Homeownership and Being an Adult

My previous roommate has moved out (and left a mess), and I am now looking for a new roommate. It has been a stressful process listing my spare room, filtering out applicants, scheduling showings and whatnot. It is the burden that comes with homeownership and making money from your own home, but it is also just a part of being an adult as well. As adults, we have to do things that we do not want to do but have to, and we take risks like allowing strangers into your home in order to get some sort of reward. It is also a learning process, and despite doing this for a while, there is still much to learn.

Writing has been like that for me as well. There is a level of motivation, drive and discipline required to put words to paper. There is time that needs to be allotted daily to write consistently, even though it can be a grind and not something that I want to do. There is also a lot to learn even with my writing environment such as eliminating distractions, setting a timer and whatnot. With writing itself, I have had to go back, re-edit and make my works longer. It is still a constant learning process despite how long I have been doing it.

It is not always fun to be an adult, but I have found things to be more fulfilling. Getting things done have taken on a new meaning, and my general satisfaction with things in my life appear to be higher.

Labor Day Weekend 2022 and Normalcy

This Labor Day Weekend was fun and a much-needed three-day weekend. I attended the Long Beach Comic Convention and cosplayed in the yellow jumpsuit that Bruce Lee wore in Game of Death. A few thought that the cosplay was in reference to Kill Bill, which happens all the time. It was fun going to a comic convention, as I have not gone to one in a long time, especially when the height of the pandemic hit. I took some pictures of other cosplayers, and some took pictures with me. Overall, I had a fun time, and so did the attendees.

I am also adjusting back to my normal routine after my trip to the Philippines. I decided to change a few things up though like removing my Instagram app and a few other things to get off screens and social media a bit more. I had a barbecue with friends while watching UFC fights, and I am glad that I did not burn the steaks or corn on the cob. Writing has been consistent, and I am always getting new ideas for this new story that I am writing. If anything, catching up on my anime has been difficult as there was a lot that I missed and little time to catch up on. Overall, I am getting back to a level of normalcy.

Writing is still a high priority for me, and the goal remains the same. I am laser-focused on getting a Literary Agent especially with The Mustard Prince completed. With big changes happening in my life next year, I can only hope that getting an agent and especially getting professionally published will happen as well.

Philippines Again and the Future

I travelled to the Philippines this past week to do a wedding photoshoot along with some other wedding stuff. It is always a thrill to be back in the Philippines and seeing a world much different from my own. From the wealth to the poverty, driving on the crazy roads, meeting new people and going to new places, it was a worthwhile trip. I also got to see the movie, Maid in Malacanang, and liked it even though it felt more like a television drama with the way that it was created.

The trip was only a week and was hectic, so it passed by very quickly. Life is much different with someone there with you instead of doing things alone. Even something like eating a meal feels a bit different, and it is a good difference to have. With being out of the country, it does make one appreciate what one has. Seeing homes with sheet metal roofs is not something that we see in the U.S, for example, so it puts into perspective about what we have.

As far as writing goes, I did not do much of it. I do have a renewed determination to reach my goal of being a professionally published author, especially as it would be a benefit for my future and my future married life. With The Mustard Prince finished, I can only hope that I can get there sooner rather than later.

Teasing Master Takagi-san the Movie and a New Story

I just watched the Teasing Master Takagi-san movie, and it was very cute. Anyone who has seen the anime series would know that it is a sugary sweet, cute and wholesome show, and this movie is no exception. It is kind of amazing that someone can create new scenarios with pretty much the same premise, but there has been an evolution with this series going from just teasing to something of a middle school romantic comedy. Teasing Master Takagi-san is pretty much the progenitor of the “teasing” genre that has popped up in anime and manga as of late with many new series coming out with their own twists on this particular genre.

Speaking of twists on a particular genre, I am now starting to write my own “isekai” story. For those that do not know, “isekai” is a Japanese genre of portal fantasy and science fiction. In the U.S., we have seen this genre with The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe or the Dungeons and Dragons cartoon. While most go the route of transporting to some sort of medieval fantasy setting, I am not going the medieval route but instead going with science fiction. It has been a lot of fun brainstorming and putting new ideas out there.

