Week 14 Extra Credit Reading: Italian Popular Tales

Due to being sick and a few too many tornado warnings for my taste, I was not able to do my Wednesday reading diary post. So, here are my thoughts on the second half of the extremely interesting Italian Popular Tales unit! These stories are originally from Italian Popular Tales by Thomas Frederick Crane.

The story that immediately caught my eye was "An Incident in Rome." Why did a hole in the ground lead to somewhere? Why did the carter agree to go in?? Maybe I'm still in the Russian ghost story mindset, but I feel like that was foreshadowing something spooky. This story excellently used suspense. The identity of the person in the hole was not revealed until the very end. The story structure was composed just like a latin sentence is constructed! Wow, all my semesters of latin have paid off!

While the first section of stories was more familiar, I really enjoyed the newness of the stories and the diversity of themes in the second section!

Pontius Pilate-- the surprise character
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Week 14 Reading Diary: Italian Popular Tales

As much as I enjoyed my spooky Russian reading from last week, I have to admit that I was happy to turn to something a little more happily-ever-after this week with the Italian Popular Tales unit. These stories are originally from Italian Popular Tales by Thomas Frederick Crane. 

Since I studied abroad in Italy after my freshman year, I was excited to get a different perspective on the  culture that I so enjoyed learning from and about. Most of these tales seem to be from around the middle ages which was a time of huge diversity and commerce in Italy. How great to read some of the stories that probably were shared all over the growing cities and towns!

Many of these stories have similar bases to stories that I grew up hearing from my family or seeing in movies. For example, in this first part of the unit, I really enjoyed the story "The Fair Angola." While it had many similarities to what I know as Rapunzel, it also had themes from other classic tales like Rumpelstilskin! I wonder if more of the stories in the second unit will have that kind of overlap?

My favorite story by far, though, was the story of Catherine. I was particularly intrigued by the idea of Fates. I wonder if they have any connection to classical ideas of muses? Also, the number 7 kept being repeated in importance. I'd like to learn more about that and see if that symbol comes up in other stories.

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Week 13 Review: Written? Kitten!

This week's announcements may have just saved my spirits for the last few weeks! Here is Written? Kitten!  a processor that rewards you with a new kitten picture for every so-many words that you have written. There are also options to get a puppy or bunny picture! Paper writing has never been so cute!

Week 13 Tech Tip: Twitter Lists

Okay, I have been a twitter user for a long time. I have a tweet from 7 or 8 years ago that is equally embarrassing and too hilarious to delete. Over the years, my focuses have changed on the platform. At times, I've spelled out my thoughts, at others I've just scrolled through looking for news and funny cat vines. So, I thought I was a pro at twitter!

I was wrong. My twitter has been forever changed by lists!

I truly had no idea that twitter lists existed. I have seen the light. They are the most efficient, useful tool for when you are on twitter with a purpose.  Need funny memes? List. Only want hard-hitting news? List. I'm in love.

For my first list, I compiled a few accounts that I feel are essential to keeping up with the latest on the US Presidential election. The best part is, I can keep up with all of the news without necessarily following those who are not my candidates! Check out my list here. I'm off to make more!!

Week 13 Learning Challenge: Audiobook Experience

Growing up, I loved listening to audiobooks. Every night before I fell asleep, my grandma would play a cassette tape of The Boxcar Children or a book from the Anne of Green Gables series. I truly believe that listening to these books helped me to learn to read at a young age. I first taught myself to read The Boxcar Children and Anne of Green Gables is one of my favorite stories to this day.

Sadly, college has afforded me much opportunity to sit down and read for pleasure, much less just listen. There is a certain peace of mind that comes with listening to an audiobook, and it is hard to allow myself that calm when I feel that I should be doing something else. So, I was so happy to see this as a learning challenge!

I chose to listen to more Russian Folktales at Librivox after really enjoying my reading for the week. It was so powerful to listen to these stories in the way that they were meant to be told (albeit in English) and in the manner that they have been conveyed for generations. However, the reading only got spookier when I heard it, so I admittedly left my lamp on before bed.

I find it relaxing to listen to audiobooks in bed or with my eyes closed on the couch. However, in the past, I have also found that audiobooks are perfect for car rides or doing chores. I cannot, however, listen to one on an airplane.

I think that I'll try listening to more stories next week as well!

Audiobook Cover Art
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Week 13 Growth Mindset: Enjoy the Ride!

This week,  I have been in a flurry thinking about all of the final papers to complete, all of the to-do list boxes to be checked, and the meetings that I need to attend.  Then, this weekend, I realized that graduation is only three short weeks away. I knew this calendar wise, but I had not stopped to consider that it also meant that I had three weeks left of living with my roommates and best friends of four years, exploring campus at night, and making midnight sonic runs during an all-nighter. Of course, I will keep working hard at all of my responsibilities. However, it's also time to take in this time that I will never have again. Like this cat, I'm going to enjoy the ride as much as I will enjoy celebrating my accomplishments in three short weeks! 

