Week 5 Story: David

David 

As many of you may know, King David of Israel was once just a shepherd-boy who killed the giant Goliath with just a rock and a sling. But what happened next is not as well known. Once David had cut off the giant's head with his giant sword - David stood over Goliath and admired his armor. He took the pieces of armor off one by one weaving a long strand of cord among the armor so he could easily drag it back to his father's field.

For the next few days while he tended the sheep David studied the armor and drew pictures of it on his papyrus. Then he melted the metals down to start fresh. He tried his hand at creating armor for the first time. He failed miserably. But he did not give up. He melted it down and tried again, it was better this time but still not satisfactory to David. The third time was the charm. David had created a masterpiece! The armor fit the young shepherd-boy perfectly, the design was immaculate, and it was impenetrable.

Not long after this, King Saul of Israel came to David's father Jesse hoping that Jesse would allow his son to come to his palace and play the lyre for him (as Saul had been afflicted by an evil spirit). Immediately David left to live with Saul, his family, and his servants. David would play his lyre for Saul often, one day David came to play while wearing his armor. Saul was very impressed! Saul asked David if he would make armor for the king and his son Jonathan. David agreed to this as long as Saul would provide the materials. So Saul brought David to his armory and David set to work. He took measurements of Saul and Jonathan (this is when they first became friends), and soon the armor was complete. They loved their new armor! Soon word spread and David was commissioned by many great soldiers from nations far and wide to create their specialty armor. Saul allowed this as long as David paid him back for the material plus a small commission fee.

However, after a while David and Saul's relationship soured, eventually David would become King of Israel. He had not created his armor in a long while. But one night the angel Gabriel came to him and told him to stop living on the people's money (public treasury), but to earn his money through trade. Immediately David recalled his craftsmanship in the armory. He went to his armory to see if he still had what it takes. On the first try he built the best suit of armor he had ever created. He had his servants take it around for display to the soldiers of his nation and other nations (the friendly ones of course). Soon enough he was making plenty of money from the armor he created for him and his wives to live even more extravagantly than they had before.

(David and Goliath: Anton Robert Leinweber (1845-1921))

*Author's Note: In part of the original story, David is summoned by an angel to find new ways to support himself, instead of just spending money from the public treasury. Then the angel Gabriel is sent to help him learn how to create armor. I decided to change it to where he already knew how to create armor, and gave this ability an origin story using information I knew from 1 Samuel in the Bible. 

Bibliography. "David" from Folk-lore of the Holy Land: Moslem, Christian and Jewish by J.E. Hanauer (1907). Web Source. 

Reading Notes, Part B: Week 5 - David

David 

I found this story interesting because I am quite familiar with the biblical tellings of David's life and of course his affair with Bathsheba/murder of Uriah. I thought the whole thing in this story about David designing armor and such was interesting. From what I know about David it is reasonable to think that he would be skilled in something like this. We already know from the Bible that he was artistic - he could play the lyre and obviously he wrote many psalms.

The Bathsheba aspect of the story was definitely different than anything I've ever read/heard. In this story, David knows the day and hour in which he is to be tempted - and he is confident that he will not fall into temptation. However, after a series of events involving a beautiful pigeon, he sees Bathsheba and sleeps with her and then basically kills Uriah. Then David interacts with some angels and a prophet - he eventually goes to Uriah's tomb and asks for forgiveness. In this story, David receives forgiveness from Uriah. Uriah's tomb said, "I forgive thee, O King, because for one wife torn from me on earth, Allah has given me a thousand in Heaven." I found this quote quite interesting.

If I were to rewrite this story this week, I think I would change all the human characters into horses. I don't exactly know why, but it is easy for me to picture this story with horses.

(Bathsheba: Artemisia Gentileschi)

Bibliography. "David" From Folk-lore of the Holy Land: Moslem, Christian and Jewish by J.E. Hanauer. Web Source. 

Reading Notes, Part A: Week 5 - Lokman

Lokman 

I liked this story because it gave somewhat of a background story on Lokman, but also another well-known story about it him. Lokman was related to Ayûb (or Job) but had been sold into slavery at some point. He was freed by his master when he ate a bitter melon - his master asked him how he could eat such a disgusting melon. Lokman's response would free him, "Lokman answered that it was no wonder that he should, for once in a while, accept an evil thing from one who had conferred so many benefits on him." I thought this response was fantastic! Sometimes we have to do things we do not necessarily want to do, but if we do them they can pay off in the long run.

The second part of this story was a story about Lokman healing a rich man who was believed to have a serpent clinging to his heart. This serpent turned out to be a crab, which made the operation even more difficult. The irony of this story is that Lokman's nephew an aspiring physician (the only nearby physician who did not invite to the operation), gave Lokman advice from the rooftop as he performed the operation. Without his nephew's help the rich man surely would have died, instead he lived a long and happy life.

If I were to base my story this week off of this story - I think I would for sure change what type of animal was clinging to the heart of the rich man. (Maybe I would have the rich man die, or maybe he would not be a rich man.) I think I would also change the nephew's appearance in some fashion, maybe he will become a dragon or a monkey.

(Crab: Image by Ariapsa MX from Pixabay)

Bibliography. "Lokman" from Folk-lore of the Holy Land: Moslem, Christian and Jewish by J.E. Hanauer (1907). Web Source. 

Storybook Plan

Story Sources 

The following sources are from: The English and Scottish Popular Ballads by Francis James Child (1882-1898). Web Source.

"Robin Hood and Little John." Web Source.

