Coyotes and Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse

My wife and I were walking our small dog at night this week around our complex, and a pretty big coyote lurked towards us. It was the first time that I saw one in our complex in the two years that I lived here, and it was close to us. Thankfully, we got away from it. The next morning, my wife walked our dog, and another coyote approached. This time, she came prepared with a weapon and managed to get away from it. However, one coyote encounter was already uncommon, but two on consecutive days is unheard of. We are just more cautious during certain times of the day walking our dog now.

We also watched Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse in theaters this past week, and I thought that it was very good. It is a sequel to the 2018 movie, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse. The different comic book style animation was a nice touch, and the focus on the personal worked. It was different from the MCU superhero offerings as it did not have that trademark MCU humor, it had darker themes, and it felt closer to a comic book. It was a bit long, and the way that it ends left a lot to be desired. Overall, I would recommend it.

Watching Spider-Man in the theaters, it made me think about how iconic and original characters are created. There is the origin story, rogue’s gallery, and whatnot, but also, the little things matter as well. With my own characters, that’s something that I’m still working on. I started out having characters being blank slates, but that made my characters quite bland. Having learned, I am trying to make my characters deeper and have more substance, which has helped my writing especially in figuring ways in which characters will react to certain situations.

Memorial Day Weekend 2023 and Discipline

Memorial Day weekend was good spending time with family and relatives. I went to a high school graduation party with my parents and my wife. Things are different being married and having to introduce my wife to these new people. Thankfully, my relatives were very excited to meet my wife, and it is nice not going to these family gatherings and whatnot still single. It is different being middle aged and seeing someone young achieve a milestone like graduating high school, and it is just so distant to me. I have not been in school for years now, and I would be a better student now than I was back then.

Somehow, I became much more disciplined about getting stuff done, including writing. The movies, anime, television shows, video games or something else can wait, which is not something that registered with me when I was younger. Not just that, but I am trying to create my own form of entertainment through my stories. It feels like a next logical step, in a sense, consuming different forms of media and entertainment and now wanting to create it.

Life experience, passion, motivation, learning and a want to create have made me want to become an author. It was not enough to just be a viewer or audience member but a creator.

Fast X and Humanizing Characters

I admit that I am a big fan of the Fast and the Furious franchise. On the week leading to the premiere of Fast X, I had my wife watch a few of the previous Fast movies to get her up to speed. Fast X itself, in my opinion, still had a lot of over-the-top and unbelievable stunts that we have come to expect with this franchise, but not one of the stronger offerings. Jason Momoa though really played a good antagonist, but the abrupt ending along with some of the ensemble cast just kind of meandering about did not really help the movie. If one likes the franchise, then by all means, watch this one. However, I would not have someone start the franchise with this offering.

I have been listening to critiques of movies and other media, and one thing that stands out and makes something good, most of the time, is when the characters are humanized. As someone who writes primarily fantasy, that is actually difficult for me to do. I am already working on a premise that is not based in the real world that has things like magic and special abilities. Some of the characters can defeat multiple opponents at once, so it does make it difficult to humanize characters when they are stronger and more able than average. I suppose that they can still face the same problems that everyone else faces, making them much more relatable.

If the Fast and the Furious franchise taught me anything, it is that no one knows what will just click with audiences. I would hope that the Mustard Prince series could click with a large audience, but you just never know. However, I have to put it out there sooner rather than later to find out.

Mother’s Day 2023 and Growth

It was an interesting Mother’s Day this year. Before any festivities, my wife and I went on a walk to a local sports park nearby. It turned out that there was a hiking trail there that I did not know about even though I have lived here for about two years. That night, our family had dinner. It was nice not being the only single family member amongst my married siblings who also have children. These days, less people are getting married and having children, so it is times like this that give good reason to get married have children, and see them grow to the point where they have children themselves.

My writing journey was one of growth as well. I did not think that my love of fantasy would start by playing the video game, Dragon Warrior (Dragon Quest), on the NES. Subsequent video games, movies, books, and a lot of anime would eventually nurture my fascination with the fantasy genre. It would eventually get to the point where as an adult, I would literally create my own fantasy adventures with my own characters, worlds and stories. I suppose that it just was not enough for me to partake, but create.

I can only hope that audiences will have the same experience from my stories as I did with all the other stories that I indulged in. Who will be the readers, who will want more of what I wrote, and how will they enjoy my stories? These are all questions that I am curious to find out.

Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 3 and Movies

My wife and I watched Guardians of the Galaxy volume 3 in theaters in 4DX, and it was a different experience. Besides water and air being shot at us, the seats moved similar to certain rides in a theme park. The movie itself was fun but a bit long, and while there are always things to criticize, it was overall an enjoyable movie that did not have any particular messaging. The Guardians of the Galaxy has carried with it a lot of goodwill with its audience for years, so we know the characters and the tropes that James Gunn likes to use for this franchise. It worked, for the most part with an audience just looking for a fun time, and it ended well.

When the first Guardians of the Galaxy came out, the MCU could do no wrong at that time. It was not a particularly well-known intellectual property of Marvel, but they somehow made it one of the better franchises in the MCU. I can only hope to come out of obscurity with my own works, starting with The Mustard Prince in the Condiment Kingdom. It is now a patience gaming waiting for the final touches, and I really do want to see it out there.

With summer approaching, there will have a lot of movies coming out. Thankfully, my wife and I have a Regal Unlimited Pass to watch whatever we want. These are stories not to just enjoy, but get ideas and inspiration from.

A Traffic Incident and Suzume

My wife and I witnessed a pretty grizzly scene on the road. Right when we were turning into our condo complex, a driver turning right and hit a teen on a bike. Somehow, the bike and the teen got stuck under the front bumper. The driver went forward a little, then he reversed a bit, dragging the teen as he was screaming. The driver called the police, and we went home to park our car. When we came back, police cruisers, a fire truck and an ambulance were on the scene. Somehow, the worst thing that happened to the teen was that he was limping, but otherwise, seemed okay. We gave the police a statement and went our way.

While that was the craziest thing that happened to us this week, we finally got to see the anime movie, Suzume, by Makoto Shinkai. It was a great movie, and my wife displayed various emotions throughout the movie. It had great animation, music and was something of a travelogue without being too upfront about it. The story contained romance, drama, comedy, action and pretty much everything else. Shinkai definitely has a particular style that he works, and audiences can see it in his other works such as Weathering With You or Your Name. As an author, I am still trying to find my own unique style, but even I have been noticing certain elements to my stories that seem consistent throughout my works.

I am still waiting for a few things before publishing. Quite honestly, I am champing at the bit to get The Mustard Prince in the Condiment Kingdom out there. Patience is what is necessary right now, but it will get there.

Disneyland and The Mustard Prince

I went to Disneyland and California Adventure with my wife. It was her first time there, and it has been fifteen years since I last visited. It truly is a magical place, and once we walked onto Main Street inside of Disneyland, we can really feel that this was pretty much its own world. Every attraction and performance were great, and it was a treat that so many attractions were interactive. I could not pilot a Star Wars ship to save my life, but I appreciate that so many rides really involve the park guests in some way.

We watched the fireworks show at night, and it truly was beautiful. They played movie clips on Sleeping Beauty Castle with some voice clips and fireworks at the same time. It was both a show and a performance. A lot of families were there with strollers everywhere, and while the adults can enjoy the park, it really is special for the kids. It is this reason that I am not fond of some of the more socio-political moves that the Disney corporation has made, as Disneyland itself is a wholesome, apolitical, family-friendly place. I would personally like it if it just stayed that way.

Nevertheless, it was all quite enjoyable. The thought of one of my works being animated did cross my mind, especially The Mustard Prince. I think that would be extremely satisfying, and I could only wonder how I would react to see my own characters come to life in that way.

My Fair Lady and Making Sense

My wife and I just watched the 1964 musical film, My Fair Lady, starring Audrey Hepburn and Rex Harrison. It was an amazing movie that is the predecessor for The Princess Diaries, Pretty Woman and other movies of a similar vein. The music, sets, costumes and performances were all masterfully crafted and just cannot be done again on that level. So many musical numbers and phrases originated from this movie that I did not know coming in. This movie definitely deserved every accolade that it received and deserved to be in the annals of movie history.

There is a lot to learn from a movie like this. Things made sense, for the most part, and as a writer, I try to make sense of things in my stories. I tend to be meticulous about my characters and how they would act in certain situations. Also, their actions have to make sense and work in sequence. Other authors can play it a little loose with their writing, but I just cannot. If a character woke up from bed and will go to the kitchen, I am writing all the events leading up to that from fixing his bed, putting on his clothes, walking down the hall and finally arriving at a destination.