I have to admit that I have been enjoying just writing a lot more recently. Part of it is because I have officially finished The Mustard Prince in the Condiment Kingdom, and the result of constant editing and whatnot has made it a great story. With a new story being written, it has really made writing fun, for now. I know how this story goes, and while it is fun now, a grind is yet to come.

Birthdays and Getting Older

I just had a birthday recently and am officially middle aged. Time really has been going by quickly lately, and it feels that this happened in an instant. I would consider myself a late bloomer, and many of my accomplishments such as buying my first and second home happened recently along with getting engaged. While I would have liked to have accomplished these things in my twenties, I certainly was not ready nor had the drive or experience to attain these things. Now, I have been telling those in their twenties to buy property and just achieve more in their lives.

This includes my writing as well. I have noticed improvements in my writing, and I am simply more disciplined about writing than when I was in my twenties. I was not particularly studious and procrastinated a lot when I was a student. I believe that I would make a much better student now with being more disciplined and understanding the need to complete assignments first before partaking in entertainment like watching television or anime. I used to play video games a lot in the past, especially RPGs, but now, I hardly play video games anymore.

Instead of just partaking in entertainment, I am now in the process of creating entertainment through my writing and creating stories. It is a good time now, as I feel that I have more life experience and see the world differently.

New Ideas and Different Feels

I thought of a new story, and I am still in the brainstorming aspect of the writing process. With The Mustard Prince in the Condiment Kingdom almost finished, I thought that it would be fun to go with a new story with more of a science fiction feel instead of fantasy. I got a few ideas from anime, which has pretty much been my go-to idea factory, and a few ideas from video games as well. Feeling confident with my writing as well as far as constructing sentences and paragraphs, describing people or places, word usage and whatnot, I am finding more enjoyment in this. Of course, the beginning is usually the best part, as the grind happens in the middle.

I am anxiously looking forward to sending query letters again for The Mustard Prince in the Condiment Kingdom. I sent a bunch a few years ago when the book was unedited, and that just showed my inexperience. Now, I think that I have a better handle with this as far as sending query letters and just having a more presentable story to show to literary agents. It has coincided with me actually enjoying writing a bit more as of late, which is good.

I can only hope and pray that my story gets accepted, and I know that I’ve said that before. I suppose the only difference is that the story feels a lot different now, and I hope that it shows.

Departure and New

I have a friend who is leaving the state soon, and he is someone that I hang out with pretty much every weekend. When asked if I was sad about it, I responded that it is just a part of life, and getting into middle age, I have seen so many people come into and out of my life throughout the years. One of my good friends left this world a few years ago, so I am discovering that departure and letting go is simply a part of life. That does not mean that I am particularly happy about it, but accepting of the circumstances that life brings.

I am very close to finished The Mustard Prince in the Condiment Kingdom. In one sense, there is a departure from this story and onto the next story. I am still working on getting a Literary Agent, and I am hoping that this story, fully edited, will be appealing enough for an agent. I filled in a lot of gaps that I did not notice before, and the story is much better for it. Many scenes were particularly rushed, so I slowed down when necessary and filled in that space better.

I suppose that with departure comes something new. In a few months, I will be married, so in my personal life, that will be a whole new thing. With writing, there will have new stories to be created. I am anxious yet filled with anticipation for these new things to happen.

Ya Boy Kongming and Writing More

I finished the anime, Ya Boy Kongming (Paripi Koumei in Japanese), and it was definitely one of the surprise anime of 2022, for me, as far as being a very good anime that no one was anticipating or expecting to be good. Besides the strategizing, comedy, music and energy, it was just a lot of fun and had a lot of heart. A military strategist from the Three Kingdoms era reincarnated in modern day Japan while being a bartender and helping the career of a songstress was not something that should work as well as it did. The characters and positive energy of the series really helped it stand out. It also goes to show the one fact about anime, and that is that there is an anime about anything and everything.

My stories are heavily influenced by anime. Whenever I imagine The Mustard Prince playing out in my head, I imagine it as an anime. I am currently finishing up with editing The Mustard Prince in the Condiment Kingdom, and I am spending much more time on it than usual. I just really want to get it done and have the story finished. I have other stories on the docket as well. Thankfully, I am getting much more used to spending more time on it, and just being disciplined by not allowing distractions get in the way.

I think about working six to eight, if not more, hours a day on writing as a career. I know that at times, it will be boring, and editing can be quite a chore. Other days, writing can go by quickly, and I’ll be at a good part of the story where I am just really into what is going on. At the end of the day though, the end product and finishing a story is very satisfying.

