(Cue/Queue,
Saturday, November 26, 2016
Week 13 Review: Cue/Queue
As I was looking through the announcements for the past few days, I saw this funny distinction between queue and cue. I think it's funny because when I went the U.K. a few summers ago, I first noticed that they used the term queue instead of line and I thought that was so odd!
Tuesday, November 15, 2016
Reading Notes: A Flowering Tree, Part G
I continued reading A Flowering Tree and Other Oral Tales from India for this weeks reading. I read stories forty-eight through fifty-two. There stories are very odd and they all deal with somewhat similar concepts, mainly about adultery. It seems that in almost every story, the wife is cheating on the husband with another man and eventually, their lover is somehow killed.
I really like how in "Princess of Seven Jasmine", the prince must complete separate tasks in order to win the princess' hand in marriage. This seems like it is a common theme throughout many epics from India. I also like how the prince helped other creatures, who eventually came to him in his time of need.
I really like how in "Princess of Seven Jasmine", the prince must complete separate tasks in order to win the princess' hand in marriage. This seems like it is a common theme throughout many epics from India. I also like how the prince helped other creatures, who eventually came to him in his time of need.
As I was reading, I was thinking of ways that I could rewrite some of these stories. They are as follows:
49. The Pomegranate Queen
- I could write where the mother of Indra doesn't approve of the pomegranate queen and so Indra cannot marry her
50. A Poor Man
- I could write where Ganapati did actually give the poor man 5000 rupees and in turn the poor man had to give all that money to the merchant
51. Princess of Seven Jasmines
- I could write where he has more modern tasks to accomplish
52. Prince who Married his Own Left Half
- I could write about hours leading up to the operation in the eyes of the father, prince, and surgeon
- I could write how son dies in surgery
- I could write how he did solve the riddle and the wife had to kill herself
Bibliography
A Flowering Tree and Other Oral Tales from India, J.K. Ramanujan, Online Source
Photo of a Jasmine Flower, Web Source
Sunday, November 13, 2016
Rech Tip: Canvas Profile
I decided to update my canvas profile! I changed my display name from "Kimberly" to "Kimber" since that is what most people call me. Then, I added an avatar photo to my profile. I picked this picture because I think I look pretty normal in it. Normally I like to have profile pictures be a little bit goofy because I feel as though that is how I am in real life, but I figured since this was school it would be a little better to have something I little more professional.
Week 12 Review
As I was going through this past weeks announcements, I came across one that I found very interesting! It was all about celebrating Steve Reich's birthday. I play percussion and I think "Clapping Music" is one of the coolest pieces ever! I wish I could've gone to the performance in the library, but unfortunately I was busy during the time.
(Clapping Music,
Monday, November 7, 2016
Reading Notes: A Flowering Tree, Part F
I once again continued reading A Flowering Tree and Other Oral Tales from India for today's reading. I read stories thirty-eight to forty-seven today. I feel as though these stories are a little less odd than some of the other ones I've read from this book. They usually always have a happy ending and don't have too many weird things happen throughout them.
One of the ones that I found very sad was "The Mother Who Married Her Own Son". This was one of the few stories that didn't have a happy ending in this set of stories that I read. I enjoyed however the way that the story was written. I like how she couldn't believe what her father told her, so she left the Godly world and came down to the human world and this ended up being how everything went so wrong for her. The way that the author wrote the story helped convey the pain that the mother felt when she gave birth to her son, and later found out that her son had become her husband.
One of the ones that I found very sad was "The Mother Who Married Her Own Son". This was one of the few stories that didn't have a happy ending in this set of stories that I read. I enjoyed however the way that the story was written. I like how she couldn't believe what her father told her, so she left the Godly world and came down to the human world and this ended up being how everything went so wrong for her. The way that the author wrote the story helped convey the pain that the mother felt when she gave birth to her son, and later found out that her son had become her husband.
As I was reading, I took notes of things that I could use in my writings:
38. A Minister's Word
- I could write where the minister was the one who stopped the King from being killed
40. The Mother Who Married Her Own Son
- I could write how the son/husband/brother wanted to marry her but she refused
41. Muddanna
- I could simply rewrite this tale in my own words
42. Nagarani (Serpent Queen)
- I could use this to write about Betsy's decision (or lack thereof)
44. Ninga on my Palm
- I could write from the mother-in-law's point of view
46. An Old Couple
- I could write how the old couple there parties every single night
47. The Past Never Passes
- I could use this to write about how Betsy's "killer" past never left her
Bibliography
A Flowering Tree and Other Oral Tales from India by A.K. Ramanujan, Online Source
Photo of a Sari, Web Source
Reading Notes: A Flowering Tree, Part E
For this part of this weeks reading, I continued my journey of reading A Flowering Tree and Other Oral Tales from India. I read stories thirty to thirty-seven. There are so many fascinating stories that are apart of this book. I will admit, some of them are very odd, but I don't like them any less! They definitely help me get a better feel for the Indian culture!
I love all f the detail that went into the Lamp Woman story. The whole story was very sad to me how she felt tormented by Mother Fate and felt that the only way out was to die. This seems as though it can relate back to today's culture with the high presence of suicide, especially within the young adult ages. Then, that after she tries to die she eventually lives with her sister-in-law, who torments her even more by shaving her head and lighting a fire atop her head.
I also really enjoyed the irony of the story about Hucca. It was his stupidity that actually led to the rest of his successful and comfortable life due to the fact that no one believed him about the gold and silver he found. It reminded me of "The Boy Who Cried Wolf".
I love all f the detail that went into the Lamp Woman story. The whole story was very sad to me how she felt tormented by Mother Fate and felt that the only way out was to die. This seems as though it can relate back to today's culture with the high presence of suicide, especially within the young adult ages. Then, that after she tries to die she eventually lives with her sister-in-law, who torments her even more by shaving her head and lighting a fire atop her head.
I also really enjoyed the irony of the story about Hucca. It was his stupidity that actually led to the rest of his successful and comfortable life due to the fact that no one believed him about the gold and silver he found. It reminded me of "The Boy Who Cried Wolf".
As I was reading through these stories, I started thinking of ways I could make them my own. They are as follows:
30. Hucca
- I could write from Hucca's point of view
- I could write from the towns people point of view
- I could write where the brothers tried to trick Hucca into doing something for them
31. The Husband's Shadow
- I could write from the shadow's point of view
32. In the Kingdom of Foolishness
- I could make the tale more modern
33. In Search of a Dream
- I could write where the princesses don't actually return to their original form, in other words they actually die
34. King and Peasant
- I could write from the peasant wife's point of view
35. Kutlavva
- I could write from the strangers point of view
36. The Lampstand Woman
- I could switch genders
- I could write more modern where the princess goes mad
- I could write how the princess has depression
Bibliography
A Flowering Tree and Other Oral Tales from India by A.K. Ramanujan, Online Source
Photo of silver and gold coins, Web Source
Sunday, November 6, 2016
Week 11 Review
As I was going through this weeks announcements, I found this bit of information about words from Mythology really interesting! I am a big fan of Harry Potter, so it makes sense as to why J.K. Rowling decided to give Draco Malfoy the name she did!
(Draco,
Tuesday, November 1, 2016
Reading Notes: A Flowering Tree, Part D
I am continuing my journey into A Flowering Tree for todays reading notes by reading stories eighteen through twenty-nine. As I mentioned in yesterday's notes, the stories can get a bit odd. In today's reading, it is nothing short of that. There are still multiple stories of people beating one another and odd attempts at incest relationships within families. Many of these stories are all tied back to a common incident where people or animals come back from the dead.
As I was reading, I really enjoyed Flute of Joy, Flute of Sorrow. I enjoyed the detail that was put into the story. You could feel how the cows and boy were feeling while reading the whole story because of how it was written. I also really enjoyed the trail that was written in The Greatest Things. It gave the story a nice comedic effect, all while actually writing a somewhat scary story about finding the thing greater than God.
As I was reading, I really enjoyed Flute of Joy, Flute of Sorrow. I enjoyed the detail that was put into the story. You could feel how the cows and boy were feeling while reading the whole story because of how it was written. I also really enjoyed the trail that was written in The Greatest Things. It gave the story a nice comedic effect, all while actually writing a somewhat scary story about finding the thing greater than God.
As I was reading, I took notes on things that may help me write my stories for the week. Here are a few notes I came up with:
18. Dwarfs
- So weird
- Why did she call him a midget if she knew he would get angry?
