having no answer for it. As someone who has been practicing Brazilian Jiu Jitsu for probably over a decade now, it was surprising to me to see du Plessis making some really amateurish mistakes on the ground. Du Plessis went for guillotines and just did not detach his body from Chimaev during takedown exchanges. On the ground, du Plessis was holding onto Chimaev when he should have been trying to create space between them. With fighters like Reiner de Ridder, Nassourdine Imavov, Caio Borralho and Anthony Hernandez waiting in the wings at the UFC Middleweight division, there are no shortage of challengers. However, I do find it difficult in seeing any of them having the abilities to really fend off Chimaev’s wrestling and grappling.

There was a lot of good entertainment in movies and combat sports. Some entertainment is lighter and family-friendly, while other forms of entertainment are filled with violence.

Helping Others and Birthday

This week, my wife and I helped out senior friends who were in need. One friend just needed help with moving items, and that is something that I am used to as I moved homes quite a bit within the last six years. Outside of something heavy like a refrigerator (which I did have to move with help from friends and family to my upstairs unit when I lived in Santa Ana) some mattresses are really tricky to move as they are just so awkward. Another friend that we had to help had issues with her legs, and she could not walk under her own power. We have been assisting her when we can, and her family also assists as well. It does demonstrate a cultural difference though in how we treat our elderly. For the most part over here, the elderly have to fend for themselves a lot of times with family helping just on occasion. In other countries and cultures, the elderly would have constant care from family.

My birthday was last week, and a did take the day off that day. For breakfast on my birthday, I went with my wife and parents to Polly’s Pies, which was surprisingly good. We skipped lunch, and my wife and I went with a friend of mine to Korean Barbecue for dinner. It was really good, but granted, it is hard to find a truly bad KBBQ place. This one that we went to though had really good service, and the food quality was also very good. Outside of that, I received a few birthday cards and happy birthday messages via text or social media. As we get older, that is really all we can expect at this point, and that’s fine.

There is satisfaction in helping others and getting older and wiser. People need to lean on others, especially as they get older, so forming bonds with family and friends will make others want to help.

Fantastic Four: First Steps and WWE SummerSlam 2025

My wife and I watched Marvel’s The Fantastic Four: First Steps in the theater, and I thought that it was a solid movie. The theme of family was one that carried throughout the movie, and it actually had a very feel to it. It helped that the movie was just short of two hours and not very difficult to follow. I really liked the look of Galactus and the 1960’s retro-futuristic vibe that it had going on, making it particularly distinct from other Marvel movies. Unfortunately, it appears that it isn’t do too well in the box office, and it is questionable if it will break even. I have to wonder if audiences are burned-out by Marvel, just waiting for it to be on streaming, or if they are wary of Marvel due to some of their movies having a lot of socio-political messaging (which this movie did not have).

My friends and I also watched WWE SummerSlam night 2, and I watched night 1 the day before. Overall, I thought that it was very good. The main events for both night 1 and night 2 delivered. Night 1 had the surprise successful Money in the Bank cash-in from Seth Rollins, and Jellyroll did as good as was expected of him. I figured that something was going to happen after the Cody Rhodes vs. John Cena match, especially with Cena staying in the ring after the match for so long, and the big surprise was the return of Brock Lesnar. It was definitely a controversial move on WWE’s part. The worst matches were probably the Kross vs. Zayn match and the Fatu vs. Sikoa match. Most everything else was “good” at the very least to “excellent.” Rollins and CM Punk look to be continuing their feud, and Cena feuds with Lesnar, but there is a question of where Cody Rhodes goes next.

Overall, it was a fun weekend filled with entertainment. Marvel is moving forward with Avengers: Doomsday as their next offering, and the WWE machine keeps on going. I can only hope that what Is being offered next will be good, fun and enjoyable.

Jessica Kirson and Church Anniversary

My wife and I went to see comedian, Jessica Kirson, and she had a really good show. She started her set with crowd work, and it was some of the best and most funny crowd work that I have seen. Kirson’s background brought in a crowd that we do not usually see, but thankfully, she did not get too political or directly attack one side of the political aisle. As a comedian, Kirson was very crass and vulgar but was funny about her subject matter. Her impressions were good, and the way that she talked about the generational divide was comical. Overall, we enjoyed the show.

