Age: 25 years, 2 months
Height: 5'10"
Weight: 130 lbs
Species/Breed: Yellow Labrador Retriever dog

Likes: traveling, exercising (cardio and body sculpting), gardening (esp. produce), and scrapbooking
Dislikes: makeup, needing help, fast/processed food, and hot & humid weather

Parents: biological- unknown and Harmony Luna (deceased); adopted- N/A and Hope Pearl
Siblings: none
Hometown: Chicago, IL
Friends: none--drifted apart from some former school acquaintances
Fun Facts: Rose is Abigail's maiden name. Abigail is quite adept at alterations. She allowed only his late mother, Hope, and now allows her husband, William, to call him "Abby."

Abigail is a compassionate, courteous dog that has always lived a very private life. Her upbringing was practically identical to William's--right down to being born on the same day, January 1. Their lives were parallel until they started high school together. Instead of the Red Cross organization, Abigail was president of the MediClub; William and Abigail were members of each other's clubs. Upon graduating as the female valedictorian, Abigail's path diverged with William's, as she attended New York University on a full-ride academic scholarship. Though apart, she too shifted her athletics to semi-competitive triathlon in order to develop a more well-rounded physique. Abigail earned her Bachelor's of Science in Nutrition and Food Studies, with a concentration in Nutrition and Dietetics, using summer courses to graduate in three years, like her then-future husband.

While on vacation before starting her Doctorate of Philosophy as a Registered Dietician Nutritionist at the University of Washington, Abigail unexpectedly reunited with William at Niagara Falls. Having caught up and reignited their friendship, they chose to keep in touch, which began a long-distance dating relationship that lasted almost a decade. They supported each other through graduate school, during which they both lost their adoptive mothers, who passed away of natural causes shortly after granting their children legal emancipation. Since Abigail's doctorate concentration was in Medical Nutrition Therapy, she then went on to complete the required Dietetic Internship Program and the Commission on Dietetic Registration’s Registration Examination for Dietitians. Eager to improve her cooking craft, Abigail spent four years earning a Bachelor’s Degree of Professional Studies in Culinary Arts from New York’s Culinary Institute of America.

Once they were engaged, Abigail and William mused about having children, with the consensus that one would be ideal. However, they were in no rush to conceive, as they had just started building their careers. As a registered dietitian nutritionist chef, Abigail found success creating meal plans for mothers-to-be expecting multiples. Consequently, Abigail agreed to let their Aspen dream home double as a specialty health care facility, because it would give her the opportunity to work alongside her husband. Little did she realize that her dream home plans would have to be modified once more...

Abigail has many of the same physical features as William, leading some to mistake them for siblings. Abigail has natural soft waves to her voluminous brown hair, which she maintains at a medium length. She will curl her hair slightly more for special occasions. Abigail has a less muscular build than William (who has prominent six-pack abs and more visibly muscular limbs). Abigail has a classic modern fashion sense, but she usually is either wearing her work clothes (scrubs and a medical coat) or only panties (when she is at home). Abigail has a slight hourglass figure, created only by her waist (rather than having wider shoulders and hips). Her C-cup, tear-drop breasts have proportionate areola and nipples; due to their manageable size, Abigail tries to avoid wearing bras, when possible. She has a round, but modest bubble butt.

Age: 25 years, 2 months
Height: 6'
Weight: 160 lbs
Species/Breed: Yellow Labrador Retriever dog

Likes: singing (soft rock and crooner songs), dancing (contemporary and ballroom), taking photos and videos, and being alone in nature
Dislikes: crowds, attention, watching TV, and missing work

Parents: biological- unknown and Melody Roberts (deceased); adopted- N/A and Grace Diamond
Siblings: none
Hometown: Chicago, IL
Friends: none--drifted apart from some former work acquaintances
Fun Facts: William is ambidextrous with both his hands and his paws. He allowed only his late mother, Grace, and now allows his wife, Abigail, to call him "Will."

William is a reserved, polite dog that has always lived a very private life. His single mother having died during childbirth, and with no family to take him in, William was put up for adoption. He was quickly adopted by a very wealthy, retired widow, Grace, who lovingly raised him in a secular household. Private, specialist tutors homeschooled him daily from the age of 3. While William's upbringing was very regimented (with a planned diet and regular sleep schedule), his schooling encouraged creativity and critical thinking. The curriculum was wide-ranging, from the biological and physical sciences, technology (including engineering), mathematics, history, English (with an emphasis on Latin and public speaking), and civics. Additionally, William was taught the basics of Mandarin and Spanish. He even received vocal training, piano lessons, survival skill tutorials (in the field), and lifeguard training. Grace personally educated him on common and formal etiquette, and monitored his studies from a distance. Grace was careful not to steer William towards any career path; she let him decide the destination for weekend field trips.