19. A Flowering Tree
- So many killings
- I could write from youngest daughter's view
- I could write from wife's view
20. Flute of Joy, Flute of Sorrow
- So happy it had a good ending
- I could write about like in the palace from the cows point of view
21. Fools
- I could write from wife's view
- I could write how wife and husband actually are the biggest fools in the world
22. Jackal King
- I could write how people made fun of him since he looked different rather than praised him for being different
- I could write how the blue began to fade away
23. For Love of Kadabu
- I could write where they actually die
- I could write where they argue over something else
24. A Girl in a Picture
- I could write opposite where he didn't have everything he could ever want and when he fawned over the girl in the picture, he got everything he wished for
26. A Golden Sparrow
- I could write from the second lady's point of view
29. The Horse Gram Man
- What in the actual world
Bibliography
A Flowering Tree and Other Oral Tales from India by A.K. Ramanujan, Web Source
Photo of a flowering tree, Online Source
Monday, October 31, 2016
Reading Notes: A Flowering Tree, Part C
For this reading notes, I decided to continue reading A Flowering Tree and Other Oral Tales from India by A.K. Ramanujan. The stories in this book are very fun and I would highly suggest reading them if you get the chance! I read stories thirteen through seventeen for this set of reading notes.
Many of the stories have very odd twists and turns especially at the very end of the story. Stories thirteen and fourteen both dealt with bad family relations. In story thirteen after two daughters were born to a dog, the older one ends up killing the dog mother in fear of anyone finding out she was born to a dog. This made me so sad, however the older daughter ended up getting exactly what she deserved since she ended up being killed by a snake. In story fourteen, a husband goes away to war and his wife is infatuated with his brother. When he doesn't accept her advances, she turns him into a dog. His brother ends up returning home from war and is able to turn his brother back into a human. After this, he ends up whipping his wife. Both of these stories are so violent and it shocked me when I was reading the stories. Although in both stories the women somewhat got what they deserved, it was disturbing to read this, especially since this story book is almost aimed towards children! However, it teaches very valuable lessons!
As I was reading, I was thinking about somethings I could write about for my stories this week. Here are a few ideas:
13. A Dog's Daughters
Many of the stories have very odd twists and turns especially at the very end of the story. Stories thirteen and fourteen both dealt with bad family relations. In story thirteen after two daughters were born to a dog, the older one ends up killing the dog mother in fear of anyone finding out she was born to a dog. This made me so sad, however the older daughter ended up getting exactly what she deserved since she ended up being killed by a snake. In story fourteen, a husband goes away to war and his wife is infatuated with his brother. When he doesn't accept her advances, she turns him into a dog. His brother ends up returning home from war and is able to turn his brother back into a human. After this, he ends up whipping his wife. Both of these stories are so violent and it shocked me when I was reading the stories. Although in both stories the women somewhat got what they deserved, it was disturbing to read this, especially since this story book is almost aimed towards children! However, it teaches very valuable lessons!
As I was reading, I was thinking about somethings I could write about for my stories this week. Here are a few ideas:
13. A Dog's Daughters
- I could write from the view of the snake
- I could write from the view of the dog
- I could write from the view of the king/queens and what happened to their puppy children
14. A Dog's Story
- I could write where he whips his brother instead
- I could write where wife turns into dog
15. Dolls
- I could write from dolls view
- I could make the dolls even more creepy and have them kill
16. Double Double
- I could give the story more detail
17. Dumma and Dummi
- I could write where the fart doesn't scare the tiger, instead it gives them away and the tiger kills them both
- I could write where the fart actually kills the tiger and wife
Bibliography
A Flowering Tree and Other Oral Tales from India by A.K. Ramamujan, Web Source
Creepy Doll, Online Source
Week 10 Review
As I was going through the class announcements from this past week, I found this spelling picture that I really liked. I think I like it because it links back to OU and the Seed Sower found on the South Oval!
(Sew vs. Sow,
Monday, October 24, 2016
Reading Notes: A Flowering Tree, Part B
For this set of reading notes, I continued reading A Flowering Tree and Other Oral Tales from India by A.K. Ramanujan. I read stories seven through twelve. Once again, I was amazed by this book. I love the way that these stories are told. I feel like I am reading fairy tales and watching characters come to life. As I was reading, I was getting a lot of great ideas about possible stories for both my storybook and weekly stories to write.
In The Clever Daughter-in-law I was amazed by how much damage the daughter-in-law could do. Obviously the mother-in-law and husband deserved getting schemed in the end. It is amazing all the things she could accomplish to make them fall to her and for her to be "ruler of the house." There was so much detail that was written in this story and I could just see it all playing out in front of me. I could see the statue of the goddess having it's hand over it's mouth and I could see the daughter-in-law beating the statue's head. Then, when it talked about how the daughter-in-law bit the robbers tongue off, I was so surprised and disgusted! It was truly a fantastic story.
In The Clever Daughter-in-law I was amazed by how much damage the daughter-in-law could do. Obviously the mother-in-law and husband deserved getting schemed in the end. It is amazing all the things she could accomplish to make them fall to her and for her to be "ruler of the house." There was so much detail that was written in this story and I could just see it all playing out in front of me. I could see the statue of the goddess having it's hand over it's mouth and I could see the daughter-in-law beating the statue's head. Then, when it talked about how the daughter-in-law bit the robbers tongue off, I was so surprised and disgusted! It was truly a fantastic story.
As I was reading, I started thinking about ways that I could incorporate these stories into my writings. Here are a few things I came up with:
7. Cannibal Sister
- I could rewrite about Betsey
- I could write how Betsy is a demoness
8. Chain Tale
- I could write how one thing always leads to another
9. Another Chain Tale: What an Ant can do
- I could write about revenge/karma
- Could write where the underdog wins
- Could write my own chain tale
10. Clever Daughter-in-law
- Can definitely use for storybook
- Write Betsy as the daughter-in-law
11. Couple of Misers
- I could rewrite where they touch things and they turn into different things other than rupees/growing in length
12. Dead Prince and the Talking Doll
- I could write how the doll was possessed and killed the acrobat girl
Bibliography
A Flowering Tree and Other Oral Tales from India by A.K. Ramanujan, Online Source
Picture of an Ant, Web Source
Tech Tip: Canvas Mobile App
I already had the Canvas app downloaded on my phone, so I didn't need to go through the installation process. I really enjoy using the app because it is super easy to use, plus it's so much better than D2L. I would highly suggest using the app because if you ever forget to do a declaration, it is so easy to go and use it on your phone if your not close to your computer! Plus, it's super easy to keep up on all your school work for classes that use Canvas.
Week 9 Review: Procrastination
As I was looking through this weeks class announcements, I found this hilarious picture in Sunday's announcements. As the school year continues, it gets easier and easier to procrastinate, so I really relate to this picture!
(Procrastination Flowchart,
Thursday, October 20, 2016
Story: Why I Didn't get my Twelve Hours of Sleep
I was making my usual late night rounds around the house, not necessarily to protect the house, but instead to try and find a nice midnight snack. I know Linda and Bob are trying to help me lose a few pounds, but I'm pretty happy with how I am. Plus, I love food too much. Anyway, as I was saying...I was making my late night rounds. After I got my food (yum) I was walking back to sleep with Linda and Bob. God, this freaking necklace they make me wear. It makes me so mad. Plus, it has a stupid little bell on it. Like, I get it, I'm the one thing y'all live for, but I'm not going anywhere. Whatever. Okay, sorry, I will actually stay on track...I'm in Linda and Bob's room.
I hopped up onto the bed and was trying to get comfortable. I was thinking about how ready I was to pass out. I could feel all the food in my stomach sinking. Sleeping on a full belly is always the best. So, right as I was closing my eyes, about to drift into my twelve hour nap (don't judge, I've got to rest to be this beautiful), I hear something. It sounded like a little squeal, almost like someone screaming but they couldn't get it out. I tried ignoring it, but this sound would not stop. Since I couldn't fall asleep, I had to figure out what this sound was. Do you know what's weird? Once Bob hits the hay, his mouth is wide open. He just lets it go. I've seen multiple bugs fly and crawl in there. But Linda, her mouth is shut tight. I think she knows bugs will go in there, so she knows she's got to protect herself. She's a pretty smart lady.
