Spring 2021

 Daffy Duck, Bugs Bunny, Tweety and Porky Pig loved the time of year when the sun began to rise a little earlier, stay a little longer, and fall a little later. They all loved this time of year because they knew that Spring was arriving and summer would not be far behind.  Today was the first day that the water down at the spring would finally be warm enough to go for a swim. Everyone was thrilled and could not wait to get down to the spring and beat the rush of people who would join them in the afternoon.  As they began to prepare their day and pack their bags, Daffy Duck began to talk. He asked the group, "Have you guys heard what Sylvester was telling people last night at the movies?" The rest of the gang thought that Daffy Duck was just talking like he always does and wanted to start drama, but they all joined in and replied, "No, what did he say?" "Well, you are not going to believe me. But, he was telling us that you Porky Pig were being cruel to him and ...

 The last part of the reading notes of Ramayana did not disappoint. I really have enjoyed the mini little stories. I tried to focus on what I could do to keep the feel of the small little stories together while at the same time making them longer to be used in my Story book project.  This section, I really focused on the different ways in which dialogue could be introduced and used in my own stories. I feel like sometimes I am just repeating the same things over and over again when I say, he said or she said in my sentences. One story that was able to give me some extra ideas from was 159. Rama Battles Taranisen. This story used emotions throughout their dialogue that I think could be very helpful in making sure the reader is able to understand what the characters are feeling. Adding in feeling is also helpful in being able to hear the characters tone of voice easier. I also was able to recognize sections of stories where there would be around 3-5 little micro stories but they...

 Week 4 was definitely a crazy week with all the snow we received. I loved having the snow but hate being stuck in the house.  This was my favorite image from our announcement page because I feel like this is me trying to accomplish anything and getting very sidetracked. All I Need To Write from Grant Snider I also enjoyed watching the video: Are Emoticons the Future of Language . This video seemed very relevant due to the fact that today we use so much communication over the internet and by using emoticons and emojis we are able to give some personality to our statements.

  Baby Taz from Pixy

One day the Tasmanian Devil took all of the crew down to the river to taunt them. He was especially after Bugs Bunny as usual. "Which one of you can jump across this river to the other side on the first try?" the Tasmanian Devil sneered. "I bet you cannot do it Bugs Bunny, you will surely fall straight in." Daffy Duck was the first to chime in, "I can surely do it if Bugs will not." The Road Runner also declared, "I can most definitely do it." Bugs Bunny was still quiet because he was nervous that the Tasmanian Devil might be right and he did not want to be embarrass himself. Tweety saw that Bugs Bunny was in distress and quickly came to his side to encourage him. "You are the springiest bunny in the whole wide world Bugs Bunny. If anyone can jump across this river it is certainly you! You have to do it so you can prove the Tasmanian Devil wrong or he will just continue to torment you." With all this encouragement, Bugs Bunny began to b...

 This week I focused on finding more stories that I could use to go along with what I have been brainstorming as my topic for a storybook. There were many different stories that already contained animal characters and were able to give me a better feel for how I could use the animal characters in Looney Tunes for these specific stories. #113. Who Will Jump to Lanka? was a story that stuck out because it dealt with a challenge. In this particular tail, many different monkeys are arguing over who can jump over the ocean. I could see this being used with Looney Tunes characters who are bickering over who can accomplish a task better than the rest.  The next to proceeding stories elaborate on the previous. #114 Jambavan Inspires Hanuman and #115 Hanuman Leaps are both set out in a way that I think would be easy to transform into a longer story for my Storybook.  Throughout this section of reading, I saw different individual sets of stories that could make individual longer st...

 Looney Tunes Doing a Storybook that mixes together both an Indian Epic and a present day relation we can all make like the Looney Tunes would be a fun project to both work on and read.  There are so many different Looney Tunes characters that it would not be difficult to find switches to be made between the stories. I found a good list of all of these characters and what kind of personalities they possessed here . This week in particular I read Ravana Visits Maricha and Maricha Becomes a Golden Deer. These stories along with others that tie in together had a vibe of trickery which I remember from my many years of watching the Looney Tunes. One interesting twist I thought of was making Bugs Bunny take on the role of Rama. Just like Rama, Bugs Bunny is always trying to be tricked by other characters such as Elmer Fudd and the Tasmanian Devil who both of which could fill the role of Ravana. I think any of the stories I have read so far would be great to mesh in with an old time ...

  Week 3, another week come and gone with the blink of an eye. I watched the  Kitten Zoom Filter Mishap , I thought this video was hilarious because I work for a lawyer and am hoping to attend law school so it was relatable. Quokka from Announcements

 For this weeks tech tip I was able to learn how to add in a spell check and a word counter into my browser which will both help me in my blog writing. For browser bookmarks, I have been taking advantage of these for a long time now and will continue to use them in this course. 