At 8 years old, William matriculated to nearby magnet Northside College Preparatory High School to interact more with his peers (well, people closer to his age, at least). William was not really affected by his reputation as a prodigy, as he was not the only one in his class with that distinction. He immediately excelled in honors, Advanced Placement, and International Baccalaureate classes, befriending Abigail along the way. Despite his mental maturity and expert technique, William was a reserve on the school's swim and water polo teams, due to his size. William learned French and American Sign Language (the latter was a club), and he led school's Red Cross organization. Over the summers, William found technical internships and scouted prospective universities. Upon graduating as the male valedictorian, William attended Harvard University on a full-ride academic scholarship. He shifted his athletics to semi-competitive triathlon in order to develop a more well-rounded physique. William was inspired to pursue his Bachelor's Degree of Science in Human Developmental and Regenerative Biology (and then his Doctorate of Medicine at the Harvard School of Medicine) by the fate of his biological mother. Therefore, he specialized in maternal-fetal medicine, finding a niche for himself as an expert in the gestation of multiples. Incidentally, William unknowingly was a triplet himself--the other two were stillborn.

The day after he completed his year-long fellowship (which followed his 4-year medical residency), William reunited with Abigail on the high school campus where they first met, surprising her by popping the question at the end of their walk of reminiscing. William was still working at the Texas Children's Hospital in Houston, so he invited Abigail to live with him. However, Abigail was not a fan of the sweltering summer weather there, so the two signed off on construction of their dream home in Aspen, Colorado. William managed to convince Abigail to make their future mansion double as a workplace for him, as he felt hospital suites were not comfortable enough for his patients while they were on bedrest. In the meantime, however, William lived in a five-bedroom mansion less than five miles from the hospital. The size of the home was overkill, but William was attracted to it because it reminded him of the home he grew up in. On March 23, a day after moving in, William and Abigail hopped on a private jet and eloped to Laucala Island in Fiji, which they reserved entirely for themselves for the weekend. They held their wedding on a lightly breezy, pristine beach, with only two guests: a mother of a former patient of William's (who was the ordaining judge for the wedding) and a local photographer. That night, at the Hilltop Estate, the couple lost their virginities to each other, and unintentionally conceived their children.

William has the standard, friendly brown eyes with exceptional vision. He has perfect, whitened teeth, a modest nose, and healthy, well-groomed fur. His brown hair is quite versatile, so he changes his hairstyle every season--shorter in the warmer months, longer in the colder ones. His body, free of piercings and tattoos, is well-proportioned and toned, showing off all-round athleticism more than mere strength. William has a classic modern fashion sense, but he usually is either wearing his work clothes (scrubs and a medical coat) or only boxers (when he is at home).

Age: 11 years, 10 months (born Sept. __, 20__)
Height: 4'11"
Weight: 304 lbs
Species/Breed: German Shepherd dog

Likes: reading about history, sleeping, watching police dramas on TV, and eating
Dislikes: mornings, tight-fitting clothes, being hungry, and being tired

Parents: Dallas (police officer) and Abilene (baker)
Siblings: none
Hometown: Ivywild (suburban town)
Friends: Asper and Mitchell
Fun Fact: Austin's middle name is Eaxst (pronounced Eek-st), a nod to his late paternal grandfather--a former Sheriff.

Austin is a shy, kind pup who is very close to his parents and friends. Despite being spoiled by his parents, he is a humble, respectful kid. A straight-A student and avid Pup Scout, Austin dreams of becoming a police officer, like his dad. Unfortunately, Austin inherited his father's large appetite, but not his athletic nature. It does not help that his mother is a baker and excellent home cook, with a tendency to make huge meal portions. Dallas and Abilene are somewhat concerned over Austin's morbid obesity; they occasionally try to get him to adopt healthier habits, but they always fall apart for various reasons (e.g. they get caught up in their work, they hate seeing Austin unhappy, etc.). Austin has generally been oblivious to his worsening weight problem--he eats a balanced (albeit oversized) diet, and he overheard his grandparents assuring his parents that he would outgrow his "puppy fat." Over the years, however, the naivete has become harder to maintain, as incidents exposing his physical limitations have become increasingly frequent. Dallas has not found the courage to tell his son that the Police Academy requires officers to pass a physical exam to earn and keep their badge.

