Monday, April 18, 2016

Week 12: Famous Last Words


(These are personal pictures of my boyfriend's cat, Link, and me and my cat, Lucky.)

Well, it's been a great semester in this class.

I've really enjoyed myself in this class. I am really sad that I ave very little left to do to get my A. After this post, I just have to edit my last portfolio story and then I am done. Yay! I am really happy to be done with a class a few weeks early. It makes it much easier for me to focus on my other classes. I am going to miss the new readings. I will probably still come back and read some peoples stories that they have written when I want to procrastinate homework. I will check on the storybooks for sure. I know some of my favorites are still unfinished and I hope I get to read the last stories.

Meanwhile in other classes, I have a few papers coming up. One is due Friday and a rough draft for another is due next Monday. I look forward to getting those done. My semester is coming to a close and I cannot wait. I have been counting down the days until I graduate. I am so excited to finish my undergraduate career strong. I look forward to my year-long break and starting my graduate education.

Mostly, I am excited to move in with my boyfriend. He is my best friend and I completely look forward to living with him. It sounds silly, but I cannot wait to marathon Star Wars, play video games and cook fun meals with him whenever I want.

This semester has had a lot of ups and downs. Many of which I have not mentioned on this blog, but I am both happy and sad to see it end. I wish everyone the best of luck on their future endeavors and maybe our paths will cross again!

Week 12: Review

This week's favorite announcement came from Sunday, April 17. It's a really good growth mindset image about how we all struggle. I can agree with that. This week seems to be my struggle week because all of my classes are starting to come to a close. You know what that means... a lot of deadlines.


Thursday, April 14, 2016

Week 12 Reading Diary A: Epified: Mahabharata Vidos

 (A screen shot of The Blind Bride video.)

This week I decided to watch the Epified TV videos of the Mahabharata.

I don't have much to stay on the story side of things because we have all read the Mahabharata and really know what has happened. I like to speak more about how I felt when watching it in a video format. I liked how everything seemed much more real. Reading a book allows you to imagine everything, but sometimes it is hard to feed the other senses. I like that it is pleasing visually and I can put a voice to the characters.

I wish there was enough time to make a video skit for a story. That would be super fun!

My favorite videos were The Blind Bride and The Magic Potion. I think the focus of my story this week will be the Blind Bride. I think it would be a good, but weird love story to tell.

Monday, April 11, 2016

Week 11: Review

Hi guys. This week's favorite review item came from Sunday, April 10. It is Ninja Cat v. Zombie Dinosaurs post. I know that I need to focus on improving my typing skills by typing without having so many errors. I played this few games and got weirdly hooked. You don't realize how much you're learning until you notice how much better your typing skills get. I will definitely keep using this to practice my typing. Until then, I recommend you check it out!


Friday, April 8, 2016

Week 11 Storytelling: Rukmini's Issue

(Rukmini and Krishna running off to get married.)

Where is he? I cannot believe he is not here yet. He promised me he would be here at 6 am. It’s 8!! I am so pissed.


Two days ago….


Hi! My name is Rukmini. I am the daughter of Bhishmaka, the king of Vidarbha. While I love my father, I am rather annoyed with him right now. Why? Because he made the worst decision of his life a few weeks ago.


My kingdom is in dire need of help financially. We used to be the economic powerhouse of the land, but a few bad decisions by the top businessmen ruined everything despite the warnings and eventual threats by my father. He was not too happy about it either. He loves his people and was livid that these few men ruined it for the people he loved so dearly. This happened about two years ago. Ever since then, my father has been trying to find a way to fix this problem.


Don’t worry. My father punished the businessmen. He forced them to walk the forests forever.


Anyway, about a month ago my father received a proposition. Shishupala, cousin of Krishna and prince of a very wealthy country, offered to pay for all of the debts of our land and bring us back to prosperity… only if I would agree to marry him. My father was delighted and agreed to his proposal. He could save his land, people and find a partner for me! Except there is a problem.


