Week 13 Story Planning: The Deal with the Devil

I'm planning on writing a new version of the story of The Ghost Mother, but this time I want to tell it from the mother's point of view. I'm thinking that it would give some perspective to the story if she had a good explanation for dying when the baby is born, and keeping it a secret that she is feeding it as a ghost. To give some backstory, the wife has been keeping it a secret from her husband that she is infertile and cannot bear children. They live in happiness and harmony otherwise. One day as she is out picking flowers or gathering food (or something else entirely), a figure approaches her. This would presumably be the devil or a demon warlock of some kind. The devil tells her that he knows she cannot bear children, but he offers a solution. He will impregnate her, but she must lose her life in the process. Her love for her husband is so great, and his desire for a child is equally great, so she feels compelled to give him a child in exchange for her life. She pleads with the devil that she get to feed the child, arguing that it will not survive without her milk. The devil compromises, and he agrees to allow her to visit the child at night. However, she will only appear as a ghost, and she must not be seen by any other humans. If anyone sees her, the baby will perish, and the ghost mother will remain a ghost forever. I guess she doesn't stay a ghost in the original, but I would like her to remain a ghost that cries forever. The husband will probably not hire a caretaker for the baby. I would rather write it that he takes care of the baby himself, and he discovers the ghost of his wife by himself.


Medieval Ghost found on Wikimedia, here.

Bibliography: The Ghost Mother, part of Russian Fairy Tales Unit by W.R.S. Ralston, found here.

Week 13 Reading Notes: Russian Fairy Tales Part B

In The Witch Girl I was surprised that the witch was someone's daughter. I just assumed that she would be a witch that lives in the woods on her own or with other witches. It reminds me of the Salem Witch Trail time period in the American northeast. I could write a story with a similar plot, but set in Salem. Also, I wonder why no one had thought to stay awake and fight the witch when she came. Only the Cossack thought of this.
The priest's son is an unsuspecting hero in The Headless Princess. I could write about someone who sees a power figure doing something evil behind closed doors. Then he has to race to save everyone before the evil person can get to him. I like the elements of magic that his teacher showed him to use. It could be a metaphor for 'knowledge is power.' And at the end, even the princess's father wanted nothing to do with a witch. Witches must have been a big deal in Russia.
The Warlock makes me feel like everyone in Russia wants to evade death and keep all of their wealth. I could write about someone who sells their soul to live forever and be rich, but they get outsmarted by a child with a cross. Or it could be about three witches who try to steal an old man's wealth, but he outsmarts them and gets to live forever.
The Fox-Physician continued with the 'foxes are tricksters' theme. The old man should not be too sad though, so long as he can get back up the cabbage to heaven. It seems to me that there was no rhyme or reason to the story. I cannot figure out if there is a moral or lesson to be learned. Maybe the lesson is to not trust a fox with your loved one's remains.
I like the communication with people in the afterlife in The Fiddler in Hell. I could use that to help me write a story where someone visits a loved one in the afterlife and they receive some sort of divine assistance. That could help me write part two of Aaron Discovers the World.


Moujik and Family, artist unknown. Found on Wikimedia, here.

Bibliography: Russian Fairy Tales by W.R.S. Ralston, found here.

Week 13 Reading Notes: Russian Fairy Tales Part A

The Dead Mother is a spooky story that sounds like it would be a hellish nightmare for the widowed father. I think it was interesting that once the ghost mother was discovered, she was never heard from again, and the baby died. She was keeping it alive, but it still screamed all day. That sounds awful. The poor old man in The Treasure loses his wife and gains riches, albeit in a roundabout way, but it is really a story of man's greed being his own destruction. I was quite surprised at the end when the goat skin had fused to the pope's body, but I find it to be a fitting punishment. It was even more curious that the pope could not shed the goat skin even after returning the money to the poor old man. No one gets away with wrongdoing in Russia, I suppose.
I laughed so hard at The Bad Wife. It is almost like a dream sequence that plays out in old married couples' heads. This was taking marital problems to the extreme, and I found it hilarious. Now I am just assuming that is how all Russian men think about their wife. It's so funny that she is so terrible that even the demons are scared of her. She must have been the devil himself. While the first story might be a Russian man's nightmare, this could be a Russian man's dream.
The Three Copecks is an epic adventure that ultimately leads to a happy engagement. I think this story is a metaphor for life; if you are patient, confident and trusting, good things will come to you. The long story reminded me of Homer's Odyssey, especially because it followed the cat far and wide, and ultimately the protagonist reaped benefits after a long time.
The Miser is a good representation of how far a greedy man will go to not pay back a debt. This makes me think of rich people in power evading taxes whilst mocking the poor and needy.


Rhus Tomentosa, The Wild Currant Tree. Photo taken by Abu Shawka, found on Wikimedia, here.
To represent the currant bush in The Bad Wife.

Bibliography: Stories from Russian Fairy Tales by W.R.S. Ralston, found here.

Portfolio Index

Painting of The Storm, by Pierre Auguste Cot, found here.






Photo: End of the World Prison by Louis Argerich, found on Wikimedia, here.

Photo, Party, was found on Wikipedia, and link to Wikimedia here.

The Kind King and Loyal Dragon, found here, is a story of love, lust and loyalty. The King's love is betrayed, but the loyal Dragon works to avenge his friend.



















Aaron Discovers the World, found here, is a tale of hope, bravery and sacrifice. Set in a confined dystopia, the story follows Aaron as he seeks to discover the truth about life outside Carcera. Part Two coming soon!

















Aimee with the Good Friends, found here, is an emotional story about birthdays and friendship. Hope you enjoy!

Week 12 Reading Notes: English Fairy Tales Part B

The characters in Henny-Penny are too naive to beware the fox. They pay for it with their lives, except for Henny-Penny, but she never gets to tell the King that the sky is falling. The fox is the classic trickster, convincing everyone that a shortcut to the King's castle runs through his dark cave.
Molly Whuppie is a story of harrowing circumstances that call for a young hero to rise to the occasion. Molly is the youngest of the three unfortunate sisters, but she is the one who is most clever and does all the work. She also has no problem sacrificing other people for her benefit. She is an interesting character to say the least.
Mr. Fox is a classic horror story with a happy ending. The tension builds very well when Lady Mary is in Mr. Fox's castle. The writing on the wall is very creepy, and I could use that idea in my story. Maybe Aaron could stumble upon a mass grave of all of the dissenters the Mind of Six ever took away and killed. At the end, I imagine the masses breaking down the door to the palace of the Mind of the Six to tear them apart, just like the guests did to Mr. Fox at Lady Mary's wedding.
Johnny-Cake, or another version of the Gingerbread Man, describes overconfidence biting you in the butt. It teaches readers not to boast or gloat, because someone, usually a fox, is always cleverer than you.
Mr. Miacca strikes me as the kind of story with which parents scare their children into obedience. However, Tommy gets away without any issues, which makes the story less effective. Tommy needs to get boiled and eaten to really scare kids into obeying. I almost empathize with Mr. Miacca; the man just wants to eat and feed his family.
The Laidly Worm of Spindleston Heugh is a really great story with magic and tragedy and a happy ending. I like that the rowan wood is resistant to the witch's magic spell. I could write about Aaron finding a special tool or element that can bring down the Mind of the Six.


Laidly Worm of Spindleston Heugh,illustrated by John D. Batton, found on Wikimedia, here.


Bibliography: Part B of the English Fairy Tales Unit by Joseph Jacobs, found here.

