Story Lab, Microfiction:

Two-sentence: There once was a man named Saul. He became Paul and lived happily ever after all.

Dribble: Saul sought out Christians and persecuted them. Once he saw the flaw in his actions, he repented and became Paul. He changed his name and began spreading the word that he once persecuted people for spreading. There is always opportunity for change and redemption.

Reference: The Bible via Wikipedia

Author's Note:
I enjoy making the short stories rhyme haha. I wanted to tell the brief story of Paul the apostle. It is one of my favorite stories because it could happen in today's world. People can do evil deeds, but there is always opportunity correct and realign their path.

Paul the Apostle

Reading Notes: PDE Ramayana, Part D

rama's forces begin to construct a bridge to cross the ocean to lanka.

spies try to convince ravana to surrender sita bc of rama's great power, but ravana is enraged. ravana uses illusion to convince sita that rama had died, but she resists.

Indrajit, ravana's son, wrecks rama, lakshmana, and the monkey army and returns home to lanka victorious, but Garuda flies through the sky and heals everyone.

Kumbhakarna, ravana's brother, a giant, is awoken, kills thousands of apes, but rama severs his head with arrows.

Indrajit wrecks the army again, but hanuman retrieves a life herb from himalaya that revives everyone.

more illusions as indrajit tries to make rama think sita is dead and ravana tries to make sita think rama is dead. vibhishana tells rama a place where they can ambush indrajit.

Lakshmana killed indrajit and ravana is distraught. he almost kills sita but the rakshasas guarding her convince him not to kill a woman.

ravana slays lakshmana but is revived by hanuman. they night attack lanka and intercept sacrifices that wouldve boosted ravanas forces.

indra sends down his chariot for rama to use. rama kept slicing off ravanas heads but to no victory. rama finally strikes him with the brahma weapon and kills him. Vibhishana is made king of Lanka.

Rama and sita are reunited but Rama rejects her since he doesnt believe she has been faithful.

Sita tests her loyalty with fire and passes. the gods convince rama to take her back. they fly back home in ravana's chariot. Rama us crowned king.

Rama banished sita for potential disloyalty w/ ravana, and she births two sons. rama wants to perform horse sacrifice to cleanse himself of the sin of killing ravana. his sons (~16 years old) capture the horse and defeat the royal army. Rama confronts his sons, and greatly longs sita.

Lakshmana and Rama ascend to heaven to return as Vinshu.


PDE Ramayana, Part D
Sources used: M. Dutt, R. Dutt, Gould, Griffith, Hodgson, Mackenzie, Nivedita, Oman, Richardson, and Ryder.

Lanka Bridge

Reading Notes: PDE Ramayana, Part C

Rama and Lakshmana meet Hanuman and Sugriva. They agree to help fight Vali. Vali is killed by Rama ambushing him.

Sugriva is now monkey king. he agrees to help find sita, but must wait out the rainy season first. Rama struggles with waiting.

4 monkey armies are sent in all directions to search for Sita. the southern group locates Lanka. they find sampati, jatayu's brother, and he confirms that south is the right way.

Hanuman scouts lanka alone. he finds ravana, but no Sita. He finds sita in a grove guarded by rakshasis. Ravana asks sita to reject rama and be his wife but she refuses.

hanuman meets sita. she gives him a jewel. ravana gives her 2 months to live. hanuman kills many demons but is captured by ravana's son, indrajit.

hanuman was brought before ravana. he decided to set his tail on fire. hanuman used the burning tail to kill rakshasas and burn half of lanka. he returns to the monkey kingdom.

the army marched on lanka. ravana and the council discuss giving up sita, but decide to fight instead.

Vibhishana, ravana's younger brother, warned him about the fight, but is banished and flees lanka to join rama.


PDE Ramayana, Part C
Sources used: M. Dutt, R. Dutt, Gould, Griffith, Hodgson, Mackenzie, Nivedita, Oman, Richardson, and Ryder.

Ravana and Sita

Week 3 Review

Examine anxious

I like this quote because it is important to examine what makes you anxious, so that you can journey out of your comfort zone.

Shakuni - Bringer of War

I liked the video about Shakuni. He seeks conflict and manipulates people with illusions. He is one of the devious main villains in Mahabharata. I appreciate every perspective I can get on Hindu folklore.