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Week 13 Extra Credit Reading: Dante's Inferno

For this week's extra credit reading, I looked back at some stories that I originally considered using for my storybook! These stories are from Dante's Divine Comedy as translated by Tony Kline.

Dante's Divine Comedy is an epic poem composed in the early 14th century by Dante Alighieri.  The work captures a transitional period in Tuscany wherein society balanced its classical roots with its emerging focus on Christian theology. The poem is divided into three parts: Inferno, Purgatorio, and Paradiso. Each segment represents a part of the afterlife. The narrator is led through each of these parts by a guide. In the Inferno and Purgatorio segments, the guide is the famous Roman poet, Virgil.

These stories were really striking in their imagery and detail.  While some of  the sins mentioned are emblematic of the morals of the time, the metaphor for the journey of the soul toward salvation is still really powerful.

I think the most powerful section of these stories to me though was the section called Limbo. This detailed the fate of people who lived before Jesus was sent to save mankind. These people are left in the first area of the inferno. They were not saved, but it was not their fault. That's a very tricky morality in my eyes, but the message of the necessity of salvation and evangelism is powerful. Of course, there were exceptions to this. Characters like Adam and Eve were saved by Jesus later on. Why didn't he save all the people in limbo?

Dante holding the Divine Comedy
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Week 13 Reading Diary: Russian Folktales

So, this past week, I have become embarrassingly obsessed with a show originally aired on the CW called The Originals. Yes, I have been binge watching a show about vampires! My junior high self would be proud. It only felt right to continue the theme with this weeks readings in Russian Folktales that included some references to the undead! These stories are originally from Russian Fairy Tales: A Choice Collection of Muscovite Folk-lore by W. R. S. Ralston.

Beginning to read these had the same kind of feeling before reading ghost stories. The titles were endearing and terrifying. I was afraid that, like ghost stories, I'd love reading them, but then be jumpy with them in my head!One of my favorite things about this text was how the author worked to maintain the original voice of the folk tales. They feel genuine. Perhaps that is what makes the idea of some of the creatures mentioned even more scary!

Some of the themes were extremely heart breaking. Most so, I felt this about the very first story of the dead mother and later, her dead baby. Some were just deeply disturbing in their lessons, like with the pope who was forced to wear goatskin forever as a body after being greedy. Despite all of the creepiness though, I might have been most disturbed by the snake marriage and the mother who murdered the snake. These tales are intense!

This Russian Folk Tale Character looks just as spooked as I am!
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Week 12 Review

This week, my favorite item from the announcements was this cartoon  by Tom Gauld originally featured in The Guardian's twitter account! How funny to imagine these twists to Shakespeare's works beyond just bringing it into the present day!

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Week 12 Famous Last Words

I cannot believe that we have almost reached the end of the semester!

This past week, I read nursery rhymes. As always, I was most fascinated with how the stories came to be, what they were based on, and how they continue to live on. It was really neat to see several of my favorite rhymes from childhood in a different context! However, this week I most enjoyed finally finishing up my first story and edits on my story book! After getting the chance to travel to Australia over spring break, I am even more excited to create new stories out of some of the many fascinating Aboriginal myths! While there, I even got to see some Aboriginal cave paintings. I am so happy to be able to use some personal photos of the art work to illustrate my storybook!

In my other classes, things continue to wrap up. In most of them, my focus has shifted from regular assignments and exams to the larger final projects and papers. So much writing and research can certainly be daunting, but I am confident that I have the skills to produce great papers that I can be proud of as I reflect on my undergraduate career.

Last week, I picked up my cap, gown, and honors stole and carved my name in the leadership table in the union for the last time. It is all getting very real! I cannot believe that four years have flown by so quickly. Now, as well as working hard, I need to take the time to cherish the experiences I have left as a sooner!

    Personal photo of my graduation attire

Week 12 Tech Tip: Google Reverse Image Search

Wow, what a useful tool! I have always wondered how to search using an image that was found online in order to find its source, and now I know! I learned this using the Google Reverse Image Search Tech Tip.

It's as easy as copying and pasting or uploading a saved image!

Here is my test image in larger format:

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Week 12 Learning Challenges: Post Secret

Post Secret is usually the first website that I go to after the clock strikes midnight on Sunday evenings. However, over the last few weeks, I have let this habit slip through the cracks as I worked on homework and papers. I was so happy to see Post Secret listed an a challenge in empathy.

Everyone has a unique story that may not be evident just by looking at them or even speaking with them briefly. In order to truly create community, it is necessary to foster understanding. However, understanding goes beyond feeling sad, sorry, angry, or happy for someone. Instead, we have to learn to feel each person's experience as an extension of our own. We have to truly value others! Post Secret does a wonderful job of creating this kind of open and accepting community.

