Tech Tip: YouTube Playlist Embedded

Here is a playlist of some of my favorite videos featuring YouTubers, comedians, talk shows, and movie cast interviews. I have a channel on there but I haven't uploaded anything. I have this idea of starting a vlog thing and sending it to my family and stuff back home to take them with me as I go to school and stuff but never got around to doing it. 

*Warning: some of the videos contain cuss words*

Week 6 Storytelling: Did You Hear?!

Jessica and Gabby gossiping (source: Google)

One day, during their weekly brunch gossip session, Jessica and Gabby discuss the coming and goings of the daughter from the big house down the road. They don't see her much, but have heard so much about her parents, what with them being in the entertainment business and all. The daughter, Rose, seemed like a nice girl, but no one really knows much about her. So when this juicy bit of gossip came through the grapevine, both Jessica and Gabby pounced on it and didn't waste time discussing it with each other.

"Oh my gosh, did you hear?! Rose, you know, the daughter of those famous directors from down the road, yeah, that couple, I heard that she eloped this past weekend! I don't know what she was thinking, marrying that young, I didn't even know she was going out with someone! I wonder what her parents think about this!" started Jessica, immediately giving her opinion.

"You know, I did hear about that. I also heard that the guy, yeah, the one little Rosie eloped with, is actually some long lost childhood friend or whatever. Apparently they grew up together or something in the town they were in before they moved here, but then they moved here, and they lost contact or something! Isn't that sweet?! It's like a fairy tale!" replied Gabby. "Little Rosie is all grown up and married now! I know, I know, I'm only a few years younger than her, but I'm 31, I have a right to call anyone is their 20s little."

"That's what you heard? Really? I heard something completely different! I heard that he got her pregnant! Yeah! Can you believe it? I can't believe her parents would let something like that go on in their house! I would never!" exclaimed Jessica.

"Who did you hear that from? I heard it from Janet, and you know Janet, she always checks her news. I trust her gossip."

"I heard it from Lauren."

Gabby can hardly believe Jessica when she said that. "Lauren! You believe Lauren! That woman only listens to half of what everyone says and then makes up the other half herself! Trust me, Janet never gets anything wrong. I wonder how she gets all these juicy gossip. But whatever, back to the point. Little Rosie's totally going to pop out some kids in the next year. Her parents should make her life into a movie! Can you imagine?! Having to move at a young age and trying to keep in touch with your friends back home, losing contact after years of not seeing each other, but then, surprise! Your childhood sweetheart appears to audition for your parents' movie and the spark is reignited! You fall in love with each other again as if all those years were never spent apart, and finally, your dream wedding. Oh well, I guess that part isn't so fairy tale, since they drove to Vegas and got married by Elvis."

Jessica gives in, "Alright, alright, fairy tale, blah blah blah. I admit Lauren isn't always reliable. I still think she's pregnant though!"

In the end, of course Lauren was wrong, and Rose didn't have a baby until a few years after their wedding, both waiting until they were financially stable before agreeing to bring another life into the world.

Author's Note
I chose to base my story this week from the Cat's Elopement story from the Japanese Fairy tales unit. In the story, the two cats meet each other one day, fell in love, and ran away. One day, they faced a dog, and while the female cat went up the tree, the male one stayed to fight. It finally caught the attention of the princess's servants, and they took him to the palace. The female cat was being bullied one day, the male cat heard and came to save her. She almost didn't recognize him since they've been separated a while and the princess obviously took care and fed him well. They went back to the palace, explained their tale to the princess, got married, and had plenty of babies.

I thought the format of a gossip would be good, since eloping has a negative connotation these days, especially when the people involved are fairy young. I edited it a bit so that the characters (Rose and the guy) met while young, Rose moved, and meet again years later down the road. They had loved each other all this time, so they decided to elope (like the cats). Since I don't gossip, it was a bit hard to come up with a "gossipy" dialogue, but I think it went well.

Bibliography: The Cat's Elopement from the Japanese Fairy tales unit.

Week 6 Reading Diary, continued: Japanese Fairy Tales

The continuation of Japanese Fairy Tales.


Schippeitaro

• It is custom that when a Japanese boy reaches manhood, he would leave the house.
• A young man set off from his village, determined to never come back until he had done some great deed that would make him famous.
• He finally saw a mountain covered with a dense forest, thinking that there would be a high chance for adventure, he headed towards it. He got lost and couldn't get out.
• He found a chapel and took shelter there for the night. 
• There suddenly was a loud noise that woke him up.
• He went to look and saw a troop of hideous cats, dancing furiously. At midnight, they all vanished.
• It's weird that the creatures come on time every night for the next few nights to come.