About to start middle school, Austin has never faced bullying due to his weight before, thanks to the support of his long-time friends. Asper is in some ways Austin's polar opposite: a social, fit Siberian Husky who loves to invite Austin to do various activities. Mitchell, the runt of his litter, is a quiet Bernese Mountain Dog, who often spends his free time learning programming skills. The trio make for an unlikely set of friends, but they frequently hang out. Asper and Mitchell recognize that Austin is on the...huskier side (to put it lightly), but they are not judgmental.

Austin's adipose is fairly evenly distributed, but his body shape leans slightly towards the apple shape. He has a cherubic face and a prominent double chin. His paws are pudgy all around, and his upper arms sport the "bingo wings" that wobble when he waves. Austin has the beginnings of "cankles" forming. He tries to ignore how his "thunder-thighs" chafe when he waddles, and how the "saddlebags" on his upper thighs make slipping on any bottoms without elastic waistbands a challenge. He is just starting to develop a "FUPA." You can see his blubbery butt-cheeks shift up and down as he waddles, causing the rolls sitting atop them to bounce in step. His two "spare tires" extend around his torso, creating more of a "doughnut stack" on his backside. Austin is especially embarrassed by his hefty moobs, which continue under his arms and prop them up a tad. Yet the part of his body Austin is most ashamed of is his "belly apron," which rests on the tops of his thighs when standing. He has to bend a little just to reach the bottom curve, which is cleaved into two distinct lobes at his deep navel. Austin avoids looking at his physique at almost all costs.

Nevertheless, Austin finds happiness in daily activities, most notably reading. He would scarf down his homemade lunch before chilling in the school library, where the librarian, Ms. Katy, always has a new recommendation to satisfy his craving for history. Austin plays the tuba in band class, though his gut has been pushing the instrument stand further and further away, so he is thinking of switching to choir for middle school. His positive attitude and consistent engagement in class makes him well liked by his teachers. Even in his worst subject, physical education, Austin has a strong work ethic--he gets an 'A' for effort (and only effort). He is dreading middle school's gym class, since it requires him to change into a PE uniform--in an open locker room, no less.

Outside of school, Austin is for the most part a homebody. He loves helping his mom cook dinner, reading comic strips, and watching TV dramas that are centered around police patrol and emergency response. He owns a pet lizard, Antonio, who is typically pretty lazy himself. On the weekends, Austin volunteers at his mom's bakery, running the cash register and unloading the freshly baked treats into display cases. Every now and then, Dallas lets Austin visit the police station, but Dallas loathes hearing the department's snide comments about his overweight son. During the summers, Dallas signs Austin up for activities to get him outdoors and active, but it only keeps Austin's weight partially in check before the holiday season packs quite a few more pounds onto him (thanks to his doting grandparents).

"Shamed into solitude
Shunned by the multitude
I learned to listen
In my dark, my heart heard music

I longed to teach the world
Rise up and reach the world
No one would listen
I alone could hear the music"

-"No One Would Listen," by David Zippel, Charles Hart, and Andrew Lloyd Webber

It almost goes without saying, but is self-destructive to vent to an unsympathetic audience. From the audience's perspective, you are seeking validation for something deemed indefensible, so they will likely exploit your vulnerability callously. Vents are meant to be cathartic, though they may not always be entirely logical. Venting is pitiful, even when done with resolve and without anger. It can be difficult being an outcast among outcasts, assimilating to a less-fringe culture. If you face a similar challenge, know that the sacrifice is sometimes for the best. Trust your moral compass, treat everyone with respect, and be kind and honest to yourself.

This is a meta-vent because it has to be. By layering the vent, it makes it more palatable. This journal is vague enough that it has a chance of resonating. Even if it does not, it is ambiguous enough to be generally comprehensible. For those that taught me the valuable lesson of venting more cautiously, I want to say "thank you." As bittersweet as it is, it is because of you that I have been able to embrace the lyrics of The Phantom of the Opera's credits song, "Learn to be Lonely," by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Charles Hart. I end this with its last two verses (with parenthetical directions because I am a romantic sap):

"So laugh in your loneliness,
child of the wilderness
Learn to be lonely
Learn how to love life that is lived alone

Learn to be lonely
Life can be lived
Life can be {*voice cracks*] loved...
[*choked whisper*] alone."