That is something gained from writing every day and working on my craft. I want to put as vivid an image that I can into the mind of the reader. Others would have the audience guess and fill in the blanks, but I want to describe everything so that my audience can have a clear picture of what is going on.

The Super Mario Bros Movie and Having a Team

My wife and I had a busy weekend. We watched The Super Mario Bros movie, and it was a lot of fun. I felt that it was loyal to the spirit of the games and was also happy that there was not anything in terms of messaging. It was just a fun movie with characters that many of us grew up with. Sometimes, simple and easy is the best way to go with storytelling. I can easily imagine a sequel to this, as there is still a lot of material to work with and many more characters to introduce.

Also, this weekend, we threw a third wedding reception that was just more of a casual get together. It was nice seeing old friends and family that I have not seen in a while, and some of these people have not met my wife. Catching up was of course fun. One thing that is interesting in events like this is seeing who will talk to who, and who is the “life of the party.” I also made it a point to introduce people to other people that they have not met, and it was interesting.

Finally, writing has been good. With me being the content creator, my wife doing the administrative and promotional work, and us having an artist, it feels like we have a team. I read that for self-publishing, it is beneficial to have a team behind the author. Having tried to do nearly everything by myself in the past, I simply did not have enough time and failed. This time, things feel a lot different now.

WrestleMania 39 and Finishing Up

I watched WrestleMania with friends and family, and overall, I enjoyed the experience. However, with the main event of Night 2, Roman Reigns went up against Cody Rhodes. From a story perspective, I thought that this did not deliver. For one, the audience was led into a particular journey with Cody Rhodes, so there is investment in him winning at WrestleMania. When he did not win, it did not allow a payoff to the investment and journey that we, the audience, went through. Also, because it is the biggest night of the year for professional wrestling, a potential moment with Cody Rhodes winning against Reigns at WrestleMania cannot be done again. There probably is a further story here, but certain opportunities were surely missed here.

Speaking of opportunities, I was anxious to put The Mustard Prince in the Condiment Kingdom out, as the final draft of it is completed, and I settled on self-publishing. However, after talking about it with my wife, it was decided that the story needed more illustrations so that it would be truly completed. Thankfully, the artist who created the cover agreed to do more art for this project, and it is really exciting.

Things are coming together nicely, and the timing could not be better with my wife now helping me with this. Depending on what this looks like with the added artwork, I will have to strongly consider putting in a few pieces of artwork for my novels. That can wait, but for now, I cannot wait to see what the finished product of The Mustard Prince in the Condiment Kingdom looks like.

Things Looking Up and Back to Short Stories

It is funny how things can look bad but quickly get back on the up and up. Things like adjusting to new situations and especially financial issues can really drag one down. All it takes is a little prayer, some good news or a new opportunity for things to turn around. Bad things tend to happen all at once, but it is a pleasant surprise when good things happen all at once as well. Things can change quite quickly, and a little perseverance and patience can go a long way.

Speaking of perseverance and patience, writing is another thing that really needs that. My wife has read through all of The Mustard Prince in the Condiment Kingdom, and moves will need to be made in the near future for that book. Also, I am re-editing my short stories to participate in short story competitions once again. Knowing what I know now about writing, there are some real good changes and edits being made to these stories that make them read much better than before.

It goes to show that the focus on my writing craft is of utmost importance. I can think about getting money from writing, awards, possible movies from my works and all that, but it all starts with just working on my craft. As I get better at all the things that go with writing, my confidence in being able to create a good story gets higher.

Roman Holiday and Working on Your Craft

I finally watched Roman Holiday, starring Gregory Peck and Aubrey Hepburn, the other day with my wife. It was in black and white, but it was a golden age of film. The sets were stunning, the acting was good and believable, and everything had a purpose. There was not the typical Hollywood happy ending either, but one that made a lot of sense. Hepburn definitely shined on the screen that is unlike modern actresses. There was simply an air of grace and dignity that just cannot be captured in today’s cinema.

I have been editing my short stories as of late. Having more knowledge, wisdom and experience with writing, I can now spot certain things in these stories to enhance them. Paragraphs were out of order, there was much that I could delete, but more to add as well. I always think of “making it” as an author, getting a fanbase for my works and whatnot, but that may be pulling the cart before the horse. Working on my craft has been much more imperative and should be the first priority.

