update

• Christmas didn't get pregnant
• Finished thesis
• Graduated and became the Undisputed Liberal Arts Champion
• Is hated and vilified because of stupid, ungrateful, spineless (and poor)(scratch that, piss-poor) roommate
• Has a new male pup, Max
• Has shot his first short in years for Youtube's Your Film Festival
• Is now eight months owner of the business and ruler of the land
• Is still not in talking terms with his wife-to-be
• Is overweight
• Has jump-started writing the epic he conceptualized 12 years ago
• Has started drafts for his next short film
• Has been wrongly accused of collecting empty soda bottles filled with piss (that was the spineless, piss-poor roommate mind you).
• That last one was funny
• Most of his girl friends wreak of female war (though he told them not to stoop down 100 levels)
• Is waiting for the two baby girls he'll be getting to groom, develop and show after Max

Winter has err, arrived.. I guess..

It is official, I now hold two bachelor's degrees, AB Mass Communication and BS Psychology. Of what use? Just to state that I have finished college (twice) and I am learned. Will I use it towards a future career? Early answer was yes but since there were events that were outside my control, the answer is no, at least for the immediate future. I am the new steward of my family. I hold the realm. Some people say it is way too early but some say that it was in a way, overdue. I have no gripes with running everything, but of course who would want their plans and goals to be derailed so prematurely especially when you were supposed to be the top pick of the litter. It is set, and new goals that need reaching has been listed and developed.

My attention besides running the business is pointed towards my dogs, my future dogs, and campaigning them in dog shows. I now have a male french bulldog pup, UnderJAW's Baymax or simply, Max. He's one hell of a character and has great potential according to a lot of people. I never expected to get a male pup but when I first saw him I immediately fell in love. He starts his training this coming Monday, hopefully we reap good results.

Filmmaking is next on the list. Me and my buddies entered Youtube's Your Film Festival. It's spearheaded by Ridley Scott and Michael Fassbender to find new talent with diverse ways of telling their own stories in their own unique way. Our entry is titled 'Grasa' or Hobo in english (I guess). It's a simple 'day in the life' sort of treatment, following a hobo in his daily rounds around the city. It stars my good friend Raffy Palma, the musical scoring was provided by another good friend, Carlo Sayo, and the direction/camera is by another good friend, Keavin Mutuc and myself. It has garnered positive feedback so far and I hope it places at least in the semis.

Besides dogs and films, the third installment is being myself, which translates to bumming around. Watching tv shows like Supernatural, Gossip Girl, Nikita, Sherlock, Game of Thrones and the like are part of my weekly rounds, that go hand in hand with surfing the internet all day and not exposing myself to the sun (this is so me 2005).

Another thing that has been occupying me is the screw job that happened in school. I am now officially hated and vilified because of my roommate and the garbage that he served to my block. Funny how someone who you cared for and protected can stab you repeatedly in the back whilst you go on and live your somewhat miserable life mourning the loss of a father. I do not know his motives, but obviously, this was the first time he became socially relevant. I don't know, and honestly I don't care. My block are sheep to begin with.

It is poetic justice that a bunch of ingrates flocked together in one snug group, oblivious of the truth. Am I a bad person? Absolutely! I don' wear a white hat, but I'm damn sure honest and truthful about myself and others. How? One word. Dick. The only redeeming quality in the public eye if you're a dick is the cold and harsh honesty you have. At least I don't claim to be a good, helpful guy. Unless I personally care about you, I would care less if you get hit by a truck or a mini van. It just pains me how I helped these people, individually, and still forget all those and believe trash and act like high school hippies. Not my loss, and at the end of the day, or maybe someday, people would realize, people at the other side of the wall would realize, that the only real thing that came was me.

In wrestling terms, I was a main-event guy* on both of the courses I took, both I was loved and hated, but at the end of the day, at least the Comm people that I've helped recognize the effort and respect I gave them while this spineless ingrate of a roommate of mine wasn't even a 'should-have-been', he was a jobber* at best, and just had the opportunity a couple weeks before everything ended. As the famous saying of the people in the Game of Thrones universe always say, "Winter is coming". For me, it has already arrived, but for others who were used to the warm summer, it surely is on its way. The only difference between me and them, is that I already know how to brave it, to survive it. Hopefully, winter doesn't take them all and prove once and for all who holds the truth.

(*-just google what these terms mean if you're not a wrestling fan)

My quest to find the first show french bulldog pup that will be the foundation of my future show-breeding has started. I thought at first it would suffice to just browse at the classifieds online and look for decent puppies that had potential. It was followed up by inquiring to the two of the best (there are a lot of 'bests' in this group) kennels but kind of fell short, I haven't had any replies yet from them. Am I an annoying window shopper? No, a window shopper yes, but a window shopper that has every intention of getting a puppy that has a chance, that is deserving to be called a Philippine Champion in the future.

