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| Rama and the Monkey Chiefs |
Tuesday, October 13, 2015
Week 8 - Reading Plan
I think I am more interested in spreading out from the two epics that we have read thus far. I would like to explore more about the world of Indian mythology, rather than just focusing on the Ramayana and the Mahabharata. I would like to read more of the stories of the gods, but I'm also interested in the women of these stories. I will probably read only the free online versions of these materials, mostly because of convenience. I also am a starving college student and don't really want to spend any more money on materials that what I really need to spend. Despite wanting to explore, I may also watch some of the film versions of the epics we've already read. I really enjoyed Sita Sings the Blues, so I may like the others as well.
Week 8 Looking Backward/Looking Forward
Writing: The part of this class that I have enjoyed the most is the Storytelling section. I like being able to try to re-imagine the tales, as well as have some fun within these worlds. It's been interesting to see how others are doing this as well, and I'm enjoying seeing how the projects are coming to fruition.
Reading: I think that my favorite reading was the first Ramayana.I really liked the complexity of this story and it wasn't as overwhelming as I felt that the Mahabharata was. Although I see the point of having us read more than one edition of each tale, it actually made this course feel really redundant and has made it less interesting. I wouldn't say that I've "learned" anything about my own reading habits. I have always been an avid reader, so I saw no change.
Interactions: The interactions are definitely more than what I've experienced in other classes. On one hand, this is great because it allows for more exploration and some camaraderie. However, I wouldn't say that it is a necessary component of the course.
Time: Time is the most difficult aspect of this course. I find myself spending a ridiculous amount of time trying to accomplish everything that is assigned week to week and failing miserably. At the beginning of the semester, I was working over 40 hours a week on top of 15 hours of classes. Now, I am working about 25-30 hours a week, which has helped, but I'm still finding it difficult to keep up with absolutely everything.
Location: I usually work on this course at home or at my work. I work both in the Writing Center and the Foreign Language Center of the student athlete section of campus. The atmosphere is more conducive to working there, except for when I am meeting with my own students. I have a difficult time working at home, because most days I don't get home until late in the evening and I find myself being unmotivated or just plain exhausted.
Growth Mindset: I have not done any growth mindset activities.
Curation: I have not done any specific curation for this class.
In summary of Weeks 1-8:
I'm actually really far behind in this class. Like I said earlier, it has been very difficult to devote much time to working. During the day, I might get one or two hours of free time to work on homework, so I've been having to cram as much as possible into a short amount of time. I'm actually drinking coffee through as straw right now, so that I can type and caffeinate myself, so I guess if "multitasking and crying" is a strategy, that's mine. Really, the motivation I have right now is that this is my last semester as an undergrad and that now I can see a bit of a light at the end of the tunnel.
Reading: I think that my favorite reading was the first Ramayana.I really liked the complexity of this story and it wasn't as overwhelming as I felt that the Mahabharata was. Although I see the point of having us read more than one edition of each tale, it actually made this course feel really redundant and has made it less interesting. I wouldn't say that I've "learned" anything about my own reading habits. I have always been an avid reader, so I saw no change.
Interactions: The interactions are definitely more than what I've experienced in other classes. On one hand, this is great because it allows for more exploration and some camaraderie. However, I wouldn't say that it is a necessary component of the course.
Time: Time is the most difficult aspect of this course. I find myself spending a ridiculous amount of time trying to accomplish everything that is assigned week to week and failing miserably. At the beginning of the semester, I was working over 40 hours a week on top of 15 hours of classes. Now, I am working about 25-30 hours a week, which has helped, but I'm still finding it difficult to keep up with absolutely everything.
Location: I usually work on this course at home or at my work. I work both in the Writing Center and the Foreign Language Center of the student athlete section of campus. The atmosphere is more conducive to working there, except for when I am meeting with my own students. I have a difficult time working at home, because most days I don't get home until late in the evening and I find myself being unmotivated or just plain exhausted.
Growth Mindset: I have not done any growth mindset activities.
Curation: I have not done any specific curation for this class.
In summary of Weeks 1-8:
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| Findmemes.com |
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| JUST DO IT. |
Thursday, October 8, 2015
Week 7 Storytelling - Deal or No Deal
The lights of the stadium swirled down in an arc and the dramatic music thundered around the arena. Rows of women stood facing outward, their dresses all adorned with the most beautiful patterns and jewels. To the right of every woman was a briefcase, studded with a number.
Yudhishthir gulped a breath of air and tried to stabilize himself. He couldn't help himself; he loved a good risk. There was something about letting go of control and letting fate decide your fortune that was incredibly addicting. Even though there was know way of knowing what would happen, Yudhishthir was confident.