Tonight though, something was different. As I was exploring and trying to find the annoying creature making that horrendous noise that is disrupting me from my precious beauty sleep, Linda's mouth was barely open. Unless you watch her sleep, like I do, you probably wouldn't think anything of it. It'd probably even look like it was closed. Nope! It was open in comparison to what it normally is. So, I got closer to her. God, I hope this bell doesn't wake them up. Ring-a-ding-ding. So annoying.
As I closed in on Linda, the noise got louder and louder. I decided to go up to her barely open mouth and see if I was just imaging things or if there actually was some random noise coming from Linda. Yikes. She had some garlic and onion tonight and definitely didn't brush well enough. That's when the little squeals became clear.
"Hey! Hey! Help us", they said.
'What the heck?' I thought to myself. This is not Linda. But the sounds are coming from Linda?
"Help us! We are stuck."
I asked them what they wanted. I tried to sound irritated because they are cutting in on some much needed rest time.
"We've been stuck in here for years! This lady has just kept us inside of herself. We don't have much time, so we need to tell you everything."
I told them that they were crazy.
"No, don't you understand? This is important. We are an important song and story that need to be told and this lady has just kept us inside of her! She hasn't uttered a word about us for all these years and this is the only chance we may have for a long time!"
Okay, fine, let's hear it.
"Well, many years ago, there was a woman and a man. They lived alone in the woods. Every night they sang a song together. One day, this lady, the one who has kept us captive, came into the woods with a man. They were looking for shelter and"
Hello? Where did they go?
I felt Linda petting me. I guess she realized that she had her mouth open and woke up. That was a lame story anyway, thank goodness it's over. Then, I went right in-between Linda and Bob, plopped myself down, and slept the rest of the night.
I hopped up onto the bed and was trying to get comfortable. I was thinking about how ready I was to pass out. I could feel all the food in my stomach sinking. Sleeping on a full belly is always the best. So, right as I was closing my eyes, about to drift into my twelve hour nap (don't judge, I've got to rest to be this beautiful), I hear something. It sounded like a little squeal, almost like someone screaming but they couldn't get it out. I tried ignoring it, but this sound would not stop. Since I couldn't fall asleep, I had to figure out what this sound was. Do you know what's weird? Once Bob hits the hay, his mouth is wide open. He just lets it go. I've seen multiple bugs fly and crawl in there. But Linda, her mouth is shut tight. I think she knows bugs will go in there, so she knows she's got to protect herself. She's a pretty smart lady.
Tonight though, something was different. As I was exploring and trying to find the annoying creature making that horrendous noise that is disrupting me from my precious beauty sleep, Linda's mouth was barely open. Unless you watch her sleep, like I do, you probably wouldn't think anything of it. It'd probably even look like it was closed. Nope! It was open in comparison to what it normally is. So, I got closer to her. God, I hope this bell doesn't wake them up. Ring-a-ding-ding. So annoying.
As I closed in on Linda, the noise got louder and louder. I decided to go up to her barely open mouth and see if I was just imaging things or if there actually was some random noise coming from Linda. Yikes. She had some garlic and onion tonight and definitely didn't brush well enough. That's when the little squeals became clear.
"Hey! Hey! Help us", they said.
'What the heck?' I thought to myself. This is not Linda. But the sounds are coming from Linda?
"Help us! We are stuck."
I asked them what they wanted. I tried to sound irritated because they are cutting in on some much needed rest time.
"We've been stuck in here for years! This lady has just kept us inside of herself. We don't have much time, so we need to tell you everything."
I told them that they were crazy.
"No, don't you understand? This is important. We are an important song and story that need to be told and this lady has just kept us inside of her! She hasn't uttered a word about us for all these years and this is the only chance we may have for a long time!"
Okay, fine, let's hear it.
"Well, many years ago, there was a woman and a man. They lived alone in the woods. Every night they sang a song together. One day, this lady, the one who has kept us captive, came into the woods with a man. They were looking for shelter and"
Hello? Where did they go?
I felt Linda petting me. I guess she realized that she had her mouth open and woke up. That was a lame story anyway, thank goodness it's over. Then, I went right in-between Linda and Bob, plopped myself down, and slept the rest of the night.
Author's Note:
I based this story off the first story in A Flowering Tree. This story is all about a woman who has kept a story and a song to herself for many years. One night, they escape from her mouth and become a coat and shoes. This causes friction between her and her husband. Eventually, he realized that nothing happened and that the coat and shoes are the story and song. He asked his wife about the story and song, but she had no recollection of the story and song since it escaped her. This story is all about the importance of telling stories.
Bibliography:
A Flowering Tree and Other Oral Tales from India by A.K. Ramanujan, Online Source
Photo of a Cat, Web Source
Monday, October 17, 2016
Reading Notes: A Flowering Tree, Part A
I have chosen to begin reading A Flowering Tree and Other Oral Tales from India by A.K. Ramanujan for this week and the coming weeks. It is filled with multiple small stories, very similar to Aesop's Fables. I grew up reading Aesop's Fables, so I figured I would really enjoy this book and so far I have! Plus, I feel as though I can get a lot of good ideas from these stories for my storybook project.
This week, I read the first six stories from A Flowering Tree. Some of them were very odd and there were multiple occasions where family members wanted to marry their sister or daughter. Each of the stories were very interesting and fun to read. I really like how these stories are written because they are short and easy to read. It's also nice to have each story be completely different because this way I don't lose interest in what I'm reading.
The first story tells the story of a woman who would never tell a story that she knew or sing a song she knew. Eventually they escaped and disguised themselves as a coat and shoes. This caused problems within her marriage. This story is very important because it shows the repercussions of what happens if you don't tell stories and why stories need to be told. I fell as though this goes back to my storybook because it is all written in a journal setting about the main characters life, which can be represented as a storytelling!
As I was reading, I was thinking how I could possible re-write these stories and these are some ideas I came up with:
1. A Story and a Song
- I could write what the song and story that the woman kept in was
- I could write in my storybook how Betsy had to write what happened so she wouldn't forget
2. Acacia Trees
- I could write themes of karma and dharma in my storybook
3. The Adventure of a Disobedient Prince
- I could write in a fairytale setting where the Granny is the fairy god-mother
- I could write where after all the things happen, he goes back to thank the Granny for being the reason he got his first wife in the first place
4. Bride for a Dead Man
- I could write where Chennavva kills herself
5. A Brother, a Sister, and a Snake
- I could write how the stepmother wouldn't leave
6. A Buffalo without Bones
- I could write how she actually dies
- I could write where she chooses one of the three cousins
Bibliography
A Flowering Tree and Other Oral Tales from India by A.K. Ramanujan, Online Source
Photo of coat on a coat rack, Web Source
Sunday, October 16, 2016
Tech Tip: Google Timer
A time management trick I use is I focus a certain amount of time on just one assignment. If I'm having a really difficult time focusing, I will usually put my phone far away from me since I usually waste a lot of time looking at things on there. Now that I know I can get a timer from Google, it'll be so much easier to do this since I don't need to use my phone for a timer!
Week 8 Review: Selfie Cat
As I was going through this weeks announcements, I came across this picture that I think is just so funny! I always think taking the perfect selfies are very difficult, so I relate to this picture!
(Selfie Cat,
Tuesday, October 11, 2016
Week 8 Growth Mindset
As I was reviewing my original post regarding the growth mindset from week one, I was happy to see that I've stuck true to what I had written. It turns out that my graduate level course is actually my favorite and the teacher makes things very easy to understand.
Reading through the list on the assignment page, I realized that through this class I am able to take constructive feedback much better than I had been before. I would like good feedback because I know that that is what is going to help me succeed in all my classes, and even life outside of school. Something I really need to work on in this class especially is not waiting until the last minute to do assignments. For the past two or so weeks, I've waited until right before the deadline to complete my work, so the more ahead I can be in this class the better.
One way this class can help with strengths is that it can help me to push past just doing the minimum. This builds on learning rather than going for the grade. Although the popular saying in college of "C's get degrees" rings true, I would much rather earn my degree than just get it. This means that I have to work hard to understand the materials I'm learning in other classes and use this to solve real life problems one day.
One of my biggest weaknesses in my life is not asking questions. I always think that people don't have time to answer them, and even worse that people will make fun of me for the questions I ask because they tend to be no-brainers a lot of the time. Through this class I've learned that it is okay to ask questions and that it is a necessary part of learning. This is something that I am trying to implement into all of my classes!