The Crab and the Monkey

• There's a crab that lives in the hole on the shady side of a mountain.
• She was carrying rice back when a monkey came down and bargained with the crab. 
• The monkey came by another day and ate most of the good fruit. The crab asked him to do somersaults and when he did the fruits fell out of his pockets.
• The monkey got what he deserved.

The Magic Kettle

• An old man live in his little house on the mountain.
• He was just standing there one day when he turned around and saw a kettle. He took it and cleaned it.
• He boiled some water and while he was watching, the kettle changed into a tanuki.
• He sold it to Jimmu, a tradesman. When he got home, the kettle once again turned into a tanuki. When he told his neighbor, he recommended Jimmu take it around and show it off, he could be rich. 
• After a while, he grew rich. He felt guilty, so he returned the kettle to the man with gold pieces in it. The kettle brought them both luck.

How the Wicked Tanuki was Punished

• The hunters had killed all wild animals until only 3 remained. They hid in the thickest part of the forest, high up in the mountain. They were tanuki, his wife the fox, and their little son.
• They were wise and cautious animals. 
• They were starving when the tanuki came up with the idea to play dead while his wife transformed into a man and sold him. 
• He managed to escape from the buyer. They were starved again, and this time it's the foxes turn.
• While bargaining, since fox's skin don't sell as well, the tanuki had a thought --that he and his son would have more food if the fox were gone. He told the buyer that the fox wasn't really dead. The man hit the fox in the head.
• The little tanuki waits for his mother to return. He knows magic from the fox.
• He challenged his father. He went to the middle of the bridge. A king came by, and the father, thinking it's his son, didn't hide. 
• The soldiers thought the king was in danger and seized the tanuki. 
• The little tanuki avenged his mother.

The Slaying of the Tanuki

• A man and his wife lived in a cottage. He made friends with a hare.
• The tanuki hated the man. The tanuki would cause a lot of trouble. The man got mad.
• The man waited for the tanuki and finally one day had him bound by the legs. 
• The old woman pitied him. The tanuki got free.
• How gruesome! The tanuki put the woman in the mortar and pounded until she was fine, and planned to cook her and feed her to her husband!!
• The man was on the way back. The tanuki transformed to a woman and put the clothes on.
• When the man had eaten half the meal, he turned back. He told the man he ate his wife.
• The old man and the hare worked together to kill the tanuki.

The turtle bringing Uraschimataro to the sea god (source: Google)

Uraschimataro and the Turtle

• An old couple lived by the coast. They had a son, Uraschimataro, which means son of the island.
• He was daring and brave. 
• He caught a little turtle one day. He let it go back to sea. 
• Years went by and he saw the turtle again. To pay his debt, the turtle asked Uraschimataro to climb on his back and bring him back to land.
• The turtle brought him to the sea god instead. The princess begged him to stay and he did. 
• He really wanted to see his parents one day. The princess was convinced he would never come back. 
• Uraschimataro said he would return. There is one way to bring him back safely, and he said he'd do it. 
• The princess went to get a tiny golden box from her shelf, telling Uraschimataro to keep it and never open it. If he can do this, the turtle will bring him back. 
• He arrived back and realized everything has changed. Three hundred years have passed by. His parents died the day he disappeared. 
• He opened the box. Purple vapour came out. He realized his hand grew old, and saw his face as a mummy. 
• No one recognized him when he went back to the village. He went to the shore and called to the turtle, but it never came. 

Week 6 Reading Diary: Japanese Fairy Tales (Lang)

This week, I chose to read Japanese Fairy Tales (Lang), found here.

The Two Frogs

• The two frogs lived far from each other and wanted to visit each other.
• They set off to meet each other.
• On the way, there was a mountain they had to climb.
• They started talking once they met each other. They both wished to explore more. They rose on their hind legs and held onto each other. 
• When they rose, their eyes pointed backwards. Since they forgot, they turned their noses to their destinations, which means that their eyes are in the complete opposite.
• Each saw their own town without realizing and decided not to visit after all.

The Stonecutter

• There was a stonecutter who went everyday to a big rock to cut it. He used it to help others build houses and gravestones. 
• It was said that there is a spirit that would appear to men and helped them become rich. The stonecutter didn't believe so. 
• He was walking one day when he wished to be rich. A voice said that his wish will be granted.
• He became a prince. It was not enough.
• He became the sun. It was not enough either.
• He became a cloud. It was not enough and he poured rain until the rivers overflowed and the crops of rice stood in water. 
• He became a rock. One day he looked down and saw a stonecutter. He got mad.
• He became a man. He was finally satisfied.

