Reading Notes: Ramayana Online, Part B

I read through the next twenty sections of the Ramayana today. I enjoyed quite a few of the different segments, but I decided to take notes over the two that I thought I would have the best time retelling. I focused my notes on those two sinceI have a good idea of how the storytelling should be done.

• The emotional distress that the death of King D caused was apparent
• It was an emotional scene that was captured well within the story
• Bharata had no clue of the events that had been taking place recently
• It was interesting to see that Bharata had no interest in assuming the throne
• He vowed to return his brother Rama from the forest
• I think this shows the loyalty that the brothers had for each other
• This could also be seen from the fact that Rama did not venture exile alone
• Bharata showed self restraint by not taking his frustrations out on the person that had caused such distress
• I think the emotional level will be hard to recreate in a retelling
• He was dealing with the death of his father like any other normal person would
• He was confused by his father's actions and what the purpose of banishing his brother could have been
• The people and the family wept for their fallen king and father
• I think that it would be fun to explore this moment and tap into the emotions of everyone involved
• The dedication that Bharata displays is of note
• He is determined to find his brother that had been banished
• In the end both brothers decided to honor the will of their father
• I am sure that this decision was tough for them to accept 
• However, they abide by what their father wished out of love and respect for him

(A photo displaying the birth of the brothers. Source: Wikimedia Commons)

Bibliography: Ramayana Online from Indian Myth and Legend by Donald A. Mackenzie. Source: Blogspot

Reading Notes: Ramayana Online, Part A

I found the wide variety of names and terms to be a bit confusing when I started to read. I decided to abbreviate names and other terms with one letter to make it easier on myself.

• King D is stuck in a dilemma as he wants to produce an heir to his throne
• He carries out the animal sacrifice to receive the god's blessing to have children
• It was interesting to see that there was a separate storyline going on with Ravana
• I did not expect to see Rama be born as a human avatar
• Rama and his brother V went off to take care of the problems Ravana was starting
• Rama gains possession of his celestial weapons after his first battle
• The story of Ganga is interesting and I could use that for a story idea iteslf
• I could do the same with Ahalya's story
• I think that the love Rama has with Sita is interesting
• I did not expect there to be more avatar's of different gods
• The challenge to marry Sita reminds me of King Arthur and the sword
• I was not surprised to see Rama bend the bow before everyone else
• I liked the character of Para. I think he could play in integral role as he is also an avatar
• I found the wedding ceremony to be confusing with the language used
• I could probably retell it in a way that is easier to follow
• King D is adamant on making Rama the next king
• The many great traits of Rama and won over the hearts of the people

After reading the rest of the sections I decided that I liked the Rama is Banished and Rama Goes Into Exile the best. So, I took some notes on those sections.

• The scene between Rama and his father is very intense and saddening
• The grief that his father is going through is noticeable and very moving
• Rama understands the will of his father
• He does not protest to his banishment
• It says a lot about Rama and his character
• He wants to fulfill the will of his father and be the best son he can be
• The scene was saddening to everyone involved. The attendants wept
• Rama was unmoved and left
• Sita is deeply loyal to Rama and vows to go with him on his journey
• It was nice to see Rama's devotion to him as well
• Rama, his wife, and brother set off for the forest
• I thought it was of note that Rama's wife did not wear the bark as well
• Sita did not have to be bound by the rules that Rama was bound to
• I could not help but feel bad for Rama and the unfortunate events that had fell upon him

I think the last two sections I took notes over are very powerful and integral to the rest of the story. What happened to Rama was unfortunate, but I was happy to see his wife and brother would be accompanying him. I believe that these two sections would be a great story to retell in the future.

(A picture of statues representing Rama and Sita by Ayan Gupta. Source: Wikimedia Commons)

Bibliography: Ramayana Online from Indian Myth and Legend by Donald A. Mackenzie. Source: Blogspot

My Feedback Thoughts

The two articles that I read reiterated a lot of the same thoughts that I have about receiving feedback. The first article (Overcoming the Fear of Feedback) and second article (Eight things to do when you make a mistake) can be found in those links. I think that there was a lot of great information contained in the two different articles. I think a lot of people struggle with receiving feedback due to the fear or not being perfect. The first article really addresses ways to overcome this damaging habit. I used to even struggle with receiving feedback because I was afraid of failure. I did not like the idea of having to address something that I did not complete to my standards. The second article really had some great tips for adjusting to failure and receiving feedback positively. I really like the suggestion of figuring out what you did wrong. I think often times people do not like to address what went wrong in their process. It is actually very helpful to just analyze what you did and identify a way you can improve.