Famous Last Words: Week 3 Recap

I really enjoyed the reading for week three. Ever since we sampled some of the previous semesters' storybooks, I was anxious to read the Ramayana. I wanted to dive in and learn more about Hindu mythology. So far the Ramayana has not disappointed. I have only read parts A and B so far, but the story is very interesting. I am very excited to read about the epic Battle of Lanka. So far, I have followed Rama and his brother's journey of helping sages, exploring other kingdoms, and fighting many demons. I followed along as Rama won the heart of his princess, Sita. I have seen the beloved Rama betrayed by his father and cast to exile. I have witnessed the loyalty of Sita and his brother, Lakshmana. They have obtained celestial weapons and slayed many demons. They resisted the temptations of the forest, but trouble continues to find them. They crossed a few of the wrong rashakas. Ravana's plot to kidnap Sita worked to perfection, and now Rama and Lakshmana have to travel to Lanka to reunite Rama with his bride. I look forward to parts C and D, where I will finish the Ramayana and read about the epic Battle of Lanka. I was also able to read some stories from my classmates they wrote last week. It is always fun to read my peers' work. It is amazing what students just like me can create with their minds! It pushes me to continue to test my limits and write every opportunity I get. Hopefully, next week leads into a deeper dive of my project, and that research allows me to synthesize a quality piece. After reading the storybook projects from the previous semesters, I am excited and eager to start the storybook project of my own for this semester!

Rama and his company cast to exile

Learning Challenge: Happiness Jar Part 1

My plan is to construct a happiness jar like the image in the google doc. Each day this week I want to write something I am thankful for on a slip of paper and then put it in the jar. At the end of next week, I will pull out all pieces of paper and reflect on all the blessings in my life.

The Happy Jar from Pinterest

Growth Mindset: Quote Memes

I chose this quote because I often worry to much about the future. It's okay to prepare for the future and think ahead, but mindless worrying is never healthy. Stop and breathe like this image below haha.

My Quote from Cheezburger

Wikipedia Trail: From Stem Cells to Collagen

Stem Cells
I started with stem cells because I am currently using that topic for my capstone topic. We are using stem cells to help patients with heart disease.

Adipose Tissue
Adipose tissue is a potential source for obtaining stem cells. I wanted to read more about the advantages/disadvantages of extracting cells from this location.

Fibroblasts
Fibroblasts play a major role in the body for wound healing. I wanted to read more into the specific role fibroblasts could play in healing the cardiovascular system.

Collagen
Collagen is the building block of the body. It is the main structural protein for connecting tissues, and it is the most abundant protein in the human body.

Stem cell differentiation

Meme Generator Tech Tip

MAKE DA MEME from ImgFlip.com

Biography: Squatting Struggles

Shortly before I left for a summer internship a couple years ago, I maxed out on squat with my lifting friends. I finally hit a personal goal of squatting 365 lbs. I then moved halfway across the country for my internship. I continued lifting throughout the summer and attempted 365 many times on squat to replicate my success. Every time I tried, I failed the lift. I could not understand why I couldn't do it again! The last week I was in D.C., I intentionally skipped legs for a week and then maxed out again. I was experimenting with my body. As I built up the weight, I ended up blowing up 355 lbs, which was the most I successfully lifted all summer. So I decided to skip 365 and put 375 lbs on the bar instead. I blew it up and set a new personal record!

Author's Note:
I wanted to tell a story about my summer internship in Washington D.C. and my struggles with strength training over that summer. I learned to give my body rest as it asks for it, and my body will return the favor!

Squat Rack from Wikipedia

Microfiction: The Maze

6 words:
Why are these walls so high?

140 characters:
Where am I? These walls are so high! A dead end? Where should I go? Oh no! Am I stuck inside of a maze? Surely, I must be dreaming. Wake up!

Author's Note:
Wow, this one was hard! Meeting the exact 140 character count took a few tries to perfect. I wanted to contrast two versions of a person's reaction to waking up stuck in a maze.

The MAZE 

Feedback Strategies

What Kinds of Messages Help Kids Grow?  
I really like the concept of using specific feedback. Everyone knows that "Good job!" doesn't help kids learn, but we do it out of laziness sometimes. Using good job followed by something specific the child did seems like a great strategy I can implement into my life. I will also use the power of yet. Telling stories of resilience and telling kids they haven't tied their shoes "yet," is an excellent way to teach them to keep their head up and keep them determined to succeed.