The Maiden with the Wooden Helmet

• There lived a man and his wife. They have a beautiful daughter. They moved to the country.
• The women would clean, but the man would sit and think. One day he died.
• The girl grew even more beautiful. The mother was worried, so she taught her to always be busy so that she would never have time to think about herself. 
• The mother got ill one day and told her daughter to go get the wooden helmet and to wear it low, so almost all her face was covered. Her beauty was hidden. 
• She went to look for work and found one with a man that owned fields. She never took the helmet off.
• Many young men tried to lift her helmet. She didn't talk to people much. 
• One day the man watched the girl. He reassigned her to tend to his sick wife. 
• The man's oldest sun is back from out of town for studies. He saw the girl and immediately took interest to her. 
• He walked by her one hot day when she was splashing water on her face, her helmet off to one side. He caught a glimpse of her beauty. 
• When he told his family he wants to marry her, they got mad. She refused him, thinking it wasn't worth it for the family to fight over her.
• Her mother appeared to her one night, telling her to marry the man. She went to tell him the next day. 
• When they tried to dress her for her wedding and tried to pull off the helmet, it would not come off. 
• When they were married and finished drinking, the helmet suddenly burst with a loud noise and fell in pieces on the ground. The people turned and found precious stones which had fallen out of it. The guests were more surprised at her beauty.
• They were married till they died and had many children.

Cherry blossom tree in Japan (source: Google)

The Envious Neighbour

• There once was an old couple. Since they didn't have anyone to care for, they cared for a little dog. 
• The dog was grateful to them for their kindness and never left their side.
• One day out in the field, the dog was scratching and barking at the ground. He followed to where the dog led him. The husband began to dig and pulled out a large box filled with gold.
• A neighbor grew envious of their luck. He begged the couple to lend him the dog. 
• He was so persistent the couple finally agreed. The dog just ran around.
• The next morning the dog ran to the foot of a tree and started scratching.
• He started to dig but only found old bones. He was so mad he killed the dog. What a mean person. It's not the dog's fault you're greedy and lazy. 
• He told the couple that the dog fell down dead, that he took care of it and gave it everything. 
• The old man buried the dog under the tree he found the treasure. 
• He woke up the next morning having a dream of cutting the tree. The wife, trusting the dog's instinct, told him to do it. 
• They made a mortar from the tree. When they gathered rice and put it in the mortar, it turned into gold. 
• The neighbor asked for the mortar. The rice instead turned into horrible smelling berries. They were mad and smashed the mortar. 
• The dog appeared in the dream and told the couple to go get the ashes from the burnt mortar. He was to carry the ashes to the high road, climb the cherry-tree and sprinkle the ashes on the procession, and they would bloom.
• When the procession approached, the old man didn't bow. Before the messenger could reach the old man, he climbed the tree and scattered the ashes. Daimio was so happy that the flowers bloomed he gave rich presents to the old man. 
• The envious neighbor then went to gather the ashes, and waited for the procession. When he threw the ashes, the flowers didn't bloom but instead got into Daimio and his warriors' eyes. 
• The prince ordered the envious neighbor to be seized and thrown into prison. By the time he was free, everybody knew of his wickedness. 

The Sparrow with the Slit Tongue

• An old couple lived on a high mountain. A sparrow flow into him one day with a giant bird chasing him. He comforted the little bird and put it into a cage where it soon recovered. 
• The next morning he let it out but it would quickly return when it saw other big animals.
• The wife grew jealous of the husband's affection for the bird. She threw her broom at the bird. She finally caught it after a while. How mean. She stilted its tongue, and the bird flew away into the forest.
• The old man came back and asked for his pet. The wife told him what she did. At least she's honest and didn't try to get out of it. 
• He left the house to look for the bird, but never found it.
• One hot summer day he came upon a beautiful garden and a little house. The woman who came out was lovely and immediately invited him in. She turned out to be the sparrow. How weird.
• The woman brought out 2 chests and told the old man to choose one. He chose the small one. 
• His wife was mad. The husband took out the chest, opened it, and discovered gold and precious stones in it. 
• She asked him where he was and he told her. She put on her best clothes and went to find the woman/sparrow.
• When it was time to choose, the woman chose the bigger chest and returned home. When she opened it, she found poisonous snakes who bit her.
• She died. 

The Cat's Elopement

• Gon the cat. He belonged to a music teacher. 
• Near the music teacher's house is a woman who has a cat named Koma.
• The two cats fell madly in love with each other.
• Neither owners would sell their cats to the other.
• The cats ran away together.
• A dog appeared. Gon stood to fight, but Koma, with her loud screaming, finally drew the attention of a servant of the princess. He drove off the dog and took Gon to his mistress. 
• One day, a snake slithered up the princess. Gon saw this and bit its neck. The princess treated him great, but he only wanted Koma.
• Koma was being bullied one day when Gon came to her rescue. She almost didn't recognize him. 
• The princess got married. 
• Gon and Koma had many children, as did the princess. 

