Tech Tip: Canvas Dashboard

I love using the Canvas dashboard! Being more tech inclined, I jumped at the opportunity to color code my classes, edit their names, change their visibility, etc. I'm glad Instructure has made this LMS the way they did. It's a huge improvement over D2L in many ways. One recommendation I have is for the student to be able to change their courses' pictures. I know that right is reserved for the instructor, but they just don't always utilize it!! 

Week 6 Lab

For this week's storylab I watched the first video in the CrashCourse series on Mythology! As always, the production value of CrashCourse is impeccable in this video. My goodness, I wish I had watched this video sooner. An overview video like this was eye-opening with its effective and concise take on what mythology is. If I had watched this the first week of this class, I would have a much stronger foundation in regards to knowing what mythology actually is.

The video described mythology as a Slurpee with every flavor mixed together. Once I heard that and the ensuing justifications, it made something click in my mind. Having come from the Indian Epics course, a lot of these epics, myths, folktales, etc, etc, sounded fictional and were hard to believe as some sort of truth. I previously thought that each myth had its defined purpose and use, requiring readers to subscribe to its tenets. Now hearing that it was all open to interpretation and that each individual reader gets from the myth what they will, it allowed me to understand its more flexible usage/existence more. 

Hearing that there are many episodes as part of the Mythology CrashCourse series, I look forward to diving into these in the upcoming weeks for my storylabs! There is a certain sense of fulfillment I get in obtaining a broader understanding of Myths originating from around the world. I hope it continues to be enriching and enlightening. 

Mythology seems like such a colossal topic. Getting an idea of it all in bite-size pieces has been immensely helpful.
Thor, source

Reading Notes: How Raja Rasalu Killed the Giants

Notes
-Raja Rasalu arrived at a town

-He was welcomed by a grieving, worried mother

-The mother had just lost 6 of her 7 sons via a tribute to a neighboring pack of giants
-She was worried that she was about to lose her 7th, youngest son now

-Time came for the new day's tribute and the mother was chosen yet again to sacrifice a young man, her son 

-Raja Rasalu reassured her that he would take his place as tribute

-Raja Rasalu went on his way along with the other offerings to confront the giants

-As one attempted to eat his prized horse as they approached, Raja Rasalu quickly swiped off the giant's arm

-The giant quickly fled to alert the rest of his giant family

-All the alerted giants quickly ran to the astrologer giant to see if Raja Rasalu was truly born into the world and not just a myth

-They received confirmation that Raja Rasalu was indeed real

-Before the giants could flee in many directions, Raja Rasalu confronted them and demanded that they come forth

-One giant got brazen and stepped forward and questioned Raja Rasalu's identity

-Raja Rasalu proved his abilities and slew multiple giants in doing so

-A pack of 7 giants came forth and challenged Raja Rasalu's identity again

-Raja Rasalu again proved his capabilities and slew those seven with a single arrow

-One giantess remained and fled to a cave

-Raja Rasalu had a statue made in his likeness to stand guard over the cave 

-The giantess was trapped inside the cave and starved to death

-This is the story of how Raja Rasalu slew all the giants

I wonder if giants have always had a reputation for causing ordinary humans mayhem and needing supernatural intervention.
Battle of Hercules and the Giants, Source

Bibliography: Flora Annie Steel, Tales of the Punjab, Source

Growth Mindset: Acronym

The Diligent Are Praised -- TDAP.

I chose TDAP because it's a vaccination that is commonly given in the clinic I work for: tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis. I made this acronym specifically for today after I got a less-than-desirable exam score back. I've looked inward and realized that I need to be dedicating more time to certain classes and spending more times in class material.

I never thought I'd find inspiration for an acronym from a vaccine name! Source 

Tech Tip: Canvas Calendar

I never thought to use the calendar on canvas. I like the idea of Canvas having a calendar, however, its implementation/usage is just kinda poor. As it turns out, I only have calendar events for Myth and Folklore! I think if instructors utilized them more, as Dr. Gibbs does, I think students would see it as a more helpful tool. I didn't even realize that we could export the calendar feed and open it up in our own calendars, which is a nice tool I may tinker with in the future.