Snow Day The snow was falling from morning to night. Covering houses, cars and everything in its path. Leaving a fluffy white blanket behind in its path. When I woke in the morning and looked out the window, all that could be seen was a blur of white. In every direction there was snow galore. Covering the ground like a giant fluffy blanket. The best way to spend a white winter day, was to jump back into bed with all the warm and fuzzy blankets made of anything but snow. Only good reason to leave must account for some hot cocoa and cookies. So back into bed I went to snuggle up to my pup Luka with a good book in hand to be finished by bed.  Snow from  Pixnio Note- I chose to write a 25 word and a 100 word story of the snow days we are currently experiencing here in Norman.

   Be a Mirror This article was very insightful and made me think about feedback in a wat that I had never done before. The article offers up five different strategies to foster a growth mindset including: be specific, focus on what the reader is doing, focus on the process, make sure it can transfer and to take yourself out of the process. Of these I found the strategy of focusing on what is being done and not what isn't as one of the best ones. I think it is important to give constructive critisism on what is there instead of completely going at what is absent. How to Give Feedback Without Sounding Like a Jerk I found this article very applicable to my own life because I always worry that in giving feedback someone may think that I am being mean to them. However, giving feedback doesn't have to be you trying to be nice. Without feedback we would be extremely mediocre and no one would ever get better. I think that the way they article talks about taking yourself off a pedasto...

 Rama's Revenge Rama was for the most part a good ruler; however, he had made quite a group of enemies in his lifetime. In a fit of rage Rama had killed a man named Damon and his son fled to the hills after witnessing the event. Ever since the son had been living a quiet life secluded life as a recluse in the forest when Jarron burst into his hut. "I have planned your revenge. I am going to kidnap Rama's wife," Jarron stated. "That is a ridiculous idea and you will surely be killed." "I will not," replied Jarron, "because you are going to help me." Through great convincing, Jarron talked the lonely son into disguising himself as a golden deer to lure Rama out of his home. Once Rama had left the confines of his safe house, the pair would lead him into a secluded area of the woods and tie him up. By tying him up, Rama would be unable to stop them from taking his wife. While Rama was struggling to set himself free, Jarron ran back to the hou...

 One of the ideas that stuck out to me the most from reading the Ramayana Part B was the way in which I could use multiple seperate 100 word stories to tie together one main story. These stories could be written in a way that each one is a short and concise piece of a larger puzzle. I think in breaking up a larger story in such a way helps to definitely keep me engaged and connected into what is happening and most likely will do the same for readers. This idea was readily expressed to me in the way that the two stories, Ravana Visits Maricha and Maricha Becomes a Golden Deer. From just glancing at these two story titles, one would not readily realize that they are connected. However, once you start reading you can see that the first is like a prelude to the second. I also enjoyed these two stories because they set up a long chase of cat and mouse with different twist and turns that I did not expect.  From this chain of stories I think it would be interesting to turn it into a ...

 Many stories contained in the Ramayana Part A are very interesting and unique and unlike many that I have ever read. Through reading these I see many different ways in which I could change up characters, settings or outcomes to put my own twist on a story. One particular story that stuck out to me was 32. Rama Faces Tataka. In this story,  Vishvamitra takes Rama to the forest to teach him to harness supernatural powers. Then when Tataka arrives, Vishvamitra tells Rama to kill her, but he protests because she is a woman. When Vishvamitra responds with, "The enemy has no gender," I was surprised because in my mind this was set in such a time where women would have been looked down on greatly. Seeing this, I could imagine myself using this story in a modern everyday setting. The stories of Sita were also interesting to me and ones that could be fun to write about. A whole storybook could be created around Sita as she is doing many different things from cooking, to surprising he...

 Life as Animals of the Epics This Storybook is definitely one that I will be bookmarking. I really enjoyed reading through each of the different stories and seeing how they each tied together in a unique way. I also loved that it was all about the animals. This Storybook is very similar to one that I could see myself writing. Rhino from Felix Wong Gods and Goddesses I enjoyed the way in which this Storybook flowed from one story into the next. The outline and design was very engaging and is one that keeps the reader wanting to know what is next. I think researching about the Gods and Goddesses in relation to Indian Epics would be a fun topic after learning so much about different ones last semester. Looney Tunes Goes to India This Storybook was so fun to read due to the way it incorporated an old story with one that is new and was a childhood favorite for many of us. I don't think I am always very good at putting my own unique twist on a story such as this one, but doing some more...