Week 5 Famous Last Words

Reading This Week
I read the Ramayana this week. It was very interesting and actually quite fun to read. Although the ending for the unit was kind of a bummer. *spoiler alert* I just thought that it was kind of pointless for Rama to go through all that trouble, and the others such as Lakshmana and Hanuman as well, just for him to reject Sita in the end. I mean, at least try to stay together or something and figure it out, instead of spending all that time and effort only to reject her immediately afterwards.

My Best Writing This Week
I think my Storytelling was definitely the winner this week for me. It was quite fun to write it, and the idea came while I was reading the earlier sections of the Ramayana unit. It's not as long as the others, but I think I did a good job for someone (me) who doesn't like writing all that much.

My Other Classes
My Field Project group and I actually went to the Children's Hospital in OKC at 8AM on Monday to present our Project Definition Project to OU Physicians. It's just the presentation we make to tell them essentially what we're going to be doing for them this semester. It went pretty well, although it lasted a bit longer than I thought it would.

OU Children's Hospital (source: Google)

Other classes are going fine. One my my previous professors actually offered me a job to help a graduate student do project research, so that's cool.

Tech Tip: SoundCloud Embedded

Here are two of my favorite YouTubers, Grace Helbig and Mitchell Davis, on a podcast together.

Thoughts about Comments

I think comments that suggest improve on the stories are very useful. It makes me think of different things I could have done with my writing, different directions the stories could take. There was one comment on my Cupid and Psyche story, where the person suggested that Psyche actually do tasks rather than answer riddles, and I thought that was a good suggestion. I later thought of different little tasks Venus could have had Psyche do (getting Psyche to separate little beans/beads, or filing or something tedious like that).

I definitely could improve my comments to others. Usually I have a hard time reaching the limit because I don't really know what to say. Most of the stories I have read are pretty good, so there really wasn't a suggestion I could make.

Week 5 Storytelling: Rama Online

Rama (source: tumblr)

Name: Rama

Age: 27

Location: Ayodhya, India

Status: It’s complicated

Height: 6’ 2”

Weight: 195 lb

Occupation: King of Ayodhya

Education: Plenty

Interested In: Women

Hey, ladies. My name’s Rama, and I’ve been king for a short while now. I’m looking for a queen, and a friend of mine said that this would be a good way to get the word out. Let me start at the very beginning….

My father, King Dasaratha, had 3 wives: Kausalya, Kaikeyi, and Sumitra. For some reason, none of them had any kids. One day, one of my father’s counsellor found this nutrition supplement that is supposed to help you along or something along those lines. Suddenly, all 3 were pregnant at the same time. I am born to Kausalya, Kaikeyi to Bharata, and Lakshmana and Satrughna to Sumitra. We all grew up like brothers.

At the age of 5, we were all taught by Vasishtha, our governor, in different different areas. We started with the alphabet and grammar. Soon after, we mastered 18 languages. It may seem like a lot, but it’s actually easier to learn pronunciation and stuff when you’re younger. We were also taught music, dancing, and painting. We all know how to play at least one instrument and learned ballroom dancing.

We never left the palace often, and since we had our governor and private tutors, we didn’t exactly go to normal school. As we grew up we picked up some sports like archery and sword fighting/fencing. It was always fun to duel with my brothers and we helped each other learn and grow.

I made a bet with my brothers one day about asking this girl, Sita, out for a date. She is so beautiful, it’s almost impossible she’s real. I had seen her the few times we were allowed off of the palace grounds. I think she’s the daughter of a business owner in our town or something along those lines. Turns out I won the bet and she agreed to go out with me (I mean, who wouldn’t!)

Sita (source: tumblr)

We went out for a bit, before this huge guy, and I mean huge (he was built like a quarterback or something) asked her out. This is the part where it gets a bit iffy. I didn’t see this myself, so I don’t know if they knew each other previously or what, but one of my brothers saw it happen. Now, I don’t know if he knew or not that she’s taken, or what the heck she was thinking, but I saw them out together one day. I tried confronting her, but she keeps insisting nothing happened.

I took her back and we went out for a while after that, before my family and friends voiced their opinions. It always felt kind of wrong after the little spat we had. I never got the chance to ask her outright whether she went voluntarily with the dude (even though it certainly looked it), and she never brought it up. I don’t know if she was purposefully avoiding the topic or just didn’t think she did anything wrong. My family and friends kept saying that she’s denying anything happened because I’m in line for the throne and she just wanted the benefits of going out and someday possibly marrying a prince.