Week 5 Story: Sibling Rivalry

Updated version on Portfolio: Link
Osiris was a great and wise king. He was rich in wealth and treasure so much so that he had followers and family members alike that wished him ill. One person in particular that disliked him was his little brother Set. Osiris was the reason for a lot of unrest in Set. His brother was jealous of his fortune. His brother wanted his throne. His brother wanted his fame and recognition. There was not much in Osiris' life that Set did not feel overshadowed by. Set's jealousy towards Osiris was consistent with that of being the younger child--an experience rooted in having to see his sibling as older, bigger, and better than him. Set, however, did not let that fuel for anger blind him. He bided his time patiently and looked for opportunities to undo the mighty Osiris.

Osiris one day had returned from a successful raid, full of pride and joy. Osiris' happiness and success meant unhappiness and complacency on Set's part. So naturally, Set recognized this and wanted to knock his brother down a peg. As was the usual custom, Osiris had a city-wide party arranged for his welcome. Set, up to his usual antics, decided to put on a magic show. His show revolved around a disappearing act that would result in Osiris being trapped in the contraption. He could play it off as an accident, and although people would mourn for Osiris for a while, Set would be the one in power.  Little did he know, Osiris had his own plan set in stone. He knew what kinds of things his brother was capable of and how his envy drove his personality. For this reason, Osiris decided to go along with Set's plan--but instead of actually being trapped in the instrument and being impaled by its hidden blade, he developed his own plan to fake his death. Osiris was able to get a mannequin made specifically to his body, including all the features he possessed. When it came time for the disappearing act, Osiris came forward on stage and did everything Set had planned, while also pretending as if he had no idea what Set was up to. After Osiris stepped foot into the instrument that Set had planned to kill him with, Set closed the instrument and began waving his hands to keep the audience engaged. While in the box, Osiris only had about 20 seconds to quickly open the secret compartment in which he had hidden the mannequin in and switch spots with it. He was successful in doing so. He clicked the secret compartment shut as soon as Set opened the actual compartment to show the mannequin stuck inside the contraption with the blade that impaled it. The audience immediately gasped, then began shouting, running around, and crying profusely for their beloved king, as they believed that Osiris had been killed in a magic show accident. Set tried to control his happiness and put on a grave face until he was able to get out of sight behind stage and jump for joy. He thought he had successfully killed his brother and that all the fame, gifts, and praise that was once Osiris's would now be his. 

It had been a few months since the magic show incident, and Set was now in power. The people were still grieving for their lost king, with no idea that he had actually escaped his brother's devious plan. Set had just finished dining with his fellow knights, and as he walked back to his chambers, he felt as if he were being followed. He quickly ran to his door and pulled out his sword as soon as he was able to get inside his room and turn around. H couldn't see the attacker until they sparred for a few minutes and the attacker was forced to step into the light. As the shadow across his face slowly disappeared, Set was able to distinguish his features. 

Set gasped. "It can't be..." he stated, in shock.

"Hey little brother. Miss me?"

Author's Note: I kept the basis of the original story, which was the backstory about Osiris the King and how Set envied his brother. In the original story, however, Set brought forth a beautiful chest and claimed that he would give it to the person that fit in the chest perfectly, knowing that the chest was only made to Osiris's body. Many people tried to fit in it but to no avail. Finally, Osiris stepped forward and laid in the chest, fitting perfectly, as Set intended. Before Osiris could get up, Set's followers closed the lid, nailed it, and smothered it with lead to kill him. The beautiful chest now became Osiris's coffin, while the joyful town soon became overwhelmed by sorrow and Set's tyranny. In my story, I decided to add a plot twist. I like the idea of one character thinking he got the best of the other, then realizing he was outsmarted. So, I had both brothers develop their own plans against each other, which resulted in Osiris getting the best of his evil brother Set.