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness and Free Time

I finally got around to watching Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. Marvel Cinematic Universe movies have been something of a mixed bag as of late, but this one was good in my opinion. It kept my attention throughout, and the cameos that they presented obviously foreshadow who could be in future MCU films. It definitely opened up many possibilities for the MCU, and I am at least curious to see where they go from here. There is not a clear end goal so far, or defined supervillain or evil that must be stopped.

I actually had a lot of free time this weekend, which is rare for me. I did a little more writing than I usually do, which I suppose is practice if I ever reach my goal of becoming a professionally published author. I will have to sit for hours writing and/or editing novels as a profession, and it will take much discipline and time management. Distractions are everywhere, and it is easy to get caught up in something else.

The more that I do this writing thing though and dedicate to it, the more that I want this to be something of an end goal for me. As it is, I sit around in an office chair in a cubicle for hours entering data into a computer. I would much rather enter my thoughts, ideas and stories into a computer and structure it the way that I want.

4th of July 2022 and Dialogue

I spent my 4th of July with friends having a barbecue and watching classic martial arts movies. I did not mean for this to happen, but we watched Future Cops which was made in the 90’s, Bloodsport which was made in the 80’s, and Blackbelt Jones which was made in the 70’s. While all of them were cheesy in their own ways (and Future Cops was just flat out bizarre), they were all products of their time from the music, dialogue and the clothes that they wore.

One thing that was very noticeable was that the farther back we went, the less “politically correct” the dialogue became. Many of the things said in Blackbelt Jones could not be said today, and there are arguments that it is for the better, and arguments that it is for the worse. The argument could be made that dialogue today in entertainment is reserved and at times, robotic. Of course, others would argue that the dialogue back then would be too offensive for today’s audiences.

Creatively speaking, the less restrictions, the freer the work. However, there is an audience that needs to be appealed to, so some level of restraint has a necessity. Sometimes, this can get controversial, and other times, creative people have managed to find the right balance.

Honest Discussions and Arguments

It is interesting to see how people view the world and what narratives that they fall into. I have to wonder about some people who are so focused on one particular narrative if they are looking at the other side of the argument. Maybe there is some level of pride that prevents people from looking the other way, and it could be that most people just do not want to be wrong, which is normal human behavior. Admittedly, I do not like reading critiques of my work, but I have to admit that especially as of late, it has helped my writing quite a bit.

I am not particularly interested in bad or intellectually dishonest arguments, but that does not stop individuals from expressing them. I am of the opinion that things should generally make sense and be logical, and that goes for arguments or stories. When things do not make sense or are on an illogical foundation, then cracks form and things tend to crumble. We see that in arguments and in bad stories as well. Of course, the world does not always operate in this manner.

I do like listening to people, and that gives me various ideas. Everyone has what is called a “blind spot,” and it is good to hear what others have to say in order to fill that blind spot, even if it is something that one might disagree with. In the end, I think that just makes a stronger and wiser individual.

Finishing a Story and Remembering Characters

I have recently finished the graphic novel version of “Return of the Condor Heroes” by Louis Cha (pen name Jin Yong), and I felt happy and melancholy at the same time. This is a sequel to “Legend of the Condor Heroes,” and I have read the novels for Legend translated to English, but the novels for Return have not been translated to English yet, so I bought and read the graphic novels. With these being a part of a trilogy, I got to read about the heroic exploits of these characters, see them grow and read new adventures of different heroes who are connected to the original characters. As cheesy as it sounds, it really is saying goodbye to an old friend. I put my time reading about these characters with emotional investment. Thankfully, it ended well, and I have the third part of the trilogy in graphic novel format.

My plan for The Mustard Prince series is to have it in multiple volumes. I want audiences to experience growing with the characters and reading about their heroic deeds. I would like a child to read about The Mustard Prince and grow up still remembering the character fondly. The first book that I read, and that pretty much taught me how to read was “Puss N’ Boots.” When this character was in Shrek, I felt like I was the only person excited to see him as I still remember the character into adulthood.

For a deeper reason outside of money, this is the primary reason for me wanting to be an author. I want audiences to read about the exploits of my characters and hopefully remember them in the future. I would like them to have fun, be entertained and escape for a bit while reading my works.