Reading through the list on the assignment page, I realized that through this class I am able to take constructive feedback much better than I had been before. I would like good feedback because I know that that is what is going to help me succeed in all my classes, and even life outside of school. Something I really need to work on in this class especially is not waiting until the last minute to do assignments. For the past two or so weeks, I've waited until right before the deadline to complete my work, so the more ahead I can be in this class the better.
One way this class can help with strengths is that it can help me to push past just doing the minimum. This builds on learning rather than going for the grade. Although the popular saying in college of "C's get degrees" rings true, I would much rather earn my degree than just get it. This means that I have to work hard to understand the materials I'm learning in other classes and use this to solve real life problems one day.
One of my biggest weaknesses in my life is not asking questions. I always think that people don't have time to answer them, and even worse that people will make fun of me for the questions I ask because they tend to be no-brainers a lot of the time. Through this class I've learned that it is okay to ask questions and that it is a necessary part of learning. This is something that I am trying to implement into all of my classes!
(Stretch yourself to learn something new,
Monday, October 10, 2016
Week 8 Reflections
As I was going through my reading notes, I am very happy with how I have written them and utilized them in my writing. I feel as though I don't spend time on summarizing what has happened in the reading, but rather how the story was told. This helps me narrow in on my choice for what type of story to tell for the week. One thing that really helps me with this decision is while I read, I take notes of what I could change and I write this into bullet points at the end of my reading notes. It's very easy to find good ideas this way! Something I really need to work on is my reading schedule. Especially now that the semester has started to pick up, things are starting to pile on and this is getting pushed back until the last minute. If I can start the readings sooner, I'll get even more ideas of what to write about!
Looking back at my stories, I have really enjoyed all of them. The only one I haven't enjoyed was this past weeks story. I feel as though I didn't really have a good idea of what to write about, so I just wrote something random and it didn't come out very well. I've never really been a fan of writing because I never thought of myself as a good writer, however through this class I've seen how fun writing is! It's a nice break from all the math and science I spend so much time on! I'm really enjoying writing my storybook and I have a pretty good idea of where to spin it. I think it'll be a fun story to read and write!
It's a lot of fun to be able to see all the different writing styles and techniques so many people use in this class! It shows just how different we all are. It's also fun to see how people can take these Indian Epics and make them their own...very neat! As I read through some people's stories, I feel as though there are quite a few people who write to the 500 word minimum and just stop their story there when they could keep writing and end the story really nicely. I've tried to not do that and give as much detail in the end as I put into the beginning of the story. I feel as though I give good feedback on stories, however if I read the story multiple times I think I can give even better feedback to others!
Looking back at my stories, I have really enjoyed all of them. The only one I haven't enjoyed was this past weeks story. I feel as though I didn't really have a good idea of what to write about, so I just wrote something random and it didn't come out very well. I've never really been a fan of writing because I never thought of myself as a good writer, however through this class I've seen how fun writing is! It's a nice break from all the math and science I spend so much time on! I'm really enjoying writing my storybook and I have a pretty good idea of where to spin it. I think it'll be a fun story to read and write!
It's a lot of fun to be able to see all the different writing styles and techniques so many people use in this class! It shows just how different we all are. It's also fun to see how people can take these Indian Epics and make them their own...very neat! As I read through some people's stories, I feel as though there are quite a few people who write to the 500 word minimum and just stop their story there when they could keep writing and end the story really nicely. I've tried to not do that and give as much detail in the end as I put into the beginning of the story. I feel as though I give good feedback on stories, however if I read the story multiple times I think I can give even better feedback to others!
(Writing Process,
Tech Tip: Poster
The photo I used was found by the random generator on the AutoMotivator source and the quote is an original from me.
Week 7 Review: Another Strategy
As I was looking through this weeks announcements, I found this growth mindset cat in Tuesday's announcements that I thought was super funny! I feel like I look like this sometimes, and another strategy is exactly what I need!
(Another Strategy,
Thursday, October 6, 2016
Story: Draupadi's Life
One day, Draupadi was exploring her new home in the forest. Although this is not where she ever imagined herself, she was happy here. She was trying to make the most of her time that she will be sending here. Luckily, she had good company in her five husbands. Sure, she would miss real life in civilization, but she was happy. Surrounded by the green of the forest, she was excited to see what the next thirteen years held for her.
Speaking of where Draupadi imagined herself, lets be real...it's nothing like where she's at now. As a girl she dreamed of getting the perfect house with the perfect husband and eventually raising a perfect family. This is what she saw in her dreams every night when she went to bed. Instead, she did have a perfect house, but then she was forced to move out to the forest. Instead of one husband, she got five. She wondered how in the world things ended up the way they did. However, she realized that she didn't have it all so bad. Sure, she was in the forest now, but in thirteen years she'll be back in civilization where she belongs in a beautiful house, ready to raise a family. Maybe it's odd that she has five husbands, but better to be loved five times as much than to not be loved at all.
Back to our time with Draupadi in the woods. One thing about Draupadi is that she was gorgeous. Easily one of the most beautiful women in the town she once lived in, the envy of all women. The women wanted to be her while the men simply wanted her. So, it came as no surprise when Jayadratha saw her that he immediately fell in love. He could feel his heart pounding in his chest, the butterflies in his stomach. How am I going to talk to a woman so beautiful he asked himself.
He finally gained the courage and walked up to Draupadi while passing her in the woods. He asked for her name and he eventually told her that he loved her. She was shocked as she just met this stranger...how could he love me she thought. Loyal wife to many as she is, Draupadi shut down all of Jayadratha's advances. She was kind about it in the beginning, politely telling him no and that she was already married. He wasn't getting the picture. He kept telling her how she was the most beautiful woman he'd ever laid eyes on and that she was his one true love. He became more and more aggressive and Draupadi decided it was time to leave this man she had just met.
As Draupadi was turning to walk away, Jayadratha caught her wrist and picked her up. Draupadi put up a good fight. She screamed and yelled, calling for her husbands. Surely one must come to her rescue. As Jayadratha carried Draupadi away, Draupadi's husbands heard her cries for help. They ran to Draupadi's defense and saw all that had occurred. They knew that if they fought Jayadratha together, they could easily defeat this man in a matter of seconds. Almost without any struggle, the Pandavas defeated the evil Jayadratha and Draupadi was safely returned to her husbands. This was the moment when Draupadi truly fell in love with each of her husbands. She realized that they are the key to a happy and perfect life, and she wouldn't trade it for the world.
Speaking of where Draupadi imagined herself, lets be real...it's nothing like where she's at now. As a girl she dreamed of getting the perfect house with the perfect husband and eventually raising a perfect family. This is what she saw in her dreams every night when she went to bed. Instead, she did have a perfect house, but then she was forced to move out to the forest. Instead of one husband, she got five. She wondered how in the world things ended up the way they did. However, she realized that she didn't have it all so bad. Sure, she was in the forest now, but in thirteen years she'll be back in civilization where she belongs in a beautiful house, ready to raise a family. Maybe it's odd that she has five husbands, but better to be loved five times as much than to not be loved at all.
Back to our time with Draupadi in the woods. One thing about Draupadi is that she was gorgeous. Easily one of the most beautiful women in the town she once lived in, the envy of all women. The women wanted to be her while the men simply wanted her. So, it came as no surprise when Jayadratha saw her that he immediately fell in love. He could feel his heart pounding in his chest, the butterflies in his stomach. How am I going to talk to a woman so beautiful he asked himself.
He finally gained the courage and walked up to Draupadi while passing her in the woods. He asked for her name and he eventually told her that he loved her. She was shocked as she just met this stranger...how could he love me she thought. Loyal wife to many as she is, Draupadi shut down all of Jayadratha's advances. She was kind about it in the beginning, politely telling him no and that she was already married. He wasn't getting the picture. He kept telling her how she was the most beautiful woman he'd ever laid eyes on and that she was his one true love. He became more and more aggressive and Draupadi decided it was time to leave this man she had just met.
As Draupadi was turning to walk away, Jayadratha caught her wrist and picked her up. Draupadi put up a good fight. She screamed and yelled, calling for her husbands. Surely one must come to her rescue. As Jayadratha carried Draupadi away, Draupadi's husbands heard her cries for help. They ran to Draupadi's defense and saw all that had occurred. They knew that if they fought Jayadratha together, they could easily defeat this man in a matter of seconds. Almost without any struggle, the Pandavas defeated the evil Jayadratha and Draupadi was safely returned to her husbands. This was the moment when Draupadi truly fell in love with each of her husbands. She realized that they are the key to a happy and perfect life, and she wouldn't trade it for the world.