How to Give Feedback Without Sounding Like a Jerk
Key pieces for feedback giving:

• level with the audience
• explain why a problem needs fixed
• be honest and transparent with people
• ask if they want feedback, no one ever resists (usually)

This article was very helpful for feedback in the workplace. One of my supervisors used these techniques and feedback for my work was always an easy process. I wasn't personally offended ever, and I knew she only wanted me to help me improve my work!

Feedback by geraldt

Topic Research: Makara

I would like to focus my project on crocodiles in Hindu mythology. I would like to incorporate and revolve my stories around Makara.

Story 1: Deceitful croc
One story could be about a cunning crocodile that deceives many people. He uses tricks to gain trust and even kill. One day he meets a god that he also tries to trick. The trick goes south and the god punishes the croc with a curse or death.

Story 2: Friendly croc
Another story would be about a god trying to pay penance. He is reincarnated as a crocodile and must help a town with a danger/crisis. Once performing a good deed, the penance is paid, and the curse is lifted.

Story 3: Croc and Monkey
I would tell of a croc trying to eat a monkey in a swamp. The monkey is actually a god that punishes the croc with a curse and a quest leading him far away for a chance at redemption. It may have to carry Ganga on its back.

Any of these would contain celestial weapons and/or include rashakas that tempt or attack the main character.

The stories would revolve around Makara, so the Wiki page will be very useful.

Makara

Week 3 Story: Temptation and Loyalty

Newer version foudn in my portfolio: https://sites.google.com/view/indianportfoliotales/dakka

The great warrior, Dakka, was preparing to take the battlefield with his army. He had won many battles for his kingdom and built a pretty extravagant reputation for himself. Every citizen throughout the land knew his name. He did everything the right way. He built a righteous reputation from his strong character. He was loyal to his beautiful wife and avoided many trials that the evil in the world tempted him with. He and his wife had been together for many years, and they were one victory away from leading the kingdom. His father, the king, would retire and hand the thrown down to Dakka after this one last victory. Dakka prepared well. He avoided distractions and was focused leading up to the battle.

As the battle ensued, it was obvious which side was superior. Dakka and his forces were making quick work of the opposition that challenged their freedom. Once the smoke cleared, the kingdom's warriors stood victorious as the remnants of the opposing army fled in retreat. They celebrated an evening victory celebration that lasted all night. Multiple mistresses approached the heroic Dakka, but he refused all of their offerings. He remained by his beautiful wife's side as they celebrated another victory, another day of life, and the crown that they would assume the following day.

The following day consisted mostly of the crowning ceremony of Dakka and his wife as king and queen. As king Dakka wandered off after the ceremony, a beautiful women approached him. She spoke of how mighty and handsome he was, and as she spoke, Dakka's ears were falling in love with the sound of her sweet voice. He fell almost into a trance as he was in her presence. She was captivating. She spoke of her powerful kingdom over the hills and how they should run off together to rule for eternity. Dakka had it all here in his own kingdom, but still her words were tempting as she was the most beautiful creature he had ever seen. Then he caught an image of what she really was. He saw through her deceitful shroud and realized she was a demon sent to destroy his character. He called her out, and the demon attacked! He slayed the demon, passed the test, and lived on with his wife as they ruled their beautiful kingdom.

Shurpanakha tempts Rama

Bibliography: Ramayana Part B, Public Domain

Sources used: M. Dutt, R. Dutt, Gould, Griffith, Hodgson, Mackenzie, Nivedita, Oman, Richardson, and Ryder.

Author's Note:
I wanted to build a story with temptation similar to how the beautiful rashaki, Shurpanakha, tempted Rama in the forest. I wanted to build a famous and righteous warrior who had achieved it all. Then I wanted to temp the character with lust and see where the story went. I didn't decide to make him pass the test and remain loyal until I actually wrote it. I am happy the way it turned out, but I make expand on the story if I use it for my portfolio project.

Reading Notes: Ramayana Part B

Bharata returns home to his father dead and 2 of his brothers gone. he vows to never take the throne. to wait for rama to return.

the conduct the king's funeral. bharata finds rama in the woods to plead with him to return, but rama insists that he must obey his father's dying wish.

bharata gave rama golden sandals to put on. he would return to the throne with them and place them on the throne.

