Growth Mindset: Planning

From Laura Gibbs

I chose this because it is a good representation of my writing process, which is important for this class. I can't just jump into a writing mood. I have to plan what I want my writing to be, or I won't be happy with the final product.

Growth Mindset: Driving Learning

From Laura Gibbs

I chose this picture because I really believe that nobody can learn without the intrinsic motivation to do so. This is my reminder to find that motivation for yourself, it makes school much easier.

Week 9 Extra Credit Reading: The Brothers Grimm

This post will cover part B of The Brother's Grimm, translated by Margaret Hunt.

Bearskin, from Wikisource

• The appearance of the Devil is interesting. I hadn't seen any Christian connections yet, but this is classic German writing. Perhaps I just missed them. 
• The other two daughters killing themselves is exactly the darkness I expected. Plus, the Devil masterminded this whole thing. 
• This is the second time a couple has received exactly the child they wished for. First, thumb sized, and now a hedgehog. You think that they would learn after a while. 
• Hans is certainly a weird and principled fellow. Why did he raise those pigs just to let others slaughter them, even after his father shunned him. Also, what happened to his donkeys? Germans eat funny things, but not donkeys. 
• I never knew there was a Rose-red who was Snow-white's sibling. This should get interesting. 
• The dwarf being wicked is not what I expected. This might be the story that was "Disneyfied" the most. 

Thanks for reading. 

Week 8 Extra Credit Reading: The Brother's Grimm

This post will cover part A of The Brother's Grimm, translated by Margaret Hunt.

Hansel and Grethel, from An Idea

• I am hoping that my familiarity with many of these stories helps me pick up on the important parts of the originals. I'm expecting these to be much darker than the "Disneyfied" versions. 
• I'm not disappointed, I never thought Hansel and Grethel's parents would be abandoning them in the forest. 
• I never expected Hansel to be the one outsmarting everyone. 
• The Witch really has no since of subtlety, she could have masterminded this situation must better. Hunger will do things to a person. 
• I do not think i have heard Thumbling before, so I hope it will be interesting. 
• Thumbling is doing his best to irritate all the criminals of this town despite the fact that he could be broken like a carrot. 
• I am also not familiar with Allerleirauh, hopefully it will hold my interest more than Thumbling. 
• That was certainly a weird one. 

Thanks for reading. 

Week 8 Growth Mindset

From Choice Schools

I have a hard time committing to more creative ideas due to my fear of public failure. I don't have enough time to write a second story or go back to the drawing board if a story doesn't work out, so I tend to play it safe with my writing. This really matches up with more things on the left of the list than the right, unfortunately. I hope that by putting out some work in a receptive and friendly environment like this class will help me feel more confident about doing similar things in other places in the future. On the other side of the coin, I hope this class will make me more comfortable with giving critical feedback, because I also have trouble with this. Thanks for reading.

Week 8 Class Reflections

Sindbad, the subject of my favorite writing this semester. Wikipedia

Some readings in this class, such as Brer Rabbit, seem weirder to me than those from Epics of India. This even despite the fact that no readings from Epics took place in America. I will say, however, that I have enjoyed the variety of readings in this class. I'm certainly covering more of the world with my choices. It has helped me come up with more ideas for my stories. I have enjoyed reading Homer's Iliad and the Voyages of Sindbad so far. I am looking forward to reading the Native American Hero Tales and Beowulf. 

As far as my storytelling is concerned, I am finding it harder to come up with new ideas every week. Especially after Epics, I am all out ideas about how to change up the original readings. This is why I have written more followups this semester. This is not to say that I am not proud of what I have done. I particularly like how my retelling of Sindbad turned out. 

As far as the work of others is concerned, I am impressed with how creative some peoples ideas are. They are really able to expand upon the deeper themes of a given reading, and not just offer a twist with the same characters and settings. I think that my feedback is useful, but I will be the first to tell you that it is mostly positive. I have a hard time being too critical, especially when I know how much emotional energy it takes to put your work in a public space. 

Week 7 Extra Credit Reading: Aesop for Children

This post will cover part B of Aesop for Children by Milo Winter. 

The Bear and the Bees, by Milo Winter

• Again, I feel that these lessons have varying levels of application to children. Some seem a little adult and serious, so that even though they hear the story they don't truly have a context for it. 
• Why does the author switch between Mule and Ass? Is there really such a large distinction, especially in the context of a children's book? 
• "Once a wolf, always a wolf" seems a little misguided to me. You shouldn't trust people who have wronged you in the past blindly, but the lesson seems to imply that people (including yourself) can never change. 
• "When the great fall out, the weak must suffer for it" seems like an anti war message if I have ever seen one. 
• I have almost certainly heard this before, even in economic lessons: Take care of the little things and the big things will take care of themselves.
• On page 15 all the lessons seem directed at children and not their parents. It's all about honesty and not hurting others for your own gain. 
• I don't think Milo had heard "there is no bad PR" before he wrote "Notoriety is not fame". 
• "Do not expect constancy in others if you have none yourself" seems to contradict the earlier lesson about wolves on some levels. 
• "The weak are made to suffer for the misdeeds of the powerful" seems like another obvious anti war message. 
• Wouldn't a kindness be wasted if you were kind to the wolf earlier and he betrayed you? There are some serious inconsistencies in this book. 

Thanks for reading. 

Backup and Review: Remembering the Old

From Laura Gibbs

This comic reminds me of a lot of other jokes, that are half serious questions. How long are people going to keep saying 'hang up the phone" or how long until people don't know what the save icon is. Thanks for reading this week.

Famous Last Words: Beginning Another Cycle

This week is the beginning of my next major round of tests and quizzes. I have a number of lab reports and projects due also, so the stress factor is really increasing right now. But, just like last time it will all be over in about two and a half weeks. Then I get to take a relative break again before finals. I will also (hopefully) be done with this class by then, so that should be a load off of my shoulder.

As far as this class is concerned, I read the Monkey King from the Chinese Fairy Book this week. I have never read any Chinese stories or fairy tales before, so this was a new experience for me. I don't know that I found it all that culturally relevant or interesting. I found this odd especially given how interesting I found the stories in Epics of India, which is fairly close to China geographically. Despite how much I loved Hanuman in the Ramayana, I just found this Monkey sort of predictable and boring. I also connected the Monkey King back to Indian Epics in another way, I ended up at Yoga while I was doing my Wikipedia Trail.

Hanuman, from Wikipedia

For my writing, I wrote a part II for my Puss in Boots story line. The cat certainly takes a greater number of actions to help his owner in this part of my story. This is in keeping with act II of the original story, where the cat cements his owner's reputation as a noble person to the woman he is courting and her father. The cat is my version does his best to ensure his owner stays hired at his new job. I hope you all enjoy it.

Finally, if you haven't watched West World yet, I highly suggest it. Thanks for reading.

Storytelling Portfolio

The First Voyage of Sindbad the Unlucky Sailor 
This story covers the first voyage of Sindbad the Sailor, but he is not quite as lucky in this telling. Where everything happened to go right in the original story, things go horribly wrong this time.

The Second Voyage of Sindbad the Unlucky Sailor
A follow-up to my first portfolio story, this one covering Sindbad and the Elephants. Sindbad's luck is just as good in this one.

Puss in Boots
This story is my modern take on the story of Puss in Boots. The cat focuses his efforts on helping his owner get a new job.