"Robin Hood and the Bishop of Hereford." Web Source.

"The Golden Arrow." Web Source.

"Robin Hood and Maid Marian." Web Source.

Additionally this story is inspired by the 1981 classic - Indiana Jones: Raiders of the Lost Ark. Web Source. 

Story Episodes

Episode #1: "Little John and the Clue"

Inspired by "Robin Hood and Little John" - Robin will meet Little John and become friends/comrades. Little John also delivers a clue to an ancient relic (right now I think it is going to be a bow, but I haven't decided if it is actually going to be of historical significance or fictional, still need to research this more).

Episode #2: "Robin Hood in Disguise"

Inspired by "Robin and the Bishop of Hereford" - Robin blends in with the Bishop's men and interacts with the Bishop in order to further his search for the "lost bow". I would also like to mix in some snakes somewhere in the story, and this might be the "episode" to do it. As you know, Indie "hates snakes".

Episode #3: "The Golden Arrow"

Inspired by the "Golden Arrow" this will be the last mission before Robin finally finds the "lost bow". This story will also involved Maid Marian (the other stories might as well, but I haven't quite figured out how I want to do it yet).

Episode #4: "The Lost Bow"

Robin Hood and Little John finally find it, but the Bishop ends up stealing it from them. But the bow turns out to be the Bishop's demise...

Storytelling Styles 

I think I prefer to write in the first person. So I could write these stories from the perspective of different characters. Maybe: Little John, Bishop of Hereford (this could be a letter to Prince John), Maid Marian (might do this one like a journal), and then Robin Hood. But I am still not sure.

I could also write it as a narrator, who is telling a story to his grandkids.

Storybook Theme 

My main idea for this story is for it to be an adventure similar to Indiana Jones, but using the stories of Robin Hood as inspiration. Also, I would like to show that winner does not always win, and people can often pursue things for the wrong reasons.

(LEGO Indiana Jones: Photo by Rob Jones)

Comment Wall for Robin Hood: Raiders of the Lost Bow

Looking forward to reading/implementing your feedback!

Robin Hood: Raiders of the Lost Bow

(Wooded Corridor in Sherwood Forest: Photo by Scott Willoughby)

Week 4 Story: From Shepherd-Boy to King

From Shepherd-Boy to King 

I awakened to the sound of footsteps. I had fallen asleep in the meadow, when I was supposed to be watching the sheep. I felt guilty, my father had trusted me to stay with the sheep all night and protect them from other animals and their own stupidity. I began counting the sheep - one, two, three...fifty-six...ninety-nine, one hundred. Whew! They are all there! But to be safe I count again, this time I count one hundred and one. One sheep looks much bigger than the others, I decide to rise to my feet to investigate.

Having grabbed my shepherd's crook I make my way to the very large sheep. Once I arrived I soon realized that it was not a sheep, but a lion. This lion was disguised as a sheep, he had taken a sheep's hide from someone else's flock (most likely my father Jesse's cousin's flock, he lived nearby and was always careless).

The sheep realized I knew something was up and they panicked. They all began to flee from the "big sheep" and ran up the nearby hill. Only this was no ordinary hill. This hill was a unicorn, and the unicorn had risen to stand 100 feet high - hoisting my 100 sheep far into the sky. I thought to myself, I must take care of this lion and then chase down my father's flock.

So instead of panicking, I did what any normal young boy would do - I went to the river bed and grabbed five smooth stones. I quietly walked back over to within a safe distance of the lion and swung my sling around and around. Whoosh! The stone hit the lion directly in the forehead and the lion was knocked out. I grabbed my knife and slit his throat. My sheep had been saved from the lion! But now I must find the unicorn that currently houses my sheep upon his back.

I followed the giant tracks and within minutes I could see its giant tail. I yelled, "Mr. Unicorn! Those sheep upon your back are my father's! He would be greatly disappointed in me if I could not bring them back to our fields!"

The unicorn is a magical creature, and because of this I think he heard me and understood. The unicorn sat down on his belly and the sheep dismounted one by one from his tail. I counted them and sure enough all one hundred were there. Just another day as a shepherd-boy.

*Author's Note: This story is based upon "From Shepherd-Boy to King" a Jewish Fairy Tale. In the original story, it is David who climbs the mountain which is a unicorn. I thought it would be fun to write the story from David's perspective and have the sheep mount the unicorn instead of David. Also, in the original story David is saved from the lion by a deer. But I thought this was weird, so I just had him kill the lion instead, like the Bible mentions in 1 Samuel.  

(Sheep: Photo by David Martyn Hunt)

Bibliography. "From Shepherd-Boy to King" from Jewish Fairy Tales and Legends by Gertrude Landa (1919). Web Source.

Reading Notes, Part B: Week 4 - King for Three Days

King for Three Days 

I just find this situation so interesting/ironic. Godfrey de Bouillion the commander of one of the Crusader's armies, who plans to slay all Jews he falls into, seeks the blessing of a Jewish Rabbi. First off, why would this Rabbi bless him? Secondly, the way his prophecy haunts Godfrey and his decision making is quite telling. Rashi (the rabbi) tells him that he will conquer Jerusalem but only be king for three days, and after this he will only have three men left when he returns. This prophecy is fulfilled as Godfrey become King of Jerusalem for 3 days, but then he decides he can no longer be king. Thus, he fulfilled this portion of the prophecy. However, when he proceed back to Europe his men began to drop, but when he enter Worms (where Rashi lived) he still had 4 horsemen. This would not last long, as a giant rock fell on one of his horsemen and he was left with three. This greatly humbled Godfrey and he gave credit to Rashi.

