Reading Notes: Cupid and Psyche, Part A

I decided to read Cupid and Psyche by Apuleius ,and so far it has been very interesting. It's a unique layout, as it's a story in another story. I'm trying to figure out how the story relates to the first character, though. It was also interesting how Cupid is normally portrayed as cheeky and cute in popoular culture, but in the text, he is referred to as "shameful" and "wicked". I was also surprised that this immensely beautiful girl had no one to marry her. Usually, stories are criticized because they're sought after solely for their looks. I also liked the variety of descriptions used. They added so much more detail to the story, like when the palace was being described. I liked the twist about Cupid being her husband. Obviously, I didn't like the sisters, but I think I would keep them as antagonists. I liked the personalit of the main character. I also liked the irony of the horseman telling her to find Cupid after he left. I'm excited to finish out the story.

Psyche being transported by the wind. (Giordano)

Feedback Thoughts

For this assignment, I read the articles Silence the Critical Voices in Your Head and The Psychology of Comparison and How to Stop. I enjoyed reading both articles a lot. As I'm sure a lot of us do, I'm usually pretty hard on myself when I'm working on something. I liked what Nawaz wrote in the first article about having one positive voice for every 5 negative voices. I realized that the positive feedback means just as much as the negative. I definitely find myself passing over the good words and immediately hooking on to what I need to fix. I liked her example of how most people react when they're complimented. We tend to minimize it, but when we get a negative comment, we are so curious to find out exactly what was disliked and figure out a way to fix it. Nawaz was saying we should also try to do that with the positive instead of brushing those words off. It's also hard to give feedback to others sometimes. I always look for the good, but am too scared to say anything critical. I know that I have to try to help others succeed and that means offering them advice or correcting something. The second article tackled another subject: comparison. It's so easy for people, myself included, to see someone else's success or work and compare it to yours. We measure our value based on other people's successes, which isn't good. It's hard not to, especially when it's something you're struggling with. I always do this with my cousins. They all know exactly what they want to do, and they are well on their way to accomplishing their goals, so often, I feel like I'm behind or that I'm not as good as they are. However, I have to remember that every single person on this earth has different strengths and weaknesses, so I can't use them as my ruler for success

Words to live by. Image: Flickr

Week 2 Story: The Real King of the Jungle

The Real King of the Jungle?

Once upon a time, there was a wolf who lived alone deep in the woods of Alaska. After a brutal blizzard, the wolf was forced to stay in his cave for several days without food. When the storm died down, he finally emerged from his home, hoping to quell his hunger and his boredom. He was walking around the forest, checking his traps for any animals. All of a sudden, he heard a voice in the woods. He cautiously walked towards the sound and saw a large antelope.
"Finally", he thought, "I found my dinner". As he crept closer, he saw that she was crying, and his curiosity temporarily overcame his hunger.
"Why are you so sad?", he asked. The antelope startled at the sight of a wolf but decided he didn't seem threatening.
"Today is my last day on this earth", she said with sadness in her eyes.
"Why, how can you know such a thing?", the wolf asked.
"I stumbled upon a lion caught in the hunter's trap by the river, and I decided to help him escape. I was supposed to find a reason he shouldn't eat me, but so far, I have been unsuccessful. He has been watching me, waiting for me to fail", she replied.
The wolf looked for the lion, gulping as he finally locked eyes with the massive creature on a nearby hill. He knew the lion could easily catch him, as well, so he had to think quickly. He walked up the hill with the antelope.
"Well, look at that. Entree and a free dessert. I knew the antelope would fail on her mission' ", the lion said with a smile on his face.
"It does seem that way, oh intelligent one, but I do wonder. How does someone as smart as you fall into a hunter's trap?", replied the wolf mockingly, covering up his fear.
The lion glowered at the antelope for telling the wolf the embarrassing story.
"I encourage you to stop talking before I change my mind and decide to have dessert first.". growled the lion.
The wolf grew more confident as he realized his plan was working. He taunted the lion, who grew increasingly irritated.
"I bet you wouldn't have been able to escape the trap if the antelope hadn't come along.", the wolf said.
"How dare you doubt my abilities?", thundered the lion. He proceeded to tell the wolf exactly how he would have escaped, but he said he wouldn't believe it unless he saw it with his own eyes, The lion consented, unwilling to compromise his pride. The three animals walked to where the trap was. The lion warily stepped into the hole, hoping his bravado would pay off. It didn't. He fell into the hole.and cursed his luck, for he was not able to escape.
The wolf laughed at him. "It is a good day, indeed", he remarked. The antelope jumped for joy.
"Thank you so much", she exclaimed. "I can finally go home."
The wolf's stomach grumbled as he turned to her with a gleam in his eye.
"Where are you going? Dinner's just getting started."