Week 12 Reading Notes: English Tales Part A

Tom Tit Tot is nearly the same story as Rumplestiltskin, with a few differences. I like that the King was the one who overheard Tom Tit Tot sing his name, and he accidentally revealed it to his wife. It is interesting that she had two different plot lines to follow, one with the King, and another with Tom Tit Tot. It ended happily enough.
The Rose Tree is a good story of jealousy and revenge. It shows how the family is torn apart, and jealousy makes people do crazy things. Luckily, some sort of magic turns the dead girl into a tree and dove, and that dove has immense strength. How strong she must have been to carry a millstone and drop it on her murderer.
The Old Woman and Her Pig gave me some anxiety. I thought that old woman was never going to get home. I guess all of the extra characters just needed a little motivation. Thanks to the cat and the cow for working with the old woman to help set off the chain.
Binnorie is a wild tale of two sisters trapped in a love triangle. Jealousy gets the better of them, and one kills the other. Love is a powerful emotion, and it can lead people to do crazy things to the important people in their lives. In the end, they are reminded of her existence, but everything else goes on as normal.
Mouse and Mouser was a little confusing. I guess the cat just played along to be the mouse's friend, but really he just wanted to eat the mouse all along. Look out for people that are sneaky liars. I could use this as a character inspiration for part two of Aaron Discovers the World. Someone could lead Aaron to the Mind of the Six, only to have guards waiting for him.
Cap O' Rushes was a long-winded story about loving your family and misunderstanding. At least it had a happy ending.


Photo of Tom Tit Tot, illustrated by John D. Batton, found on Wikimedia, here.


Bibliography: English Tales Part A by Joseph Jacobs, found here.

Week 11 Story Planning: Aaron's Truth

So I am having trouble coming up with a good ending for the story I wrote last week, Aaron Discovers the World. I thought I would try the story planning option to see if that would help me nail down some ideas. I have established that Aaron and the citizens of Carcera live in a dystopian world, confined to the dome in which they have always lived, and ruled by the force of an oligarchical, self-appointed committee. There are robots who operate as guards, and this makes them difficult to circumvent. My ultimate goal is for Aaron to devise a way to expose the Mind of the Six and free the people of Carcera. There are a few ways that could happen, I suppose. Aaron could get intentionally captured by the Mind of the Six, and tell them he knows the truth. They could then confirm that he is right and admit to keeping the people prisoner for power and personal gain. All the while, Aaron has a hidden video camera, and is broadcasting to every single screen in the city. This leads to mutiny, and Aaron leads the people out of the city. I would have to explain how Aaron is captured, how the people take care of the guard robots, and how people deal with the Mind of the Six. Another possibility is to have Aaron save the people by disabling the robots with the computer that controls them. Once the guards have been disabled, he could come over every loudspeaker in the city, and explain that they have been lied to. Because this is a dystopia, and I have not established the extent of technology, I am thinking he could cause a map to the outside world to appear on every screen in the city. That could lead people to discover the same path he did and ultimately escape. I would like to write the demise of the Mind of the Six, but I am not sure what that would look like if I went with this option. I could combine the two story lines into one. Aaron could get captured after planting a bug in the city's main computer. The bug could be time delayed, so he makes it to the chamber of the Mind of the Six before the robots shut down and the screens start broadcasting his hidden camera. That would make for a more well-rounded story. I originally wanted Aaron to die as a symbolic sacrifice for the rescue of the rest of the people, but the more I think about it the more I do not think it is possible.
I read the Alice in Wonderland unit this week, and while I enjoyed it very much, I find that world to be very different from the one I have created. I could model the leader of the Mind of the Six after the Queen of Hearts. As she orders Aaron's execution, the robots shut off just before removing his head. Aaron could find that the computer room where he plants the bug is just as confusing as the room full of doors in which Alice finds herself. Symbolically, the door Aaron discovered to the outside, is almost a perfect representation of the door Alice finds. They are both hidden, and they both lead to a beautiful world on the other side. As you can see, I have a lot of options. By this time next week, I will have narrowed it down to choose the best plot line.


Photo of Server Room at the National Archives (UK), found on Wikimedia Commons, here.
I chose this photo to represent the server room in which Aaron must plant a bug. This shows just how confusing one of those rooms can be.

Bibliography: Story of Alice in Wonderland, written by Lewis Carroll, from British and Celtic Reading Units, found here.

Week 11 Reading Notes: Alice in Wonderland Part B

The conversations with fantastical characters are made up of nonsense, jumping hastily from one topic to another, seemingly without rhyme or reason. Perhaps I could use that writing style to introduce important information through a seemingly mad character. Maybe the character will speak what seems like nonsense, but is actually important. The dormouse being asleep inspires me to write in that a security guard has fallen asleep, and that gives Aaron a moment to slip past and into uncharted territory. The Queen of Hearts inspires me to model a character from the Mind of the Six after her. Someone should be so ruthless as to rule with fear in a dystopian society. I might model a character after the Cheshire Cat, so that Aaron may have a companion that appears and disappears at random, possibly with some important information about what to do next. The trial scene makes me consider writing in a trial before the Mind of the Six. That setting could be where an important piece of plot takes place. The ending of Alice in Wonderland, the part where Alice wakes from her dream, makes me consider writing that Aaron escapes and frees all of the people of Carcera, only to wake up from a dream and find he is still being held captive there. He might search for the same door whence he escaped, only to find nothing there. Despite the very different themes and writing styles, I have produced some very useful ideas from the Alice in Wonderland story that might help me in writing my story. If anything, Alice in Wonderland inspires creativity and imagination.



Alice playing croquet with a flamingo and hedgehog, illustrated by John Tenniel, found on Wikimedia Commons, here. I chose this illustration because I found it hilarious that she would have to use a flamingo and hedgehog to play croquet. What a mad world!


Bibliography: Story of Alice in Wonderland, part B, by Lewis Carroll, found here.

Week 11 Reading Notes: Alice in Wonderland Part A

Lewis Carroll is an incredibly creative writer. He puts Alice into the wildest situations with the wildest characters, and he creates equally wild ways for her to move from place to place. Alice as a character is fun to read about. She seems so innocent and curious. She speaks very properly for such a young girl, and she speaks properly to everyone and everything she comes across. I think she represents innocence and youth, and the story continues in a way just as crazy as her imagination. I find it hard to imagine how different items keep appearing to help her change sizes, and I find it odd that they all have different effects. I like the stream of consciousness writing style Carroll uses, and it is especially enjoyable as Alice is falling down the rabbit hole. The characters make this such a bizarre world to explore. The rabbit is running late, the caterpillar is smoking, the footmen are each with a fish head or frog head, the baby is a pig, and the cheshire cat is grinning iconically as it disappears. I admire Carroll's imagination in creating such characters. It certainly does make the story feel very much like a dream. I like the way that the cheshire cat responds to Alice's question about which path she should take. Alice has no idea where she wants to go or why, and the cat is really quite unhelpful. That could be a metaphor for life. Either way she goes, Alice is bound to meet exciting characters on her adventure. 

Illustration The Caterpillar by Sir John Tenniel from the Wikimedia Commons, found here.

I thought Alice's singing a poem with the caterpillar to be an interesting part of the story.

Bibliography: Readings from the Alice In Wonderland Unit Part A, found here.