(Stone falls on Godfrey's horseman: Image from Jewish Fairy Tales and Legends. Pg. 201)

I like this story because it shows two men of very contrasting characters. Rashi is a humble servant of God and does not make rash decisions out of place. Whereas, Godfrey is attempting to follow the commands of the church, but also makes decisions that are of his own interest. I also appreciate how Godfrey in the end realizes he is a broken man (this can be difficult for someone of his stature to do) and gave praise to Rashi. I think if I were to retell this story, I would use animals in my retelling. Maybe characters from the Lion King...we shall see.

Bibliography. "King for Three Days" from Jewish Fairy Tales and Legends by Gertrude Landa (1919). Web Source.

Reading Notes, Part A: Week 4 - From Shepherd-Boy to King

From Shepherd-Boy to King 

I have always enjoyed stories about King David, especially as a boy (think David and Goliath). But this one was especially interesting. First off it appears Jewish Folklore loves to talk about the "unicorn", although this seems to be some type of wild ox and not the mythological horse with a horn. That being said, I appreciate the descriptions of this mountain-like creature in the story. I also thought it was funny how David did not seem to realize what it was he had climbed until he was very far away from the earth's surface.

It is after this that we meet the other two characters in the story: the lion and the deer. The lion is important because he is the reason the "unicorn" bows down, so that David can dismount. However, when David dismounts he is met face-to-face with the ferocious beast. We know from the Bible that David slayed a lion(s) (1 Samuel 17:34-36), but it would not be this time. The deer saves David as he knows, "thou art to become my king", foreshadowing that David will one day be king of Israel. Being saved by the deer is the biggest reason I picked this story, because it was just so surprising and unexpected. One would think the deer would have no interest getting close to the lion, but he is willing to risk his life to save his future king.

Bibliography. "From Shepherd-Boy to King" from Jewish Fairy Tales and Legends by Gertrude Land (1919). Web Source.

(Lion: Image by Alexas Photos from Pixabay)

Microfiction: Phaethon insists on driving the chariot

Phaethon insists on driving the chariot: Dribbles 

Why does he doubt me? Why does he underestimate my power? Should I not be able to wield the power of the almighty Phoebus - aren't I his son? Regardless, I shall not let his doubts impede my ride. I will master my father's chariot and prove my worth.

Phaethon insists on driving the chariot: Twitterature 

My son, why will he not humble himself? He is no match for my chariot. Nevertheless, I made him a promise and I will not go back on my word. 

(Phaethon and Chariot: Image from Wikimedia)

Author's Note: I decided to write about this story because I thought it would be interesting to write short and sweet stories about it from the perspectives of both Phaethon (dribble) and Phoebus (twitterature). For context Phaethon is unsure if Jupiter is really his father so in order for Jupiter to "prove" this to him, Jupiter says Phaethon can have whatever he wants. Thus Phaethon requested to drive his father's chariot, which meant sure death.  

Bibliography. "Phaethon insists on driving the chariot" from Ovid's Metamorphoses translated by Tony Kline (2000). Web Source. 

Wikipedia Trail: From Robin Hood to Charles I of Naples

Link #1: Robin Hood  

I started here because I am most likely doing some type of adaptation of Robin Hood for my project storybook. I thought this would be a great opportunity to do some extra research while also earning some extra credit points.

Link #2: Maid Marian

While reading about Robin Hood, I decided to click on the link about Maid Marian. When researching for my project I had yet to read much about her, and everyone loves a good love interest.

(Maid Marian: From Wikipedia)

Link #3: Jeu de Robin et Marion 

This link caught my attention because it was French, and I have often thought of Robin Hood as an English play/story. Also, this story being written so early (1282 or 1283) also intrigued me enough to find out more about this particular French play.

Link #4: Charles I of Naples 

I thought it would be a good idea to see who this story was written for. Charles I of Naples was around during the crusades, which I may try to implement into my storybook. Therefore, this article provided useful information, maybe Charles I will be a minor character in my story.

Feedback Strategies

Five Reasons to Stop Saying "Good Job!" 

This article was very interesting. I had never considered the fact that saying, "Good job!", in certain situations could actually be manipulative. But after reading the article I understand how this can be the case. I also think it is important to not create "praise junkies" by evaluating and praising everything a child does. They should be able to learn to feel as if they have accomplished something, without having to seek the approval of others. I think I mostly agreed with the articles reasons for not saying, "Good job!". However, I am not sure I completely agreed with their alternatives/solutions.

While I don't disagree with the solutions of: say nothing, say what you saw, and talk less, ask more. I do still think there is room for praise in a child's life. I do however think it should be honest praise. If a child does something very well, they deserve praise. I guess, if you would give a random person praise for this task/job/art you should also give your child the same praise.

(Strategy: Image by Megan Rexazin from Pixabay)

Why Do So Many Managers Avoid Giving Praise? 

I feel like this something many managers fall accustomed to, at least it is something I have notice throughout my work experience. Managers are often quick to tell you that you did something wrong when a mistake is made. But they rarely, if ever give you praise for something you did very well. I feel like I have been given a lot of negative feedback in individual time with a manager. However, any praise is normally given to a group of employees as a whole. And even this is just a simple "Good job" or "Well done". I like how the article talks about needing to be more specific when giving praise to employees. This will help the employee appreciate the manager and understand that he/she wants them to succeed. Rather than thinking, "my manager is out to get me", a good balance of positive and negative feedback can create a mindset of, "my manager wants what is best for me."