The Roundup and Straightforwardness

I watched a South Korean movie called “The Roundup” starring Don Lee over the weekend. It was a sequel to “The Outlaws,” and The Roundup is just a lot of fun. Don Lee plays a detective who does not always play by the rules, but nonetheless, has a strong sense of justice. There was no messaging, but the movie had a lot of action and comedy and was relatively straightforward. Asian cinema lately has been destination viewing, as I have just been fond of watching good, fun movies that were not trying to sell me on something else. While the U.S. will have a movie like Top Gun: Maverick that I must see on occasion, regularly, I seek out Asian movies in the theater.

I want to go back to that type of story just to entertain with my books. The protagonist and antagonist are clearly defined with one being good and the other being evil. There is hardship with the protagonist that he must overcome and become stronger and wiser for it. I do not feel that the formula has to be tweaked or diluted so much, as it works with the basis of any story and reveals something about people and the human condition in general.

Right now, I am working on making my works longer, and it has produced good results. These new chapters needed to be in The Land of the Wooden Statues and The Mustard Prince in the Condiment Kingdom, but it was my own impatience that did not see it. I am actually growing impatient as these stories are almost completely done.

Revue Starlight and Artistry

I watched Revue Starlight the Movie, which is a continuation of an anime series, and I enjoyed it. It is more artistic than most anime that I have seen and contains meta commentary about the stage and the audience who watches the performers. I enjoy the symbolism, metaphor and allegory that this series produces, and it does not hurt that there are extensive action scenes. As far as other anime that I would compare it to, the easiest would be Utena, and another would be Princess Tutu, both more Avant Garde in style and substance.

As a writer starting out, I am hesitant to go to that artistic length. My stories tend to be much more straightforward and grounded, as I am not trying to reinvent the wheel. I think that a certain level of vision, wisdom and experience is necessary to break away from conventional norms in writing, which also applies to other endeavors like martial arts or sports. It just looks haphazard when an amateur tries to be “different,” and it becomes an exercise of being different just for the sake of being different, yet not writing anything of substance.

I will think about writing more outside of the box later. I believe that there is a learning process in most things where the basics are important and must be abide by. Once those basics are mastered, then one can break convention and try to become more unorthodox and artistic.

Hiking and Real Experiences

I went on a hike the other day at Newport Beach, California, and it was just nice to get out of the house. Being outdoors occasionally, and not looking at screens while being a sloth on the couch is something of a necessity. While I endorse media, and we watch media mainly on screens, unless we are reading a book or manga, sometimes the best stories are just going out there. I went with two friends on this hike and encountered a rattlesnake, hiked up until we could see the ocean, saw birds flying freely on top of the last hill and sweated up rocky hills. We talked and conversed without checking our phones every five seconds, and it was good.

In social media, we see other people’s stories. When watching a television show, movie or another type of media, we are watching ideas from a person’s mind play out in real life. As an aspiring author, that is pretty much what I am doing with my stories. I have an idea in my head, and I am actively putting it onto paper. Real experiences play a factor into this as well, and the use of real locations or individuals bring about ideas that go into stories.

As cliché as it sounds, life is one big story. Lately, it does seem like we are enthralled in someone else’s story instead of our own and watch that story play out on some sort of screen. I think that it is important to sometimes get away from someone else’s story and play out our own.

Hawkeye and Character Development

I watched Hawkeye on Disney Plus the other day, and I enjoyed it. I like some of the things that they do to humanize the character and the experience overall. There are consequences for Hawkeye, Clint Barton, to be an Avenger and save the world, good and bad. Things are not just hunky dory for the character. People on the street recognize him and want something of him whether it be a selfie, a handshake or something else. They will thank him as well. It also has a negative affect on his family, and he is relatively aloof and indifferent to it all. For me, I have always liked to focus more on characters than plot, so character development is always welcome to me in any story.

When I edited some of my stories, specifically The Mustard Prince, I had to delve into the characters a lot more. I had to think about how a character will react in a totally new situation and write it out. For example, The Mustard Prince has never been to a tavern full of people that are rough around the edges, so he cannot just enter as if he has been there before. I made the mistake on earlier drafts of him entering the tavern normally, but that does not make sense when putting some thought into it.