Wek 10 Storytelling: Aaron Discovers the World

Aaron had been staring at the spot above his bed for what felt like an eternity when the robotic voice boomed through the loudspeakers in the hallway. "Report to the dining quad in five minutes for first meal," the voice rang out, as it had done every morning as far back as Aaron could remember. He sat up in his bed and gave a slight jump when his feet touched the cold concrete floor. Aaron lived in Barrack 4, one of the five barracks in the city of Carcera. There was a great war that wiped out millions of people. Survivors created Carcera as the last remaining city, and the people built a large dome to protect the inhabitants. The Mind of the Six, the self-appointed city leaders, ruled with an iron fist. They controlled every aspect of life inside the dome. The Mind of the Six forced the citizens of Carcera to work long hours, and they harshly punished all dissenters. They created fiercely loyal robots to enforce their harsh laws, while they watched from the comfort of their private tower. The Mind of Six claimed that the world outside of the dome was poisonous and could not support life. The inhabitants of Carcera struggled to survive, while the Mind of the Six reaped the benefits of their hard work.
Aaron believed that the Mind of the Six were hiding something, and they were abusing their power to keep it a secret. He could remember his parents' stories of life before the war. They described the outside world as having beautiful greenery, glistening bodies of water and enormous mountains. Aaron's parents disappeared when he was young, presumably taken by the Mind of the Six. He was determined to overthrow the Mind of the Six and release the inhabitants of Carcera from their oppressive grip.
As he made his way to the dining quad, Aaron noticed a guard robot interrogating someone about their missing ID badge. He took the opportunity to disappear down the utility hallway that he had discovered a week prior. As he explored, he found an underground path that led to the outermost wall of the dome. Aaron followed the path of the wall around the city and found an old door. He opened the door and let out a loud gasp. He had found a path to the outside world.
It was beautiful. He stepped outside and inhaled deeply, halfway expecting to perish immediately. Nothing happened. He exhaled and took another breath. Again, nothing happened. This confirmed everything he thought he knew about Carcera and the Mind of the Six. Aaron could not believe it. He pinched his arm to make sure it was not a dream. Overcome with excitement, he began to run. Aaron ran at a dead sprint as long as he could, and when his lungs started burning he slowed to a stop. He turned and gazed at the walls of the dome city from outside. His happy expression turned into one of despair. "This isn't right," Aaron thought. "Someone has to... I have to do something about this." He thought about the people suffering inside the city, and he decided to bring down the Mind of the Six and set free the people of Carcera.
Aaron made his way back to the door. Before stepping back inside, he turned and gave one last awe-inspired look at the beautiful world he had just discovered. As he retraced his steps, he began devising a plan to reveal the truth about the world to the inhabitants of Carcera and bring down the Mind of the Six.
To be continued...


Photo: End of the World Prison by Louis Argerich, found on Wikimedia, here.
I chose this photo to represent the cold barrack in which our protagonist, Aaron lives.

Author's Note:  This story is greatly inspired by the tale How the Summer Came, in the American Indian Fairy Tales Unit. In How the Summer Came, all the world is cursed to live in perpetual wintertime until the hero, O-jeeg, journeys to find the way to end the perpetual winter and breaks through the sky barrier, bringing warmth and beauty back into the world. Hopefully I do not give too much away, but O-jeeg sacrifices himself to provide a beautiful world for everyone else. In this first part of my story, we follow Aaron, representative of O-jeeg, as he journeys to discover the beautiful world outside of the dome, which represents the sky O-jeeg breaks through in How the Summer Came. One of my favorite books is George Orwell's 1984, and that is where I found inspiration for describing a different type of cold world in which our characters live. If you have not read 1984, I highly recommend it! It is a great book about bravery, love and tragedy, and it is set in a dystopian future (relative to the year that Orwell wrote the book). There is so much more that I want to write that I could not possibly fit into this week's story, so stay tuned!

Bibliography: Story based off of readings from American Indian Fairy Tales, found here. Specifically, How the Summer Came, found here.

Week 10 Reading Notes: American Indian Fairy Tales Part B

Immediately I notice that these fairy tales give names and personalities to inanimate objects, and I am inspired to write a story in the same fashion. I will give everyday items like staplers and refrigerators names and personalities. Perhaps some items will be essential in helping the protagonist conquer the antagonist, who could also be an object. Like in the story How the Summer Came, I would like to put my character in a cold, lifeless environment to begin the story. He longs for something better, and he remembers how good things used to be. I like dystopian settings in stories, so maybe our antagonist is kept in a cold, emotionless oligarchical society. He is finally able to either escape or overturn the existing regime and free all of the oppressed people. I like the idea of the protagonist having to crash through a barrier or two-way mirror, like O-jeeg had to break through the sky in How the Summer Came. I also like the idea of the protagonist dying as a self-sacrifice for the good of a loved one, just like O-jeeg in How the Summer Came. Perhaps the protagonist will be a daydreamer, much like Neen-i-zu in The Fairy Bride story. That would help explain how he communicates with inanimate objects. Or he could be a magician of sorts, like O-jeeg. I really like how strong-willed Neen-i-zu is despite her mother's desire for her to be normal and marry a hunter. She followed her dreams and eventually did what made her happy. All of these stories inspire my writing for the week. I am considering a strong-willed protagonist in a cold, dystopian environment who daydreams and talks to objects or animals. He knows about the beautiful world outside of the monotone walls that are said to protect the citizens. He finds a way to save everyone and take them back to the beautiful outside world, but he loses his life in the process. Perhaps where he dies a magical tree of life will sprout.


Photo of the wall at the US-Mexico border, taken by Wonderlane and found on Flickr, here.
I chose this photo to represent the wall keeping our protagonist separated from nature in the story I am going to write. It represents oppression and unnatural disharmony.

Bibliography: Stories from American Indian Fairy Tales Unit B, found here.

Week 10 Reading Notes: American Indian Fairy Tales Part A

It is quite obvious that the north wind was disliked by Native Americans because of its tendency to hinder nature's ability to provide for people. The cold winter wind causes plants to die and animals to flee. This forced Native Americans to migrate south in order to survive. The wise storyteller Iagoo encourages children not to fear the wind because it is no match for a strong fire. In the story of Shin-ge-bis Fools the North Wind, Shin-ge-bis is not afraid of the North Wind because he is prepared and confident. I think it is a good story that teaches children not to fear nature, but to respect that there is a balance in nature.
I really enjoy the colorful description of nature and the animals. The environment is described vividly to set the tone. I think it is neat to tell a story in which all of the animals and humans are kind to each other and live in harmony. In the story of the Little Boy and Girl in the Clouds, the coyote is eager to help the humans. He also gives wise advice in looking for a solution, instead of asking how a problem came to be. The coyote is unable to retrieve the lost children, and none of the other animals are successful in that endeavor either. This story then becomes one of not judging a book by its cover and even the smallest animals can be helpful. The wee little worm is the unsuspecting hero of the story, and he returns the children home safely. Perhaps I will write a story about an unexpected hero that does not get the credit he deserves at first.
The story of the Child of the Evening Star just warms my soul in many ways. I love that the youngest, fairest daughter chooses to marry Osseo despite his appearance, but because he is pure of heart. Then he turns out to be the son of the Evening Star! Though his good fortune becomes his wife's dismay, all ends well when her beauty is restored, and they go to live among the stars. The continuing theme seems to be that good things will happen to people who are pure and good. I'd like to write about that.


The Historian by E. Irving Couse. I chose this photo to represent the importance of storytellers in Native American culture. Found on Wikimedia, here.

Bibliography: American Indian Fairy Tales by W.T. Larned, unit A, found here.