He got what he wanted in the end. Image: Pixabay

Author's Note:

The original story involves a jackal instead of a wolf, a person instead of an antelope, and a tiger instead of a lion. The tiger convinces a guy to let him out of a cage and says he won't eat him. The guy agrees, but the tiger was lying. He says the man is allowed to ask three things to justify not eating him. No one helped him, but he ran into a jackal on his way back. The jackal also came to the tiger, but pretended he didn't understand how the tiger had gotten out of the cage. In frustration, the tiger jumped back into the cage to show him, and the jackal locked him inside again. I had wanted to keep the characters animals, and I wanted to try to tell the story from another point-of-view. I also wanted to add a small twist to the end with the jackal actually eating the guy. After looking up some information, I found out that jackals don't really attack humans, so I decided to change to a wolf who ate the antelope after "saving" its life. I also changed the tiger to a lion to add more levity to that character. I'm not sure if I like the overall cohesiveness, but for now, it'll have to do. Hopefully, I'll get better as the weeks progress!

Bibliography. Tricksters from Indian Fairy Tales by Joseph Jacobs. Online source

Reading B: Tricksters

Tricksters from Indian Fairy Tales by Joseph Jacob
I like this story a lot mainly for the jackal's wittiness. I also liked that the characters didn't need much introduction, and the story dove into the main problem. The jackal was the most interesting character, but I actually liked the lion most. As the antagonist, he thought he was the smart one for coming up with the plan to eat the Brahmin, but he ended up back in the cage. He was definitely intelligent, but way too confident. I picture the story happening outside, some tropical forest in India. Jacob used a lot of descriptive words which added to the story. They add some character to the jackal and the lion. Small details like the lion "sharpening his teeth and claws" add more suspense when we're waiting for the Brahmin to return. I think I'd like to add another twist to the story, but keep the main characters mainly the same.

The unwitting lion, the clever jackal, and the poor Brahmin. Image: Myth-Folklore Anthology

Tech Tip: Canvas Dashboard

The Dashboard can get a little frustrating for me. I still have 2 classes that pop up even though I'm no longer in them. Thankfully, I can hide them, but it's still a little annoying. I also like the colors; it helps me organize everything a little better.

Tech Tip: Canvas App

The Canvas App is extremely helpful. It's a pain to try to navigate through tabs and such on my iPhone, so the app was a nice addition. I recommend it, but the notifications can get a little annoying. Other than that, it's great.

Reading Options

1. Aesop's Fables: Another Lion (part of Aesop (English))
I've always liked fables. I enjoyed how there would be a moral at the end of the story and it would be illustrated in such a simple manner. They're fairly straightforward and usually not bad at the advice! With this specific fable, I did have some trouble with the language. The English was a bit hard to understand, but I got the gist. It was interesting, and the randomly capitalized words intrigued me. It may have been for no reason, but I still noticed it. It's quite entertaining to picture the lion's story taking place, and of course, the moral was to listen to your parents. (This is a story my dad would love to hear). I think I would like some sort of moral or something to learn from my stories.

2. Canterbury Tales: The Unknown Bride
When I was in high school, my literature professor had us read several stories from the Canterbury Tales, so I clicked on this as soon as I saw it. I hadn't read this specific work before, but I did enjoy it. I liked that my feelings toward the knight changed as I read on. Initially, I felt bad for him because he had this rope around his neck. Then, I felt angry with him because he was being rude to his wife. Finally, I felt happy that they got their happy ending. I like stories that pull me in and make me feel what the characters are feeling. However I write, I hope that it's filled with emotion.