Author's Note:
For this story, I decided to go into detail about Draupadi's thoughts on her life and also when Jayadratha kidnapped her. I felt as though there is very little detail about her kidnapping the story so I chose to expand on that. There is also very little detail into Draupadi's thoughts, so I wanted to write about her and how she felt about her life while being in exile married to five men.
Bibliography
Public Domain Mahabharata, Online Source
Death of Jayadratha, Web Source
Wednesday, October 5, 2016
Reading Notes: Mahabharata, Part C
This week's reading had so many exciting and thrilling things going on, it was hard to keep up! I left off at the Pandavas beginning of their exile. In the Ramayana, there was so much that happened during Rama's exile and the Mahabharata did not disappoint! There was so much detail that went into everything in this part of the Mahabharata reading. I really enjoyed reading about the Pandavas life in exile...it felt like I was there living with them in the forest.
One thing I really enjoyed about this part of the reading was that the Ramayana and the Mahabharata had a major crossover with Hanuman. It was nice to revisit this character. I wish he had played a bigger part in this epic, however he did teach Bhima a very important lesson when it came to life. The riddle part of the epic was also a ver good and clever part to the story.
The detail that was put into the final part of this reading, which was the beginning of the battle, was incredible. It felt as though I was there watching the battle take place. I hope I can implement this type of writing into some of my retellings. I can't wait to finish up the entire epic and see what happens!
One thing I really enjoyed about this part of the reading was that the Ramayana and the Mahabharata had a major crossover with Hanuman. It was nice to revisit this character. I wish he had played a bigger part in this epic, however he did teach Bhima a very important lesson when it came to life. The riddle part of the epic was also a ver good and clever part to the story.
The detail that was put into the final part of this reading, which was the beginning of the battle, was incredible. It felt as though I was there watching the battle take place. I hope I can implement this type of writing into some of my retellings. I can't wait to finish up the entire epic and see what happens!
While reading, I came up with a few thoughts for my retelling for the week. They are as follows:
44. Arjuna and Indra
- I could write where Arjuna was lured by the giant women
- I could go into detail about Arjuna's battle
46. Bhima and Hanuman
- I could write where Hanuman is roadkill that Bhima finds and he takes it home to cook up
49. Jauadratha and Draupadi
- I could go into depth with this story of Jayadratha taking Draupadi
50. Riddles at the Lake
- Wow! I did not see that the Voice was Dharma coming at all!
51. The Court of King Virata
- I could go into depth about the Pandavas stay in Virata
52. Bhima and Kichaka
- I could write where Bhima and Draupadi kill people on a regular basis using Draupadi as bait
59. Bhagavad-Gita
- I like that this was written in rhyme but still had a dialogue feel...this made it very easy to understand
Bibliography
Public Domain Mahabharata, link to Reading Guide C
Painting of the Pandavas and Draupadi, Web source
Monday, October 3, 2016
Tech Tip: Hashtags and Retweets
For this tech tip, I decided to look into hashtags and retweets on Twitter. They are something that are used practically daily for anyone on Twitter, so it's a good thing to really understand. I decided to retweet the following item because I really like elephants, so I figured that it would be perfect! It's Vishnu blessing the elephants..so awesome!
Here is the link to this retweet:
https://twitter.com/OnlineMythIndia/status/781523804522684416
I then decided to look into #boomsoon. I chose this hashtag because "Boom Soon" is easily my favorite saying at the University, plus with all the great football tweets from this past weekend and saxeT week this week, I knew there would be some great tweets!
Here is the link to this retweet:
https://twitter.com/OnlineMythIndia/status/781523804522684416
I then decided to look into #boomsoon. I chose this hashtag because "Boom Soon" is easily my favorite saying at the University, plus with all the great football tweets from this past weekend and saxeT week this week, I knew there would be some great tweets!
Week 6 Review: Edit Ruthlessly
While going through this weeks announcements, I really liked this post you made about editing. I have a problem where I'll write way more words in a sentence than necessary, so this really related to me!
(Edit Ruthlessly,
Wednesday, September 28, 2016
Story: The Annual Maze
MIDNIGHT
All of the towns people are finally getting to rest. They all enjoyed, as much as they could, what could possibly be their last meal together. Mothers and Fathers tucked their little ones into bed and stayed up all night holding each other, crying, praying that their names weren't called tomorrow. It was finally time for the Annual Maze that the town puts on, sounds kind of fun, right? Except that this is the most devastating day of the year, that is until your name isn't called. Then, you could celebrated.
The Annual Maze is simple. Every household in town is put into a giant bowl. It doesn't matter if you're the richest people or the poorest. The people in charge don't care if you could buy the whole town, or state for that matter, or if you are barely putting three meals on the table per day. Equality, am I right? The only people that can get out of the bowl is if the woman of the house is more than 7 months pregnant, or if you have a child under the age of 1 year old. If your household is pulled out, you enter the maze. If your household isn't pulled out, you're in the clear for another year. Although the maze sounds like something you would love to do with your family to any other town, here, the maze is an actual death trap. Like, no one has ever made it out alive. They always televise the event, but usually no one watches it. These are people from the community, children as young as 2, people who have their whole lives ahead of them. Normally the others don't like watching their gruesome end.
In school you always learn about the history of the Maze and all the good that comes out of it. It's all B.S. It started back years and years ago, because they needed to bring in jobs. So people came and built the Maze and it helped the town economically. They were going to use the Maze for actual fun like at a fair or Fall Festival, but instead some sick, twisted, weirdo thought it'd be put to better use if they send innocent people in to fend for their lives. That is the only reason why it started in the first place and the only reason it keeps happening is because everyone is too afraid to say anything because they think the system will be rigged and their families name will be called. No reason for it to start in the beginning and no reason it should be occurring in this day.
8 A.M.
At this time, all the families are lining up in the town square. This is usually where so many great and wonderful things happen in the town...concerts, graduations, proposals. Then there's this messed up thing. It's so weird because we know that tomorrow, everything will be back to normal, as long as your name isn't called in the next few minutes. And so the ceremony begins. The normal things are read, we sing a little, we hope this will bring brighter futures to us all, and then the name is pulled out. This year, it's the King family (remember how I said it doesn't matter if you're rich or dirt poor? Yeah well the Kings are easily the most wealthy family in the whole town). People looked around shocked. Obviously they were thrilled they didn't hear their name, but they couldn't show it. The Kings had five children, all boys. By the end of the night, we will be down seven people in our town.
Here is the best part about this whole event. After a families name is called and everyones fear and relief is set in, the whole town prays over the family who is about to lose their life. They act as if there is nothing they can do about the fact that people are intentionally dying.
10 P.M.
The family usually enters the Maze around 1 p.m. and the whole thing is usually over by about 3 p.m. This year was different however. The Kings weren't giving up. They were fighting. When the whole town heard they weren't finished by 4 p.m., we all got to a T.V. as fast as we could and intensely watched what was happening. There were all sorts of things coming after them, but somehow they were managing to stay alive. They've been in there for 9 hours, running and hiding and fighting and clinging onto life and what awaits them if they come out alive.
Somehow, they were able to do it. At about 11:30 p.m., they ran through the finish line, all seven of them. They are the first ones to ever complete the Maze, and hopefully they will be the last to ever have to go through such a tragic and life-changing thing. This is fuel that the town needs to get rid of this thing. The Kings are the ones that the whole town has been waiting on.
Bibliography
Public Domain Mahabharata, Online Source
Photo of a Corn Maze, Web Source
All of the towns people are finally getting to rest. They all enjoyed, as much as they could, what could possibly be their last meal together. Mothers and Fathers tucked their little ones into bed and stayed up all night holding each other, crying, praying that their names weren't called tomorrow. It was finally time for the Annual Maze that the town puts on, sounds kind of fun, right? Except that this is the most devastating day of the year, that is until your name isn't called. Then, you could celebrated.
The Annual Maze is simple. Every household in town is put into a giant bowl. It doesn't matter if you're the richest people or the poorest. The people in charge don't care if you could buy the whole town, or state for that matter, or if you are barely putting three meals on the table per day. Equality, am I right? The only people that can get out of the bowl is if the woman of the house is more than 7 months pregnant, or if you have a child under the age of 1 year old. If your household is pulled out, you enter the maze. If your household isn't pulled out, you're in the clear for another year. Although the maze sounds like something you would love to do with your family to any other town, here, the maze is an actual death trap. Like, no one has ever made it out alive. They always televise the event, but usually no one watches it. These are people from the community, children as young as 2, people who have their whole lives ahead of them. Normally the others don't like watching their gruesome end.