Week 9 Storytelling: Thomas and Harold

The annual Science Fair was coming up, and Jefferson Middle School was abuzz with anticipation. Thomas was one of Jefferson's most promising students, and it was rumored that he was working on building a rocket for his science project this year. He was the favorite to win the grand prize, and the teachers had a pool going, giving Thomas 5-to-1 odds to win. Thomas was soft-spoken and a little socially awkward, and this resulted in his regular subjection to bullying from Harold, a brutish numbskull. Swirlies and being stuffed into a locker had become part of Thomas' weekly routine, but he found solace in books and learning as much as he could.
Harold had gotten wind of the rumors surrounding Thomas' rocket science project, and he devised a plan to build a rocket of his own and sabotage Thomas' science experiment. A few days before the Science Fair, Harold was approaching Thomas in the hallway, and Thomas froze, expecting the worst. "Please be gentle," pleaded Thomas.
"Don't worry, I'm not going to hurt you today, " scoffed Harold. "I need you to help me with something."
"Help you?" said Thomas. "Why would I help you?"
"Listen my dad said I can't go anywhere for spring break unless I pass my next math test. I know you're good with numbers and stuff, so if you tutor me and I pass, I'll lay off the bullying, and maybe we can be friends."
Thomas sensed something was amiss. "How do I know you'll really stop pushing me around?"
Harold smiled and politely said, "I really don't mean all the mean things I say and do. I'm sorry I was so rude before. If you help me out, I think we could really get along!"
Thomas was still a little puzzled. "O-o-okay, whatever you want," he stammered.
"Good," said Harold. I'll come to your house tonight to get started." Harold proceeded to walk off down the hallway.
Thomas still had a confused look on his face. "Something's up," he said. "I don't trust that Harold."
That night Harold showed up at Thomas' house for tutoring. Before long, Harold was asking questions about Thomas' science project, and Thomas showed him where he worked on his rocket. Harold knew what he would have to do. So the following night, when he returned to Thomas' for tutoring, he asked Thomas to fetch him a glass of water. While Thomas was in the kitchen, Harold escaped to Thomas' workroom, and stole the rocket. Thomas was none the wiser, and Harold successfully pretended that nothing happened, and made his way home with his prize.
The Science Fair was held the following day, and Harold set up his exhibit with pride, ready to accept the grand prize. Thomas walked by, and Harold smirked. "Good luck today," said Thomas calmly. "I hope your rocket does well!"
Harold was utterly confused. "Why are you so happy?" said Harold. "You don't even have a rocket now! There's no way you could have made another one overnight!"
Thomas flashed a sly smile and said, "we'll see about that."
Now Harold was a bit panicky, but still certain that he would win the grand prize, and Thomas would look foolish.
Now it came time for the demonstration of the rockets. Harold All the judges gathered round as Harold set off to launch his rocket into the sky. Harold began the countdown, "Ten... nine... eight..."
He pulled out the ignition switch and hit the shiny red button as he counted "one." The crowd held their breath, but nothing happened. Harold looked at the ignition switch puzzled. He smashed the button repeatedly until, all of a sudden, the rocket let out a rising whizzing noise that climaxed with the rocket exploding into flames.
"NO!" cried Harold as the judges and onlookers all laughed.
Thomas walked up and pulled another rocket out of his backpack. "Let me show you how it's done," he said, hitting the ignition switch. In a bright flash, the rocket sped through the sky high into the clouds. The judges cheered and applauded, and Thomas was announced the winner of the Science Fair grand prize.
"How did you do it?!" Harold screamed at Thomas.
Thomas replied, "I knew something was amiss when you started asking questions about my rocket. You have never shown an interest in science before, and so I figured you were planning on sabotaging my science project. I replaced the rocket I showed you with a dummy, and I armed it to explode when you tried to launch it."
Now the judges heard what had happened, and Harold was disqualified, and made to repeat the eighth grade as his punishment. Thomas went on to become the head scientist at NASA. The End.


Photo Proton Zvezda from NASA, found on Wikimedia, here. I chose this photo because the rocket launch is the point in the story where our protagonist prevails victorious against the evil antagonist.

Author's Note: Thomas and Harold is based on the Cherokee Myths about the clever trickster rabbit and the cunning terrapin. In the stories How the Rabbit Stole the Otter's Coat and Why the Possum's Tail is Bare the rabbit is depicted as a thief who tricks other animals with his cunning and wit. In the story of How the Terrapin Beat the Rabbit, however, the terrapin (tortoise) uses his wit to trick the rabbit into thinking he'd lost a race. In a true underdog tail, the tortoise outwits the clever hare. I modeled my modern-day take of a science fair conspiracy after these characters and events. I got the idea for the Science Fair as a way to publicly humiliate the antagonist, just as the rabbit publicly humiliates the Possum in Why the Possum's Tail is Bare. I wanted to write a story in which the rabbit gets what's coming to him, and to demonstrate karma.

Bibliography: Story based on stories from Cherokee Myths Unit, Myths of the Cherokee by James Mooney, found here.

Week 9 Reading Notes: Cherokee Myths Part A

I chose to read the Cherokee Myths Unit because I am one very, very tiny part Cherokee.
The story of the creation of the world is unique and interesting. I especially like the idea that the underworld is the same as their world, but in opposite seasons, and they know this because the water is warmer than the winter air and colder than the summer air. To me, that communicates a truly creative sense of balance in an environmentally conscious culture.
I like that the story of discovering fire uses only animal characters to retrieve the fire. It signifies their strong belief in and respect of nature. I love that the water spider was the ultimate hero, successfully retrieving the fire. I did not see that coming!
The myths about the sun and moon are elaborate and thoughtful. The stories range from the playing of games to frogs attempting to devour the sun and moon. Also, pointing at a rainbow will cause joint inflammation; who knew?!
In the Deluge, like any good flood story, everyone dies, save one man and his family, but not before drowning the family dog.
The Cherokee obviously believed that tobacco had healing powers, and smoking was a large part of their culture. The story of how the hummingbird was able to retrieve the tobacco plant and seeds, and ultimately save an old woman's life, reinforces the idea that every piece of nature is important, no matter how small or seemingly insignificant. This makes me want to write a story about an underdog!
The rabbit is depicted as a clever trickster, and is ample inspiration for an antagonist. He can trick anyone, and he is a survivalist. This will make him a formidable opponent for my underdog. The hare seems to steal things from people by tricking them. This gives me the idea of making the antagonist a thief of some kind.
Wow! How the terrapin fools the rabbit with his own cunning wit in a version of the tortoise and the hare! Now I've got the inspiration for my underdog protagonist.


Photo of The Tortoise and the Hare by Milo Winter from Aesop for Children, found on Wikimedia, here.

Bibliography: Part A of the Cherokee Myths Unit, Myths of the Cherokee by James Mooney, found here.

Week 8 Growth Mindset

I do the minimum, and often less than that, especially when it is something I do not enjoy, or when something does not meet my expectations. I can't seem to find the energy, motivation, or time to push myself further. I feel like I am struggling to survive. My dislike of the system of grading discourages me from focusing on learning. Instead of enjoying learning, I am beating myself up over grades. My short term view and long term view never seem to coincide. I try to set goals for myself, but I feel like the people who are really in charge of my time are my boss, teachers and classes, and my parents. At the end of the day, I have no time to pursue something meaningful to myself. I took a risk by going out on a limb and taking a class that I thought would be good for me. I ended up having to drop the class, and I'm still struggling with my studies. I love learning, but I'm not good at school. I guess I'm doing what's easy, at least that's what I feel like I'm supposed to say, even though it feels like what I'm doing is very hard. I've always been pretty good at doing things right the first, second or third time, so I get frustrated when I struggle with things. I always wait until the last minute because it seems that I can't find time to live a healthy life and complete tasks ahead of time. I am always anxious about everything I have to do because I do not have confidence that I can get it done in time. If I get it done in time, it is never my best work and that is disappointing. I am a perfectionist, and, as a result, I never finish anything because I get frustrated. I'm seeing my friends and family less and less, and not by choice. I hate my ideas and I hate my writing.
As for positives, I am being more mindful of how I treat others and I am trying to be the best person I can. I am doing very well in two classes, one of which I care deeply about. I am becoming a resource to others when they need help. I am very confident in my technical ability when it comes to production and post-production. I'm trying hard to find the positives in each day, especially when I'm unhappy.
I guess all I can do is keep going.

I would like to enjoy learning again. Photo found on Laura's Growth Mindset Memes Blog, here.