3. Illiad: How the War with Troy Began
The Illiad was yet another book I had to read in high school. Originally, I was intimidated by the length and language of the novel, but I grew to like it. This version was admittedly a lot easier to read. I think one of the most challenging things about it is the abundance of characters. There are so many people and relationships to remember. While it was a great work, I do think it complicated the story. Obviously, I would like to keep my stories shorter than several hundred pages, but I would also like them to have fewer characters, so the reader knows exactly who everyone is and how they relate to the story.

Arguably the most famous horse in mythology. (Image: Wikimedia Commons)

Class Assignments

As I've mentioned several times already, reading is one of my favorite pastimes. I like being swept up into another world and leaving this one for a while. So I think I'll be looking forward to the Reading parts of the class each week. From what I've seen of the previous projects, there are so many different ways to go. The openness is great, but at the same time, it's a little scary having to tap into my creative side, but I think it will be interesting. I also like that we're working on our Storybooks all semester, so you get a chance to fine-tune it and add while you're still learning. I also definitely appreciate the extra credit. It adds some cushion in case one week becomes busy and I am unable to finish an assignment on time. It's also nice that they can be done at any time so I can build up some points when I have free time (if I don't procrastinate)!

A real-life storybook. (Image: Public Domain Pics)

Tech Tools

I've taken a few classes online before, but I've never had to do as much reading for them. It was usually just papers and online lectures, so I like that this class is a little more interactive. Of the different options, the only one that sounded familiar was Google Docs, a super useful tool. I'd never used the other sites before, so it was nice to see all the options available to help navigate the course. I liked the "Un-textbook" page. It was well organized and easy to find things. I love to read so the Freebookapalooza definitely caught my eye! I think I'll be using that link frequently for some interesting reads. Overall, I think once we get into the main work more, I'll get the hang of it all. Even though I've been using it for years, technology can still be very confusing. I appreciate all the resources we have to make our homework easier.

Serious business. Wikimedia Commons 

Time Strategies

Four Questions to Help You Overcome Procrastination
I really liked this article. Procrastination is one of my BIGGEST weaknesses. I love putting things off and then I end up hating myself later when I don't have enough time. Even with this assignment, of course, I put it off until the last day. I think the questions were thought-provoking, and I'm definitely going to try some of these out. I think getting started is one of the hardest parts, so I'll try using that tip. Hopefully, they work and I'll stay on top of everything!

Food for Thought. (Ignore the grammatical errors) (Image: Flickr)

The Psychology of Checklists
With how much I plan, it's hard to believe how much I procrastinate. Making lists is one of my favorite things to do. I like organizing and having all my thoughts on one page. It makes me feel like I have my life together. Do I stick to the checklist? Rarely, but I like to think it's the thought that counts :) I've been trying to be more motivated and actually follow the list. I totally agree with the article that it's a great feeling when you finish everything and give yourself that mental gold star! Like I said earlier, I'm really hoping I can improve that this year!

Growth Mindset 1

I had never heard of Carol Dweck before, but "growth mindset" does ring a bell from some of my sociology courses. I liked that the school put "Not Yet" instead of an F. It makes the lack of a good grade seem more bearable. I was surprised to hear that kids would resort to cheating to get a good grade, but I understand it. I've read a few articles that say kids feel a lot more pressure to get good grades now, and that makes them resort to dishonesty. I've also read that when asked what they want the most, a lot of teenagers said that they value praise. I agree that even a small compliment or word of encouragement can go a long way. That being said, constructive criticism is important too, but it shouldn't be used to discourage. I am definitely interested in learning more about the growth mindset. It's important to stay positive and believe that you can achieve your goals as long as you don't give up. It's also important to realize that plans can change, and you can try new things as long as you end up happy. This cat illustrates it much better than me.

Discovery is a messy ordeal. Image: Growth Mindset Memes Blog

Introduction to a Fairly Normal Gal

My name is Jency, and I'm a junior majoring in Chemical Biosciences with a double minor in Social Sciences and Criminology. I was born and raised in Yukon, Oklahoma where my parents still live. I have an older sister who lives in Houston, TX. She has three adorable kids who are my life. I got to visit them over Christmas break and it was definitely the best part. My nieces are 10 and 5, and my nephew is turning 2 this weekend. The saddest part always is leaving them because we don't get to visit often. I work part-time as a medical scribe in OKC, and it's definitely been a learning experience. Thankfully, I've been able to balance school and work fairly well so far.