We should not be afraid to receive feedback. It can be an extremely helpful tool in improving our creative process. I have adjusted to receiving feedback over the years, and I think it is such a valuable tool when it comes to learning. I initially learned to receive feedback through athletics. I would always try to apply the things that my coaches were telling me to my game. It was hard at times to not be negative and down on myself, but I think it helped me immensely in the long run. I learned that it was all about having a positive mindset. I would seek out my professors my freshman year for help when I was struggling to grasp a concept. They would often offer their advice and help me adjust my method of preparation and problem solving. I learned that feedback was a necessary part of the process.

(A photo of different faces regarding feedback. Source: Pixaby)

Topic Brainstorm: Indian Epics Storybooks

For my first storybook idea I would really like to delve into the different celestial weapons. I have always liked telling stories about heroes, but I think it would be particularly interesting to write about the origins of their weapons. I do not really have any knowledge on this topic, so it would be fun to learn about the different weapons. I would like to learn about the origins of each weapon and what makes it so special. I would like to possibly make up origin stories for the weapons if I can. I could also tell them in a way where they are the focal point of what makes each different hero great. This is probably the first link that I will explore: Wikipedia.

The second storybook idea that I would like to explore is the epic battles of heroes. I have always liked reading about different heroic figures and their adventures. I particularly liked the battle scenes, so I think this would be right up my alley. I do not really have any knowledge on Indian heroes, so this would be really cool. I would like to learn about the different heroic struggles for power. I could take a lot of different routes with this topic. I could focus on a specific set of heroes, or I could just focus on different epic battle scenes. I could create my own epic battle scenes as well. My first source would be Wikipeida.

The third storybook idea that I have involves focusing on heroic figures specifically. This idea ties into my previous two ideas, but it would be more focused on maybe one or two heroes and their adventures. I do not have knowledge on any Indian heroes. I think this is what makes the project interesting. I would like to learn about Indian heroes and their epic accomplishments. I would most likely tell stories about their travels and achievements. I could do retelling of their adventures or make up completely new ones. The first source that I would use are the comic books.

The final storybook idea that I have involves the thunder god Indra. I am particularly interested in this topic because Indra is no longer worshiped in India. I think it would be cool to learn more about a figure that had been worshiped in the past. I do not have any knowledge on the topic either. I would like to learn about the origins of Indra and what amazing things Indra accomplished. I think I would just like to tell stories about the many awesome things Indra did. I am sure there is plenty of material to work with for that topic. I would most likely just retell them in my own creative way. The first source that I would use is Wikipedia again.

(A photo of the country of India blended with its national flag. Source: Wikimedia Commons)

Week 2 Story: The Deceptive Pelican

There once was a pelican that lived in the deep marshes of the swampy forestland. He had been separated from his flock for the past ten years. He was a loner. This pelican had a reputation for being a real jerk among the local fish population. The pelican constantly preyed upon the small fish that were scattered throughout the different bodies of water in the marsh. He was also a very deceptive and cunning predator. The pelican was always thinking of ways to trick his prey. The pursuit of food was a game to the pelican.

One year, the marshland had become very dry and arid. The water in the marshland was starting to dry up as the temperature rapidly increased. This prolonged period of heat had gone on for quite some time, and it made life difficult for the many different fish living in the marshland. The pelican saw this is an opportunity to feed on the fish that were in desperate need of water. He approached a population of fish that were living in an almost evaporated body of water. Since the pelican was so cleaver, he decided to offer to take the fish to another body of water that was abundant and cool. The fish did not believe the pelican and questioned why their predator was offering them help. So as a signal of good will, the pelican took one of the old and sick fish to the new body of water. He dropped the old fish into the water and let him enjoy the cool sensation. The pelican then scooped up the old fish into his beak and brought him back to the rest of his people.

The old fish excitedly raved and rambled on about how awesome the water was on the other side. The fish were so desperate for water, so they were not very resistant to trusting the pelican now. Every fish began to line up in excitement as they waited for their turn to hop into the pelican's beak. The pelican began to transport five fish at a time in his beak. The pelican would fly over the new body of water and tease the fish. He would then swallow them all in one gulp. The pelican did this over and over until there were no more fish left.