Sita is kidnapped by a demon in the forest. they fight the demon, break his arms, and throw him in a pit. by killing the demon, the curse is lifted and the demon can ascend to heaven.

Shurpanakha confronts them and rama rejects her. lakshmana also rejects her so the demoness attacks Sita. lakshmana cuts off her nose and ears and she runs to her brother Khara.

rama defeats Khara army but assembles a larger one with his brother. rama slays the army along with Dushana and Khara. shurpanaka retreats to Lanka to tell Ravana of rama.

Maricha assumed the form of a golden deer and attracted Sita's attention. Sita asks rama to hunt the deer and he does. maricha is killed by rama, but before death he cries out for help in rama's voice.

Lakshmana answers the call for help and ravana kidnaps Sita. jataya battles with ravana but dies. Sita leaves a trail of jewelry for rama to follow.

rama finds out that sita has been kidnapped. they fight another demon and learn that Sita is on Lanka.

Kabandha from Wikipedia

Bibliography: Ramayana Online, Public Domain

Sources used: M. Dutt, R. Dutt, Gould, Griffith, Hodgson, Mackenzie, Nivedita, Oman, Richardson, and Ryder.

Reading Notes: Ramayana Part A

King Dasharatha was almighty but without a male heir to the throne

He could perform a horse sacrifice to the gods to receive 4 sons!

Brahma blessed Ravana with invulnerability against the gods

Can only be defeated by apes and man

minor gods want free of Ravana's earthly rule

Vishnu divides himself into 4 parts and is born as Dasharatha's 4 sons, Rama, Bharata, Lakshmana, and Shakrughna.

Vashishtha is the wise brahmin

Vishvamitra, a sage, needs help stopping demons, Dasharatha allows Rama and Lakshmana to go.

They defeat demon mom and rama obtains celestial weapons. after six days, sacrifices are performed and demons attack. rama beat them with his celestial weapons

Stories are told to Rama. then the brothers visit a city and they run into Sita

they approach the king and must bend Shiva's bow to wed Sita. Rama breaks the bow, meets Parashurama, passes his test, and marries Sita.

the king wishes for Rama to take the throne. Manthara tells Kaikeyi to remind the king of the favors she is owed, to make Bharata king. the king obeys after much heartbreak and banishes Rama.

Rama obeys without question. Lakshmana and Sita accompany Rama. Dasharatha dies of grief shortly after they depart.

Bibliography:

Ramayana Online: Public Domain Edition

Attacking Ravana

Sources used: M. Dutt, R. Dutt, Gould, Griffith, Hodgson, Mackenzie, Nivedita, Oman, Richardson, and Ryder.

Week 2 Review

I have completed reviewing old announcements and backing up the cloud.
The image below was my favorite graphic. Everyone should remain curious throughout their life so that they can always learn and absorb new information.

The future belongs to the curious from Cheezburger

I chose to watch the video about King Gilgamesh. It grabbed my attention because I like reading stories about heroes and their journeys. It was entertaining as he left his kingdom on a journey for immortality.

-The Epic of Gilgamesh: Crash Course World Mythology from Youtube

Famous Last Words: Starting the Semester

The hardest part of the semester, getting started. I always find it a bit difficult to get going at the start of the semester. Whether it is to start the weekly occurrence of homeworks or to get in the right study routine, I always think, "Do I really need to start that? It is still the first/second week of class." Most of the time it boils down to me just doing it. If I just give in and give up my winter break mood, then I can be productive. This was imperative to getting ahead of my classes. Fortunately this semester, I was able to get back on the grind early in week one. I kept up with all my classes and managed to get a week ahead in this class. It feels great to get things done quickly and stay on top of things. I really am enjoying this course so far. I am able to read and learn about fun topics I have zero prior knowledge on. The side topics are fun as well! I mean, last week I made a doge meme. What other classes can you make a meme for credit? That is awesome! I look forward to next week's reading and assignments. We will begin reading the Ramayana. The story about the ferocious battle of Lanka between Rama and Ravana. I am excited to learn more about the culture and about the characters. I also look forward to writing about these characters as well. Last week, I found that I did my best work during the late morning while eating lunch at the Union. I think I will try and replicate that same success this week while writing. So far, I have had a great start to the semester and have enjoyed the work in this class. Let's hope that continues to trend upward!