A beautiful ornate Egyptian chest. Source

Bibliography: Donald Mackenzie, Egyptian Myth and Legend, Source

Reading Notes: The Tale of King Rhampsinitus

Notes
-There was a wealthy king

-He wanted an impenetrable chamber for all his riches

-One of the builders created a weak spot so that someone could enter undetected

-The same builder had two sons who he told the secret weak spot to as he was dying

-After the builder died, his sons went forth to find the secret way in and steal as much of the king's treasure as possible

-The king saw this and decided to set up traps in the chamber of riches
-Time and again the brothers came and stole more riches

-One time in particular, one of the brothers entered and got caught in a trap and wouldn't make it out.
-He instructed his brother who was waiting outside to come in and behead him and leave his body, as to keep his identity a secret from the frustrated yet intrigued king who would find his body in his chamber of riches

-Saddened, the unrestrained brother complied and left just as he came...with his brother's head under his arm

-The king the next morning marveled at what he saw, and the ingenuity of these treasure theives
-He ordered that the headless body be presented in the town square to see if anyone would come to mourn the individual, ultimately allowing him to ID who it was
-The two sons' mother was deeply in mourning
The mother had the son who survived go and find a way to get the body down of her other son

-The living son went to do as he was demanded, but found two guards standing watch
-He had a wagon full of wine with him
-He opened the wineskins, leaving them to spill and spill in front of the guards
-Acting distraught and genuinely shocked, the guards took advantage of the opportunity to drink to their heart's content.
-The son decided to cut his losses and share with the guards as much as they wanted
-The guards fell asleep due to their drunkeness
-The son was able to retrieve his brother's body and return it to his mother

-The angry king was still intrigued by these cunning robber(s)
-The king decided to offer a pardon and a great reward to the man who had so successfully eluded him time after time.
-The son set forth to appear before the king in his palace, and give account of his actions
-The king was impressed by his ingenuity
-The king then offered him the great reward of taking his daughter's hand in marriage

Head in a treasure chest. Source

   
Bibliography
Donald Mackenzie, Egyptian Myth and Legend, Source

Reading Notes: The Death of Osiris

Notes
-Osiris returned from his mission, there was much rejoicing in the land
-There was a royal feast
-Set, Osiris' brother came along with his conspirators
-Set brought an ornate chest that was made in the shape of Osiris' body
-The people of Osiris were at the feast were captivated by it
-Set announced that it would be gifted whoever fit its proportions
-None of the people thought there was any foul play

-People got into the chest one after another, but to no avail--no one fit
-Osiris finally came forward and laid down to realize his body perfectly
-Quickly Set's minions sprang forward to shut the lid and nail the chest closed
-The orate chest now had become the coffin of Osiris, as he breathed his last breath
-People were confused and merrymaking had been replaced by sorrow
-Set told his followers to throw the chest into the Nile in the dark night
-The current of the Nile took it all the way to the great ocean
-Set ascended the throne of Egypt
-Tyranny prevailed as Set was an unfair and vengeful ruler

A depiction of Osiris. Source

Bibliography
Donald Mackenzie, Egyptian Myth and Legend, Source

Reading Notes: Homer's Odyssey, Part A

Notes

Title: Odyssey: The Moly Defeats Circe

-Odysseus anxiously approached Goddess Circe's house

-Welcomed in by Circe

-Circe brought out luxurious arrangements for his arrival

-Circe presented him with a wine mixed with drugs

-Odysseus drank it 

-Circe lunged at Odysseus with her wand, commanding that he be cast out to his lowly men

-Odysseus was immune/not affected by the drugged concoction
-Odysseus rushed at Circe with his sword as if to kill her for her deceit
-Circe evaded the attack
-Circe began questioning who he was, because of its lack of effect on him. Slightly intrigued
-Circe then realizes that she is dealing with Odysseus, the one who she was told about from other ppl
-Circe told Odysseus to sheathe his sword and join her in her bed as to rebuild trust via lovemaking 