Then it came to me, these guys, these dog breeders/enthusiasts has a circle. A circle that at first, was shy to come up to even in Facebook. But hey, I was running out of options. So I talked to a couple of them and sure enough, they were willing to help not only in pointing me at the right direction, but helping me in choosing the right one. They were gracious enough to share some tips about their experiences and knowledge about the breed and what they tend to look for. Sure, their tastes kind of differ a little but the gist was the same. These couple of tips is already common to experienced breeders but to a newbie like me, its gold. and I ain't selfish so here I am sharing what I found out. Posting it for others like me and of course, for myself so I won't forget.

• check for the overall outline/conformation of the puppy/dog.

• bone structure should go with the age of the puppy/dog.

• movement of the dog goes naturally if the dog has correct body structure.

• toes should not be splayed. they should be close together to show strength and balance.

• structure traits depends on the line of the dog. sometimes they develop earlier than some.

• possibly assess 3-4 mos of age before the puppy enters its awkward stage.

• make your puppy pick as early as 2 weeks, if the puppy doesn't change by 4 weeks, there's a chance that good development would ensue.

• puppy should be confident and sociable. frightened and scared puppies would be detected by the judge. socialize and train them.

• be wary of the topline, it should be roached and balanced. (no dip on the shoulders- weak forelegs.

• hindlegs should have angulation, should no be straight.

• bloodline of the dog should be solid, not having a lot of bloodlines. breeder should be very knowledgeable of the lines of his breeding stock.

• if looking for a show potential dog, better go to breeders who exhibit their dogs in shows constantly.

• most of the time, males are 'better' in terms of conformation and posing than females. females are hard to find because breeders usually keep the good ones for breeding.

• look for breedings with good combinations (good sire and dam).

I hope to add to these pointers, so I could share what they shared to me.

French Bulldog Breed Standard

General Appearance
The French Bulldog has the appearance of an active, intelligent, muscular dog of heavy bone, smooth coat, compactly built, and of medium or small structure. Expression alert, curious, and interested. Any alteration other than removal of dewclaws is considered mutilation and is a disqualification.

Proportion and Symmetry--All points are well distributed and bear good relation one to the other; no feature being in such prominence from either excess or lack of quality that the animal appears poorly proportioned.

Influence of Sex--In comparing specimens of different sex, due allowance is to be made in favor of bitches, which do not bear the characteristics of the breed to the same marked degree as do the dogs.

Size, Proportion, Substance
Weight not to exceed 28 pounds; over 28 pounds is a disqualification. Proportion--Distance from withers to ground in good relation to distance from withers to onset of tail, so that animal appears compact, well balanced and in good proportion. Substance--Muscular, heavy bone.

Head
Head large and square. Eyes dark in color, wide apart, set low down in the skull, as far from the ears as possible, round in form, of moderate size, neither sunken nor bulging. In lighter colored dogs, lighter colored eyes are acceptable. No haw and no white of the eye showing when looking forward. Ears Known as the bat ear, broad at the base, elongated, with round top, set high on the head but not too close together, and carried erect with the orifice to the front. The leather of the ear fine and soft. Other than bat ears is a disqualification. The top of the skull flat between the ears; the forehead is not flat but slightly rounded. The muzzle broad, deep and well laid back; the muscles of the cheeks well developed. The stop well defined, causing a hollow groove between the eyes with heavy wrinkles forming a soft roll over the extremely short nose; nostrils broad with a well defined line between them. Nose black. Nose other than black is a disqualification, except in the case of the lighter colored dogs, where a lighter colored nose is acceptable but not desirable. Flews black, thick and broad, hanging over the lower jaw at the sides, meeting the underlip in front and covering the teeth, which are not seen when the mouth is closed. The underjaw is deep, square, broad, undershot and well turned up.

Neck, Topline, Body
The neck is thick and well arched with loose skin at the throat. The back is a roach back with a slight fall close behind the shoulders; strong and short, broad at the shoulders and narrowing at the loins. The body is short and well rounded. The chest is broad, deep, and full; well ribbed with the belly tucked up. The tail is either straight or screwed (but not curly), short, hung low, thick root and fine tip; carried low in repose.

Forequarters
Forelegs are short, stout, straight, muscular and set wide apart. Dewclaws may be removed. Feet are moderate in size, compact and firmly set. Toes compact, well split up, with high knuckles and short stubby nails.

Hindquarters
Hind legs are strong and muscular, longer than the forelegs, so as to elevate the loins above the shoulders. Hocks well let down. Feet are moderate in size, compact and firmly set. Toes compact, well split up, with high knuckles and short stubby nails; hind feet slightly longer than forefeet.

Coat
Coat is moderately fine, brilliant, short and smooth. Skin is soft and loose, especially at the head and shoulders, forming wrinkles.

Color
Acceptable colors - All brindle, fawn, white, brindle and white, and any color except those which constitute disqualification. All colors are acceptable with the exception of solid black, mouse, liver, black and tan, black and white, and white with black, which are disqualifications. Black means black without a trace of brindle.