(A picture of a pelican similar to the one in the story. Source: Wikimedia Commons)

Author's Note: I kept my story fairly similar to the source story. The source story details the actions of a crane as he tricks his prey into trusting him. The crane convinces the fish that he would transport them to another body of water that was much cooler and better suited for them. As the fish were desperate to escape their current state, they begin to trust the crane. This would turn out to be fatal as the crane transported each fish individually in his mouth. Instead of taking the fish to the water, the crane would eat them. He completely devastated the population of fish. The crane tried to do this trick on a crab that was nearby. However, the crab was more intelligent than the fish. The crab convinced the crane to transport him to the cool body of water. The crab ended up severing the head of the crane as the crane tried to eat the crab as well. I left this detail out in my story.


Bibliography: The Cunning Crane and the Crab by W.H.D. Rouse. Source: Google Sites

Reading Notes: The Cunning Crane and the Crab, Part B

Since this is my second go around, I have developed a form of note-taking that worked really well for me last semester. I like to read through the story in its entirety and then begin to process my initial thoughts. I will usually read the story a second time and write down whatever comes to my mind. I like to do this in a bullet point format. I think this makes it easier to follow when I go back and look at the notes.

• This story focuses on the cunning ability of a crane to trick his prey
• The crane is very confident in his plan to eat all of the fish
• The fish are very gullible and begin to trust the crane that had feasted upon them for days
• The crane brought one fish to the lake and used him to manipulate the others into believing him
• This was one of the oldest tricks in the book
• It was sad to see the fish fall for the crane's trick so easily
• It was a bit foolish of the crane to eat all of the fish, as he no longer had a food source
• The crane's encounter with the crab was also interesting
• The crane is way overconfident in his plan to eat the crab
• The crane's thirst allowed the crab to take advantage of the situation
• The crab carried through with the crane's plans, but they were under the crab's terms
• It was a bit satisfying to see the crane punished for his mean acts
• I did not expect the crab to completely sever the crane's head
• In the end, the crab was more cunning and patient
• This story has a lot of potential for a retelling

I think I could create an entirely different story from this reading. I would keep the overall theme the same. However, I could create new characters and a new set of circumstances. I really enjoyed this short story. 

(A photo of a crane. Source: Wikimedia Commons)

Bibliography: The Cunning Crane and the Crab by W.H.D. Rouse. Source: Google Sites

Reading Options: Indian Epics

I am very excited to start reading the many different stories that this class will bring to light. The first epic that I am very excited about is Narayan's Ramayana. This caught my eye because I enjoy reading stories about heroes very much. This looks like it will be a great one.

The second option that I am very excited to read is the comic book Vishvamitra. I have never been one to read a lot of comic books, so this will give me an opportunity to do so. The final reading option that I am looking forward to is the comic Harishchandra. The title of this one really intrigued me. The story contains a king that chose "Rags Over Riches".

(A comic of a man reading. Source: Wikimedia Commons)

Technology tools

I have gained considerable experience with the online tools now that I am in my second semester of taking this type of class. I learned a lot of useful things last semester that greatly improved my performance and speed in completing class assignments. However, I know that there are many tips and tricks that I can still learn and employ. I think that I did not take advantage of the weekly tech tips last semester. I was able to learn some tips last semester from my classmate, but I did not constantly check their tech tip posts. I would like to make this a weekly habit of mine. I would also like to find out about more tools that would make my experience in this class more friendly. 

(A photo of different pieces of technology. Source: Pexels)

Assignments: Indian Epics

I took the Myth-Folklore class last semester, so I am very familiar with all of the assignments for this semester. I really enjoyed the overall structure of the class and the amount of creativity it allowed. I think that my favorite assignments were the reading and reading notes. I enjoyed having the chance to read a new story every week. I was then able to create my own versions of the story, and I really liked the creativity that this brought out of me. I think that I might want to look into creating a storybook for this semester. I made a portfolio last semester, and I really enjoyed doing that. I guess I will decide what I am going to do in the coming weeks. I am looking forward to another great semester of assignments.

(A class assignments graphic. Source: Wikimedia Commons)

Time Strategies

Since this is my second time reading over these articles, I decided to focus on ones that would be most useful to me. The most relevant article for me was just starting. I tend to struggle with this the most. I like to put things off, but once I start something I usually get it done quickly. Following this strategy will help me the most moving forward. The second most relevant article for me was realistic study plan. I could benefit from this in a multitude of ways. It would work best if I created a realistic time frame where I would do nothing but my school work. I think both articles contained useful information and some new strategies that I can employ. I think my biggest challenge this semester will be getting back into the groove of studying. 