In school you always learn about the history of the Maze and all the good that comes out of it. It's all B.S. It started back years and years ago, because they needed to bring in jobs. So people came and built the Maze and it helped the town economically. They were going to use the Maze for actual fun like at a fair or Fall Festival, but instead some sick, twisted, weirdo thought it'd be put to better use if they send innocent people in to fend for their lives. That is the only reason why it started in the first place and the only reason it keeps happening is because everyone is too afraid to say anything because they think the system will be rigged and their families name will be called. No reason for it to start in the beginning and no reason it should be occurring in this day.
8 A.M.
At this time, all the families are lining up in the town square. This is usually where so many great and wonderful things happen in the town...concerts, graduations, proposals. Then there's this messed up thing. It's so weird because we know that tomorrow, everything will be back to normal, as long as your name isn't called in the next few minutes. And so the ceremony begins. The normal things are read, we sing a little, we hope this will bring brighter futures to us all, and then the name is pulled out. This year, it's the King family (remember how I said it doesn't matter if you're rich or dirt poor? Yeah well the Kings are easily the most wealthy family in the whole town). People looked around shocked. Obviously they were thrilled they didn't hear their name, but they couldn't show it. The Kings had five children, all boys. By the end of the night, we will be down seven people in our town.
Here is the best part about this whole event. After a families name is called and everyones fear and relief is set in, the whole town prays over the family who is about to lose their life. They act as if there is nothing they can do about the fact that people are intentionally dying.
10 P.M.
The family usually enters the Maze around 1 p.m. and the whole thing is usually over by about 3 p.m. This year was different however. The Kings weren't giving up. They were fighting. When the whole town heard they weren't finished by 4 p.m., we all got to a T.V. as fast as we could and intensely watched what was happening. There were all sorts of things coming after them, but somehow they were managing to stay alive. They've been in there for 9 hours, running and hiding and fighting and clinging onto life and what awaits them if they come out alive.
Somehow, they were able to do it. At about 11:30 p.m., they ran through the finish line, all seven of them. They are the first ones to ever complete the Maze, and hopefully they will be the last to ever have to go through such a tragic and life-changing thing. This is fuel that the town needs to get rid of this thing. The Kings are the ones that the whole town has been waiting on.
Author's Note:
For this retelling, I decided to use the story of Kunti and her five sons who had to escape from the burning house. In the original story, they were intentionally targeted and when they escaped no one knew that they were still alive. In this retelling, I decided to make the house a giant death trap maze and for the choosing of them to be completely random. I gave this story a Hunger Games/The Lottery feel to it to portray the cruelty of Prince Duryodhana.Bibliography
Public Domain Mahabharata, Online Source
Photo of a Corn Maze, Web Source
Reading Notes: Mahabharata, Part B
As we get deeper and deeper into the Mahabharata, the stories are getting more and more extravagant and complex. It is hard to keep up with everyone, but I am enjoying reading this great Indian epic.
In the first story for this weeks reading, we read about the house fire and that was an incredible story. There was so much detail that went into the story about how the house was set up for failure through flames from the very beginning. It is so sad to think that someone hated someone so much that not only are they willing to kill them, but their innocent family as well. I love that they were able to escape from the flames though all thanks to a secret tunnel. I am very excited to see how this gets resolved since everyone thinks that they are dead.
I also really liked that this story included a Swayamwara just like the Ramayana had. It makes it very clear that this is how women's husbands were chosen back in these ancient times in India, and around the world. It was very fascinating how no one expected anything from the Pandavas brothers since they were disguised as Brahmins, but they eventually proved them all wrong.
In the first story for this weeks reading, we read about the house fire and that was an incredible story. There was so much detail that went into the story about how the house was set up for failure through flames from the very beginning. It is so sad to think that someone hated someone so much that not only are they willing to kill them, but their innocent family as well. I love that they were able to escape from the flames though all thanks to a secret tunnel. I am very excited to see how this gets resolved since everyone thinks that they are dead.
I also really liked that this story included a Swayamwara just like the Ramayana had. It makes it very clear that this is how women's husbands were chosen back in these ancient times in India, and around the world. It was very fascinating how no one expected anything from the Pandavas brothers since they were disguised as Brahmins, but they eventually proved them all wrong.
As I was reading through this part of the Mahabharata, I was using this reading to get some ideas for my retelling for this week. Here are a few of the things I came up with:
21. House of Fire
- I could rewrite the story to where Kunti and her sons did not escape and survive the fire
- I could write where instead of being trapped inside a burning house, they were trapped inside of a maze
25. Birth of Draupadi
- I could write about Kunti and her family's journey from one of her son's perspective, but I could make this boy a young boy around the age of 6 or 7
28. Wife of the Five Pandavas
- I could write how instead of sharing a wife, the brothers share a car
31. Arjuna and the Apsaras
- I could write how the water nymphs were trying to get a married man while her was at the club for his friends Bachelor party
32. Arjuana and Chitra
- I like how this story was told strictly with dialogue and this is something I could implement into my writings
38. Draupadi Lost
- I like how this story was written in rhyme and this is something I could possibly use in the future
Bibliography
Public Domain Mahabharata, link to Reading Guide B
Picture of a Burning House, Web Source
Sunday, September 25, 2016
Week 5 Review: Cat and a Comma
While going through this weeks announcements, I found the following picture that I think is super cute and funny. I love how it involves and cat and the cat just doesn't look amused at all!
(Cat and a Comma;
Wednesday, September 21, 2016
Story: Only One Time
After school, I decided to stop by the store and get a test. I knew what the answer was going to be. It had to be a negative. After all, it was just one time. We were at party, both drunk. It was a mistake, but nothing permanent would come out of it...it was just one time. We're only juniors in high school, sixteen-years old. We just got our licenses. There's no way. I haven't even taken my SAT test yet. I still have a year and a half left in high school, then my undergrad, then med school. There's no way. I just have to know for sure..but there's no way, it was just one time.
As I walk into the store, I can see it on everyone's faces. They know what I'm doing here, they know what I'm about to buy. I hope they all know the answer that I so clearly know. They can't be thinking any other way. I decided to go two towns over, just so I knew I wouldn't run into anyone I know here, pretty good thinking on my part if I do say so myself. I finally find the aisle and there are so many to choose from. Which do I choose? How many should I buy? Are the more expensive ones better and more accurate? Why am I here? I shouldn't be here, I'm only sixteen.
I decide to buy two different brands, just in case. People are watching. Maybe they think it's just for a friend, or even my mom. That's probably what they are thinking. They're thinking, "This girl is only sixteen. She has her whole life ahead of her. She will finish high school, go to college, and be successful in whatever field of study she chooses." Thank goodness I have cash on me because I don't know how I would explain a $20 shopping spree at the local grocery store two towns over to my parents. Should I take the test here? Do I go home? If I go home my mom will see it. But if I stay here, then people may see my tears. I shouldn't even have tears though because I'm only sixteen and it was only one time, so I ultimately decided to just take the test here.
I decided to take two tests, both different brands, just in case. It felt like I waited for ever and ever in that bathroom. Finally I looked down and the result was becoming clear. It was a negative, I knew it! I looked at myself in the mirror and just laughed, how could I ever think anything other wise. I'm just sixteen! I looked down at the tests, just to get one final look before I left and went home to my normal life. In that instant everything changed. The test was finished developing. The vertical line appeared. It was just one time. I am only sixteen. I am a mother.
Do I tell anyone? Do I wait? Do I get it "taken care of"? Do I keep it? Do I give it up? How will people look at me? How will my parents look at me? Should I tell him and see what he thinks? I am the only one who can come up with the answers to all of these questions.
I throw the tests away and drive home. My mom greets me as she always does, she smiles, offers me food, asks how my day was. I lie obviously. I tell her I'm not feeling well and I head up to my room to rest a while.
A week passes and I've barley eaten anything. I can't hold this secret in and hold down food. I finally decide to tell my mom. We both cried. She asked me why I would let something like this happen. She told me that I knew it only took one time. Then, she asked me what I wanted to do. I knew getting it "taken care of" wasn't an option. There was only keeping it or giving it up. I had nine months to decide, but I felt like once the decision was made there was no turning back.