Starting by MemoryCatcher

Wikipedia Trail, Ramayana to Shurpanakha

Ramayana

I chose to begin my research with the Ramayana. I am interested in learning more about the plot and character traits. I hoped this would serve as preparation for reading the story come week 3. Wikipedia was helpful and did not disappoint.

Ravana

The trail then led me to Ravana. He is responsible for kidnapping Sika and sparking conflict with Rama. I am interested to learn more about the king of Lanka and his generals/sons.

Statue of Ravana from Wikipedia

Lakshmana

I followed the rabbit hole to Rama's brother, Lakshmana. He is responsible for cutting off the nose of Ravana's sister, Shurpanakha. This was the action that upset Ravana and was the reason Sika was kidnapped from Rama.

Shurpanakha

The rabbit hole ends at the Wikipedia page of Shurpanakha. She is the sister of the king of Lanka, Ravana. She wanted to be Rama's wife, so she attacked Sita. This is what caused Lakshmana to strike her and cut off her nose.

Learning Challenge: Deskercise

Non-Embarrassing Desk Yoga
I love the idea of quick and easy at-desk yoga! It is so important to keep your muscles and joints active throughout the day so they don't tighten up and stiffen. A body in motion stays in motion! The chest stretch, neck stretch, and chair twist are my favorite. These focus on keeping the low back, chest, and neck loose. This should help prevent short and long term neck, shoulder, and low back pain.

Chair Twist from Harvard Business Review

Growth Mindset Padlet

"Go Rip Open Windows = GROW"
I really like this quote because it is 100% true! Many people fall into the trap of going through the motions or waiting for opportunities to come their way. I often fall into this trap and need to improve upon seeking new opportunities.

"...it's easy to miss what ideas and dreams you may be crushing"
This is also an important quote. People (including myself) think that the only useful degrees are technical and STEM degrees, when in fact, if you have talent and a passion for any form of art, then you should pursue that! Art will always be useful, and society needs creativity and inspiration whether it's artwork, music, or acting.

Growing Mind from SVG

Tech Tip Cheezburger

My first cheezburger meme

Biography: The Kick

My senior year of high school football we played Weatherford for one of our biggest wins of the season. It was a close game, and our offensive drive stalled out on the opponent's 31-yard-line. My long-time friend, Hunter, was a pretty solid kicker, so coach called out the field goal unit. We rushed out onto the field to set up for a field goal as the play clock winded down. I was the holder so I was in charge of setting the ball for Hunter to kick it through the uprights. You could tell we were all nervous because a 48-yard field goal would be our longest attempt that season. The ball was snapped, and the kick was away! The ball sailed right through the uprights, but it didn't look pretty. It looked like a knuckleball with a sideways rotation. I asked Hunter how he managed to kick it that way, and he replied with, "I closed my eyes." I laughed and thought about how he always jokes to me saying that he won't ever kick my hands. We ended up winning by 3 points, so that field goal came up big in the grand scheme of things.

Author's Note:
Holding for a kicker is a fun experience. Besides the fear of them kicking your hands as they hold the football, you have to worry about catching the ball from the snapper, setting the ball correctly, and spinning the laces out. It can be pretty stressful, but you feel awesome when the kick is good. That is one of the funnier memories I have from high school football, and I am still good friends with Hunter today.

Holder and Kicker in a field goal situation from Wikipedia

Dan's Microfiction

Dribble: 

There once was a man. His name was Dan. He ran into a fan. He was taken away in a van. They did what they can. They were able to put him back together again. 

Drabble: 

Dan's job at FanCo was to test and inspect all the fans that were built for quality and effectiveness. He had to measure how hard the fans blew, and he had to test the durability of the blades. He always began with the air flow test. His anemometer was the most trusty tool in the business! When it was time to test durability, he stuck his screwdriver into the fans blades to see if they'd break. The blades caught his finger, and he was rushed to the hospital. The doctors were able to re-attach and save Dan's finger!

Author's note:

I have never done this before, but I enjoyed the process. I was able to make a concise story about Dan, but also make the shorter piece rhyme! I then followed it up with the longer story version. That way I could fill in the details I originally left to the reader's imagination. 