(A photo of a clock. Source: Pixaby)

Growth Mindset: Spring 2018

So this is my second time around thinking about growth mindset and its applications to my daily life and schoolwork. I think that I did not actively apply it to my studies, work, and overall well being last semester. I would like to try to use the growth mindset ideas and hopefully work on bettering myself in many different aspects and applications in life. I also think that growth mindset could have a lot of positive influence on kids and their approach to school and life in general. I know that there are a couple of challenges that I would really benefit from pursuing. The "beyond school" challenge is one that I know would help me out a lot. I am very passionate about fishing and the outdoors. If I could apply this same excitement to school I would enjoy my schoolwork a lot more. I also think that the "sharing mindset" challenge would help me a lot. I could talk to my roommates about what I have learned on growth mindset, and we could challenge each other to actively grow together. It would be a nice form of accountability.

(Growth mindset meme from cheezburger. Source: Growth Mindset memes)

Introduction to a small town kid

Hey everyone! My name is Jake Boone, and I am a senior Biology (Pre-Dental) major. I decided to major in Biology due to my natural affinity for anything science related. I think there is a lot of challenge that a science major presents, but I have enjoyed my classes at OU. I will be attending dental school at OU after graduation this Spring! I spent this past Fall interviewing at different dental schools and finishing the application process. I was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to interview and tour multiple dental schools across the country. Ultimately, I decided to attend OU's College of Dentistry because I believe that it is the best fit for me! I grew up not too far from Norman in the town of Ada, Oklahoma. I have been a Sooner fan since birth. I have attended almost every home football game since I was around the age of nine. My family is full of Sooner alumni, so it only made since for me to attend the University of Oklahoma. I enjoy being outdoors and spending my leisure time in the daylight. When I am home, I like to spend time fishing and relaxing outside. I will often read books on the back patio, or play catch in the backyard. There is not always a lot to do at home, but I enjoy the simplicity it offers.

I grew up with three brothers at home. I am the middle child, so I have always been the mediator when it comes to conflict. I think having three brothers offered me a unique perspective on life. I learned how to get along with others and how to deal with multiple people living in close quarters. I think having multiple siblings was a blessing. I always had someone that was willing to play video games, catch, or hang out. In the photo below, I am standing in the middle left.

(This is a photo with my siblings at my brother's graduation from the U.S. Air Force Academy. Personal photo: June 2016)

I recently went on vacation to Hawaii with my family over the break. My older brother and his wife live there, so it was nice to spend time with them. Here is a photo of my family and I celebrating Christmas in Hawaii.

(Family photo in Hawaii. Personal photo: December 2017)

I think that there is a lot to be said when it comes to introducing yourself to other people. I am not too sure what else to include in my post, but I am confident that I will draw ideas from others in the class. I hope that I am able to revisit this post in the future and add more to offer a better glimpse into my life. For now, I will leave you with this brief introduction about who I am.

Indian Epics: Storybook Favorties

The first storybook that I checked out was "Hello, when am I?" (link). This is my second time around creating a project like this. I made a portfolio last semester for Myth-Folklore, and I might want to try making a storybook this time around. I really liked the formatting of this story. The title drew me in, and I did not know what to expect. The introduction was more of an extension of a story, and was not so much about background information. I like this style of writing, and I think it makes it easier to start telling the story.

The second storybook that I looked at was, "The Adventures of Rama and Lakshmana" (link). This storybook was definitely great at grabbing my attention. I had seen things similar to this last semester, but I really like the idea of  creating a flyer/newspaper ad. I also really liked the color scheme of the page. It was simplistic, but I really thought that it made the page stick out. The layout of the page was also elongated, and I liked that it was different. I also liked the style of font that was used for this storybook. It fit really well with the overall layout of the page. I did not realize just how great a specific font can compliment the page itself.

The third storybook that I checked out was, "+Image.PR" (link). This was also a very different kind of storybook than I was used to seeing. I think that this one had one of the most creative ideas behind its creation. The page itself was a website for a PR firm. I had not seen something like this at all. The introduction itself was also really cool. It described "Shakti" and labeled Shakti as the director of website. I think that there are some really cool ideas that I could use to influence my own storybook form this page.

(Image from Scooter Lowrimore. Source: flickr)

Fenway Park: My Favorite Place

Fenway Park - 

I have been a die hard Boston Red Sox since the year 2003. I have grown up loving the game of baseball, and I enjoy every opportunity to head to the ballpark for a game. My favorite place to watch a game of baseball is Fenway Park. I have been able to attend a handful of Red Sox games over the years. I have a lot of great memories with my family that are attached to Fenway Park. It is an incredible stadium, and it holds a lot of historical weight. Here is a picture of Fenway Park taken at the top of the "Green Monster".

(Fenway Park from the Green Monster: Wikimedia Commons)

Test Post

This is a test post for my new blog.