Eventually people at school figured out. People starred. They stayed away as if it were contagious. Months passed and I hadn't made my decision. I thought every night, would I be able to take care of a child? Could I do go to school then come home and take care of another life? Could I even afford daycare? How could I, a child myself, raise a child of my own? I already love this child and I haven't even met it yet. I know that I could provide all the love the child would ever need in it's who life, but what about everything else? In that moment I knew what I had to do. I went downstairs to my mother with tears in my eyes telling her how much I loved this precious life inside of me. I told her how because I love this child, the best thing would be to put the child up for adoption. She held me as I wept into her arms.
Author's Note:
I decided to use the story of Kunti and her child for this week's storytelling. Kunti decided to give her child up and she floats him down the river and he lives a very good life with his new mother. I decided to modernize this story using the "16 and Pregnant" approach. She continues saying "it only happened one time" and " I'm only sixteen" to convey just how young she is and the invincibility principle many young people feel.
Bibliography
Public Domain Mahabhrata, Online source
Photo of a babies hand, Web Source
Monday, September 19, 2016
Reading Notes: Mahabharata, Part A
As we start reading the Mahabharata, I've decided to read the online PDE version of the Mahabharata. One reason I did this was that when we read the Ramayana, I chose to read Narayan's version. I really enjoyed this version, however I wanted to give the PDE version a chance to see different writing techniques then Narayan used. I also chose this version because it was free, this way I didn't have to go buy the book from either the bookstore, Barnes&Noble, Kindle, rent it from the library, etc. So for I've found that the Mahabharata is more difficult to read for me than the Ramayana was. The reason behind this is because there are so many characters in the Mahabharata, all with very similar names so it's hard to keep track of who is who.
While reading, I really enjoyed that the author decided to go into more detail about when Pandu accidentally killed the Brahmin and his wife. It made it very easy to understand what was happening and who died, unlike some of the other stories in this version of the Mahabharata. I also really like the way that the story of Amba was written. You could feel the pain that she felt when she was betrayed by her husband to be, the King of Shalwas. Another part of the story where I could feel the pain the character felt was in Drona's story when he was told that he wasn't actually friends with Drupada due to their financial standing. This was very sad and when the author said "Then abruptly he turned away, nor spake he in reply. His heart burned with indignation as he hastened out of the city." you can tell that he will make sure Drupada feels the way he made him feel.
While reading, I really enjoyed that the author decided to go into more detail about when Pandu accidentally killed the Brahmin and his wife. It made it very easy to understand what was happening and who died, unlike some of the other stories in this version of the Mahabharata. I also really like the way that the story of Amba was written. You could feel the pain that she felt when she was betrayed by her husband to be, the King of Shalwas. Another part of the story where I could feel the pain the character felt was in Drona's story when he was told that he wasn't actually friends with Drupada due to their financial standing. This was very sad and when the author said "Then abruptly he turned away, nor spake he in reply. His heart burned with indignation as he hastened out of the city." you can tell that he will make sure Drupada feels the way he made him feel.
As I was reading through part A, I came up with a few ideas I can use for my re-telling this week. They are as follows:
2. King Shantung and Ganga
- Could write where Ganga gave birth and kept the babies
- Could write where Ganga gave birth to stillborns
5. Bhishma at the Swayamwara
- I could write the battle in a modern way, perhaps using a video game rather than actual battle
- I could write where Amba actually wanted to marry Vichitracirya rather than the King of Shalwas whom she had already promised herself to
8. Kunti and her Son
- I could write from Kunti's point-of-view of what it was like for her to give her child up for adoption
10. Son of Pandu
- I could write hoe Pandu dies in a freak accident rather than dying because he was cursed
13. Bhima and Nagas
- I could write how Duryoshana accidentally ate the poison that he meant to give to Bhima
14. Drona, Son of Bharadwaha
- I could write how the two friends started off hating each other but when the rich one became poor they became friends
- I could set it back to the Great Depression when everyone was struggling
16. Ekalavya
- I could write how he was already deformed and didn't need to cut off his thumb
17. The Contest
- I like how this part was written in rhyme, and I could integrate that into my story
Bibliography
Public Domain Mahabharata, link to Reading Guide A
Painting of Ekalavya cutting off his thumb, web source
Sunday, September 18, 2016
Week 4 Review: Laser Pointer
While reviewing over this weeks announcements, I came across the following gif in Thursday's announcements and I thought it was hilarious! At my house we love playing with the laser pointer with our dog and cats, so I think that this is the cutest thing ever!
Feedback Focus
The three strategies suggested to us are all very helpful in focusing in on what you are reading. If I were to rank the strategies, it would be:
1. Setting a Timer
2. Reading Aloud
3. Copy & Delete
Using these three strategies, I could tell that it had a positive affect on my reading. I was able to understand what the author was trying to convey in each of these things. For each of these strategies, there were advantages and disadvantages. An advantage of setting a timer was that I was able to focus just on the story for 10 minutes without having any other distractions. I was able to read through the story multiple times and catch things I hadn't previously caught the first time. For this strategy, I wouldn't really say there were any disadvantages to it. An advantage of reading aloud was this it made it very easy to tell if you missed anything, which helped make sure you were understanding what the author is trying to convey. A disadvantage would be that you have to read it out loud which isn't always the most feasible thing to do depending on your location. An advantage to the copy and delete strategy is that you focused on the paragraphs rather than the story as a whole. The only disadvantage to this is that sometimes it's nice to be able to go back and quickly re-read something and this is somewhat difficult with this strategy.
I will definitely be using these strategies in the future because I think that they really helped me focus on what the story is about and helped me get good notes on these stories. I've never used these strategies before so I'm very excited to see how much better of a reader/feedbacker I become with these strategies. I really enjoyed reading "Midterm Madness" because I thought it was very clever how the author was able to integrate the Ramayana into something so relatable for every student with using midterms as the theme.
(Photo of a person studying,
Tech Tip: Google Site Website
For this tech tip, I decided to make a website using Google Sites. I am using this website for my storybook. Here is the the link to the website
(Photo of the Haunted Mansion in Disney World,
Wednesday, September 14, 2016
Story: House Hunter
Hi, I'm Visva-mitra, the old city guru. Although I love my luxurious life in the big city, I think it's time for me to make my move to a rural country life. As of right now I don't have any jobs lined up, so I have a pretty low budget, but I don't need much, just a bedroom, kitchen, electricity, internet (I have to be able to watch my Netflix!) and plumbing...oh and plenty of room to entertain my guests. Just kidding! I just need enough room for me because I'm a hermit and don't really want to deal with people for a while. If I could get a few upgrades like some granite countertops, hardwood floors that would be incredible. But, I definitely think my realtor will be able to help me find something well within my budget.
So today is the day that me and the realtor are going to go and look at a few different options for me and my new life. The first house was pretty nice. It was small and there weren't too many upgrades. Just the bare minimum, everything a hermit could ever need. The neighbors were all about a mile away from the house though, and that was a little too close for me. The next house was almost too much of a hermit hole for me. The house was maybe half the size of the first house and there was no way I could comfortably be in the bathroom, I always felt squished. I will say though that Debbie, my realtor, hit the price right on the nose. It was about half my budget, which is incredible. The third and final place we saw was spectacular. Brand new upgrades, the kitchen was beautiful, the bathroom was incredible, and the bedroom was spacious. It was almost like what I had in the city, expect on a smaller scale...and maybe not so luxurious. The best part about this house was the property that came with it. It sat on a two and a half square mile lot, and the closest neighbors were three miles away! Incredible! The only downside to the house was that the price was a little over my budget.
Once I saw all three houses, I knew it would be a difficult decision to choose the perfect one for me and only me. Do I go with number one, the quaint house that wasn't too special? Or number two, the house that looked like something the peasant people from the city live in? Should I dare with number three, in a house made for the city transported to the country? I decided to make my decision a little easier by removing number two. Even though I wanted to get away from the city, I didn't want to live like a poor man. So now the decision was between number one and number three. I could see myself being comfortable and enjoying life in both houses, so this really was the hardest decision of my life.
I finally came the decision and realized that house number three really screamed Visva-mitra! When I walked inside for the first time, I could see myself loving life here. I saw myself sitting on the sofa, reading a book or watching the latest season of Orange is the New Black on Netflix. I could see myself cooking in the kitchen. And most importantly, I could see myself living peacefully, and alone, here with no one to bother me.