Topic Research: Robin Hood

Investigating a Robin Hood - Indiana Jones Mash-up 

My goal for  this blog post is to try to find three traditional stories that I think I could adapt to fit my storybook in some fashion.

#1: Little John 

I've always appreciated Little John in the stories of Robin Hood, maybe it's because of his ironic name or the fact he is tall (like me). But I would love to include a story about him and Robin meeting for the first time in my storybook. I do not think I would write it as a ballad, so that would definitely be different than the original story. I think they would maybe meet in similar fashion, but I could write the story from the perspective of Little John. Also, to integrate my Indiana Jones theme I would have Little John tell Robin Hood about some type of ancient relic (I am still brainstorming what this will be) that Prince John and his men are searching for. Little John would kind of play the role of a more-skilled Marcus Brody.

#2: The Bishop of Hereford 

I find the interaction between Robin Hood and The Bishop of Hereford in this story fascinating. Robin dressing up like a shepherd to trick the Bishop reminds me of Indiana blending in as a Nazi by changing his outfit. If I were to use this story for my storybook I would want their interactions to be quite similar to the traditional story. However, the reward would be different than 300 pounds. Instead, it would be a clue or a map that would help them to this ancient relic, which has yet to be decided. 

#3: The Golden Arrow 

This story is too golden not to leave out of my storybook. I love a good competition, as does Robin Hood, he could not resist! In my version of this story Robin would win the Golden Arrow, and the Golden Arrow would end up being a key to open the gates of some place to find the ancient relic (can't figure out if this is National Treasure or Indiana Jones haha). At some point in the storybook I also want to integrate Maid Marian. I mean her name is so close to Indiana Jones' love interest in Raider's of the Lost Ark: Marion. I am sure all of this will start to make more sense in my head, once I outline the storybook and begin to write it.

(Robin Hood: Image by Louis Zansky and Fred Eng)

Week #3 Story: Callisto turned into a bear - The Aftermath

Callisto turned into a bear - The Aftermath 

Running. It had been three days since Callisto had been turned into a bear by Juno. She had yet to stop running, except to occasionally look at her reflection in the river and get a drink. Yes she was still a bear. She did not feel like a bear. But a bear she was. Running. She sees a group of bears, however, she does not stop. She cannot relate to the natural bear, she does not feel any different inside than when she was Callisto a nymph devoted to the goddess Diana. She continues to flee, thinking maybe if she runs far enough her problems will be solved. Running.

Groaning. Eventually, Callisto the bear stopped. She had been running for a week. However, she had not gone far from where she started. As she had been running in circles. She was thinking, thinking about her misery and that it might never end. She wished Jupiter would show mercy and do something, maybe change her back to the beautiful nymph she once was. Groaning. She could not speak to humans, she could not understand the bears, those with whom she once hunted with now hunted her. She wished to be a nymph, she wished she had never met Jupiter and bore him a son. Groaning.

Wandering. Callisto felt lost in the world. She wandered around her old stomping grounds, remembering what life had once been like for her. She saw gizmos and gadgets in which she could no longer use because of her giant paws. She happened upon food in which she used to love, but her taste buds as a bear no longer could enjoy. Wandering. She wandered through the woods, the fields, and the villages. No one recognized her, not her father and not her son. As she wandered, she wondered what life would be like for the rest of her days. How long did bears even live she wondered. Would her own father or own son, or even Diana the huntress kill her as she traversed through the woods as a bear. Wandering.

(Bear tongue: Photo by Jim Bauer) 

*Author's Note: This story gets its inspiration from "Callisto turned into a bear" from Ovid's Metamorphoses. Callisto was a beautiful virgin nymph who was raped by the god Jupiter. She bore him a son named, Arcas. Later Juno, Jupiter's wife turned Callisto into a bear out of jealousy and anger. My story is trying to relate how I think Callisto may have felt in the days following her transformation. This story is meant to fill in the gaps before Callisto eventually sees her son Arcas and he attempts to kill her. But not before Jupiter prevents this from happening by turning both of them into constellations. "The Great and Little Bear." 

Bibliography. "Callisto turned into a bear" from Ovid's Metamorphoses translated by Joseph Kline (2000). Web source.

Week 3: Reading Notes B - Echo

For Part B of the this week's reading I decided to focus on the stories about Echo. In particular, the story titled, "How Juno altered Echo's speech".

How Juno altered Echo's speech 

As per usual, Jupiter was cheating on Juno and Juno was likely going to catch him if it weren't for Echo's long conversations that allowed the nymphs to flee. This angered Juno and she said, 'I shall give you less power over that tongue by which I have been deluded, and the briefest ability to speak.’ She did not hold back on this. Subsequently, Echo could only speak what had last been said. She could only echo back a few words at a time. This made it difficult for Echo to be seductive and deceiving. I like this part of the story because it gives us an origin story of "echoes". Echo is eventually rejected by Narcissus whom she loves. She then proceeded to retreat to the caves and eventually as legend has it was turned into stone. I guess I just appreciate this story, because I've always enjoyed a good echo. It's kinda cool (especially as a young kid) to yell in a cave and hear your own voice repeated. My favorite thing to yell was, "Echo....echo...echo...". 

(Amazon Echo: Image by Piyush Maru)

Bibliography. "How Juno altered Echo's speech" from Ovid's Metamorphoses translated by Tony Kline (2000). Web Source.