Week 7 Reading Notes: Japanese Mythology Part A

The story of Izanagi and Izanami almost immediately establishes a strong culture of patriarchy and male-dominated society apparent in Japanese history and lifestyle. The juxtaposition of good and evil in the form of deities is also existent in Japanese mythology, as demonstrated by sibling gods Amaterasu and Susa-no-wo. I really find it interesting that they gods bestowed "godlike powers" upon the earth people of Yamato. It's very neat that they consider wisdom, valour and craft, justice, mercy and love "godlike powers." That's a perspective I have not seen a lot of before. The gods becoming jealous of the way Izanami treats earth children is somewhat common in other mythology as well. Balance is very apparent in Japanese culture and mythology; Amaterasu and Susa-no-wo, Fire and Water. In the story of the Eight-Forked Serpent of Koshi, I think it was clever to brew sake at 8 times the normal strength, because obviously a serpent with 8 heads needs 8 times the sake to get drunk. I wonder why Ashinadzuchi and Tenadzuchi hadn't thought of that before!
I really like stories about epic monsters and heroes that set out to slay the monsters. I'm considering writing a story in which a monster of epic proportions is terrorizing a community, and so a hero comes forth to rescue everyone. In his quest, he finds that the monster is really a misunderstood character, and it does not want to hurt people anymore, or has a good reason for doing so. The moral of the story will be something along the lines of 'don't judge a book by its cover' or 'everyone comes from a different background' or 'you don't know why someone is having a bad day'. It will be a story of understanding and tolerance and compromise.


Susa-no-wo slaying the eight-headed dragon, painting by Tsukioka Yoshitoshi, found on Wikimedia, here.

Bibliography: Romance of Old Japan, Part 1: Mythology and Legend by E.W. Champney and F. Champney, found in the Japanese Mythology Unit 1, here.

Week 6 Reading Notes: Tibetan Folk Tales Part A

I chose to read the Tibetan Folk Tales because I am unfamiliar with Tibetan culture, but I have heard of Tibetan Buddhism and Tibetan monks, and that sounded interesting.
I love the little guy that outsmarts the big predators in the Tiger and the Frog story. I tend to cheer for underdogs, and this story shows how intimidating a smart frog can be to a hungry tiger.
The story of the Cony Who Got into Bad Company is a smart story about a rabbit that hangs out with a crowd that has a reputation for stealing, and he joins in the fun, taking advantage of an old lama. Then the crony was basically banished from his crony civilization because of the poor company he chose to keep.
The story of the Donkey and the Rock is relatable to common attitudes of today. No one wants to take responsibility for actions or come to an understanding. Everyone wants to sue other people and take them to court. In this scenario, the judge comes up with a clever way of dealing with a silly case. I love the twist that everyone who comes to see the trial has to pay to leave.
The story of How the Fox Fell a Victim to His Own Deceit is a good story of jealousy and conspiracy. The fox really just wants attention, in my opinion, but he goes about it in a totally wrong way. He wasn't going to be any happier if the calf and the tiger killed one another. They would make a really strong team together, so his desires were terribly shortsighted. He got what he deserved for trying to tear apart two wonderful friends.
The story of the Ingratitude of Man is a revival of 'don't judge a book by its cover.' The people whom you think are of no use to you often turn out being the people that can help the most. It is important to be nice to everyone, especially when they are helping you out.


Tibetan Tiger image chosen for its relation to Tibet and the prominence of tigers in Tibetan Folklore. Image found on Wikimedia, here.

Bibliography: Tibetan Folk Tales by A.L. Shelton, with illustrations by Mildred Bryant, found here.

Week 5 Reading Notes: Persian Tales Part B

The story of Fayiz and the Peri Wife was a great example of a 'grass is greener on the other side' scenario. First, Fayiz just up and leaves his family and kids on a whim to go marry a sort of deity. Then after a couple of years, he decided that he missed his old life. When he went back, he did what we always knew he would do, and he betrayed the Peri's secret, and he never got to see her again. This guy then abandons his original wife and kids in order to play his flute and sing for the Peri, who he knows he will never see again. This dude just can't be happy with what he has.

The Hemp Smoker's Dream is a comedy in my perspective. This guy got super stoned and went to get his haircut. In a cannabis-induced daydream, he inadvertently swings at the barber! Then the dreamer goes on to apologize, "oh man, I'm sorry, I sure am high right now." This has got to be one of the most interesting days and customers in the barber's life. 

I feel really bad for the bride in The Story of the Wolf-Bride. She is so innocent in this whole thing, and she has no control over the situation. She was destined from birth to turn into a wolf on her wedding night and tear this guy apart. That had to be a traumatic experience, and I bet she never remarried. 

The Man Who Went to Wake His Luck is an idiot. This guy finds luck, and has all the opportunities to take advantage of this luck. But I can't decide if he was just trying to be a really nice guy, or if he really is this stupid. Maybe Persians wanted to send the message that nice guys finish last. 

I think the Tortoise Bowl-on-the-Back and the Fox story would have been better if the audience did not find out that the tortoise had a brother until the end. I would have been way more engaged in the middle of the story. But yet again, the fast animal has yet to beat the tortoise in a footrace. 

The Shepherd Who Found a Treasure story is hard for me to follow, maybe because of the wording or translation. I guess at least this guy traded his wages for a lot of jewels under a rock. That has to be the best trade of his life, and maybe all of history.

The Merchant and the Saffron is all about how you can be a good person, have bad luck, and people will still help you out because you're a good person. It's better to be a good person than rich. 

Shah Abbas and the Poor Mother shook me a bit. This King just likes to mess with people's lives. The Baker is the bad guy in my opinion, but the King is like a clumsy good guy. He tries to help this woman, and that plan goes terribly wrong. I mean she gets her ears cut off! Then he crucifies the Baker, rightfully, in my opinion, and the Darogha, who did not really deserve it. The Baker is kind of like the people on planes that hear someone who looks Middle-Eastern speak in a language that they assume is Arabic, and they immediately freak out, calling them a terrorist with no basis other than their own prejudice. The Baker assumed the poor lady could have only come across this ring by stealing. He got it in the end though. 

Shah Abbas I and Vali Muhammad Khan. From Chehel Sotoun palace, Isfahan, found on Wikimedia, here.

Bibliography: Persian Tales translated by D.L.R. Lorimer and E.O. Lorimer, illustrated by Hilda Roberts, found here.

Week 5 Reading Notes: Part A - Persian Tales

I decided to read the Persian Tales this week because I have a friend who was born in Iran, and I would like to see if maybe he has heard these fairy tales growing up. I can't say that I know much about Persian tales or folklore, so I was excited to read and identify similarities between these stories and the ones I read growing up.
I love the immediate jump to "let's go and fight" in the Wolf and the Goat story. The author really wasted no time in letting the reader know what the big conflict was going to be. I like the happiness of the story; the baby goats don't get eaten, the goat outwits the wolf, and the baby goats are all reunited.
Wow, the story of the City of Nothing-in-the-World was fascinating! I love how imaginative the author was. The girl's story gets more and more farfetched as it continues. I feel like the author was playful in how the girl's adventure is wild and included her climbing into a melon and a tree growing on a chicken's back. I want to write something just as outlandish.
Everyone is so kind and sympathetic in the story of Susku and Mushu. It's a real tragedy that Susku dies after such a happy beginning to a story. I love how all the characters introduced show solidarity for Mushu's loss. It seems like the whole world was affected by Susku's death.
The story of the Boy who Became a Bulbul escalated quickly! I can't imagine a scenario where I would make a bet with my dad, and the loser of the bet gets his head chopped off. However, beheading was a common punishment for many things in that part of the world, so maybe this was only a slight exaggeration. Either way, I am happy the boy got his revenge, and his sister got candy.
The Wolf-Aunt story is a great way to convince men to listen to their wives. I think it is a good lesson to learn that some things are too good to be true.
The stories all start and end with the same line, I find that quite interesting as well.

Photo of Red-whiskered Bulbul bird by Nilesh Waradkar, found here.

Bibliography: Persian Tales translated by D.L.R. Lorimer and E.O. Lorimer, and illustrated by Hilda Roberts, found here.