This weekend contained our Church’s Anniversary, and my wife and I had to prepare for it as we are officers in our Church. That meant refraining from doing activities that may hinder us, like Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. That was tough as I had to miss class the week before due to sickness. We also had to wake up earlier than normal for certain activities and prayers. With work being busy, time went by really fast, and the weekend was already there. The Anniversary worship service and a subsequent picnic went really well, and I am refreshed. I look forward to going back to our usual schedule.

While it was a busy week, it was worth it. Things were not of the norm whether it was our weekly schedule or the audience for a comedy show. However, we adapted and came away feeling good and satisfied.

Pacquiao vs. Barrios and Difficulties

My wife and I watched the Manny Pacquiao versus Mario Barrios. My wife and I have been fans of Manny Pacquiao for a long time, and it should come as no surprise that most Filipinos are fans of his. The story of this fight had mostly to do with Manny Pacquiao coming back to professional boxing at 46-years-old after being gone from the sport for four years. Pacquiao performed very well considering the circumstances, and while he was not the same Manny Pacquiao in his prime, he was still able to fight evenly with a much younger world champion. The fight ended with a majority draw, which is certainly not the worst outcome for Pacquiao, but it was not the ideal outcome either. I have to think that a rematch is in store. In other combat sports, specifically the UFC, Dustin Poirier lost against Max Holloway in Poirier’s retirement fight.

This week has been busy and difficult at times. I was not feeling well on Tuesday, and my wife has been sick this whole week. I have not picked up her symptoms, and besides an occasional stuffy nose here and there, I do not know if I am sick as well. However, as a precautionary measure, I have not gone to Brazilian Jiu Jitsu class this week, which is unfortunate as I felt that I was getting some momentum lately having been relatively consistent in going to class until recently. Work for both of us has been very busy where we really do not have any downtime, which is good because time goes by really fast, but with having Church activities, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, exercising and other things to do, it does feel like our time and energy is not always evenly allocated. We are still working on work/life balance.

Life comes with hardships and trials, whether one is the top professional fighter or people that are working a nine to five. Certain outcomes in life are not ideal, but that is just how things turn out, and that is actually just fine.

WWE Evolution 2 and Tragic Situations

I watched WWE Evolution 2 over the weekend, and I thought that it was a solid event. I got to check out some of the matches of WWE’s Saturday Night Main Event, but I missed the AEW All In Texas event. The ending of Evolution 2 was well done with Naomi cashing in her Money in the Bank briefcase to ultimately win the Women’s Title. The triple threat to start the show between Lyra Valkyria, Becky Lynch and Bayley was really strong. Jade Cargill and Stephanie Vaquer won their respective matches and look to be getting gold sooner rather than later. The women’s talent in WWE is quite good, and with them producing more talent through the NXT system, WWE is going to have constant talent for years to come.

This week was also filled with my wife and I visiting friends and acquaintances from our Church who went through tragic and unfortunate circumstances. One had a parent pass away while another had a stroke. Despite the circumstances, there are many lessons to take from this. Forgiveness and understanding of other people’s situations were something that we took from one friend. Gratitude and not taking things for granted was another thing that we took from another friend. Bad things do indeed happen to good people, but how one reacts to those things is very important.

Things happen for a reason, and that applies to scripted entertainment and real life. However, real life can at times be more awe-inspiring and surprising than anything that we see on our screens.

4th of July 2025 and Work/Life Balance

My 4th of July weekend was a much-needed three-day weekend. My wife and I did not go out to see the fireworks and opted to stay home on Independence Day. We got some housework done and were actually supposed to watch the live-action How To Train Your Dragon, but we lost track of time as we were watching the anime, Ya Boy Kongming, at home. We ending up watching it throughout the night and finished it the next day. We also celebrated my father’s birthday that weekend, so we gathered as a family and ate out. It was a good time. Finally, we went on a hike with our dog. She is a bit older, so we had to carry her a few times during the hike. We are going to try to do a hike every weekend if we are able to, especially since it’s an excuse to be outside, and for our dog to be outside and get exercise.

One thing that my wife and I are still trying to figure out is a work/life balance. This three-day weekend was much needed, but we were catching up on things like chores and errands. It is a tough thing to juggle as I pretty much have something after work, whether it is something church related or Brazilian Jiu Jitsu class that more or less takes up a majority of my nights. Watching a movie in the theater is pretty much a weekend thing, and that can get difficult to fit into our schedule sometimes. I suppose that it is another reason to try to become a full-time author, as I could pick my own hours to work, and would not necessarily have to work a traditional nine-to-five. For now though, it is all about how to balance my work and personal life.