So today is the day that me and the realtor are going to go and look at a few different options for me and my new life. The first house was pretty nice. It was small and there weren't too many upgrades. Just the bare minimum, everything a hermit could ever need. The neighbors were all about a mile away from the house though, and that was a little too close for me. The next house was almost too much of a hermit hole for me. The house was maybe half the size of the first house and there was no way I could comfortably be in the bathroom, I always felt squished. I will say though that Debbie, my realtor, hit the price right on the nose. It was about half my budget, which is incredible. The third and final place we saw was spectacular. Brand new upgrades, the kitchen was beautiful, the bathroom was incredible, and the bedroom was spacious. It was almost like what I had in the city, expect on a smaller scale...and maybe not so luxurious. The best part about this house was the property that came with it. It sat on a two and a half square mile lot, and the closest neighbors were three miles away! Incredible! The only downside to the house was that the price was a little over my budget.
Once I saw all three houses, I knew it would be a difficult decision to choose the perfect one for me and only me. Do I go with number one, the quaint house that wasn't too special? Or number two, the house that looked like something the peasant people from the city live in? Should I dare with number three, in a house made for the city transported to the country? I decided to make my decision a little easier by removing number two. Even though I wanted to get away from the city, I didn't want to live like a poor man. So now the decision was between number one and number three. I could see myself being comfortable and enjoying life in both houses, so this really was the hardest decision of my life.
I finally came the decision and realized that house number three really screamed Visva-mitra! When I walked inside for the first time, I could see myself loving life here. I saw myself sitting on the sofa, reading a book or watching the latest season of Orange is the New Black on Netflix. I could see myself cooking in the kitchen. And most importantly, I could see myself living peacefully, and alone, here with no one to bother me.
Author's Note
For this retelling, I decided to use Visva-mitra's story. In The Divine Archer the author never really touched on Visva-mitra's life other than the fact that he needed Rama to help him. I wanted to show him finding the perfect house to become a hermit in, and what show is better at helping people find their dream homes than 'House Hunters' on HGTV? I thought that having Visva-mitra being the buyer of a new property was the perfect platform to creating a backstory for him!
Bibliography
The Divine Archer by F.J. Gould, online book
Logo for House Hunters, web source
Monday, September 12, 2016
Reading Notes: The Divine Archer, Part A
For this weeks reading, I decided to read The Divine Archer by F.J. Gould. I chose to read this because it seemed very interesting and I like that it is mainly based on Rama and how he uses archery to help him in all of his battles. As I was reading, I really liked the format of the book because it was very easy to read. This version seems much more like a fairy tale for children, where as Narayan's Ramayana read more like a novel. The fairy tale like writing makes it very playful, while also stressing the evils that Rama faces.
Something I really like about this version of the Ramayana is that the author focuses on Rama's brothers. I know that is Narayan's Ramayana he discussed Lakshman and Bhartha, but he didn't really go into that much detail about his third brother, or much detail about the other two in general other than the fact that they both trusted Rama and did what he said. When Rama meets Sita and gets married to her, the author explains that all three of Rama's brothers got married that day as well and I think that that is good information to have. I also enjoy how he told the story of Rama and Sita meeting and getting married. There was more detail to it than the fact that they saw each other through a window and Rama was able to string the bow to win Sita's hand in marriage.
Something I really like about this version of the Ramayana is that the author focuses on Rama's brothers. I know that is Narayan's Ramayana he discussed Lakshman and Bhartha, but he didn't really go into that much detail about his third brother, or much detail about the other two in general other than the fact that they both trusted Rama and did what he said. When Rama meets Sita and gets married to her, the author explains that all three of Rama's brothers got married that day as well and I think that that is good information to have. I also enjoy how he told the story of Rama and Sita meeting and getting married. There was more detail to it than the fact that they saw each other through a window and Rama was able to string the bow to win Sita's hand in marriage.
As I was reading through The Divine Archer, I was thinking of ways I could retell the story. Here are a few options:
Chapter 1
- I could write about Visva-mitra's life and the journey that he went on with Rama and his brothers from his perspective
Chapter 2
- I could write how Sita at first didn't love Rama back, but she eventually fell in love with him
- I could write that Rama had failed to string the bow, but was able to still win Sita's hand in marriage
Chapter 3
- I could rewrite the story where Dasaratha doesn't give Kaikeyi what she wants
- I could rewrite the story to where Rama gets furious at his father's decision to not give him the crown
Chapter 4
- I could write where Kaikeyi was Rama's charioteer and abandoned him in the forest on coronation day rather than he asking Dasaratha to not crown Rama
Chapter 5
- I could write a story where Maricha disguised himself as a dog rather than a deer
Chapter 6
- I could write where Ravan was defeated by the vulture rather than Ravan defeating the vulture
Bibliography
The Divine Archer by F.J. Gould, online book
Symbol of an archer, web source
Reading Notes: Ramayana, Part D
As I finished up reading Narayan's Ramayana I was very excited to see how it all would end. Would Rama defeat Ravana? Would they both live? Would Rama and Sita be reunited with one another? It was very fun to read and figure out the answers to all of these questions.
When Ravana was meeting with his council to decide what to do regarding Rama, the detail that was put into all of the conversations that were taking place was very realistic. His council was telling him so many different things, the way I feel like cabinet meetings go for the President. I thought it was very interesting that many of his councilmen were telling Ravana that he was in the wrong for holding Sita captive for so long, however in the end Ravana did as he pleased. I also think that it was admirable of Vibishana to stick up for himself and continue to believe that what Ravana did was wrong and seek asylum with Rama.
As the epic got into the battle sequence, it was very fun to read with all of the details the author put into it. I really felt like I was there watching the battle occur! Once it got to the final battle between Rama and Ravana, it was very interesting. It almost reminded me of the scene in Hercules where Hercules is fighting the Hydra where its heads keep coming back.
Once Sita and Rama were finally reunited, it was very disappointing that Sita threw herself in the fire, however I love that it all worked out and that Sita and Rama were able to end up together and rule the kingdom with one another. When Rama's father, Dasartha, came back to visit Rama, it was very emotional and I'm glad that he was able to forgive Kaikeyi like how Rama wanted.
When Ravana was meeting with his council to decide what to do regarding Rama, the detail that was put into all of the conversations that were taking place was very realistic. His council was telling him so many different things, the way I feel like cabinet meetings go for the President. I thought it was very interesting that many of his councilmen were telling Ravana that he was in the wrong for holding Sita captive for so long, however in the end Ravana did as he pleased. I also think that it was admirable of Vibishana to stick up for himself and continue to believe that what Ravana did was wrong and seek asylum with Rama.
As the epic got into the battle sequence, it was very fun to read with all of the details the author put into it. I really felt like I was there watching the battle occur! Once it got to the final battle between Rama and Ravana, it was very interesting. It almost reminded me of the scene in Hercules where Hercules is fighting the Hydra where its heads keep coming back.
Once Sita and Rama were finally reunited, it was very disappointing that Sita threw herself in the fire, however I love that it all worked out and that Sita and Rama were able to end up together and rule the kingdom with one another. When Rama's father, Dasartha, came back to visit Rama, it was very emotional and I'm glad that he was able to forgive Kaikeyi like how Rama wanted.
(Rama and Lakshmana fighting Ravana;
While reading, I found a few things that I may want to incorporate while doing some of my retellings. They are as follows:
IX. Ravana in Council
- I could rewrite the story to where Ravana is trying to win back the love of his life rather than take someone's love away from them
- I could rewrite to where Ravana is battling Rama for land rather than a woman
- I could rewrite the story to where Ravana is out Black Friday shopping and is trying to steal a great item from someone
X. Across the Ocean
- I could rewrite where Vibishana is like Snowden seeking asylum after giving out a countries secrets
XI. Siege of Lanka
- I could rewrite the story to where Kumbakarna is helping Rama rather than his own brother
XII. Rama and Ravana in Battle
- I could rewrite to where the chariot races are like a Mario Kart or Nascar race
XIII. Interlude
- I could rewrite the story to where Rama is so happy to see Sita and knows that she didn't do anything un-pure while being held captive, this way she doesn't have to throw herself into a fire
XIV. Coronation
- I could rewrite the story to where Bharatha doesn't want to give up the crown to Rama
Bibliography
Narayan's Ramayana, link to Reading Guide D
Rama and Lakshmana fighting Ravana, Web Source
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