My father thinks I have not met a man who has taken my heart. He is wrong. In fact, I am in love. I am in love with Krishna. Not just a I-love-you kind of love… it’s the type of love where my heart stops beating and my breath catches when I think of him. Luckily, he feels exactly the same. It’s completely consuming and very terrifying. We have not told anyone that we plan to marry yet because we are waiting for the right time.


So, how do I tell my father that I can’t marry Shishupala because my heart belongs to Krishna? I don’t.


Krishna and I are to meet tonight to figure out how we will fix this. He has told me numerous times that he has a plan for how we fix this. He won’t tell me until we are face to face. We are meeting in our sacred spot. I am very nervous to hear what his plan is. If I have to get married to Shishupala, I am going to be so upset and I will never talk to my father ever again. I do not love him. Not even a little bit.


Back to present day…


It’s 8:30 am. The wedding to Shishupala is today. Krishna finally came to kidnap me and we planned to get eloped. He was late because he was getting gold. So much gold that my father could fix our land. In the room I was to be in until I walked down the aisle is enough gold that it will take twelve large carriages to take it to our main castle.

Now, all problems are solved.

Author's Note: This story is inspired by How Rukmini Became the Bride of Krishna by Edmund Charles Cox. I recommend everyone read the original story. The original story is about how Rukmini falls in love with Krishna but is supposed to be marrying Shishupala. The marriage is completely unwanted. Instead of Rukmini marrying Shishupala, Krishna's cousin, Krishna swoops in like a hero, kidnaps her and marries her. Rukmini is the main wife of Krishna. I was inspired by how this story is different because it's, in a way, a voluntary kidnapping. In my story, I skipped how Krishna and Rukmini met and focused on the fact they are in love and why he has to kidnap her. I didn't stray from the main factors of the story too much, but I did put my own twist on it. It can be take as modern or not. I wanted this to be a timeless story that sounds like a complicated fairytale with a really happy ending for all. The photo that I picked is how I pictured the kidnapping happened. It's more blissful than fearful. It depicts how they are both heading off to get married and be happy together forever and completes the story for you.

Thursday, April 7, 2016

Week 11 Reading Diary B: Tales of Ancient India

(Indra wielding lightening in a battle.)

This is a continuation of the Tales of Ancient India by Edmund Charles Cox. Section B was more focused on the Gods. I was really excited to read this section because I feel like I have spent a lot of time on Krishna on the first section, which was cool, but I was so ready to move on to more characters in the reading.

I am going to save the reactions to Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva and Rama. I feel that I have talked about them more than enough already. So, for this diary entry I am going to talk about Soma. I am not sure if Soma is like the Ganges River. Is he in the form of a liquid or plant on earth? He is clearly used to benefit Indra. This is where I got a bit confused. He heals the sick and makes them strong. That's pretty cool.

Indra reminded me a bit of Zeus. He wields thunderbolts and used the chariots as clouds. This chapter about him is seriously similar to many introductory chapters or stories of Zeus. I know I keep making the comparison but it is so striking. I wonder if they originated around the same time. I guess some research will have to happen.

Wednesday, April 6, 2016

Week 11 Reading Diary A: Tales of Ancient India

(Krishna and Rukmini looking very much in love.)

This week I decided to read Tales of Ancient India by Edmund Charles Cox.

The first half is all about Krishna and his adventures. I was really interested in learning more about Krishna because I feel like I didn't give him as much attention as I did other characters that we have read about in this class.

The story that interested me the most was Krishna and Rukmini. I am intrigued at how he basically married her to prevent her from getting married to someone she did not want to marry. It seems like they really care about each other. While I was reading this, I was thinking of ways I could turn this into a story this week. Perhaps I could modernize it where they use technology to develop new names for themselves to live a long life together in peace in happiness. I also like the idea of making it have a bit of magic where the way he rescues her from the wedding is extravagant and everyone knows that he saved her.

We will see how it goes. I will definitely be writing about this couple this week. I look forward to expanding my ideas.