Dan's fans from Wikipedia

Feedback Thoughts

Why rejection hurts so much

This article drew my attention because I have been applying for a ton of jobs over the past few months and there is a lot of rejection. I definitely am critical of myself afterward and beat myself up if I said something stupid in an interview. Other times I wonder why I didn't even get response from a company. I like how this article describes the process of restoring your self-esteem. Reflecting on my skills and accomplishments would definitely make me feel better and restore confidence.

Why it's so hard to hear negative feedback

It truly fascinates me how our body draws a physiological response to anxiety. No one wants to tense up or shake when they get anxious, but it happens outside of our control. I like how the author addresses negative feedback deliver as well as reception. Don't sugarcoat feedback! Just give it to people strait and hope they are respectable enough to see that you want to help. I need to focus on treating feedback as opportunity instead of fearing it and taking it to heart.

React just like this cat from cheezburger when faced with feedback!

Project Topic Brainstorm

The Crane and Crab
I have already rewritten a story about penguins and orcas. I look forward to revising it and making it more pleasant of a read!

The Talking Turtle
I would like to retell this story with different species. I would like to discuss a lesson of patience and self-discipline. How if the character would just remain quiet for a bit longer, all their problems would be solved.

Battle for Lanka
I am interested in this battle, and I look forward to reading more about it. I look forward to retelling it with tweaks to the events, character traits, and maybe even a twist at the end! Maybe Sita falls for Ravana while in captivity. Once Rama is victorious and greets Sita once again, she kills him with a dagger!

The Crocodile and the Monkey's Heart
I enjoyed this story because it shows how when you are distracted by your own scheme you can miss obvious tricks that you otherwise would not fall for. I would love to retell this story with different species and a different trick!

Crocodile and Monkey by W. Robinson.

Week 2 Story: The Orca and the Jellyfish

The Orca and the Crown

Orcas and Penguins from Wikipedia

Down in the harsh environment of Antarctica, lived a mighty kingdom of killer whales. They lived in harmony with the penguin and leopard seal kingdoms. Unfortunately, the three kingdoms struggling through this season. Food was scarce, and the peace between the three species was dwindling.

One particular orca was an outcast. He disobeyed his father's wishes, so he was outcasted while his brother was made king of the Orca Kingdom. He had been banished for years now, but no one quite knows how long. He knew his killer whale brethren could not survive the season without some means of intervention. He knew they needed a hero, and this was his shot at redemption.

The orca approached the kingdom and requested a meeting with his brother the king. After ignoring some threats for returning to the waters he was banished from, he finally is faced to face with his brother. He offered his proposal, his plan to feed and save the species. However, he learned that the orcas were more desperate than he predicted. Many were starving, and his brother was hopeless with the thought that they would not survive the month. The king admitted that the people needed to eat by any means necessary, and he would surrender his crown if the orca could save the kingdom. The orca knew the most vulnerable remaining food source around them was their allies, the penguins. How fitting, he was outcasted by his betrayal, and now he would be redeemed by betraying the penguins.

Meanwhile, the leopard seals were already breaking the treaty and invading the penguins ice to survive. They were vicious creatures, and the penguins were searching desperately for a new home to escape to. This was a perfect opportunity for the orca to execute his ploy.

The orca approaches the gathered masses of the penguin kingdom and quickly explained what he had found. He stated that through a ice cave there is a land to make a new home with plenty of food to save both the penguin and orca species. The penguins were reluctant, so they sent one scout along with the orca to confirm the orca's tale. The orca guided the penguin through the underwater ice cave and eventually reached the new island of ice that could be their sanctuary. They returned to the penguin kingdom, and the orca began guiding groups of penguins to the new land. As the penguins arrived to the ice cave, the orca people attacked them. The orcas outnumbers the penguins as they were trapped in the ice cave. The orca kept going back and guiding groups of penguins to their demise. It was a sad day for the Antarctic kingdoms. They were honorable species before, but the brutal conditions brought out the worst in the orcas. The orca was crowned king as promised, but at what cost? Morals were sacrificed, and the kingdom was now lead by king with compromised character. How can they live on with this dishonor?

Author's Note:
I wanted to make a story with a cunning betrayal similar to the Crane and the Crab. However, I wanted the villain to win in the end. I did this so that I could leave the audience with some moral questions. Is survival worth it if you sacrifice your morals? Even if it is your last resort, could you live on knowing you betrayed friendships/alliances? I based this story off of The Cunning Crane and the Crab by W. H. D. Rouse.