 This week has been a crazy one as it is still the beginning of the semester and I am still getting into the swing of things and settling into a routine. I think that things will continue to go more smooth as the semester progresses. I loved this image below because I am a huge fan of Charles Dickens. My favorite video this week is most definitely the one of the puppies that was captioned "If you're feeling stressed, I hope this helps:)" just because I love pups so much! (Charles Dickens from Announcements )

   Why Rejection Hurts So Much No body likes rejection but it is an opportunity to grow and learn. I found it super interesting to learn that when someone recalls rejection the same part of the brain that feels physical pain is activated. It is important to learn what to do in the wake of rejection. One should not chastize themselves to harshly and instead acknowledge their shortcomings. Then you must remember your self worth and boost our feelings of connection with those around us who will lift us back up. How to Tame Your Inner Critic:A Simple Habit to Rewire Your Brain This simple article title is eye catching to me. I am often the type of person who is way too hard on myself for no reason at all. This does not lead me to doing better and instead just leads to an added plethora of stress. In this article it shows that "Instead of brooding over setbacks, you begin treating each setback as a springboard for small helpful steps, accompanied by self-congratulation." By le...

 The Snake and the Ferret's Heart In a hidden forest deep in the mountains of India a sly snake and his wife lived and ruled the ground, along with the river that ran through its center.  All the forest animals were terribly frightened to ever go near the pair of snakes for they were ruthless and unforgiving. One day the snake's wife spotted a lone ferret frolicing through the forest and knew instantly that she must have him. She commanded the snake to bring her the ferret's heart or she may perish. The snake concocted his plan and knew just what he would do to lure the ferret down close enough to snatch him.  As the ferret approached, the snake called out to him saying, "Oh Mr.Ferret you must be mighty thirsty. If you come down to this river right here I'll lead you to the best drinking spot." "How kind of you," replied the ferret as he scurried down to the river's edge next to the snake. The snake instantly began to coil his body around the fer...

 The Crocodile and the Monkey's Heart This story was my overall favorite from Jatakas the Indian Epics Anthology. Stories that carry with them different animals as characters have been the ones that have always stuck out to me from a very early age. I enjoyed the way in which this story used the crocodile couple and gave them a funny persona. The crocodiles had a sneaky character just as what you would think a mean old crocodile would have. Then for the monkey. He was silly, mischievous and witty. Using his wits he was able to out smart the mean old crocodile and convince him to help carry the monkey safely to the other side. The use of a trick by the crocodiles and their scheme along with the plan that the monkey concocted to get out of it are both great ideas that could easily be incorporated into many different stories. In rewriting this story I think it would be interesting to try and find different animals to try and fit the mold of the crocodile or monkey. One other interesti...

 I am choosing to read the Tiny Tales from the Ramayana for many reasons. While taking Indian Epics last semester I fell in love with the tiny tales we were reading and writing because they had a sense of carefree, fun to them. I think these stories will be inspiring and exciting to read. Ramayana (from Drabbles ) Having different comic books and videos to watch is a great way to help build and maintain interest. For the first comic book I want to read is Stories of Courage . This book makes use of animal characters who then take on different identities, personalities and characteristics that are extremely interesting to me. The second comic book I am choosing is Shiva Parvati . This story is labeled as one of divine love and I am a sucker for all things love stories. As for the videos, I am very interested in 'Fascinating Women from Mythology' and 'Indian and Greek mythologies paralleled', both of these videos I believe will be able to give me a better understanding of...

   Time Is Precious Time management is definitely something that I am constantly working at and trying to do better with. Learning how to manage our time is an invaluable attribute to our academic and professional futures. Without developing time management and organization skills we will continually set ourselves up for failure. I often have the habit of trying to add something into every minute of my day and then placing procrastination on top of that and I am in trouble.  Reading The Important Habit of Just Starting by Jory Mackay was motivating to me and gave me some encouragement to stop sitting around waiting till the last minute to do work. Learning to just start can be an invaluable habit for me in both work and school.  I also learned a few tips to help combat against this by reading Caroline Webb's  How to Beat Procrastination .  One strategy I use quite often is that of writing checklists because there is something encouraging about being able t...

  Technology is an area I currently am lacking in. However, being online for school over the past year has been a way to help me learn new tips to work more efficiently through technological platforms. This class is also set up in a way that is very easy to follow along and understand all the aspects of the different site we are using. Bookmarking is something that I want to use more this semester so that I am able to go back and find the stories I loved more efficiently.  Computer (from ClipArt Library )

I am super excited to be in this class! I was fortunate to take Mythology and Folklore last semester and enjoyed every second of it. This course is very unique and set up in such a way that helps to keep you on track and even allows you to work ahead when you have free time. The extra credit is also a big bonus to the course. Overall, I am also thrilled for this class because it helped to strengthen my writing grately last semester and I cannot wait to see it continue to improve. Studious Woman (from PxHere )