Independence Day is a good reminder of what is important such as family, friends, duties and whatnot. There is a balancing act being an adult in your work life and personal life, and it can be daunting at times. However, it is something that we all have to just handle and figure out.

Cirque du Soleil – ECHO and UFC 317

My wife and I saw Cirque de Soleil – ECHO at Laguna Hills recently, and it was a fantastic show. We got tickets for the last dates that this show would be available, and I am glad that we dd not miss it. Cirque de Soleil has a show every year at Laguna Hills, and it is now becoming something of a tradition now to attend them, and that’s the same with attending the Orange County Fair. The show itself is quite honestly magical, using stunts, technology and creativity to tell a story. In the show, there was this giant cube that was getting deconstructed at times and reconstructed. People would be inside of it, and there was even a wire act inside of it. However, the most amazing thing was seeing a titan, similar to the ones in Attack on Titan, coming out of it. The performances were top-notch and an amazement of what the human body can do.

My friends and I also watched UFC 317: Topuria vs. Oliveira. It was a very good card with some great fights and great finishes. Brandon Royval vs. Joshua Van was a Fight of the Year contender, and Van’s win puts some new blood at the top of the UFC Flyweight division. Alexandre Pantoja just steamrolled Kai Kara-France in the co-main event, winning by submission. However, it was Ilia Topuria’s brutal KO over Charles Oliveira that stood out the most. Topuria is a special talent that may very well be the top star of the current UFC product, which has quite honestly had some trouble creating new stars as of late. For Topuria to knock out Alexander Volkanovski, Max Holloway and Charles Oliveira in succession puts Topuria in that pound for pound status. If Ilia Topuria is headlining a UFC pay-per-view, then I am ordering it, as he is just that good.

The past week, I got to witness amazing performances. Both Cirque du Soleil and the UFC shows what humans are capable of doing, but one is primarily artistic, while the other is a sport built upon violence. It is always amazing though to see what humans can do at the highest levels of skill and creativity.

Leadership Roles and Increasing Followers

This week, I was assigned more leadership roles in my Church. I had to lead a prayer or two, and lead a group in a hike. The hike went well, but I could have been better prepared and cognizant of the time and the amount of people who came. It was a lesson in preparedness. The prayer went well enough with no incidents. My comfort level in praying has gotten better over time, but it is still not too natural. I suppose that some level of responsibility was necessary for me. Granted, I pay my bills, work and whatnot, but to lead is a different thing.

I have also been trying to increase my followers on my Facebook Author’s page and my X (formerly Twitter) account. With the help of my wife, it has actually gone pretty well. Now, it is a matter of making fresh content on my social media on a regular basis. We have a few ideas in mind that I am excited to try out. There is definitely a lot of “putting yourself out there” with trying to reach people. Also, there is a question of how to turn followers into readers/buyers of my books. It is a form of progress though, and with this writing thing, a little progress is better than stagnation.

Taking on leadership roles or trying to gain social media followers all come down to one thing: getting out of your comfort zone. There is a lot of yourself that you are putting out there, strengths and vulnerabilities, all to reach a goal of bettering yourself.

Father’s Day 2025 and Writer’s Groups

My wife spent Father’s Day with my family this year. It is always a good time spending time with family, especially being adults. All of us live busy lives with full-time jobs, and my siblings and their wives have children. I will catch up on things with my brothers whether it be professional wrestling, UFC fights, training in boxing, muay thai and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, and other such topics. It’s also nice just seeing my nieces and nephew, as they are growing fast. Hopefully soon, I will be one of the fathers during Father’s Day, and not just to my dog.

I have been joining different writer’s groups online, mainly on Facebook. It is interesting to see how many authors and potential authors out there, and we are all trying to “make it.” I like reading those who are writing their first books, as they have similar struggles that I had. Making a writing schedule, outlining, note taking, editing and other items to do are not always common with some that are trying to write a book. Not trying to boast, but it is just second-nature for me to write on a daily basis, even when I do not want to, or to outline my stories. I do not get caught up in the minutiae of how a first draft paragraph sounds like, or if certain dialogue sounds good or not, as I now know that a lot of this stuff will be addressed in the editing process, but for these writers who are creating their first book, there is still a lot that they do not know. Granted, I am no expert and still learning a lot myself.