Week 3: Reading Notes A - Callisto

In my reading notes for today I will focus on the Callisto stories from Ovid's Metamorphoses. In particular, I will discuss two stories: "Callisto turned into a bear" and "Arcas and Callisto become constellations".

Callisto turned into a bear 

In this story, Juno (Jupiter's wife) is jealous of the huntress Callisto after she slept with her husband. Callisto did not seem to know Juno knew about the affair, however, Juno knew and she harbored this knowledge for quite some time. I think this intense jealousy and disgust makes the story intriguing. Also, the way Juno punished Callisto is quite harsh, but at the same time kind of ironic. Callisto was turned into a bear. And with this she was no longer beautiful, she no longer felt safe with humans but she desired this interaction, and the huntress became the hunted. I think it could be interesting to write a story about her feelings/interactions with others after this change occurred.

(Ursa Major: Image by Sidney Hall (1788-1831))

Arcas and Callisto become constellations 

I just find this interaction between son and mother (who is now a bear) quite fascinating. You can tell that Arcas is not quite sure how to handle the situation. He has most likely encountered a bear before, but this one seems different. But before any action is taken...poof...Jupiter turns Arcas and Callisto into constellations. I am sure a lot of people wish they could remove their problems by turning them into constellations. There would be a lot less problems and many, many more stars.


Bibliography. "Callisto turned into a bear" and "Arcas and Callisto become constellations" from Ovid's Metamorphoses, translated by Joseph Kline (2000). Web Source. 

Week 2: Microfiction - The Three Roses

The Three Roses: Dribble 

Once upon a time there were three roses. The price of the three roses was a young girl named Mary. At first Mary served - then she severed. What had once been a serpent became a young man. The servants danced through the halls like roses as Mary was wed.

The Three Roses: 6 Words 

Mary marries the basilisk with merry.

Basilisk by Friedrich Johann Justin Bertuch (1747-1822).

*Author's Note: I chose "The Three Roses" from the Anthology reading to use for these microfiction stories. I chose the 50-word one because I feel like a lot of times my thoughts are in 100-words so I wanted to challenge myself. And I chose the 6-word story because I thought it would be cool to have a play on words with Mary. 


Bibliography. "The Three Roses" from The Key of Gold by Josef Baudis. Web Source. 

Week 2: Feedback Thoughts

Article #1: Silence the Critical Voices in Your Head 

Focusing on negative feedback is something I am prone to do. Whether it be at work or in school I could do 95% of something right, but I tend to focus on the 5% I did incorrectly. This has a tendency to frustrate me and I focus on this more than I should. I do not think I have ever let it get to me quite as much as it got to Rajeev, but this focus on negative feedback has definitely impacted my productivity in the past. The quote from the article, "Believe the positive, and act as if it were true." Is something in which I can relate. Many times when people say positive things to me I often think to myself that they are just saying that to be nice. Maybe these thoughts are true. But either way if I just believe that the positive feedback has no ulterior motive, I will be better off in the long run. This would also hopefully be more positive towards others.

Article #2: Why rejections hurts so much 

Rejection is hard. Being rejected is not a good feeling at all. But we oftentimes do not do ourselves any favors after being rejected. The article talks about rejection and how much of the damage after rejection is self-inflicted. I can relate. Oftentimes after being rejected in some capacity I tend to just curl up in a ball and let life pass by until I am over it. This is probably not the best solution. I always tend to chastise myself for what I did wrong - which is exactly what the article says not to do. Instead the article says we should focus on things we are good at and positive feedback we have received. And instead of dreading not being able to hangout with the friends who rejected you - spend time with those who actually care about you and enjoy being around with you. I look forward to taking this advice the next time I am rejected - no matter the circumstance.

(Feedback: Image by Mohamed Hassan from Pixabay)

Week 2: Topic Brainstorm

Topic #1: Robin Hood 

I have always been fascinated by the story of Robin Hood. The Disney animated version was one of my favorite movies as a small child. I think it would be neat to adapt this story into a different setting, whether it be more modern or at a different point of history than originally told. I would also enjoy telling the stories through the eyes of his friends and foes such as: Little John, Maid Marian, and Prince John. Another idea I had is that I could do some sort of Robin Hood and Indiana Jones mash up, where Robin Hood is stealing artifacts from the Germans in order to preserve them. But instead of a whip he has a bow.

Topic #2:  Biblical Animals 

This topic could definitely be interesting. I could do a set of different stories from the perspective of animals in the Bible such as: Noah's Ark, Egyptian Plagues, and Daniel in the lion's den. Or I could do a set of stories that relate to one singular Bible story in particular. If I were to do this it would probably be from the perspective of the donkey when Jesus entered Jerusalem shortly before the Last Supper. Or from the perspective of the whale in Jonah and the whale. There are so many different options and ways in which this project could be completed with this topic, which makes it very intriguing.

Topic #3: Homer's Odyssey 

I have always been intrigued by Homer's Odyssey. The stories of Odysseus and his men are all so fascinating. I always particularly enjoyed the stories when they enter the Land of the Cyclops. I think if I were to choose this topic I would want to adapt it to where instead of at sea - Odysseus and his men are traveling through Space or Time. This would be a fun adaptation where they would arrive on other planets and face similar challenges to the original stories. Or they would travel through time and face challenges in periods such as the Jurassic period, Medieval Age, Revolutionary War, Present Day (2020), and maybe even the future.