If I cannot even write well, then what am I thinking of trying to “make it.” It is similar to that advice of making your bed first thing in the morning because if one cannot even do something as simple as that, then what is that person even thinking of trying to do something even more complex. This process of writing, or the journey, is more valuable than the result.

The Mundane and Being Patient

Doing totally mundane things with my wife is a lot different than when I was doing things by myself. Even something like making a pizza was a lot more enjoyable. We decided to put different toppings with it, and it turned out better than expected. Things like going to the store, a restaurant that I have been to, or cooking take on a new meaning so far. One day, it will be just another thing, but starting out, it is all new and different. There are more things like going to comic conventions or watching comedians live that will also be fun experiences in the future.

With writing, I now have a new set of eyes reading my works. There is a level of putting yourself out there when writing any sort of works, and this is no different. However, having someone and making a team towards writing instead of doing it myself has been very helpful. Even something like planning the next move, finding contests to participate in and whatnot is better as I am not doing everything myself. Talking about writing or future plans has been very good as well.

I have been admittedly impatient with getting something out there. I have to learn to be patient so that nothing but my best is brought to the world. While I do not know what will happen, what I put in will hopefully be brought back to me.

Family and Adding to Stories

My wife and I had the opportunity to babysit my niece and nephew. It was an interesting and tiring experience. I was more focused on “play” with the kids while my wife was concerned about everything else. It is easy for me to be sillier and put myself to the children’s level, and my wife looked out for their well-being more than I did. It is obvious that the world at large is new to a young child, and they are curious about everything and their own capabilities. As an adult, that sort of childhood innocence and wonder is in the past, but I suppose that writing my own worlds and characters helps bring that part of me back.

I am currently adding more to my novel, The Land of the Wooden Statues. I rushed things at some points of the story, and now, I am going back to flesh the story out more. I am writing about one character and have expanded his backstory extensively to make the audience care more about him, and the overall story is better for it. The minute details matter, and the story does not have to be all action, all the time. It was a good lesson to learn and helped me become a better writer.

Even though this is taking a long time, I am glad that I am rewriting and adding to this story. I learned a lot and can put that into future stories as well. I feel confident that I can write well, but sooner rather than later, I have to put it to the test and see if audiences will like what I wrote.

Los Angeles and Having a Team

I went to Los Angeles specifically to Grand Central Station and the Walk of Fame with my wife, her cousin, and her cousin’s boyfriend last weekend. Overall, it was fun and something different to do, and everything that I do now is a new experience now that I have my wife with me. It was interesting seeing the contrast from Orange County and Los Angeles, one being more of a suburb while the other was a big city. I personally favor the quieter suburb than the hustle and bustle of the big city. However, there are some neat and interesting things to do in Los Angeles that are not available in Orange County from places to eat to sights to see.

My wife and I went over some ideas as far as where to take this whole writing thing. We are a team, and it is necessary to have people work on this with me. Admittedly, I tried self-publishing and failed before, as I created content but did not have the time or energy to advertise my works and really put myself out there. It goes to show that there really is a limit that one can do alone, and having a team to help tackle an endeavor is game-changing.

It will be interesting to see where this goes moving forward. We have a goal in mind and content to put out there from short stories to novels. Hopefully, things are now put in place so that I can become a successful author.

Settling In and Writing Content

I have been settling in with my wife and being married, but there always seems to have something that needs to be done. My weekends so far have always been booked, and that does not seem to be stopping anytime soon. We are eating out every weekend, and the places to go around here appear to be endless. Things like Disneyland, Knotts Berry Farm, Korean Barbecue, Shabu Shabu and so many other places to go are still on the docket, but seem so far away. That does not even include vacations and the like, but that will come with time.

The home has seen improvements and better organization. Having a bachelor pad before I got married, I only had things that I needed, which was not much. The walls were pretty barren, but I did keep my place clean. That has changed now that I am married. There have been some economical improvements like hanging clothes on the walls, better use of cabinetry and whatnot. Overall, there is just a lot my stuff around the house. Thankfully, I have been able to keep a lot of the same time to write, watch UFC fights, practice Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and whatnot that I had before.

Writing should be interesting as I am thinking about how to have more content and better utilize my works. I think that I will submit my short stories regularly again to short story contests, which is a nice ego boost and good critique as far as how much I have improved but also what I need to work on. I actually think that things will get interesting in the near future as far as writing is concerned, and I have the support for it as well.