Gait
Correct gait is double tracking with reach and drive; the action is unrestrained, free and vigorous.

Temperament
Well behaved, adaptable, and comfortable companions with an affectionate nature and even disposition; generally active, alert, and playful, but not unduly boisterous.

Disqualifications
Any alteration other than removal of dewclaws.
Over 28 pounds in weight.
Other than bat ears.
Nose other than black, except in the case of lighter colored dogs, where a lighter colored nose is acceptable.
Solid black, mouse, liver, black and tan, black and white, and white with black. Black means black without a trace of brindle.

Approved June 10, 1991
Effective July 31, 1991

2012

No, not the end of the world dickbags (though it is turning out to be hell year). Thesis.. Palanca.. The next NaNoWriMo.. making films AND goin' to film school.. and my official venture into dog breeding/showing.

Thesis is just hell. No explanations there. Me and a couple others are gonna try and join the Carlos Palanca Memorial Awards this year. My short story entry, Lazarus, is kind of looking okay. But okay won't cut it. I need to work on it late-feb and march. Filmmaking and Film School.. Ah, one of my great loves. I'll finally get a decent camera (Canon EOS 550D) this coming month so I can finally do these suckers the right way. "Sa Piling ni Kaye", "Lupang Pinaglakhan", and "Doble-Kara" will be in full motion once I graduate (or not). And lastly, my dog Christmas is finally pregnant (i think, hope she is). And once I get my erm, inheritance money (i love you pop), I'll be getting another French Bulldog, a good (and expensive) one that I'll be campaigning in shows until she (yes, I'll be getting a girl) becomes Philippine Champion. Once that happens, I'll breed her to another Phil.Champ (or higher) to get back my expenses and of course get a pup out of that monster combo.

That's the plan (at least for now) this year. Hope I can endure everything. Prelude is in 'indefinite hiatus'.

NaNoWriMo 2011

Last year I was intimidated by the word count that the National Novel Writing Month or NaNoWriMo demanded. It’s hard enough to come up with a ten-sentence essay for a midterm test but when you come across the requirement to win this annual feat, you’ll surely have second thoughts. Fifty thousand words. One must need to muster up the fortitude to come up with fifty thousand words to complete the NanoWriMo challenge and have that sparkly purple thingy in your NaNoWriMo profile. A fifty thousand word novel (or more) is an uphill battle even for veterans especially when you’re going by the awesome tagline ’30 days and nights of literary abandon’ but it sure comes with its perks:

Going to meet-ups or ‘write-ins’ as they call it is a good way to get to know other NaNo writers. I’ve been to one in Gateway and it was a unique experience. You don’t get to meet these kinds of people every day. Some of them are really peculiar and others are just those that are fun to be with like the two MLs or Municipal Liaisons for the Philippines. These guys are kind of like the heads for your country that keeps everyone updated with the activities about NaNoWriMo. You get to interact and share stories, plots and characters while having fun in a homey environment in the confines of a café.

Another fun perk is that even if you’re not really a good writer, there are lots of people that would and will help you whenever you’re in a pinch. The forum is a hotbed for a lot of veteran writers that are more than willing to help you out. From characters to storylines to expanding your initial plot, people will surely help you out though sometimes these guys could be meticulous and nosy so be prepared.

Lastly, you’ll learn to be more responsible when it comes to grammar, story flow, time, and above all, the word count among many other things. Aiming for that elusive 50k isn’t really that hard if you keep your eye on the prize and focus in getting the job done. Last year I only got to thirty thousand words and gave up because I thought it would be impossible. This year’s win for me was bittersweet, not only did I reach seventy-two thousand words (my stories aren’t finished though) but I also realized that I really have the juice to go toe to toe with big guys. For me besides reaching (and exceeding) the 50k word count, the main prize is the chance to have a personal published copy of your NaNoWriMo novel. This year winners have the option to have five free paperback copies of their novel. I really wanted to opt for this but sadly, my novel is far from complete and I don’t really wanna publish a spinoff of a television series. Next year for sure I’ll be aiming for publication.

I don’t really know what will happen next year’s NaNoWriMo but one thing is certain for me, I’ll keep on winning and finish that elusive trilogy that I cooked up, thanks to NaNoWriMo. Because of it, I finally figured out the second and third book that will succeed ‘The Harlequin Wench’s story. I look forward to the next thirty days and nights of literary abandon and see what adventure and characters are going to be born from my delusional mind. By the way, this is a five hundred eighty-one word article.

Updates

I've been busy because of thesis, depression and other things that I'm currently doing to take my mind off things. The Harlequin Wench is still in the works together with the next chapter of Prelude. Life isn't really that great at the moment so apologies for the long holdup. After I finish my Chapter 1 and start with my related lit for my study I'll be posting the first draft of THW here and maybe another short story.. Til then,