Topic #4: Aesop's Fables  

When reading and writing about the Anthology, I chose to adapt some of Aesop's Fables (see: Ryan's Fables). I thought it was a lot of fun and there are so many stories in which to choose, which makes this topic especially intriguing. I think if I were to choose this topic I would want to tell it from the perspective of a grandfather sitting in a rocking chair with his grandchildren. I would take the original stories and make them either relate to the grandfather's life/childhood or make them so outlandish that it appears that grandpa is "off his rocker". This could be very fun to write and after each "fable" I could even get a grandchild's perspective of the fable.

(Brainstorm: Image by Andy Mangold)

Week 2 Story: Ryan's Fables - Sasquatch

Sasquatch's Share 

There once were four creatures who went looking for food. These creatures were Sasquatch, El Chupacabra, Tazzy Tiger, and Yeti. They were lost in the woods for days and days with nothing to eat. But one day they saw a fire in the distance, so they followed it for several hours. Once they reached the fire they saw what to them was a mythological creature a human man. This man had what they wanted, Jack Link's Beef Jerky. This was not just one bag of jerky, it was a pallet stacked 20 feet high with cases and cases of jerky (of all sorts of flavors). The creatures did not know how to go about splitting the jerky, so they sat there and pondered for a while (the man was long gone by now).

Sasquatch was the first to speak, he said, "First we must build these cases into a shelter, as I think it might rain."

So the other creatures helped organize the cases into a shelter with four rooms (one for each of them they thought), while Sasquatch told them what the shelter should look like.

Once finished, Tazzy Tiger asked, "Now what?"

Sasquatch responded, "The largest room is mine as I am the biggest. The next largest is also mine as I will need a place to eat my beef jerky. The third largest is mine as I helped design the shelter. The fourth, well I would not dare enter if I were you."

This left the remaining creatures feeling empty (like their stomachs) and they were angry at Sasquatch.

"Aaaaaargh", muttered the Yeti in anger as he walked away with the other creatures to find more food.

Sasquatch lived the rest of his days guarding his shelter and beef jerky with his life. Many other creatures would challenge him, but he always prevailed. Eventually, he would die of old age - lonely but with a full stomach.

(Sasquatch: Image by Bernell MacDonald from Pixabay)

Sasquatch in Love 

Sasquatch once fell in love with a young college student. Seeing as she had not yet finished school and that this creature was Sasquatch - her parents did not know what to think. They told her that first she must finish her studies and then she could consider marrying Sasquatch.

Well, what most people do not know about Sasquatch is that he is actually extremely smart (he just likes to play dumb). So the young college student added several credit hours to her semesters and Sasquatch tutored her and she finished in one year what should have taken two.

Once she was done with school, Sasquatch went to her parents and asked for their blessing. Her father told him that in order to marry his daughter, Sasquatch must shave. So Sasquatch went to the barber and shaved (everything). It was an ugly sight, but the young college student loved him the same and they were married.

Love can tame the wildest. 


*Author's Note: The stories above were adapted from "The Lion's Share" and "The Lion in Love" from Fable's of Aesop. The Lion in these stories was replaced by the mythological(?) creature Sasquatch and the setting of the stories were slightly modernized. I also had a happier ending for "Sasquatch in Love" than the original story. 

Bibliography. "The Lion's Share" and "The Lion in Love" from Fable's of Aesop by Joseph Jacobs. Web Source.

Reading Notes: Week 2 Anthology

My favorite stories from the anthology were the four stories included in Aesop's Fables: The Lion.  These are all stories from the Fable's of Aesop by Joseph Jacobs. In this reading notes section I plan to write a little bit about each one individually and then summarize them together in a short paragraph.


The Lion's Share 

I appreciated how this story was short and to a point. There are only four characters but really the other three (not counting the Lion here) are all lumped into the "other animals". The Lion appears to do the least but ends up with the most reward (or only reward). Even though this story is so short you can really sense how the other animals were felling towards the Lion. I personally felt sorry for them and angry/disappointed at the Lion.

(Lion yawning: Photo by Tambako the Jaguar)

Androcles and the Lion 

The thing I appreciated most in the story was the bond that was built between the Lion and Androcles. It was more like a man and a dog, then a man and a lion. It really goes to show that you cannot always judge a book by its cover.

The Lion and the Statue 

I love this story and the Lion's quote, "That is all very well, but proves nothing, for it was a man who made the statue." This really opens your eye to how important perspective is. The way I view one thing may be drastically different than the way someone else views it. And I think it is important to remember this in storytelling and in life.

The Lion in Love 

"Love can tame the wildest." This seems to be a common theme among many stories both in the past and the present. But taming a Lion is such a drastic and difficult thing to do. So, I feel like this story really gets the point across. I can't imagine seeing a Lion with no claws or teeth, it seems it could lose its sense of identity as a Lion. But I guess it's sense of identity became love for the young maiden.

Overall 

I liked reading these stories together because they all involve the same creature/character, but all vary in such dramatic ways. The first Lion was not humble or appreciative of his animal "friends" and ruled them like a mean dictator. The second Lion humbled himself before Androcles (a slave) and took care of him for days. The third Lion was intelligent and out-smarted a human man. Finally, the fourth Lion was so in love that he gave up his life as a wild lion. All these together goes to show how different everyone is and how everyone responds differently to different situations.

Week 2 Reading Overview

Choose from CLASSICAL and/or BIBLICAL units for Weeks 3 and 4.

Week 3: _Ovid's Metamorphoses__

Week 4: _Jewish Fairy Tales__

Choose from MIDDLE EASTERN and/or INDIAN units for Weeks 5 and 6.

