Famous Last Words: Rest

The week before last was a crazy one! In order to get all of my assignments for other classes, I put this course on the back burner. I am happy to say, I jumped right back up and completed all of my assignments this weeks and completed plenty of extra credit as well!

I spent most of my weekend relaxing and getting ahead in some of my other classes to ensure I have enough time to tackle this course. I have a feeling it's going to be a great week!

My goal for this week is to get just as much, or more, done as I did last week. I am also hoping to finish some of my other class assignments a tad bit earlier so I am able to go get help in office hours if needed. Nothing is worse than spending hours struggling on an assignment that you know would be so easy if you just had a few minutes of help.

Other than that, I don't have too many exciting plans. I may go see an OU theater show this week since my friend is in it and they are always amazing. All of my plans will just depend on how much I end up getting done throughout the course of the week.

Another goal of mine is to get back to working out this week. I have been doing very well this semester, but I took most of last week off in order to get all of my school assignments done without causing myself too much extra stress. I know this will be a struggle becasue I have been so sleepy lately, but I am making it a priority. I feel as though I have more energy and motivation when I have my workout routine in place.

Other than that, life is great and I am excited to see how this week goes!

(Photo from PixaBay.)

Learning Challenge: Sleep Deprivation

This week, I chose to watch the TED-Ed video about what would happen if you didn't sleep.
I think that sleep is such an interesting thing. I have always been a pretty hard sleeper, but I always go through phases where I can't seem to fall asleep at all. Recently, I have been having lots of sleep trouble so this was interesting to listen to and definitely had me digging out some melatonin to reset my sleep cycle this week!

(Photo from Flickr).

Growth Mindset: 29 Ways to Stay Creative

This week, I chose to explore the 29 ways to stay creative.

These were my favorites:

• Carry a notebook everywhere! This was one of my favorites because I do it and it has helped me SO much! You don't realize how many ideas get lost throughout the day until you have somewhere to always write them out.
• Take breaks! I love this because I notice that I am the least creative when I am warn down and trying to overwork myself. 
• Go somewhere new! Going new places sparks new thoughts and ideas like nobody's business! I am a huge fan of this.
• Clean your workspace! I personally get very anxious and overwhelmed if my workspace is not clean, so this one is always a must!

(Photo from PicServer).

Tech Tip: Canvas Calendar

I decided to take a look at the Canvas calendar tech tip and I am SO glad that I did! I am in capstone this semester and another course that includes a semester-long research project with a group and I am hoping to utilize the Canvas calendar for both. I love that you are able to make a group calendar so that everyone can see when our own due dates are as a group. I am hoping this will help us all manage our time throughout this long process.

(Photo from Pexels).

Week 5 Story: Don't Betray Loved Ones

Once upon a time, there was a beautiful queen that was married to the most well-known king of all, Rama. Rama was the strongest of the strong and everyone knew it. Unfortunately, like the sword in the stone, people hearing that it would be impossible to destroy him only encouraged them to challenge him to a battle.

The king seemed to always be gone proving his strength while the queen was left at home. He loved her so dearly that he did not want to bring her along in fear of her getting harmed.

Eventually, the queen became sad and lonely. She missed when Rama would spend time with her and treat her like the royal queen she is.

"It's time," whispered the evil king from the neighboring country with a smirk on his face.

Just as the queen finished sobbing over her loneliness in the royal garden, a man appeared. He complimented the queen as if she were dressed to go to a ball and presented flowers at her feet.

The queen suddenly felt as though her loneliness had been lifted and she couldn't help but smile.

After an hour of visiting, the evil king purposed a question to the queen, "What if you came back with me to my palace and never would have to be lonely again?"

The queen felt as though a huge weight had been lifted off of her shoulders with his offer. Not knowing how to tell Rama, the queen wrote a note expressing her love and sorrow to him, packed a bag, and left with the evil king before Rama returned. 

Little did the queen know, her letter had been replaced by the evil king. Instead, Rama came home to a note that read, "Finders keepers, losers weepers."

Enraged with anger, Rama hopped on his horse and headed towards the evil king's palace as he knew no one else would dare approach his queen but him.

Once Rama arrived, he saw his queen laughing and smiling from the gates and could not help but shed a tear. He loved her so much and she betrayed him for a man of no good.

Rama pulled himself together and stormed into the palace. Within minutes, the evil king was laying in a pool of his own blood and his queen was on the back of his horse in tears as they rode home.

"This should make you think again the next time you want to betray the one who loves you deeply," Rama said as he placed his queen in a prison cell with nothin but the letter from the evil king he had come home to.

(Photo from WikiMedia).

Author's Note:

In the original story, Sita was tricked into being kidnapped by Ravana, a Rackshasa. I changed that to her agreeing to leave with him and by taking out some of the mythological features of the story.