Reading Notes: Week 2 Anthology

My favorite read was The Cunning Crane and the Crab, by W. H. D. Rouse. I enjoyed the story because I love strategy and wit. Even though it was deceitful, I liked how the Crane had an elaborate plan to convince the fish to be so eager to get into his beak. He even had the patience to take the scout and deliver him back to the pool safely before eating him on the second trip. After that it was easy pickins with eating the rest of the fish. Pretty soon greed consumed the crane, and even though the crab was not the ideal prey for his ploy, he tried it anyway. The wit of the crab cannot be ignored however, because his plot secured his own safety and that of potential crane victims in the future.

Crane and Crab by Illustration by W. Robinson

Week 2 Reading Overview

I have chosen to read  Narayana's Ramayana because of the modern language adaptation, and because it was written by a single author. Fortunately for me, a friend of mine has already taken this class and has offered to let me borrow her physical copy of the novel!

I am interested in reading Rama. I am interested in what takes place leading up to the great war with the demon king, Ravana.

I am also interested in reading Indra and Shachi. The summary discusses penance and righting wrongs, so I am curious to learn about the Indian perspective on justice.

I have chosen Rama's route to Lanka because I am most interested in the Ramayana at this moment.

I have also chosen Ancient Technology - Atlantis and India because Atlantis has always fascinated me, and I would like to learn about it from a different perspective.

Indra from the Indian Epics Images page

Time Strategies

The Important Habit of Just Starting
This article title grabbed my attention because this is the hardest part for me when it comes to a big schoolwork assignment. Starting. My definition of starting: the hardest part of a project, and the thing I avoid doing on the majority of my projects but retroactively wish I did sooner. I felt like the author of this article spoke directly to me. I felt all the vocab he mentioned in the piece (ie. Impulsiveness, delay). I certainly know what they're talking about when he discusses the Zeigarnik Effect! I've experienced that while finishing any essay I've ever written! I need to just surround myself in a good environment and not worry so much about being perfect at the beginning of a project.

Stop Wasting Time! From Wikipedia

The Psychology of Checklists
Wow, if this doesn't describe the way I try to handle big assignments then I don't know what does. My friend and I were joking about our strategies to tackle big projects, and the use of checklists was the highlight of our conversation. I like to break up the large task into smaller sub tasks so that I feel successful as I check off each piece from my checklist. This strategy will help replenish motivation as you are in the process of completing a large task.

Getting Savvy with Technology

I have been bookmarking web pages as long as I have been using a computer. Bookmarking saves time by going right to the site you saved because you knew you would need it again! This online environment is great so far! The feedback comments you receive from your blog posts are nice because you know someone is reading them!
I have already learned so much! I have already implemented typing custom text and then hyperlinking it to the link I am citing. It makes the text more concise and less cluttered.

The cluttered mess we are trying to avoid! From Wikipedia

Assignments Overview Thoughts

I am excited about these upcoming assignments! My goals in this class are to finish early and learn all that I can about the folklore! I think the way this class is structured will help me achieve these goals! The class is built so that anyone with unique goals in mind should be able to mold the course into what they need! I'm excited to do the extra credit assignments, and I want to focus on the growth mindset philosophy.

George Hodan's Playdough elephant is moldable like this course!

My Thoughts on the Growth Mindset

The growth mindset is a topic that interests me, and I believe it to be very important when it comes to not only educating yourself but others as well. I have observed elements of both mindsets in my thoughts regarding education in both my current and past education. I agree that the growth mindset is the proper mindset. When I think with elements of the fixed mindset it disappoints me, but it is also reality. I believe that praising children for their high test scores is still something we should implement, because to do well on a test usually means that a child studied hard and put forth effort. This effort is exactly what we want out of young developing minds. However, the workplace will not be filled with situations where we know the answer because we studied it. The workplace is filled with situations where we will have to think critically and problem solve to achieve a goal. When that time comes, I hope that individuals are ready and comfortable to brainstorm and tackle issues. People cannot be comfortable with this in the workplace if they have never stepped into this uncomfortable realm before. Therefore, there should be a time in the educational system where a student is no longer taught everything they need to achieve high test scores. But where should this transition take place? Personally, I don't know when this should take place, but for me, I could no longer study and make easy A's by simply regurgitating information my second year of college. From then on, I had to study all I could, and then when the exam came, I had to brainstorm, think critically, and problem solve my way to the best "solution" I could. I say solution because it was more than an answer. It was a fully thought out process in which my answer could solve the task at hand. I don't have the answers that I wish I had right now, but hopefully when the time comes I will be able to think critically and problem solve proficiently in the workplace as well as teach others in a growing and efficient manner.