Week 4 Storytelling: The Kind King and Loyal Dragon

There was once a great King and Queen who ruled over all of the land. Peace and happiness was abundant under their rule, and all of their subjects loved them. The King had a pet Dragon who was his best friend and confidant. The King had gotten lost in the Great Forest as a child, and the Dragon, who was also young, found the King and returned him to the safety of his kingdom. From that moment on, the two were inseparable. The King grew strong and wise over the years, and the Dragon was always by his side.
The King met the Queen when he was walking through the streets making conversation with the people in his kingdom, as was his custom. She caught his eye as she was collecting water from a well, and the King immediately fell in love. He charmed her with his jokes and calm demeanor, and she sang with a voice likened to that of the most heavenly angels. Within a month they were married, and the three - the King, the Queen and the Dragon - lived in harmony for some time.
One day many years later, a traveller happened upon the castle where they stayed. He was weary, for his travels had taken him a long way through the Great Forest. The traveller asked for a bed and to be fed, and the King was happy to oblige. The traveller received a room in which to stay and a bath so he could relax a little, for he was quite exhausted from his journey. The King requested that he attend dinner in the great hall with himself and the Queen.
The traveller took his rest, and made his way to the great hall to dine. Upon his arrival, the King greeted him heartily. When the traveller saw the Queen, their eyes locked, and the two were struck with desire. Dinner was served and conversation was had, but the traveller and the Queen could not resist staring at each other. The King took no notice, for he was so in love with his Queen, and he was certain of her love for him.
When the dinner was over, the traveller thanked his gracious host and made way to his room. A few minutes later, a handmaiden of the Queen delivered a message to the traveller, asking him to meet her in a secret passage. The traveller, led by the handmaiden, made his way to the secret passage where he found the Queen waiting for him. They talked and drank wine, and they fell madly in love with one another. They made a plan to run away together.
The next day, the King woke to discover that his wife was gone, as was the traveller. He was distraught and heartbroken. He cursed the gods, he cursed his wife, and he cursed his kind nature for letting the traveller stay in his castle. The King called upon his Dragon to find the adulterous pair, and to do what must be done. The Dragon took flight on his mighty wings, and scanned far and wide with his sharp eyes. He discovered a set of footprints, two sets to be exact, that disappear into the Great Forest. With a mighty breath, he set fire to the Great Forest, hoping to discover the Queen and the traveller. He did not discover them until the entire forest had been set ablaze. They knelt before him and begged for forgiveness, but the Dragon's loyalty to the King was unwavering. The Dragon inhaled deeply, and set the lustful lovers ablaze.
The Dragon returned to the King and shared the unfortunate news. The King wept for ten days and nights, and his tears filled the ashes of the Great Forest. The tears he cried gave new life to the forest, but it became a haunting place, full of ghosts and monsters. All that can be heard when the wind whistles through the trees are the cries of the Queen and the traveller as they were burned to a crisp. And the King lived out his days with his loyal friend, Dragon. The End.

Painting The Storm, by Pierre Auguste Cot, found on Wikimedia here.
I chose this painting because it looks like lovers are fleeing into the forest.

Author's Note: I wanted to base this story on the story of the Wax Crocodile. In the original story, a scribe's wife falls in lust with a handsome young man, and they have an affair. When the scribe learns about what had happened, he carves a crocodile out of wax and puts a spell on it. He releases the wax crocodile into the lake where the handsome young man normally bathes. The wax crocodile comes to life and snatches up the young man while he bathes. The scribe's adulteress wife perishes when the scribe orders her to be tied to a stake and burned alive. I took out the magic crocodile, and replaced it with a dragon, which sounded way cooler to me. In the end, both of the lovers burn, just like the adulteress in the original story. In a way, my story is about loyalty. The dragon and the king have a long history of friendship, and they have never betrayed one another. I added their friendly backstory to make the dragon's actions seem more justified. I also added some drama by having the cheating couple try to run away. This made the story a little more exciting. The moral of the story is that a loyal friend is better than a disloyal wife, no matter how beautifully she sings, and that bad things can happen to good people.

Bibliography: Based on The Wax Crocodile, from Egyptian Myth and Legend by Donald Mackenzie, found here.

Week 4 Reading Notes: Ancient Egyptian Myths and Stories

I have never studied ancient Egyptian mythology, and I found the creation story very fascinating. I love that it resembles Greek mythology in that Ra came from Nu, the first existing god, and Ra actually became more powerful than Nu, like Zeus and his Titan father Cronos. I like that Ra then creates whichever gods he sees fit, and anything he thinks of appears before him.
The story of Isis and Ra's secret name piques my interest by showing similarities to biblical and greco-roman mythology. The serpent created by Isis reminds me of the serpent that tempts Eve in the biblical creation story. The serpent is also a symbol of evil. Like the Greek and Roman gods, the Egyptian gods also show human characteristics of evil, deception and lust for power. They are not represented as perfect, sinless deities.
I found the story of Ra's journey through Duat, the underworld, long and tedious. It seems like everyone is a serpent at one time or another, both good and bad. I find it curious that Ra just creates gods and beings as he sees fit. However, it is an interesting concept that at night time the sun god Ra is making his way through the underworld.
In the story of Osiris, I get the idea that Ra was not a very good ruler of men on earth. Osiris comes along and teaches men how to farm and how to pray, and all is happy and peaceful. Then, of course, Set had to come along and ruin everything. Some people just don't like peace.
While I think Set is a morally bad guy, I understand the necessity of conflict in storytelling. The story is boring if it is always peaceful and happy. Something bad must happen to stir the pot. And, for some reason, I have a feeling that I will read more about Osiris later.
Unlike greco-roman mythology, gods and men alike seem to come back to life quite frequently and easily. It seems like Isis was going to take a baby and try to summon Osiris' spirit into him. I would have liked to read that, and perhaps I will write about that. I prefer that idea to the actualities of Osiris being mummified and brought back to life to become god of the dead.
Talk about action! The story of the wax crocodile was my favorite. There is drama and conflict when the scribe's wife falls in love with the young man. There is magic and revenge when the scribe creates a real, monster crocodile out of wax, who in turn eats the young man. Then, as if that wasn't enough, they burn the scribe's wife at the stake! Whoa.

Photo of sculpture of Set, Osiris and Iris. Found on Wikimedia, here. I chose this image because I find the story of these three to be the most interesting.

Bibliography: Egyptian Myth and Legend by Donald Mackenzie, from the Ancient Egypt Unit, found here.

Story, Week 3: The Boy Pilot

The Boy Pilot

Dylan, a boy of 15 argues with his father in the living room of their farm house. Dylan's father, Joe, has been a crop dusting pilot for over 20 years, and has taken his son flying many times. However, he has never let Dylan pilot the plane alone.

"But, Dad! I've flown with you lots of times!" Dylan pleaded. "I'm ready to take her up myself!"
Dylan's voice was rising in pitch, and his face getting redder with frustration.
"I know you think you're ready," said Dylan's father, Joe, "but you just don't have enough experience. You can take the plane out solo when I say you're ready. That's final."
"Fine!" screamed Dylan.
Dylan stomped angrily to his room, and slammed the door behind him. He was furious that his father would not let him take the plane, but he was determined to fly solo, one way or another. There in his room he devised a plan to steal the plane for a few hours the following morning. Dylan thought if his father saw him fly alone without incident, that he would admit he was wrong, and allow Dylan to fly solo whenever he wanted.

Dylan woke early the next morning, well before his father and the sun. He poked his head out of his room to make sure the coast was clear. He tiptoed through the house, being sure to escape through the back door, aware that the front door was accustomed to creaking loudly when opened. He gently closed the door behind him, and made his way to the makeshift hangar, converted from what was once a big red barn.

Dylan swung the barn door open, revealing a yellow two-seat plane. He ran through the routine pre-flight checklist, being as thorough as possible. Joe's words echoed in the back of Dylan's mind, only fueling his determination to prove his father wrong. He knew he would have to move quickly, for his father would surely wake upon hearing the engine roar to life. It was time.