Ravana had Maricha disguise himself as a golden deer to catch Sita's eye. Rama knew that the Rakshasas usually take the form of deer for this reason. He immediately assumed that it was a set-up to draw Sita in and went about what he had to in order to slay the deer. 

In the chase, the deer was wounded and Sita hears the deer's cries in the voice of Rama and goes to try and save him.
Ravana was watching and waiting for Lakshmana, Ravan's brother, to leave Sita on her own so he could sneak towards her. Ravana was in disguise and Sita did not know this. She took his compliments until he began to ask her to leave with him to his kingdom. This shows her loyalty to Rama. Still, Ravana snatched her away. 
Sita calls out to Rama and Lakshmana telling them they she has been stolen by Ravana. Jatayu, a vulture heard Sita and awoke from sleep to go and try to stop Ravana from continuing on as he warned him that Rama would kill him. Jatayu took it upon himself when Ravana refused. He fought until the sky-faring car fell from the sky and Sita landed on his lap. But, Ravana still defeated him once on the ground and continued on with Sita.
Once in Lanka, Sita was stuck in the palace of the demon king. Ravana continued to try and impress Sita, but she refused to accept any of his words. She told Ravana that she would rather die than gratify him by becoming his wife.
In Rama and Jatayu, Rama returned to the hut where Sita had been and found it empty. He immediately knew she had been taken away, but did not know where she was taken to go save her. Rama and Lakshmana searched everywhere for Sita. Eventually, they crossed paths with Jatayu as he lay dying and he told them where to find Sita.

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

Reading Notes: Ramayana, Part B2

One thing that stood out to me from the story about the Battle with Khara was how Rama handeled Sita. I think that Rama showed his love for Sita yet again by having Lakshmana take her to protection as he battled with the demons on his own. 

In the story of Shurpanakha and Ravana, I was not expecting such an intense story. I found the introduction to contain just enough imagery and descriptive words to show the read just how torn the woman was. I do not think I like this story very much to use in my own story telling.

In the story of Ravana and Maricha, I found it interesting that Ravana still wanted to take on Rama after hearing all that he had done. To be so sure of himself to the point of threatening Maricha's life is, what I think, a mistake on his part. I also think it was interesting that Maricha decided to take form of a golden deer to attract Sita's attention and take her. I am excited to read the next to story to see what ends up happening. 

In the Golden Deer, Maricha went on a mission to catch Sita's eye. I was glad that Rama knew that the Rakshasas usually take the form of deer for this reason. He immediately assumed that it was a set-up to real Sita in and went about what he had to in order to slay the deer. 

In the chase, I was surprised to see that the deer was really killed and that Maricha did not change form and escape. Sita hears the deer's cries in the voice of Rama and actually goes to try and save him. I am wondering if she will end up in danger in the next story.

In Ravana and Sita, Ravana was watching and waiting for Lakshmana to leave Sita on her own so he could sneak towards her. Ravana was in disguise and Sita did not know this. She took his compliments until he began to ask her to leave with him to his kingdom. This shows her loyalty to Rama. Still, Ravana snatched her away. I may make this into a story where Ravana asks to help her get to Rama instead and then her end up in his kingdom until Rama comes to save her.

In Jatayu, Sita calls our to Rama and Lakshmana telling them they she has been stolen by Ravana. Jatayu, a vulture heard Sita and awoke from sleep to go and try to stop Ravana from continuing on as he warned him that Rama would kill him. Jatayu took it upon himself when Ravana refused. He fought until the sky-faring car fell from the sky and Sita landed on his lap. But, Ravana still defeated him once on the ground and continued on with Sita.

Once in Lanka, Sita was stuck in the palace of the demon king. Ravana continued to try and impress Sita, but she refused to accept any of his words. She told Ravana that she would rather die than gratify him by becoming his wife.

In Rama and Jatayu, Rama returned to the hut where Sita had been and found it empty. He immediately knew she had been taken away, but did not know where she was taken to go save her. Rama and Lakshmana searched everywhere for Sita. Eventually, they crossed paths with Jatayu as he lay dying and he told them where to find Sita.

(Photo from WikiMedia.)

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

Reading Notes: Ramayana, Part B1

(Photo from WikiMedia).

For this week, I am reading part B of Ramayana.

I really enjoyed the very first story about Dasharatha's death. I found it so interesting how each individual responded to the events at hand. One was calm and almost showed no mourning while the other dropped to his knees and wanted to kill Kaikeyi.
I feel as though if I were to re-tell this story, I would tell it only about Bharata and his feelings as he heard this news.

I also enjoyed hearing about the funeral in the next story. I think I could tie this into my story as well.

In the story of Rama and Bharata, I love what Jabali says. He tells them that they do not need to obey the king any longer for he is dead. It was full of lots of beautiful poetry that honestly got me thinking as well about real like and people that have regrets and such after one passes.

In the next story, I found it beautiful that Bharata went into the jungle with his brother and stayed loyal to the wishes placed upon him.

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