I didn’t know what to think, so I broke up with her. I already had doubts about our relationship, and nothing seemed to be going well after I saw her with the dude; it seemed like we were always struggling just to be civil to each other. There was no more chemistry left with us, and I kind of lost my trust in her. We haven’t seen each other in months, and sometimes I wonder what happened to her and if I could have done something to save or relationship, but my family keeps reminding me that she was the one that went out with someone else, and that I did nothing wrong.

I don’t know much about this online dating thing, but some people seem to find their match his way. Here’s to hoping I find my next queen!

Peace! R.

Author's Note

I based my story off of the beginnings of the Ramayana. The beginning was quite similar, where the king had 3 wives and none of them had babies. I changed the part where the king made a horse sacrifice to a counsellor finding a nutrition supplement. In the story, Rama and his brothers learned all sorts of things at the age of 5. Rama went with his teacher and Lakshmana, his brother, to help out a neighboring city. Went they arrived, the king presented Rama with the bow of Shiva, saying that if he was able to bend it, he would allow Rama to marry Sita, his daughter. Later in the story, Ravana, a 10 headed giant with 20 arms kidnaps her. Rama, Hanuman, and the ape army managed to save her and bring her back. When they got back to Ayodhya, however, Rama decides that he couldn't be with Sita. To prove her innocence, she called the Earth. Mother Earth emerged from the ground with a chair where Sita sat on, and seconds later they disappeared. Sita is now in heaven as the goddess Lakshmi, and Rama, years later, follows her.

I chose parts of the story to write about, and thought that using the dating profile style would be appropriate. Instead of kidnapping, I just said Ravana asked her out when she was still with Rama. I changed the ending to them just breaking up and him not seeing Sita since then rather than killing her off. I tweaked the story a bit to make it fit into a modern setting.

Bibliography: the Ramayana Unit can be found here.

Week 5 Reading Diary, continued: the Ramayana

The continuation of this week's reading, the Ramayana.

The Rakshasas

• The trio spent thirteen years and a half going through the deep jungle and finally setting down in a four-bedroom hut.
• Rakshasa woman, named Surpanakha, sister of Ravana, the demon King of Lanka, Ceylon. She was misshapen and ugly and her voice was harsh and unpleasant.
• When she saw Rama, she fell in love. She assumed another form to lure Rama away from Sita. 
• Rama says he would not leave Sita, but that Lakshmana is single.
• Surpanakha tried to attack Sita, but with the quick reflexes, Rama pushed her back and Lakshmana cut the ears and noses off of her.
• She ran to her brother Khara, who was enraged.
• Khara called upon 14 Rakshasas and commanded them to capture the Trio. Rama slaid them with Celestial arrows.
• Khara called upon his brother Dushana to gather 14,000 Rakshasa, and to bring his weapons and chariots. He is going to kill Rama.
• Rama sends Lakshmana away with Sita to a secret cave to protect her while he battles them.
• Although he was outnumbered, Rama emerged victorious.

The Golden Deer

• Only Surpanakha escaped alive. She headed to lanka to inform the ten-headed King Ravana of her brothers' death. She told them to capture Sita.
• Ravana and his brother, Maricha, set off towards the forest. Maricha transformed into a golden deer and grazed near Sita until she saw him. 
• Rama chased the deer and finally loosed an arrow that pierced its heart. Maricha emerged from the body and cried "Sita, Sita, save me!" in Rama's voice, then died.
• Sita sent Lakshmana to go help his brother.
• Ravana watched as Lakshmana left Sita alone and approached her, disguised as a sage. When Sita invited him to rest, thinking he was a Brahman, he revealed himself. 
• He boasted that he can beat everyone, turning into his other form of a giant with 10 heads and 20 arms. He seized Sita and carried her off.
• As she was being carried away, Sita took of piece by piece of her ornaments, leaving a trail. 

Sita (source: Google)

Rama's Quest for Sita

• Rama searched and wept for her. 
• The next day, the brothers set off to find Sita again. They came upon the hut of Jatayus, the Vulture King that tried to stop Ravana. He told the brothers what happened, then died shortly after.
• On their way towards the south, where Lanka is, they encountered a great black demon with his head in the middle of his body, had one eye, with long and monstrous teeth. 
• The princes reveal who they are, and the demon asks them to burn his body so he can be free of his Rakshasa form and nature, promising that if they did, he would tell them where Sita went.
• When they approached the mountain, Hanuman came and the princes told him of Sita's abduction. 
• Rama helped the king rid of the usurper.