"Hello everyone and welcome to Deal or No Deal! The show where our contestants can win riches and fortune - or lose it all in just a moment of fate!" The voice of the announcer was ecstatic and the energy was contagious. The audience cheered.
"Our contestant today, " continued the host, "is Yudhishthir, a young prince. You may know him as one of the Pandu brothers. Today he is battling our overlord, the great and powerful Duryodhan." Again, cheering from the audience.
"Some of you may know how this works, but others may be unfamiliar, so bear with us as we explain the rules to the newcomers," he smiled and flashed perfect white teeth. "Twenty six of the most beautiful maidens from around the castle are each holding a case. Inside of each of those cases is a sum. Your goal is to eliminate all the cases until only the case with the highest amount remains. During this time, Duryodhan may present to you any offer to counteract the cases. You may either accept his deal, or you may choose 'no deal.' The power is completely yours."
Yudhishthir began to sweat and attempted to formulate a strategy. He began by choosing his case to hold. He had an affinity for the number 15, so he placed it on the stand next to him. This would be his key. He would defeat Duryodhan. He began to choose cases, wildly at first. 1, 7, 16, 1, 13...the cases all fell open to reveal different sums of currency, but the real prize still remained unclaimed. 8, 21, 22, 4, 6, 12...
A bird swooped down and dropped a letter in the host's hands. A deal.
"The great Duryodhan offers you all the gold and jewels your servants can carry. Deal or no deal?"
It was easy. No deal. 11, 14, 19, 26, 2...Another letter.
"The great Duryodhan offers you all the gold and jewels your servants can carry and seven of his best stallions, ten of his best mares, and your choice of twenty foals."
Yudhishthir's stomach turned. It was a fantastic gift. His family could reside in comfort for the rest of their lives...but...he could still outsmart Duryodhan; there was still a chance.
"No. Deal." The crowd went crazy and he focused again on the task before him. 9, 17, 20, and 10 all fell open. He was so close.
"The great Duyodhan offers you The great Duryodhan offers you all the gold and jewels your servants can carry and seven of his best stallions, ten of his best mares, and your choice of twenty foals and your choice of one of his best summer homes, complete with servants to keep it."
This time he didn't even hesitate. No deal. Only three cases were left before him to be opened, and the 15 case sat at his side. He called for 3, then 25, 24, he paused, 5 and 18 fell open and his heart almost stopped. Another letter came swooping down.
"The great Duyodhan offers you The great Duryodhan offers you all the gold and jewels your servants can carry and seven of his best stallions, ten of his best mares, and your choice of twenty foals and your choice of one of his best summer homes, complete with servants to keep it, and half of his armed forces."
With that amount Yudhishthir could even defeat Duryodhan in war. It was almost too tempting. But he persisted - No deal.
Only two cases left: 23 and 15. He knew one of them would cause him to win and one would cause him to lose.
A letter.
"The great Duyodhan offers you The great Duryodhan offers you all the gold and jewels your servants can carry and seven of his best stallions, ten of his best mares, and your choice of twenty foals and your choice of one of his best summer homes, complete with servants to keep it, and half of his armed forces - but ONLY if you walk away now. If you open the losing case The Great Duryodhan commands you be stripped of rank, your brothers stripped of rank and your wife follow suit. You will no longer be princes, but servants of the basest nature. If you win - Duryodhan will step down from power and you shall rule in his stead."
Yudhishthir heard the audience gasp. He had never expected something like this to happen and his gut wrenched. For what seemed like ages, he clenched his fists and eyes, trying to decide what he should do. Through gritted teeth, he uttered, "No deal." In a flash of light, his chosen case, 15, opened and the world stopped.
It was empty. He had lost everything. Yudhishthir could hear Duryodhan's triumphant cackle from his perch above the stadium and he placed his head in his hands and sobbed. It was over.
Author's Note:
I wanted to talk about Yudhishthir's gambling, but I wanted to place it in more of a modern high-stakes setting. I remembered watching the show Deal or No Deal a few times and decided that it would be a simple enough format to base this story around. For the original story, I read in the Indian Story Book, and also watched an episode of the show on YouTube to refresh myself on the rules.
Yudhishthir gulped a breath of air and tried to stabilize himself. He couldn't help himself; he loved a good risk. There was something about letting go of control and letting fate decide your fortune that was incredibly addicting. Even though there was know way of knowing what would happen, Yudhishthir was confident.
"Hello everyone and welcome to Deal or No Deal! The show where our contestants can win riches and fortune - or lose it all in just a moment of fate!" The voice of the announcer was ecstatic and the energy was contagious. The audience cheered.