While that may seem obvious now, that was a lesson learned over time. It goes to show that this whole writing thing is a process and a journey of learning and discovery.

Bad News and Not Rushing

I received some bad news today (it was not regarding a life-or-death situation, thankfully), and it was tough. I put on the movie from 2008, Role Models, and it did its job in getting me out of the moment and making me laugh at times. I have seen it before, and it was better on this watch than when I first saw it years ago. I am not saying that it is some great movie or anything like that, but that as a form of entertainment, it did what it needed to do for its audience.

Editing was one of the big things that I was working on with my stories. Now, I am looking to extend my stories to make them longer. I did not realize how much that I can stretch out and expand upon with my stories. I compare it to martial arts, but when one rushes something, it leaves open mistakes and openings. I rushed my stories too quickly, and it left narrative openings. This writing thing is definitely not a sprint, but a marathon.

I always say this with my own writing, but I am not trying to reinvent the wheel with my stories. The bottom line is that I want to entertain an audience. I do not know how far my stories will reach, if ever I get published professionally, but I would like to reach as many people as I can.

Mother’s Day 2022 and Creating

I celebrated Mother’s Day with my parents today, and it was a good time. Before, it was something that I felt that I could skip, but as I got older, it is something of greater importance. Mothers give birth, nurture and raise the next generation selflessly. They are creators, obviously, as they create a new life into the world, and that is something to be celebrated. It really is something of a superpower that only mothers can do.

Making a book, novel or some other form of media is the birth of a new story. Mothers create one of the ultimate stories to be told and to be lived, of course, but the creating of a new story has its ups and downs. It can be fun at times, but also a real slog at other times. There is a battle between what is in the creator’s mind and how it needs to be written on paper. Some days, the author cannot wait to write, and other days, the author must be dragged into writing. It can be very mercurial.

Despite the hardships, we create anyways. There is always a new story to be told, and a new journey to experience. It can be tough at times, awesome at other times, but worth it in the end.

The Girl on a Bulldozer and Over-Powered Protagonists

I watched a Korean movie the other day called The Girl on a Bulldozer, and it amazes me to see the cultural differences in Asian movies as opposed to movies here. For one thing, The Girl on a Bulldozer has a very strong female lead, but she is not a “Mary Sue” character who can just do anything and is perfect. She goes into situations with anger and violence, and she is wildly ineffective in trying to solve problems in that manner. Add to that, she will face physical violence at times herself in retaliation. In movies over here, that type of assertiveness will usually win the day in movies, but not in this one or in other Asian movies that I have seen.

I personally like that more flawed character than what we have been seeing lately, even in anime. In anime, there is what is called the over-powered protagonist, but we have seen that character in Star Wars, Marvel movies and the like. Sometimes it can work when taken in interesting or comical directions, but I think the problem with the protagonist already being immensely powerful is that it pretty much defeats “the hero’s journey.”

It is more satisfying to me to see the main character work to that point instead of already being there. I think that lately, we have been seeing the opposite. In the case of comic books, the hero starts with their powers, so the adversity must be world-ending or just so overpowering. I personally like things more grounded and relatable.

The Invisible and Comfort

I read an article where a former UFC fighter, Spencer Fisher, had a private lesson with Brazilian Jiu Jitsu black belt and just all-around legend, Rickson Gracie. Gracie did not teach him crazy new moves but just a certain mentality of being always comfortable even in the worst positions and “invisible” aspects of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. As someone who is halfway to a black belt, these concepts resonate with me. The invisible aspects interest me greatly as it speaks to a higher and more spiritual approach, and I think that this can apply to things in life as well.

In writing, there are the more material aspects to it that we can all see such as the grammar, style, mechanics, etc. However, it does make me think about the invisible aspects of writing. I am just starting out, so I am a white belt with this whole writing stuff, but when we consume top-quality media and stories, there are unseen aspects that make something very good to excellent. There is something more to Lord of the Rings, for example, than just an adventure, or else it would not stand the test of time. I watch anime, and there is a distinct difference from a good anime to a great anime. Part of it is a mastery of the basics, but an ability to think beyond in complex ways and convey that in a particular media.

Right now, as a writer, I am just trying to get the basics. I am not trying to reinvent the wheel but just tell a good story. I think that is a mistake in trying to reinvent the wheel right away, as people end up just being different for the sake of being different but not telling anything of substance.