Hanuman (source: Google)

Hanuman

• Ravana would often approach Sita with sweet words, but she would always reject him.
• Ravana once kidnapped a nymph of Indra's heaven, Punjikashthala, which angered Brahma, who said that Ravana's head would be rent asunder if he attempted to kidnap another female again.
• The king still hasn't done as promised, so Lakshmana went to the palace to threaten him. The king quickly gathered a great army of apes and bears. 
• Hanuman came upon Jatayus' brother, who saw where Ravana took Sita. Hanuman followed the directions.
• On the way there he encountered Surasa. The condition is to go through her mouth, otherwise he can go no further. Hanuman quickly grew in size, immediately shrunk, jumped into her mouth and quickly leaped back out. He was allowed to pass.
• He next encountered a dragon. When the dragon tried to attack him, he shrunk and dove into its mouth and attacked the dragon from the inside.
• He finally reached Lanka, resumed the form a cat, and entered the capital.

Sita in the Asoka Grove

• Hanuman found Sita in the grove but couldn't find an opening to approach her.
• Ravana kept on trying to break her down, but she would rather die.
• Hanuman resumed his monkey form and told Sita of Rama looking for her. She couldn't go with him, but gave him a jewel from her hair as a token. Ravana gave her 2 months before he would kill her.
• Hanuman was taken prisoner. A counsellor advised to take him as an envoy instead. Ravana oiled up Hanuman's tail and set it on fire. Sita prayed that it would leave Hanuman uninjured, and her prayers were heard.
• Hanuman shrank until he could escape, setting fire to mansions throughout the town from his flaming tail. 
• The armies marched to the shore, and was joined by Bibhishana. 
• Ravana called counsel, and his brother, Bibhishana, advised Ravana to return Sita to Rama. Ravana got mad and banished Bibhishana, who went to join Rama.

Ravana (source: Google)

The War with Ravana

• The apes, with Rama and Lakshmana leading them, approach the gates of Lanka. 
• The Rakshasas attacked them, riding on the backs of elephants, lions, camles, hogs, hyenas, wolves, and asses. 
• Indrajit threw a snake noose at the brothers, but the god of wind, Vayu, send the great celestial bird Garuda, the serpent killer, to help out. 
• Ravana came forth, but Rama shot arrows which swept the ten crowns on his heads, and Ravana retreated in shame.
• The Rakshasas called upon the mightiest of demons, Kumbhakarna, who sleeps for 6 months, and awakens for one day. In that one day, he would devour everything before falling back asleep. Nothing woke him until a beautiful woman caressed him. They brought him food, but he was not satisfied. Where are the apes so that I may devour them?

Rama Confronts Ravana

• Kumbhakarna defeated Hanuman and seized Sugriva. Thousands of apes were devoured. Rama came to the rescue by loosing a flaming arrow, and the monster staggered and fell into the ocean. 
• Indrajit offered another sacrifice and became invisible. He rose into the air and showered Rama with arrows. Rama and Lakshmana pretended to be dead.
• The ape healer sent Hanuman to find an herb, but he couldn't, so he took the whole mountain. When Rama, Lakshmana, and the injured apes were healed, Hanuman returned the mountain.
• Lakshmana shot the arrow that defeated Indrajit.
• Ravana wept for his son.
• Ravana, mad with grief, went to slay Sita, but the Rakshasas stopped him. 
• Ravana tried to kill Bibhishana, but Lakshmana saved him. Ravana flung a great dart that pierced the heart of Lakshmana and pinned him to the earth. 
• Hanuman again went to get the herbs, and the healer restored Lakshmana to his former self.
• Rama shot an arrow that pierced one of the heads, but one immediately reappeared. Rama used the flaming weapon which Brahma had created for the protection of the gods and struck Ravana with it, who fell and died.

Rama's Coronation

• When Sita was brought to Rama, he rejects her, saying that she has dwelt in the house of Ravana.
• Sita asks Lakshmana to make a funeral pyre so she could kill herself.
• Sita invoked the fire god, leapt into the flames and vanished.
• Suddenly the gods appeared, the fires parted, and the god Agni delivered Sita to Rama, saying "Receive thy wife who is without sin or shame."
• His exile now ended, Rama hurried to Ayodhya with Sita and Lakshmana and Hanuman.
• Rama was crowed the next day. 
• People questioned Sita's virtue. Abiding to the people's demand, Rama banished her. Lakshmana brought her to the southern jungles and left her at the hermitage of Valmiki. 
• She later had two sons, Lava and Kusa.
• Rama performed a horse sacrifice to cleanse his soul of sin. When he released the horse into the forest, his sons took it. They defeated the royal army, and Rama went to confront them. They revealed their mother, but not knowing their father. Rama told Valmiki to bring her forward, to prove her innocence to the people. 
• Sita refused to go for a while.
• In the presence of the people and Rama, she invoked the Earth. When she was finished, the earthed opened and spit out a golden throne with sparkling gems, supported by four great serpents. Then the Earth Mother appeared, brought Sita to the throne, and sat beside her. The throne vanished and the earth closed over it. 
• Rama grieved, until one day he ascended to heaven carried by Garuda, and found Sita as the goddess Lakshmi.