Week 5: _Folklore of the Holy Land________

Week 6: _Georgian________

Choose from ASIAN and/or AFRICAN units for Weeks 7 and 9. 

Week 7: _The Monkey King____

Week 9: __South Africa_______

Choose from NATIVE AMERICAN units for Weeks 10 and 11.

Week 10: _Cherokee________ 

Week 11: _Marriage Tales________

Choose from BRITISH and/or CELTIC units for Weeks 12 and 13.

Week 12: _Robin Hood________ 

Week 13: _Welsh (Emerson)________

Choose from EUROPEAN units for Weeks 14 and 15.

Week 14: _Ashliman_______ 

Week 15: _Hans Christian Andersen______ 

I picked these units for a variety of reasons. Some of them I picked because I know people from these cultures, but do not know much about their culture and ancestors (i.e. Welsh and Cherokee). Others I picked because I know nothing about these tales because I have never really heard of them or definitely have not read any of them (i.e. Georgian, South Africa, The Monkey King, and Marriage Tales). Some I picked because I have read a lot about them in the past but not in a long time and not these particular versions of the stories (i.e. Ovid's Metamorphoses and Robin Hood). Others I picked because I have read stories that are similar or the same but not from this particular perspective (i.e. Jewish Fairytales and Folklore of the Holy Land). Still others I picked because I have visited the places where the authors are from or the stories are based (i.e. Hans Christian Andersen (Copenhagen) and Ashliman (Germany)). 

Overall, I think I am very excited to read these tales over the next few months! I think I picked a good variety, but also some that will relate and interconnect with each other from different cultures/perspectives. As you can see from my selections, there is not a singular topic theme or theme that interests me. But I do enjoy learning more about things I am familiar with, as well as about things that are new to me.

I chose the below picture because it is the first picture from the first story I will be reading, plus I think it is a very cool illustration. 

(Illustration by Virgil Solis)

Time Strategies

Time is something that is very limited, especially as a college student. I actually have more "free" time this semester than normal, but I hope to use it well. Reading and learning about time management will help us not only with school but with life and life after school.

(Time is Running Out: Photo by Nathan Bunney)

The two articles I chose to read were Eat the Frog First Thing in the Morning by Thomas Oppong, and Realistic Study Plans by Amanda Collins. These articles were both very informative. I feel like I definitely struggle with things I do not want to do. A lot of times I will tell myself I'll do them later and then just put it off for another day, week, month, or year. But if I would just do it first thing in the morning I would not have to worry about it any more. I skimmed through some other articles too, and a common theme seemed to be say "NO". This is something I sometimes struggle with too, whether it's because I don't want to feel left out or just didn't realize I double-booked myself. Sometimes this has a snowball effect and nothing actually gets done. I do think setting realistic expectations for your time is also important. If it's unrealistic it becomes a burden, but if it's realistic it becomes a goal.

Overall, I think time management is important in all aspects of life and I look forward to implementing these new techniques and tools to better manage my time.

Technology

I appreciate how Laura has us working with other technologies than Canvas, because it is so true, unless you become an educator you will probably never use Canvas again. As previously mentioned, I think blogging is such a unique way to post your assignments for class, and it seems to work very well for this class.

I look forward to working on my blog and project website as the semester continues. I think it will push me to be a little more creative than I am in my accounting classes (nobody wants a creative accountant). Also, you never know when some job might have you build or help build a website. I think it could also be fun to create memes and images for school, I don't think that is something I have ever done in the past.

All of the tips and tools were very informative and could prove to be useful in this class and others. I think having multiple browsers is especially important, as this has saved me many times in the past when dealing with technological errors.

(Image by Aneta Esz from Pixabay)

Assignments

I am excited to dig into this class! The storytelling and project aspects of the core assignments look  like they will be really fun. I especially appreciate the fact that we are allowed to write these stories in whatever style we would like. I look forward to experimenting with new writing/storytelling styles each week. And the blog is a unique and fun way to turn in assignments.

Regarding the extra credit assignments, these look fun as well! I have never had an assignment like "Wikipedia Trails" but I do get caught in the rabbit hole that is Wikipedia quite frequently. Fun fact: one of my roommates is one of the top Wikipedia editors in the world!  "Mircofictions" also seems like a good idea and has the potential to be really entertaining to read and write. 

Below is a photo of me entering the rabbit hole which is Wikipedia:

(Down the Rabbit Hole: Image by Valerie Hinojosa)

Growth Mindset: Initial Thoughts

Carol Dweck's "Growth Mindset" is something I have encountered in the past. In fact, I think I watched the same T.E.D. Talk in an entrepreneurship class I took a few semesters ago. I think Growth Mindset is a good idea that like all ideas has pros and cons. I definitely agree that having a fixed-mindset can lead to complacency and fear of difficulty. You see this all the time in college, people seek out classes that are easy and have little to no work so that they can receive their "A". But this does not create a good learning and problem-solving environment.

However, I do think that the whole "Growth Mindset" thing can cause problems if educators abuse the term and its components. My biggest fear I guess is that students that hang on to their fixed-mindsets will fall behind, or teachers that use Growth Mindset will dislike the students who do not change their mindsets. I think a good example of this is the people who get all caught up in personality tests like enneagram or Myers-Briggs. These can all be useful tools but they cannot be the only tools you rely on to learn and grow. If an educator gets too wrapped up in the mindset of their students, I could see how they may lose sight of the bigger picture which is to educate their students.