Reading is one of my favorite hobbies, but I rarely have time for it anymore. I love reading mystery novels, usually by Agatha Christie. I'm also a huge romantic, so I've read nearly every romance novel in my library. I also liked The Princess Diaries and Eragon back in high school. The only reading I do now is from my textbooks, sadly.

Eragon is the first book in a series by Christopher Paolini. (Image: Wikimedia Commons)

As far as TV shows and movies go, I like basically anything except for horror. I do not like to be scared, but I do like action and superhero films. It is a real struggle to keep up with all my TV shows and school and work, but I think I make it work. Friends is my favorite show of all time, followed closely by the Office and Grey's Anatomy. I also play piano and sing as part of the worship team at church, which is great. I have been wanting to learn how to play the guitar, but I don't think that will be happening anytime soon. 

I haven't really visited a lot of places, except for India, where I went last summer. It was a lot of fun, but the heat and humidity were unbearable. I could not wait to come home to A/C and cooler weather. Aside from Houston, my parents and I haven't traveled to many states here. We do have plans to go to Disneyworld this summer, but we have a history of plans falling through at the last minute, so I'm really hoping this one sticks! 

I do like cooking, but I normally stick to basic recipes. My sister and mom are the true cooks in the family. I'm simply the taste-tester, which I'm perfectly happy with. My favorite food is Italian food. I could eat pasta and pizza every day and be satisfied, but my mom makes mostly Indian food. 

I'm not really sure what I want to do with my life yet. I'm thinking about medical school, but I think graduate school is also a possibility. Hopefully, I figure it all out soon, but until then, I'm just trying to keep on swimming! I am excited about this class since it doesn't have any equations or reactions. I hope to learn a lot and have fun doing it!

My Favorite Storybooks

1. The Princess Constellations (https://sites.google.com/site/theprincessconstellations/introduction)
Ever since I was a little girl, I have loved princesses, so when I saw the word in the title, I immediately clicked on it. I thought the title was intriguing so I didn't really know what it was about until I clicked the introduction. I believe it was done well. I liked the idea of the stars looking down and telling the stories amongst themselves. I like the image, too, because it moved so the star seemed more lifelike. I liked that the background was dark like the night sky and the words were white like the stars, adding a little more depth.

(Image Information: Gold star 1256 by Alborzagros (2013). Web Source: Wikimedia Commons.)

2. How I Met Your Mother (https://sites.google.com/site/italianlovestory/robin-scherbatsky)

How I Met Your Mother is one of my favorite shows, and I still rewatch episodes today. I thought the Italian setting was a nice twist. I enjoyed the overall story and the similarities to the original show. I also liked how certain details were adjusted to fit the Italian theme and the mythological aspects. I liked the image of the cast, but I do wish there was an image of Italy to picture the setting a little better. I also liked the Italian phrases for the chapters and the colors were nice and simple. 

3. Legendary Creatures Speak Up (https://sites.google.com/site/ahumanencountersconvention)

I really enjoyed this story. I liked the topic, and how it was not only based on mythological creatures, but it also was based on their perceptions of us. It was entertaining, and I liked that the format was like a transcript of the conference. It made it seem more likely to be real, and the small details add humor, like the unicorn tapping the mic with his horn to test it. The format was nice, but since the setting was Hawaii, I imagined a background that had more color, like something tropical. Overall, I do think it was a solid effort and did a good job of keeping me engaged. 

Favorite Place- Dubai

My family is from India, so when we visit, we almost always make a stop in Dubai first. The airport alone is extravagant, but overall, Dubai is a beautiful place. I haven't spent a lot of time there, but it captures my attention every time we visit. I went last summer with my parents, and we could've spent hours walking around and taking in the sights if we didn't have another flight. Nighttime is the best time to go so you can take in all the lights which add another level of excitement! It's also a huge city, so I definitely get in all my steps by the end.

Dubai at night. 

Link for similar pictures and info: Pixabay

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