Week 5 Reading Diary: the Ramayana

For this week, I chose to read the Ramayana.

Rama (source: Google)

The Birth of Rama

• two kingdoms: Kosala, whose King was Dasaratha, father of Rama; Mithila, which was ruled over by Janaka, the father of Sita
• capital of Kosala was Ayodhya: wide streets with large dwellings, richly decorated temples, towering like mountains, and grand and noble palaces. The city was full of prosperous and happy people.
• Dasaratha was sad because he doesn't have a son, from either of his 3 queens: Kausalya, Kaikeyi, and Sumitra.
• He performed the horse sacrifice.
• The wives, after eating the sacrificial food, finally became pregnant. Kausalya of Rama, Kaikeyi of Bharata, and Sumitra of Lakshamana, and Satrughna. 

Vishwamitra, Rama's Teacher

• Rama was the most beautiful. One night, he reached for the moon hoping it would be a toy. After everyone couldn't figure out what was wrong, the counsellor handed him a mirror, and the prince was comforted.
• Education began at 5 years old.
• Mastered 18 languages. Also instructed in music, dancing, painting, and in all the sciences.
• They became skilled archers, elephant riders, and horsemen and charioteers.
• Vishwamitra asked the king for Rama, since he is skilled, to help him with the attack on his hermitage, and Lakshmana accompanied them too.
• Taraka, a Rakshasa woman, continually ravaged the country. Rama challenged her, but they were reluctant to kill her since she was female. Rama shot arrows and cut off both her arms, and Lakshmana deprived her of nose and ears. She became invisible, but guided by sound, Rama shot an arrow and killed her.

Rama and Sita

• They finally reach the capital of Janaka.
• The king brought forward Shiva's bow, saying that if Rama was able to bend it, he would allow him to marry Sita.
• Rama was able to bend it. He applied so much force it snapped in the middle. 
• Rama and Sita wedded.
• Dasaratha was growing old, and his counsellors are wondering who should take over after. They all favoured Rama, and Dasaratha was filled with joy. 

Kaikeyi's Plot

• One person who isn't happy about the news: the old nurse of Bharata, son of queen Kaikeyi. She is ugly and misshapen, short-necked, flat-breasted, legs like a crane, big-bellied, and humpbacked. She offended Rama when he was young and he smote her.
• Manthara tried to urge Kaikeyi to be mad, but Kaiyeki likes Rama, since he sees her as another mother. So Manthara said things to Kaikeyi that made her mad. Can Bharata become the slave of Rama? Well I know that jealous Rama will drive thy lordly son into exile and mayhap slay him... Arise, thou heedless queen, and save Bharata lest he be sent to wander alone in the fearsome jungle.
• She reminded Kaikeyi that she has two boons over the king, from the time she cured him after he was injured. She told Kaikeyi to go to the mourning chamber and feign being sad and mad. 
• She asked for Bharata to be installed as the next king, and that Rama be banished for fourteen years to live in the jungle.
• When Dasaratha asked for her to make different boons, she threatened to take poison and kill herself.
• Dasaratha grant the boons, but he rejects Kaikeyi forever and her son Bharata.

Rama's Exile

• Rama is summoned the next day to be told of the boons. Rama was unmoved and left.
• He went to tell his mother, Kausalya, who was making offerings to Vishnu on his behalf. She pleaded him to stay, and he sought to comfort her, but she was too grieved and starts to hate Kaikeyi.
• He went to tell Sita the news. She says that it is a wife's duty to accompany her husband. Rama doesn't want Sita to suffer with him. He asks her to remain while he is away. He finally agreed that she could come too. Lakshmana also insisted he come too. 

The Death of Dasaratha

• People gazed sadly at Rama and his wife while he walked through the city to bid farewell to his father. 
• Dasaratha still weeps, and says that he has been tricked by a wicked woman. Kaikeyi orders for raiment of bark to be brought out so that the 3 could wear while banished. Sita wept, saying she couldn't wear it, and Dasaratha finally said that it only applies to Rama, and that the other two could where what they want.
• The exiles left, and the city mourned.
• Dasaratha, not able to handle the grief, died the second night Rama and company left.