The brain as an organ of mind from Bastian, H. Charlton

Introduction to Dylan and Nevada

Hello all, my name is Dylan, and I am a senior in chemical engineering. I am originally from Oklahoma, but I have also lived in Texas, Maryland, and Arizona. I played baseball and football up until graduating high school and am currently a member of the OU Powerlifting team. I took a trip to Nevada over winter break to meet my girlfriend's family. I flew into Reno, NV shortly after Christmas, and immediately started exploring the city and surrounding areas. They describe it as the biggest little city in the world, and that description is pretty spot on. Reno is spread out and covers a large area, but it has half the population of Oklahoma City! While we were visiting, one of my girlfriend's friends turned 21, so we not only went out to eat, but we also had to tear the town up for a night. Downtown Reno has a few casino/resorts that cover a couple city blocks and also contain clubs inside. The city streets of Reno also double as a mini version of Las Vegas with all the lights, signs, and slot machines. We marched into the El Dorado Resort Casino and spent a few hours living it up in the various clubs they housed. Before the night got too crazy, we headed back home to prepare for the next day's activities. We visited Lake Tahoe which was a beautiful part of the Nevada-California border if you have never seen it yourself. We also visited the old boom town of Virginia City where we took some old western couple's pictures as souvenirs. The rest of the time was spent meeting my girlfriend's family members, and if we were not doing that, we were tearing up Nevadan dunes with ATVs. Overall, I had a lot of fun, and it was a great experience!

Lake Tahoe picture taken by tomsramekjr

Storybook Favorites

Battle for Lanka
The Battle for Lanka was both an interesting read and folklore lesson. I am not too familiar with any of these stories so I learn more about the myths with each read. The title and introduction did a great job on explaining what the storybook was about and hooking my interest. What I loved most about the storybook was the layout and organization. I loved the journal entry style and how the events of the battle were told from different perspectives. It was interesting to see how each character's tone changed as the dates progressed. I appreciated how the author went into detail to describe Rama and Sita's relationship by the separate journal entries. The only confusing part was keeping track of the months in the journal entries. I'm hoping that keeping track of the months will come easier as I become more familiar with Indian folklore.

The Couple: Rama and Sita from Amor y Sabor

Creation Stories: In the Beginning
These creation stories offered me more Hindu philosophy lessons. The stories were nice to read because they offered the perspective of creation through the lens of Hindu philosophy. They were refreshing since I was able to recognize parallels to Bible. The story of the great fish could not stop me from thinking of the story of Noah and his Ark. It is nice to these parallels between religions and how similar they can be. I especially enjoyed the element that the three goddesses brought to the narration. It was both creative and entertaining while reading the stories. That technique allows the authors to add many personal elements to whatever story they tell, and I might keep that in mind for my own stories.

Celestial Weapons in the Star Wars Universe
I have always loved the Star Wars franchise ever since I was a kid. The title and introduction immediately grabbed my attention, and I was intrigued to how the author would incorporate the Indian mythic weapons. The three episodes were nostalgic yet refreshing. I enjoyed how the author carefully thought out how the weapons would be incorporated into each story. I also liked how they incorporated the villainous Ravana into Episode I. They were a joy to read!

Home, My Favorite Place

Home House Building photo by Dsndrn-Videolar

I chose this picture because each home is different, and the idea of home is fluid to me. For the majority of my life, home has been a nice house with my parents in Oklahoma. That home has treated me well and if needed be, I could call it home for the rest of my life. Most likely, that will not be the case, and my physical home will change many times throughout my life. What I call home has already changed a few times, whether that be the couple of houses I've lived in while growing up, or the couple of houses I've stayed at while interning across the country. Regardless of what physical house I am currently living out of, home will most likely be my favorite place. Home will be where I am comfortable sleeping in until noon. Home will be where I perform my morning routine to look professional for work. Home will be where my family and friends are welcome. Home will be where I can return to regardless of how difficult the day was. My favorite place may change throughout my life, but my favorite place may also remain exactly the same as it is.

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