Story Laboratory Week 10

EmpoWord: Telling a Story

"We're all stories, in the end"- Steven Moffat, Doctor Who

Reading this quote in an English accent makes it even better. It can be applied and can be thrown to so many situations. That's why I love British TV.  

Narration is incredibly significant in every culture. We are constantly telling stories or being influenced by them. Historians, Chemists, Musicians. It make it interesting though you have to make it deliberate. 

Mood- Emotional dimension which a reader experiences while encountering a text

Narrative pacing- the speed with which a story progress through plot events, Can be influenced by reflective and descriptive writing.

Tone- The emotional register of the text

Scope refers to the boundaries of the plot, primary focus. Where and when does it begin and end? and what is the focus. Background information plays a role. 

If you think how you would respond in situations it can help. Also, try not to be too broad so you do not bore you leader or add too many details. Foreshadowing also keeps your reader into your story.  It works with the sequence and pacing. Your climax has to be just right, 

In medias res- in the middle of things --- map out your story to help

Writing is fun

The point of view shapes how your reader experiences the story. It also affects how your write. You have to make it believable and not fake. Stream of consciousness is wild.


Empo Word Shane Abrams

Eastern Stories and Legends Part B

The Bull That Demanded Fair Treatment

The Bodisat came to life as a bull, and a Brahmin treated him like his son. He was treated so well that he thought no other ox could drag the weight he could. There was a bet made with a squire and a hundred carts were filled to see who was stronger. The bull won and the Brahmin won 2000.

The Bull That Proved His Gratitude

When the Bodisat was still a bull, his owners stopped at an old woman's house and they gave him to her. He became friends with the village children. The Bodisat was grazing and a village cattle owner wanted to buy him but could not find the owner so he tried to take him. The children stopped him. 

Cows

The Horse That Held Out to the End

Buddha came to life as a small thoroughbred horse and was made the King's Destrier. He was treated well. A knight wanted him for a fight. When they were taking of his mail he passed away. He was buried with great honors. 

The Monkey That Saved the Herd

Buddha was reborn as the King of the monkeys, all 80,000 monkeys. He warned the monkeys about poisoned trees and haunted lakes. They came to a haunted lake and got around the haunt by using straws. 

The Mallard That Asked for Too Much

Buddha was born a Brahmin and was married to a bride and they had three daughters. After his death he was born a Golden mallard. He was determined to give his golden feathers to his family so they could live comfortably. One by one they would take one and became wealthy. The mother was scared that they could not trust him and they should pluck him clean. The daughters refused. In greed the mother plucked them against his wish and then they became cranes feathers, worthless. 

The Merchant Who Overcame All Obstacles

Buddha was born in a merchant's family and he grew up and began trafficking with five hundred carts. He arrived at a desert 20 leagues across. The sand was very fine and hot. They had to travel at night.  After one night they ended up at the same encampment they were earlier. But they found a stream and made an oasis. They sold they fares there. 

The Elephant That Was Honored in Old Age

Buddha was a Prime Minister that served the King. There was a great Elephant who served as a messenger. SHe earned many great ornaments until she grew old and they were taken away. One night she was not yoked to the cart and it made the King mad. She plead her case that she was not an Oxen and hearing that the King restored her to her former place of honor. 

The Faithful Friend

The Bodisat became the Brahma-datta's minsister. At that time a dog would do to the state elephant's stable and eat the rice that fell. The animals became friends. A peasant bought the dog one day, the the elephant became depressed. The bodisat knew why and the King was very thankful. 

Elephant

Eastern Stories and Legends

Eastern Stories and Legends

The Hare That Ran Away

Buddha was born again as a lion and was helping his fellow animals. He had to help Hare who was always scared something dreadful was going to happen to her. She thought this so much she believed it after hearing a heavy fruit fall behind her. She ran into old brother hare who started following her. The tiger, then the camel, the camel, the buffalo, and the deer followed suit, until they ran into buddha the lion. The lion made the hare show him where the Earth was falling in and calmed the situation. 

The Spirit That Lived in a Tree

Buddha was re-born as a Tree-Spirit. The king there wanted to live in a palace only supported by only one column so he could be the chiefest of all kings. In kings park, there was a great tree that was worshiped and he wanted it cut down. Many people protested this action. The spirit who lived in the tree was determined to protect his children. He made a plea to the king to cut him down gently so his children that grow at his feet would not be killed. The king was moved by this sacrifice so he did not cut him down. 

Baobab Tree

The Hare that Was Not Afraid to Die

Buddha was born a hare and lived in a wood, He lived with three friends, Monkey, Jackal, and Otter. The hare taught them many wise concepts: moral law should be observed, alms should be given to the poor, and holy days should be kept. Jackal stole fish from the fishermen and stole from the the lizard. He thought he was virtuous because of this.  The monkey ate mangoes before the due season. They were going to give it the Brahmin and he got together with the Monkey, Jackal, Otter, and the Hare to solve the area.

The Parrot That Fed His Parents

Buddha was reborn in the shape of a parrot and excelled all other parrots. His dad was the leader of the flock but he wanted him to take over. Each day he lead his flock to Himalaya Hill to eat rice. There was a man who tried to drive away the parrots but he couldn't stop them. He was scared that there was not any crops left so his master wanted him to catch the bird. He talked with the Brahmin to clear up the situation. 