Rama and Bharata

• Bharata was finally told about the death of his father. He started to weep and asked for Rama, who would have been his sire. 
• Kaikeyi tells him that he has a kingdom now, but he doesn't care. I have lost my father and my elder brother. Of what good is a kingdom unto me now? Oevil-hearted woman, thou hast bereft this house of all joy; thou hast slain my sire and banished Rama.... But I will bring my brother back from the jungle; he shall be seated on the throne.
• Satrughna, Bharata's brother, found Manthara and was going to slay her. Bharata stopped him, saying she is a woman, and that he would have killed his mother if he knew that Rama wouldn't have been mad if he had done so.
• Bharata vowed to never take the throne. Kausalya wept because he is loyal.
• Bharata left to look for Rama after the funeral. They met in the jungle. Bharata tried to give the kingdom to Rama, but he refuses, determined to fulfill the vow of his father.
• Bharata asks to be in the jungle with Rama too if he is going to stay.
• Bharata says he is going to dwell outside the city until Rama returns again. He conducted affairs of government, holding royal umbrella over Rama's sandals. 
• The sandals of Rama were the symbol of royal authority.

Week 4 Reading Diary: Hans Christian Andersen

For the extra credit reading, I chose the Hans Christian Andersen unit, since I'll be using some of these stories for my Storybook.

The Princess and the Pea

• The prince is quite picky, looking all over and still not finding a princess.
• It's a bit suspicious that someone could just walk up to the doors of a palace (I'm assuming), knock, and be let in.
• If the princess is able to feel a pea that is put under 20 mattresses and 20 down beds, does that mean she's very sensitive? I don't see that as a particularly good thing.

The Emperor’s New Suit

• The emperor is obsessed with clothes. He had a coat for every hour --that is just excessive.
• Two swindlers entered the city, claiming they were the best. The most expensive cloth would be invisible to those who aren't worthy. The emperor thought it'd be a good idea to use it to test who was worthy.
• The emperor paid a great sum, and provided them with the greatest silks and cloths. They mimed weaving, but wasn't actually doing anything.
• The emperor sent an old minister to check up on their work. He had to lie, so no one would find out he couldn't see anything.
• The swindlers asked for more cloths, silk, and money and kept them all. 
• The swindlers presented the suit to the emperor, which indeed does not exist, and the emperor had a procession through the city. Everyone expressed how beautiful it was, even though none of them can see anything.

The Brave Tin Soldier

• There were 25 tin soldiers made from the same tin spoon, who looked identical but one, who only had one leg.
• Nearby is a toy castle with a paper dancer doll in front. 
• The tin soldier tries to work up the courage to talk to her, but can't.
• He is placed by the window, but unfortunately is blown out the window down onto the street.
• It starts to rain, and when two boys walk by seeing him stuck in the drain, fashions him a boat out of newspaper and sets him in the gutter. He cruises along until he comes into a bridge that is also a drain.

The Brave Tin Soldier (cont.)

• He goes through adventures with rats, fishes, and the market, until he eventually ends up with the same family again.
• One of the boys threw him into the stove, for some reason.
• The door opens and the wind carries the paper dancer doll into the stove as well.
• The tin soldier had melted into a tiny tin heart, while the pretty doll is burnt and all that's left is her tinsel rose.

The Wicked Prince

• A prince conquers towns all around and accumulates wealth and gold.
• He vows to conquer God also. He builds a ship that sails in the sky. 
• God sent angels, and as the prince shot bullets at them, they turned to stone and fell down to earth.
• A single drop of blood from one of the angels falls onto the ship, burns a hole in it, and weighs it down until it comes tumbling down to earth.
• The prince builds another ship, but before it set sails, God sends a swarm of little gnats. One of them got into the prince's ear and stung him. The poison made him dance and jump around before the soldiers he had gathered, making them mock him, the mad prince.

The Little Match-Seller

• The little girl is trying to sell matches, and no one cares, even though she's sick.
• The lights matches to warm herself up, until she runs out.
• She eventually dies, and her grandmother carries her soul to Heaven.

Week 4 Review

I really enjoyed this graphic from this week's announcements. It kind of shows how the reader has this idea that they could choose their ending, but in reality, they don't really. I think the idea of the reader chooses their ending is the inspiration for the FanFiction site, where people write stories based on famous series, use characters, or write their own sequels.

Reader chooses their ending (source: announcement page)

MISSA, the Management Information Systems Student Association had their first general meeting yesterday. Next week, there is going to be a Lunch-and-Learn with Phillips 66 at 12:30-1:30 in MFPH 2065. This is a great opportunity to meet firms, have lunch, and meet people. The MISSA's orgsync page can be found here. It is $10 to join, and you get a soft t-shirt when you sign up! You don't have to be an MIS major to join!