Dylan flipped switches, and the ignition fired up. He worked rapidly, throttling and steering to line up on the runway. The only thing between Dylan and the sky was a quarter-mile strip of freshly cut grass. He took a deep breath and began accelerating for takeoff. The smile on his face grew exponentially as the plane gained speed. He pulled slowly on the yoke, and suddenly, the plane lifted gracefully from the ground without incident. Dylan let out a yelp of joy, and looked over his shoulder to see his father stumbling out of the house just in time to catch takeoff.

Dylan had filled the plane with enough fuel to stay airborne for about an hour, and he had every intention of staying in the air as long as he could. He climbed higher and higher, and he could see the amber light creeping in on the eastern horizon as the sun worked it's way into the skyline. As he looked westward, he saw a dark wall of clouds revealing themselves as the light grew brighter. He thought nothing of it, for he was overcome with excitement.

He flew around for another half hour, dipping and diving, when suddenly, the plane began bouncing through heavy turbulence. The clouds he had ignored in his gleeful state had engulfed the plane, completely impeding his vision. He began to panic, and he struggled to keep composure. He flipped switches and wrestled with the yoke, but it was no use. The plane was trapped in a violent storm. Dylan thought it best to try to head back home. He couldn't see the ground below him, so he directed the plan downward into a nosedive. As he could start to see the ground, the plane was struck by lightning, causing all of the controls to go dead, and sending the plane into a tailspin. Dylan fought to gain control, but it was useless. The altimeter dial spun incessantly, and the yoke remained immovable. All he could do was watch helplessly as the ground sped nearer and nearer.

Suddenly, the plane collided with the ground in a fiery explosion not far from the farm house. Joe yelled wildly as he sprinted to the wreckage. He dove in and pulled Dylan's lifeless body from the flames, and tried to revive his son. His efforts proved to be in vain, and all he could do was weep.
The End.

Photo of Air Tractor by Jenni Jones, found on Wikimedia.

Author's Note: Based on the story Phaethon and the Sun, my story follows Dylan, the son of a seasoned pilot, as he begs his father to fly the plane, and, ultimately, flies into a storm and crashes to his death. Dylan fails to take his Father's advice seriously, just like Phaethon ignored his father's warnings. Dylan's plane is struck by lightning, just as Jupiter strikes Phaethon.

Bibliography: This story is based on the stories Phaethon and the Sun and Phaethon's Ride, and is part of Ovid's Metamorphoses, as translated by Tony Kline, found here.

Storytelling Week 2: Aimee with the Good Friends

Aimee opened her mailbox, the one in the lobby of the Grand Maison, a tiny apartment building in the heart of Brooklyn, only to find a flyer for half off pizza at Antonio's Pizzeria and a utility bill.

"That's okay," she thought to herself. "Tonight is going to be a good night." She climbed four flights of stairs and walked into a messy studio apartment, threw down her keys, and started cleaning. She had big plans for the night and needed to prepare. Aimee had lots of friends to call to extend an invite for the night's gathering. 

With a phone tucked between her ear and shoulder, Aimee began to call all the friends she could think of, while putting away various laundry strewn about the tiny apartment. "Jill?!" Aimee said as she pulled a sock from under the bed. "Do you think you can make it to my place tonight for a party?"

"Umm," stammered Jill, "I will try, but work has been crazy lately, and my boss has us working like 80 hours a week. He was pretty mad earlier, so it looks like I'm in for a long night."

"Oh, okay. I'm sorry," responded Aimee. "I hope you don't get kept too late! I'd love to see you!"

"Yeah, me too. We're just really swamped here. I'll let you know!"

"Okay, later, Jill," said Aimee. 

Next, Aimee called her friend George. "Hi George! It's Aimee."

"Hi Aimee, what's up?" said George. 

"Oh just tidying up," replied Aimee. "I'm having a party tonight, do you think you could make it?"

"That sounds like fun, but I got into a car accident today, and I'm still feeling a little light-headed," he stated nonchalantly. "The doctor said I should take it easy tonight."

"Oh that's terrible! Are you alright?" said Aimee. "You should definitely stay home tonight, I understand."

"Yeah, I'll be alright," said George. "Have a good party. Talk to you later."

Aimee hung up, and she was starting to feel discouraged. She stopped scrubbing the kitchen and decided to try another phone call. 

"Hey Tiffany, how's it going?" Aimee said hopefully. 

"Hey Aimee! Things are good here. What's going on with you?" replied Tiffany. 

"I'm getting ready to host a party. Do you have plans tonight?" she asked desperately.

"Oh shoot, I'm supposed to have a date tonight. We are getting drinks at Clubhouse. I mean, you could join us if you want."

"That's alright," said Aimee. "I'm happy for you! We can get together another time I guess."

"Sounds good, Aimee. Wish me luck!"

"Good luck," replied a despondent Aimee, and she hung up. 

"Why doesn't anyone want to come to my party? None of my friends care about me," Aimee sobbed to herself. Suddenly, her phone started to ring. 

"Hello?" answered Aimee as she wiped away tears. 

"Hey Aimee, it's me, Truman, your friend!" Truman boomed through the earpiece. 

"Truman! I'm having an awful time. No one wants to come to my party!" she cried.

"Oh nonsense, who needs them anyway?" he replied sympathetically. "Why don't you come outside? I'm here to pick you up. Let's go have a drink."

"Truman, I knew I could count on you!" she exclaimed.

She ran downstairs and gleefully hopped into Truman's car. "Where should we go?" she asked.

"I've got a place in mind," said Truman confidently. 

She smiled, and off they drove. They drove for about ten minutes before Truman pulled into a parking spot in front of a house. "I've got to grab some things from a business associate. Would you mind coming in? It will only take a minute," he said.

"This isn't what I had in mind, but alright," she responded. 

They walked up to the door, and Truman held the door for Aimee to enter first. 

"SURPRISE!!" shouted a cheerful group of people as Aimee entered the house. She was quite startled and gave out a little scream. She looked around for half a moment, trying to gather her bearings. She realized that Jill, George, and Tiffany were gathered in front of the crowd, and this was a birthday party for Aimee. 

"I thought you'd all forgotten my birthday! You had me fooled!"

"How could we forget our lovely friend Aimee's birthday?!" responded George.

"Happy birthday Aimee!" exclaimed Jill.

"Let's cut some cake," suggested Tiffany. 

And they proceeded to have the best time they had ever had together. The End. 

Photo, Party, was found on Wikipedia, and link to Wikimedia here.

Author's Note: This story was based on The Hare with Many Friends in Aesop's Fables. In The Hare with Many Friends a very popular hare is in dire need of some assistance, but all five of the friends he asks for help conjure up excuses, and the hare perishes. Aimee represents the hare in this story. However, I wanted this story to have a happy ending, so her friends blow her off with made-up excuses, and then surprise her with a birthday party. The name Aimee comes from French, and means 'beloved friend,' and Truman, meaning 'loyal,' is the name I chose for her friend that doesn't forget about her. However, we find out that no one forgot, and they have a great time.  The friends all came up with excuses just like the friends in The Hare with Many Friends. In this case, it was a good thing. I really wanted to toy with the reader's emotions. I hoped to lead the reader down a dark path, and make them feel that this is a terribly sad story. Much like life, however, sometimes days that start off terribly can end really positively. I was a little inspired by the movie "Sixteen Candles," on which I based the idea of it being the main character's birthday and people close to her 'forget' about it. (Let's be honest though) With Facebook Birthday reminders, no one really forgets birthdays anymore. So for the sake of this story, no one checks their Facebook account that day.

Bibliography: The Hare with Many Friends, from Joseph Jacob's The Fables of Aesop. Found here.

Reading Notes: Aesop's Fables (Jacobs), Part A

Bibliography: The Fables of Aesop by Joseph Jacobs, Unit 1 found here.