There was a lot to reflect on this week. Father’s Day brings about family, and there is always something going on. With writing, I am getting to know new or established writers that all have their own quirks and their own struggles.

WWE Money in the Bank 2025 and Transitions to Something New

I watched WWE Money in the Bank 2025, and the big news item to come out of the event is the return of R-Truth (Ron Killings). It was reported that R-Truth’s WWE contract would expire without him re-signing, and the fans were not happy about it. They were very vocal about wanting him back, and when he came back in the main event of Money in the Bank, it was a legitimate surprise to everyone. The rest of the show was good too with the actual Money in the Bank ladder matches being fun along with the Becky Lynch vs. Lyra Valkyria match being really good.

It has also been a time of transitions. We are quickly going from spring to summer, even though over here in Orange County, it can be hard to tell. I know of a good amount of people that are graduating and transitioning to the next phase of their schooling. My wife just got a new job, and she has been in transition from her old job to this new one, which has had its obstacles and hardships. Thankfully, we got through it. With me, there is this new transition for me where I can actually call myself an author, which has honestly been strange for me. I am still hesitant to call myself an author as I tend to think of one as someone who makes some real money from it, or does it full-time. It is of course the goal to make money from my works and to be a full-time author.

Things are constantly changing, and with that comes transition into those changes. This applies to entertainment like the WWE, or just in life in general. It can be difficult, different or unusual, but it is a part of progression.

Karate Kid: Legends and Lilo & Stitch

My wife and I watched Karate Kid: Legends, and I thought that it was a fun movie. It was a popcorn flick, and I would guess that those who made this movie were going after fans of the Karate Kid franchise, and more specifically, the Cobra Kai series. Besides a brief cameo at the end, this movie shows no real connection to Cobra Kai. I think that most would watch this movie to see Jackie Chan and Ralph Macchio teaming up, and they had a few fun scenes together. Unfortunately, the main character, Li Fong, did not particularly stand out, nor did many of the other characters. The villain has very little backstory, so he just comes off as being the bad guy with a terrible attitude because the script demands it. A lot of the scenes are not given time to breathe due to the frenetic pacing. However, there was good action, and it was relatively easy to follow while not being too long.

We also watched the live-action Lilo & Stitch movie, which I liked a lot. I know that there were mixed opinions of the ending. However, there was a good family dynamic with Lilo and Stitch starting out as troublemakers. It was very easy at first to be frustrated with them both, as they tended to ruin things for Lilo’s sister, Nani, who was really having a tough time. They slowly get away with that as the movie progresses, and Nani sees some progression as well, especially with her profession and schooling. Most of the “bad guys” were not bad guys at all and befriended the main characters. It stayed true to the original enough while adding its own ideas, and it did not push hard on any sort of social messaging, which I am glad that they did.

It is the summer movie season, and there have been some pretty good movies out lately. Some are just mindless action movies while others are good family movies. It does feel like there has been a drought in even decent movies lately, so this is good that there are fun movies out right now.

Mission Impossible: Final Reckoning and Author Groups

My wife and I watched the latest Mission Impossible: Final Reckoning and theaters, and I personally liked it. There are valid criticisms of the movie such as the length of the movie, and that there are so many MacGuffins utilized that they had to recap the overall mission more than once. However, there was an overall feeling of danger throughout the movie with Ethan Hunt barely escaping a lot of tricky situations. The action was good, and of course, Tom Cruise did his trademark intense running. The side cast was good as well, introducing some characters who were memorable.

I joined some Facebook author groups recently and have been ingratiating myself to their communities. Some allow me to advertise and market my works, and I did advertise The Mustard Prince in the Condiment Kingdom on some of them. With one group, I did get a few Likes and comments, so that was nice, but it was not some sort of significant number. There are many people who are in the process of writing a book or who are published in the fantasy genre. However, it is not necessarily a competition but just getting a niche audience to like my product. I also feel that I am doing something a bit different than author fantasy books out there, as The Mustard Prince in the Condiment Kingdom is closer to a Japanese Light Novel than the fantasy novels that I’ve been seeing.

I do not know if Final Reckoning will be the end of the Mission Impossible franchise, but it looks like it could be, for now. Hopefully, we will see some new works out there that could potentially be big-time franchises. It is all about taking that initial risk, as who knows what the final outcome will be?