-Odysseus expressed his concern in trusting her when she had his men turned into pigs

-Odysseus made her swear an oath to not hurt him by the gods

-Circe swore the oath and began prepping Odysseus

-Odysseus was showered with more fancy arrangements, was given a relaxing bath (-weariness), and food to eat and drink  

-Odysseus denied the food

-Circe asked why he wasn't eating, reaffirmed that she had sworn her solemn oath to not harm him

-Odysseus expressed his insecurity/distrust and wanted her to free his men first before he expressed any tender emotions, be it eating of her food or sharing her bed with her

-Circe then freed all the men

-The men returned to Odysseus full of tears and gratitude

-Circe felt pity for what she did

Head of Odysseus, Source

Bibliography
Tony Kline, Odyssey: The Moly Defeats Circe, Source

Tech Tip: Canvas Mobile App

I already had the Canvas app installed on my iPhone, actually. I had no problems with the installation if I remember correctly. Since getting the app, I've used it to browse course materials, view my grades, and do quizzes! That last one was a more recent functionality that was added much to my delight. :)

Wikipedia Trail from the Odyssey to the Belvedere Torso

I began this Wikipedia trail with the Odyssey, in line with the material in week 3 and 4 written by Homer. I was curious about jumping into this wiki article because I had never taken the time to read a holistic viewpoint on the Odyssey. All I remember from it was reading bits and pieces in high school, back when it bored me entirely due to the vernacular.

From there, I went to the Trojan War.  I read more about the events that happened after the war because most of those aren't touched on a whole lot in popular media (movies, shows, etc. I loved watching Troy, the movie, so reading this article was sort of familiar.

Then, I went on to read about Ajax the Great and how he took his own life. It was eye-opening to see the ways that gods and goddesses were conveyed as doing things to help and harm mortals; I had not known that Athena had a part in Ajax falling on his own sword to take his life.

Lastly, I read about the Belvedere Torso (image below), the presumed statue of Ajax contemplating his suicide. The article states that it is just a hypothesis, but how cool would it be if it were!! It would definitely fit.

Belvedere Torso on Wikipedia

Comment Wall

Portfolio Link

Week 4 Story: Anastasia the Savior

Updated version on Portfolio: Link

Anastasia was an aspiring psychologist, young and full of energy coming out of high school. She dreamed of going to a well-known university like Harvard or Yale. She had the academic performance to earn herself an admission to any school of her choosing, but she simply could not afford it. Distraught and feeling downtrodden, she didn't know what she was going to do. Luckily, she earned tuition waivers and plenty of scholarship money at the best university in her state, so she settled for that school.  She went on to do amazing things, not letting anyone or anything get in her way. She caught the eyes of many of the psychology professors, wrote articles that got published in psychology journals, and quickly rose to the top of her department's graduating class. Her record and reputation were impeccable. She took advantage of her being at a seemingly unimpressive university and molded it into an amazing experience, outcome, and story. She went on to complete the same university's doctorate program after she had earned her bachelor's degree. By this time, she had made a name for herself across her state at a relatively young age. Anastasia continued to write amazing articles and be known for her thought-provoking and impactful papers.

Over time, Anastasia's success did not dwindle. She soared higher and higher with each year. Now as a prolific author, Anastasia eventually began a world tour for her best-selling book, "The Unique Life of a Child Psychologist". Selling over a million copies over the span of a few years,  Anastasia had made it. She had made a name for herself, made a fortune in sales of her various works, and had not a single worry in life. 

Near the middle of her career, Anastasia heard disheartening news; her alma mater was having to shut its psychology department down. Not having visited or even thought about it, Anastasia had almost forgotten about the university she once called home. Thankful for the destined fate that was her attending that university, she couldn't imagine where she would have been if she had gone to Harvard or Yale, accepted loads of loans, and not had the same opportunities to become a prosperous psychologist. Because of this, she could not let her dear university's psychology department be shut down. She did everything in her power to stop it from collapsing. Ultimately, with no other option, she injected over 10 million dollars into that psychology department and brought it back to life. Now named after Anastasia, her alma mater's psychology department could not be more thankful and indebted to her. 