(Image by John Hain from Pixabay)

Also, I think another difficult aspect of the Growth Mindset is having this mindset for everything. I feel like it is easier to have this mindset about subjects and topics that interest you. So when it comes to topics that you are not passionate about, but are forced to learn due to school, state, and federal regulations, it can be difficult to have a growth mindset. But this might be my fixed-mindset talking...

In audit (my field), you can see components of the Growth Mindset. The biggest component that is seen is feedback/critique. As an intern/first year you know nothing, in order to learn you make mistakes. These mistakes are given back to you after being reviewed by your superiors (usually multiple) and then you fix those mistakes on your own with their feedback. Throughout that whole process you learn things you did not even expect to learn. However, one thing that is very important to accountants are deadlines, especially in a legal sense. I am not quite sure how the "not yet" aspect of Growth Mindset would attack deadlines that are necessary. But I look forward to learning more about this throughout the semester.

Introduction to Ryan Cale, CPA (almost)

Hi! My name is Ryan Cale and I am fifth year student finishing up the B/MAcc program here at OU. If you are not a business student the B/MAcc program is an accelerated bachelors and masters program for Accounting. I will be graduating in May of this year (so ready!) and then I will take and hopefully pass my CPA exams this upcoming summer (no, I cannot do your taxes). Part of the reason I chose this class is because I heard you could work ahead, which is important to me so I will have more time to study for the CPA exam as the semester comes to a close. My favorite class this past semester was probably Advanced Auditing with Dr. C, he combined his experience in the workforce with his current position in academia to create a very informative and fun class. However, Dr. Price in Accounting Theory & Research made a strong push for my favorite class on the last day when he brought fresh homemade bread along with homemade jam, meats, and cheeses. 

Outside of school I enjoy playing basketball at the Huff (don't ever call it Sarkey's, please), cheering on the Sooners, just hanging out with my friends, and many, many other things. I am also involved with InterVarsity Christian Fellowship and serve as their Treasurer currently. When not doing these things you might find me working or playing golf at The Jimmie (OU Golf Club). Now that I think about it - I have a ton of hobbies that also include: hunting (deer mostly), cooking, eating, traveling, watching TV (does that count?), and playing any type of game in which I believe I have a chance to win. 

This summer I solo traveled Europe for 45 days and had a great time. If you ever have the opportunity to do something like that, I highly recommend it. You can see my post about one of my favorite places on this trip here: Lake Bled. Traveling the globe is something I definitely hope to be able to do throughout all the future stages of my life. In the future, I hope to be able to make a trip down under to Australia and New Zealand. 

As for the future, I am lucky enough to have accepted a job offer from Deloitte & Touche to be an auditor at their Oklahoma City practice. I will start there sometime in September and begin life as a public accountant. I am both excited and nervous for this transition, as I have really enjoyed my time at the University of Oklahoma, but I also realize it is time for me to move on to this next period of my life. 

(After some Sooner Magic in Waco: Photo taken by a stranger on my iPhone)

Storybook Favorites

#1: Tarzan and Jane's School for Feral Children

This storybook caught my attention because stories about feral children always interested me as a kid. I guess I thought it would be cool to be raised by wolves or gorillas. Looking back I am glad I was raised by human parents, but this topic still interests me. I thought the way these feral children were integrated into Tarzan and Jane's school was a very unique idea. The introduction did a fantastic job of introducing Tarzan and Jane, as well as their goals for the school. The way the website was laid out made it easy to follow the story. Also, I appreciated the "Author's Notes" tab which gave background on the characters and their original stories.

#2: Alexa, How do I Get to Canterbury?

This storybook caught my attention because of the word "Alexa" in the title. In my mind, Alexa (Amazon Echo) is very modern and Canterbury is the old and proper place. So I thought this made for a unique cultural clash. I also enjoyed how the stories were set up as a "competition", I am a very competitive person so this fed my interests. All of the stories were written in poems which I think would be difficult, so you can tell the author put in a lot of work. Overall, the layout and the storybook was fantastic!

#3: Discovering the Lost

I found this storybook interesting because it seems like a reasonable story a young boy would create in one of his dreams. Plus any story that involves Bigfoot has to be good, right? The use of both Bigfoot and Chiron the Centaur is a big cultural clash, however, the author did a great job integrating the two mythological characters along with the boys. The layout of the website was smooth and I found the titles of each tab to be especially accurate, but at the same time mysterious and adventurous.

(Old Books: Photo by Christian Siedler)

My Favorite Place: Bled, Slovenia

Bled, Slovenia: This summer I had the opportunity to solo travel around Europe for 45 days. One of my favorite places on this trip was Lake Bled in Slovenia. It was a great change of pace compared to all the cities I visited (although Kraków was awesome too!). The surrounding nature was what really made it my favorite place! The lake was beautiful and crystal clear (especially compared to Lake Thunderbird) plus it was surrounded by the Julian Alps. I also had a great experience at my hostel (Bled Hostel if you're interested in visiting), the owners were so kind, welcoming, and informative, in addition the food and drinks were cheap. The guests I met were wonderful too! Lake Bled is definitely one of my favorite places now!

Below are a couple photos I took while visiting!

The first one is a picture as the sun was setting my last night there.

(Photo by Ryan Cale, shot on iPhone)

The picture below shows you almost the entire lake from the vantage point of a hike I did up a hill. One afternoon I swam out to the island (it was exhausting!), there are a couple of churches on the island but I couldn't go inside because I was wet. 

(Photo by Ryan Cale, shot on iPhone)

The following photo was not taken by me. But I thought it was cool to see the lake during a different season. 

(Photo by Walkerssk)

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