"Our contestant today, " continued the host, "is Yudhishthir, a young prince. You may know him as one of the Pandu brothers. Today he is battling our overlord, the great and powerful Duryodhan." Again, cheering from the audience.
"Some of you may know how this works, but others may be unfamiliar, so bear with us as we explain the rules to the newcomers," he smiled and flashed perfect white teeth. "Twenty six of the most beautiful maidens from around the castle are each holding a case. Inside of each of those cases is a sum. Your goal is to eliminate all the cases until only the case with the highest amount remains. During this time, Duryodhan may present to you any offer to counteract the cases. You may either accept his deal, or you may choose 'no deal.' The power is completely yours."
Yudhishthir began to sweat and attempted to formulate a strategy. He began by choosing his case to hold. He had an affinity for the number 15, so he placed it on the stand next to him. This would be his key. He would defeat Duryodhan. He began to choose cases, wildly at first. 1, 7, 16, 1, 13...the cases all fell open to reveal different sums of currency, but the real prize still remained unclaimed. 8, 21, 22, 4, 6, 12...
A bird swooped down and dropped a letter in the host's hands. A deal.
"The great Duryodhan offers you all the gold and jewels your servants can carry. Deal or no deal?"
It was easy. No deal. 11, 14, 19, 26, 2...Another letter.
"The great Duryodhan offers you all the gold and jewels your servants can carry and seven of his best stallions, ten of his best mares, and your choice of twenty foals."
Yudhishthir's stomach turned. It was a fantastic gift. His family could reside in comfort for the rest of their lives...but...he could still outsmart Duryodhan; there was still a chance.
"No. Deal." The crowd went crazy and he focused again on the task before him. 9, 17, 20, and 10 all fell open. He was so close.
"The great Duyodhan offers you The great Duryodhan offers you all the gold and jewels your servants can carry and seven of his best stallions, ten of his best mares, and your choice of twenty foals and your choice of one of his best summer homes, complete with servants to keep it."
This time he didn't even hesitate. No deal. Only three cases were left before him to be opened, and the 15 case sat at his side. He called for 3, then 25, 24, he paused, 5 and 18 fell open and his heart almost stopped. Another letter came swooping down.
"The great Duyodhan offers you The great Duryodhan offers you all the gold and jewels your servants can carry and seven of his best stallions, ten of his best mares, and your choice of twenty foals and your choice of one of his best summer homes, complete with servants to keep it, and half of his armed forces."
With that amount Yudhishthir could even defeat Duryodhan in war. It was almost too tempting. But he persisted - No deal.
Only two cases left: 23 and 15. He knew one of them would cause him to win and one would cause him to lose.
A letter.
"The great Duyodhan offers you The great Duryodhan offers you all the gold and jewels your servants can carry and seven of his best stallions, ten of his best mares, and your choice of twenty foals and your choice of one of his best summer homes, complete with servants to keep it, and half of his armed forces - but ONLY if you walk away now. If you open the losing case The Great Duryodhan commands you be stripped of rank, your brothers stripped of rank and your wife follow suit. You will no longer be princes, but servants of the basest nature. If you win - Duryodhan will step down from power and you shall rule in his stead."
Yudhishthir heard the audience gasp. He had never expected something like this to happen and his gut wrenched. For what seemed like ages, he clenched his fists and eyes, trying to decide what he should do. Through gritted teeth, he uttered, "No deal." In a flash of light, his chosen case, 15, opened and the world stopped.
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| NBC's "Deal or No Deal." |
Author's Note:
I wanted to talk about Yudhishthir's gambling, but I wanted to place it in more of a modern high-stakes setting. I remembered watching the show Deal or No Deal a few times and decided that it would be a simple enough format to base this story around. For the original story, I read in the Indian Story Book, and also watched an episode of the show on YouTube to refresh myself on the rules.
Tuesday, October 6, 2015
Week 7 - Reading Diary B - The Indian Storybook
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| Draupadi and Her Five Husbands |
After finishing this week's reading, I can say that I prefer Wilson's version of the Mahabharata better than the Public Domain Edition that I read last week. Mostly, I feel like Wilson's flows better and is more cohesive. It doesn't have as many tangents that the PDE has, but also maintains the important elements of the story. I thought the the final battle had a different element of richness, since it was told from a different perspective. I was glad that it ended after the final battle, since the rest of the story in the PDE edition felt like a huge digression for me.
Monday, October 5, 2015
Week 7 Reading Diary A - The Indian Story Book
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| The Ordeal of Draupadi |
I liked reading this version of the story a little bit better than the Public Domain Edition that I read last week. It was easier for me to follow along and learn the characters and their roles. It was also more concise to read a single interpretation and style than what was presented in the PDE.
As before, my favorite part of the story is the swayamvara of Draupadi.
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