Notes:
I really enjoy reading fables, especially because of the animal characters. Every different animal has its own distinct characteristics, talents and hindrances. For example, lions are universally feared, foxes are regarded as clever tricksters, and mice are generally friendly. I would like to write my story with human characters, but perhaps using similar characteristics to create distinct personalities. I really like the morals at the end of each story as well. I was surprised to notice similarities between some of the morals in the stories and modern stories. The Lion's Share reminded me immediately of George Orwell's political anti-communist novel, Animal Farm. The story The Hare with Many Friends told the saddest story, in my opinion. A seemingly happy social butterfly realizes that his friends are only superficial, and this realization is overwhelmingly lonely. I think I'd like to include a character like the Hare in that story, but with a happier outlook, and certainly less lonely. I'd also like to include an antagonist that gets braver as the story goes on, much like the fox in The Fox and the Lion. I can't help but laugh at the dog who drops his food into the pond in The Dog and the Shadow. I would like to write a character like that for comic relief. I think these stories are sparking my interest, and I'm excited to put some ideas on paper.

Illustration of The Dog and the Shadow by Walter Crane. Found here.

Growth Mindset

I had not heard of Carol Dweck nor the concept of Growth Mindset before this week. I have, however, had similar discussions with my father about education systems and the way we reward students. I tend to struggle with a fixed mindset. School was very easy for me for most of my life, and when I began struggling with new concepts, I felt stupid if I did not understand something immediately. It really started to affect me very negatively, so much so that I was often quite unhappy with myself. I think what I started to focus my energy on is the idea that it is alright, even good, to be wrong. Being wrong presents an opportunity to learn and improve, which is something we should always want to do. I like that Carol extends the definition of growth mindset beyond the classroom, and into relationships and personal life. This is a neat concept, and I hope it motivates me to change some habits. Something that I am focusing on is the concept of happiness. I like to ask myself, "am I happy?" and, "am I bringing happiness to others?". These questions help remind me that there is very little that I can control, and that everything is going to be alright. 

This image speaks directly to me. Rest is vital to maintaining a positive mindset. Found on Laura Gibbs' Growth Mindset Meme Page. 

Tips for Starting the Semester

Some of my favorite ways to prepare for a successful semester include printing lecture notes, communicating with professors, and meeting classmates. Many professors post lecture or power point notes on D2L, or now Canvas, at the beginning of the semester. I find it best to print off any notes available as early as possible. Look over the next lecture's notes before you actually go to lecture. Things will make a lot more sense, and you will already have some questions in mind that the professor will probably answer in class. In addition, I like to take handwritten notes directly on the lecture notes I have printed out. You remember things better when you write them down by hand. Talk to your professors, especially in person. They like to match a face to a name. Professors are incredible resources and can lead to references, internships, or jobs. Visit during office hours, because most students don't, and your professor will remember that when it counts. Get to know your classmates as well! You never know when you might miss class and need to catch up on what you missed. Also, you're going to see your classmates around campus, and it will be much nicer to say hi to each other as opposed to awkwardly ignoring one other. Plus, you might have more classes together, or you could become best friends.

Photo of students studying. Wikimedia.

Reading Options

Week Two Choice: Myth Folklore Unit: Aesop's Fables (Jacobs)
I am not very familiar with Aesop's Fables, at least not to my knowledge, but the description said they have been very influential for over 200 years, so that is why I am choosing to read them.

Other Interesting Units:
Myth Folklore Unit: Native American Hero Tales
This unit caught my attention because I am interested in Native American spirituality and identity. I figured this would be a good way to understand Native American culture.

Myth Folklore Unit: The Monkey King Sun Wu Kung
I am interested in Asian mythology, and the Monkey King is apparently a very famous character in Chinese folklore and literature.

Myth Folklore Unit: King Arthur
I grew up loving the stories of King Arthur and the knights of the round table. The tales of bravery, magic and betrayal have stuck with me throughout my life. I'm looking forward to going back over these stories.


This is the image from the Monkey King Sun Wu Kung unit. I like the artwork and style.
The Monkey King by Yoshitoshi.

Storybook Favorites

Hero Visa Pending by Elizabeth Harper

The story Hero Visa Pending is told through the eyes of Hades' stand-in receptionist, Kyle, who is in charge of making heroes wishing to enter the underworld fill out the proper paperwork required for admittance. The topic caught my attention because of the casual office setting described and the nonchalant, humorous depiction of Hades, god of the underworld. I like that the writer used stories outside traditional Greco-Roman mythology. It shows creative playfulness in writing, and the interactions of characters from entirely different worlds make for an interesting storyline.
The author was very thoughtful in crafting her stories, and I think she was very creative in weaving together characters from different backgrounds. I know a little about all of the individual 'heroes' we encounter, but the writer goes into great detail to explain each story's background.

Deeper Into the Forest by Emily Suderman

The story Deeper Into the Forest introduces our hero, an adventurous prince, in a dark, scary forest. The introduction set the scene extremely well, and leaves the reader wanting more. I was attracted to this story because of the engaging introduction that leaves the reader on a cliffhanger, and because I know very little about the stories of the Brothers Grimm. I was intrigued to find out the hero's complete story, as well as be introduced to stories with which I am unfamiliar. The images throughout the stories add to the mystery and intrigue of the dark forest setting. As for design, the natural wood background positively contributed to creating a 'forest' setting for the reader.

Titan Tales no author listed

The introduction to Titan Tales immediately reels me in for a couple reasons. I am familiar with the stories of Prometheus and Atlas, and I love the idea that the brothers are doing group counseling. The humorous aspect draws me in every time, and the description of the brothers' different personalities is very creative. I wanted to read more immediately, especially to learn more about the other Titans. The stories explore the emotional states and psyches of the fallen Titans, and it gives them human characteristics. The brothers bicker like real siblings might, and the therapist serves as a mother figure that keeps them in check. The writing is really expressive and makes me believe they might interact like that in real life.

 
This is the image from the Hero Visa Pending story by Elizabeth Harper. I thought this was a good depiction of the setting that the introduction described. I imagine Hades would have quite a foyer in which heroes wait and fill out paperwork. Image of hotel foyer design from 3D house - hotel.

Week 1 Introduction to Thorpe

My name is Thorpe Mayes, and I am a 24 year old Junior studying Creative Media Production in Gaylord College at the University of Oklahoma. I currently work in Gaylord for OUTV and KXOU as a remote operations manager. That just means I'm in charge of setting up our live feed at any remote locations we cover. I enjoy good books, such as Hemingway's The Sun Also Rises and Orwell's 1984, as well as any of the Sherlock Holmes stories written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Some of my favorite movies include The Departed, American Psycho, Ex Machina, Fight Club, and anything Wes Anderson or Quentin Tarantino, as well as most of the James Bond films. I like to listen to music by artists such as Flume, Chet Faker, Banks, Toro y Moi, SBTRKT, Shlohmo, Jack Garratt, Mura Masa and billions more. I got to see most of these artists at various festivals in 2014, most notably Coachella. It was amazing. I am studying Creative Media Production with a focus on Corporate and Commercial Media and Cinematography. I would like to be a director or cinematographer when I grow up. I like to laugh, but I love making other people laugh. Sometimes it doesn't work because I'm often the only one who laughs at my jokes. I grew up in Norman, Oklahoma, and I went to high school at Norman North. I have travelled internationally to Italy, Mexico and Nicaragua, and domestically to many states south of the Mason-Dixon line. In my free time I like to travel, camp and hike, play and watch soccer, ride my bicycle, play chess and dominoes,  produce music, take photos and make videos, and drink whisky. I absolutely love Hispanic and Asian foods of all kinds. Last Spring Break I went on a road trip with some friends. We travelled to Colorado Springs, Chaco Canyon, the Grand Canyon, Sedona and Tucson. Aussi, je parle un peu de français.  If you'd like to know anything else, feel free to ask!

This is one of my favorite sunset photos. I took this photo from the top of the parking garage at the OU football stadium.