Everything New and Everything Different

With my wife having moved in with me once we got married, everything that I used to do by myself feels just a bit new with her. My wife is not from the U.S. but the Philippines, so a lot of places that exist here are not in the Philippines. Going to somewhere like Denny’s is new and different now even though I have been there numerous times, and the same goes with shopping at Walmart or somewhere else. I look forward to going to many places now, as it feels like going there for the first time. That also includes plans to go places that I have never been to before.

Things have settled down quite a little since my wife moved in. I am back to practicing Brazilian Jiu Jitsu again, and I have had friends over for different events such as UFC fights or the Superbowl. We bought a lot of stuff, and it was different having to buy things like a blow dryer and other items that I would not have had to buy before I got married. I have actually been watching less anime, as every season, dozens of new titles come out over many different streaming platforms like Crunchyroll, HiDive, Netflix, Disney Plus and others. I can honestly say that I do not particularly miss it, as many of the titles that come out are a bit mediocre. Now, I think about things like writing, self-publishing, making more money, and other such things that have a little more importance.

Self-publishing looks like the way that I am going with my novels. I am coming in with very low expectations and know that it is not easy. I have help now with my wife, which is awesome, as I went about self-publishing in the past and failed miserably. Maybe now, I will be able to redeem myself.

Married Life and Differences

I got married on January 20, 2023 in the Philippines. It was an indescribably amazing experience. The wedding itself was great especially with the photography and videography. The first reception was quite honestly, and I am not just saying this to be biased, the most fun wedding reception that I have ever been to. The teams that we got for different aspects of the wedding were on point, and the reception was constantly entertaining while moving quickly. We also had a second reception, and it was fun in large part because of my wife’s family being so hands-on with everything.

My wife is with me now in the U.S. and living with me, and it is so much different than living by myself. Everything from obligations, stuff to buy, getting sick, to the highs and lows are different. Ultimately, it is a much better situation now where I have to take care of not just me but of someone else as well. Any type of personal growth seemingly plateaued by myself, but now, I feel like everyday is something new. There definitely was a monotony to how my life used to be, and while it was fun, it had a clear ceiling. Now, I do not even know where the ceiling is.

Everything is just starting out, but my writing goals have not changed. If anything, it feels like the rewards will be greater now that I am married if I reach the goal of becoming a successful author who can make writing a career. Being married, there are now two people trying to achieve a goal instead of one, so it has only helped.

The Last Days of Bachelor Life and Writing Incentives

This weekend was the last weekend in the U.S. where I would still be living a bachelor lifestyle. My fiancé lives in the Philippines, so I have been living like a bachelor despite being in a relationship. Next weekend, I am flying out to the Philippines and getting married in the subsequent week. It has been fun living this way, but I have to admit that it has its limits. I am enjoying myself and hanging out with friends, but even that becomes routine after a while. My general satisfaction is relatively high, but with a clear limit or ceiling. It will be nice to have someone else there to be with and have my back.

Things will change, but my writing goals have not changed. If anything, these goals will be strengthened having someone else there as motivation. While I just have a passion for writing, I do want to make money with my writing as well ultimately being an author as a career. It is just further motivation and incentive to continue this goal, and it helps that I already have completed works. Now, it is a matter of continuing to pursue getting published in the traditional way or trying again with self-publishing.

Whatever I decide will be fine. I have re-edited The Mustard Prince to the point where it seems like a new book, and currently adding new chapters to The Land of the Wooden Statues, which should be done soon. It will be exciting to bring these out, as I feel that I have improved as a writer.

New Year 2023 and Future Writing

It is the new year, and I already have big changes that are going to happen in my life this month. My roommate is moving out, and of course, I am getting married. My wife will be moving in with me by the end of the month, so there will have some changes in my home and just in my life in general. I have been living this bachelor lifestyle for years now, and I feel that I have reached the height of whatever satisfaction that I can get from this. This is a much-needed change in my life that will involve growth and sacrifice.

I am very much thinking about how to move forward with my writing. Having completed works already but not being able to get a literary agent has made me really look into trying again to self-publish. The publishing market looks to be seeking books with diversity, and while I can make some changes to my characters, it will be difficult to go back and make changes to something that is already established. That is not to say that I won’t take serious consideration to it in future works, but the novels that I have now have pretty established characters.

I actually think that 2023 will be a much better year for my writing. I have made it a habit to write daily, and I still have the motivation to become an author, maybe even more so now. I do not think that this will change despite all the changes happening in my life.