A pencil sketch of a happy wolf family. Source 

Author's Note: I based my story off the story of Ailbe, the human child that was abandoned by his parents in the woods. The helpless Ailbe was taken in and raised by wild wolves. Many years later, Ailbe was found and taken in by a nearby kingdom's prince and princess. Ailbe, now as a man amongst living amongst royalty, thrived with regard to fortune, position, and knowledge. Many years down the line, his former wolf family came before him as they were threatened by hunters. Ailbe came to their rescue and ensured their safety and well-being from that point on. 

Bibliography
Abbie Farwell Brown, The Book of Saints and Friendly Beasts, source

Feedback Strategies

Why Do So Many Managers Avoid Giving Praise?

I liked this article because it shed light on the effectiveness of managers' praise. Having worked in fast food, I can see how managers feel uneasy giving certain kinds of feedback. I was happy to read about the usefulness of positive as well as negative praise! I hope more managers can understand the benefits of it, as it ultimately improves efficiency of an operation. 


Five Reasons to Stop Saying "Good Job!"
I feel like this article addresses the whole self-esteem kick parents got on after researchers said boosting self-esteem led to more favorable outcomes. This line in particular hits it well:

As if it weren’t bad enough that "Good job!" can undermine independence, pleasure, and interest, it can also interfere with how good a job children actually do.

Doing something as simple as saying "Good job!" can have negative impacts as well, and this article expresses that well.

If only you could buy self-esteem by the bag in the cereal aisle! Source

Topic Research: Epic Battles

3 Contributing Stories

LOTR
Tolkien's many battles that he writes about are wonderful material to rewrite into battles of my own. It may be possible to throw in some fictional racial ties that connect all the stories?

Source: Fellowship of the Ring, personal digital copy

Iliad
I know it may not be a formal battle, but a 1v1 fight between Hector and Achilles or Paris and Menelaus would be a good way to heighten tension and further the story with an intense version of those fights.

Source: Online version of Iliad, link

Ramayana
A battle between Ravana and Rama would be a great addition/end to my list of battles. This battle being epic in proportion and having an Indian background makes it unique. Not to mention the awesome weapons used by gods in these stories.

Source: Narayan's Ramayana, hardcopy

Medieval battles have always been interesting to me. They're always so epic and full of captivating interests and motives.
Source

Week 2 Reading Overview

Choose from CLASSICAL and/or BIBLICAL units for Weeks 3 and 4.
Week 3: Saints and Animals
Week 4: Homer's Odyssey

Choose from MIDDLE EASTERN and/or INDIAN units for Weeks 5 and 6.
Week 5: Ancient Egyptian Myths and Stories reading A
Week 6: Ancient Egyptian Myths and Stories reading B

Choose from ASIAN and/or AFRICAN units for Weeks 7 and 9. [Week 8 is review week.]
Week 7: The Monkey King Sun Wu Kung reading A
Week 9: The Monkey King Sun Wu Kung reading B

Choose from NATIVE AMERICAN units for Weeks 10 and 11.
Week 10: Native American Hero Tales reading A

Week 11: Native American Hero Tales reading B

Choose from BRITISH and/or CELTIC units for Weeks 12 and 13.
Week 12: King Arthur
Week 13: Robin Hood

Choose from EUROPEAN units for Weeks 14 and 15.
Week 14: Dante's Inferno reading A

Week 15: Dante's Inferno reading B

I am super excited to read about the Odyssey, King Arthur, and Robin Hood! Those are some pretty well-known stories that are commonly alluded to, so I'm curious to dive into all of those texts. Also, just having taken a Native American music course online, I hope to see that I've retained at least some material from that.

We don't hear a lot of references to Egyptian gods or goddesses, so I wonder if any names will ring a bell in those readings! Source