The Man Who Worked To Give Alms

Buddha was born a merchant named Vissaya who loved giving alms. He gave 600,00 men what the needed. He was so giving Sakka, the King of the Gods, grew suspisious that he would dethrone them and make himself Sakka. So Sakka began giving like crazy until they had nothing so they began mowing the grass for them. Then they started talkin, Sakka realized that he did not want his position.

The King Who Saw the Truth

The Wisdom child who would become Buddha was born a King. He was a virtuous man and wanted to do anything and everything for his people. Sakka wanted to test his resolve and see if his words were vain. The king was going to give his eyes to a blind Brahmin. Because he was so giving, he was given eyes that see perfect and absolute truth. 

Eyes

Shedlock. Eastern Stories and Legends

Reading Notes Week Nine

Duryodhana comes to visit and mock but he ends up needing their help to escape the gandharvas. Another prince tries to kidnap Drupada. Then they have to try not to fight the cattle. 

They fight Duryodhana. Arjuna is scared but everyone persuades him to. Bhishma leads Duryodhana's army. He is super old. The battle goes back and forth until Bhishma dies.Bhishma refused to fight a trans man Shakhandin. So he put his guard down and everyone shot him down with arrows. He didn't dies immediately and begged for peace afterwards.

The leader that goes after him, Drona, is killed too. Drona's son and an elephant have the same name. This causes a lot of confusion, and leads to Druapadi killing Drona because his dad died. Karni leads the army after him.

An Indian Asian Elephant

Druapadi put Karni in charge because he believed unlike the others he had no secret love for the Padvavas. Karna and Arjuna face off and it leads to many draws until Arjuna wins, killing his half brother. He didn't know that though.

Ashwathman, the kid with the same name as the Elephant, killed all the sons of the Pandavas while they were dueling Drupada. He told Drupada right before he died. 

Reading Notes, Week 9

Reading Mahabharata 2

Bibliography 

Wilson The Five Tall Sons of Pandu

Pandu had five sons: Yudhishthira, Bhima, Arjuna, and Nakula and Sahadeva (the twins). His brother became king after Pandu died and he had 100 sons. Damn. Drona trained them. Karna challenged Arjuna and matches him exactly in skill. 

Yudishthira was named heir apparent instead of Duryodhana. He tried to trap the other fam in a burning house, but they escaped disguised as hermits. Arjuna won Drupada in an archery contest, but she marries Yudishthira because he is the oldest. He then becomes a king of his own kingdom. 

Yudishthira plays dice against Prince Shakuni, his uncle. He loses everything and Draupadi, and everyone goes to the forest in exile for 12 years. 

Chariot

Week 8 Progress

Thus far

I like how consistent I have been. I was very skeptical of blogs and my ability to get into it at first. I dreaded any work I had to do. (Disclaimer: I was also very sick the first two weeks, so I could have also just been grumpy. I am unsure.) I have not missed any assignment other than one, but that was on purpose. I have recently started working 20 hours a week and I had a midterm and a paper. So I chose to skip two blog posts and make up for it in extra credit. Having 20 hours a week taken out of my time has been quite a transition, but I am proud that it has not affected me too much. 

I am proud of my weekly routine I have developed. It is not the original one I planned though. I planned to knock everything out in two days during times that no longer work for me. I also cannot sit down and work on things for hours well so I have no idea what I was thinking. Doing a little each day instead has been a much better decision and it is much better way for me to actually learnt he material and absorb the stories. 

I want to try to avoid having to skip blog posts again. It was my second week working, so I hope I will be more adjusted in the future. I also hope I will hope I will have my schedule ahead of time, this time, not two days before, so I can plan ahead if I ever have as busy of a week. 

Current Mood

Week 8 Comments and Feedback

So we need to have a chat

I always get so excited that I get a comment. But I really don't get that many? I go to other people's posts and see that they have like double of mine and its kinda sad. I am I missing out on something?? Are my posts keeping people from commenting? 

This is such a fun graphic--Take time to read it!

Personally my comments tend to end up looking like each other. I sometimes fall into a format. I need to step outside of that format more often. I still use content inside of it that pertain to the post but I should try to communicate my comments in different ways to be more successful.

I like that I am starting to see familiar faces. With that, I am learning whose styles of writing I really enjoy writing and I look forward to reading them. Thankfully there is no one I genuinely hate reading, but I still give them good feedback. 

Week 8 Reading and Writing

Website and Blog layout

I am very happy with my website. I like the lay out and the pastel colors. I have never been to Greece, but it reminds me of less sing song Mama Mia. I feel very comfortable with the visual appeal with it and the layout it not too overwhelming. I also like how the website is set up where I can add so many pictures. 

My blog lay out is fun. I am not as please with it, but I don't know how I can change it. Every time I change it, I hate the changes. I might continue to mess around with it, but I am overall happy with the message it communicates. I might add more pictures to my posts to separate text blocks. The pictures also make it so much prettier.

My favorite picture because words do have POWER

My reading notes were not helping at first but as the semester has progressed I can see how I made changes. I am proud at how I saw my behavior needed to change to help my studies. I hope I will see them affect my notes outside this class one day. I take all my notes one paper currently because of very strict anti-computer rules in the majority of my classes, so they haven't yet.