Below, I've shared one of the secrets that caught my eye from this week's post.

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Week 12 Growth Mindset: Resiliency

For this week's Growth Mindset Challenge, I read the article "How People Learn to Become Resilient" by Maria Konnikova in The New Yorker.

As I continue to face the crazy game of law school admissions, it's more important than ever that  retain a growth mindset. One quote that really struck me was that, "one of the central elements of resilience, Bonanno has found, is perception: Do you conceptualize an event as traumatic, or as an opportunity to learn and grow?"

What an interesting and productive way to view our stressors!

However, it is only natural that even a resilient person can differ in their reaction to stress from time to time. Sometimes, resiliency is difficult. So, there is hope even when you let rejection or difficulty get to you personally. There is still opportunity to learn from that, too!

Ultimately, the article teaches that, regardless of our background, we can teach ourselves resilience. We can always strive to adopt a growth mindset!

Resiliency is everywhere!
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Week 12 Extra Credit Reading: Canterbury Tales

I read parts of the Canterbury Tales in high school. Another English class was reading the story as part of the curriculum, but my class was not. So, I took it upon myself to read the same sections and sit in on discussions! However, it seems like a long time ago! So this week, I wanted to take a look back and re-read the stories. I'm excited to look at them in a new light and catch new details!

These stories are in modern prose from The Chaucer Story Book by Eva March Tappan.

I particularly enjoyed one of the first stories: The Wife of Bath's Tale: The Unknown Bride. There was a lot of cultural detail as well as humor inserted into what at first seems like a general story. For example, when the knight is finding out what women want, he says it isn't possible for her to keep secrets! Stereotypes galore! Of course, the knights stereotypes are quickly turned when an old woman is the one to help him.  I was sad, of course, to find that even though he agreed to respect her regardless of her appearance or poverty, he truly expressed love for her after she became beautiful.

Storybook Cover
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Week 12 Reading Diary: Nursery Rhymes

Today, I finished up reading  nursery rhymes! The rhymes are originally from The Nursery Rhyme Book edited by Andrew Lang.

I really enjoyed todays reading sections on Love and Matrimony, mostly because more of them were familiar. It's always fun to see an old favorite in its full version. I think a fun storybook idea could be to take a short version and expand it out like that!

I also noticed a lot more name references like in the first section. This time, though, they referenced people's names instead of place names, especially in the jingles and relics readings!

I also took special note of "Hey Diddle Diddle!" I noticed similarities in one of the rhymes in the earlier readings, so I'm going to spend some time on wikipedia and see if maybe they are from the same area or reference the same historical story!

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Week 12 Reading Diary: Nursery Rhymes

This week, since I had so much fun playing around with word use last week, I chose to read nursery rhymes! The rhymes are originally from The Nursery Rhyme Book edited by Andrew Lang.

I was initially surprised to find that many of the nursery rhymes that I was familiar with actually have much more to them! For example, the first reference to "the man in the moon" had nothing to do with a dish running away with a spoon!

Many of the tales in particular had dark endings or subjects. I think these would scare me more as a child than anything! Of course, I knew that some of them might have this tone because of "Ring Around the Rosy" being about the plague; however, I still expected it to be somewhat hidden! Ones like "Three Blind Mice" are more discreet. That one is about Queen Mary I putting to death three noblemen.

I particularly enjoyed searching for the context of the games like Oranges and Lemons. So many of the place names mentioned wouldn't make sense to someone who was unfamiliar with the area of origin.

I think it could be fun to try and turn other familiar games from my childhood into rhymes like these!

Three Blind Mice: a rhyme with a dark hidden meaning!
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Week 11: Review

Bonus Note: this week's review definitely came in handy! I originally posted many of my posts from this week on my blog from last semester's Indian Epics course! Oops! Good thing I checked! Happily, it is all now fixed and posted where it should be. :)

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Since it is my birthday week, I chose an item from the announcements that young Audra would've loved to see! Like many kids, I loved Disney princess movies! However, I was equally fascinated with finding out if the characters had real stories. I would have loved to see this image of the real Pocahontas that was done during her lifetime!

Week 11: Famous Last Words

I feel like this has been both the shortest and the longest week!

Because I have struggled with a bit of illness lately, I am playing a little bit of catch up in class at the moment. Especially during the season of exams and papers, getting behind by even a day can be overwhelming! However, this class is always calming in a way to me because of the set and clear schedule. It's truly a life-saver to an often frazzled brain!

This week, I got to read stories from the Welsh tradition. I have particularly enjoyed this course because, on top of expanding my reading and writing range, I have been able to learn more about parts of my own heritage! The stories about Pwyll and Rhiannon in particular led me to do more research. I was intrigued to see all of the many poems and songs about their relationship. However, I was surprised to see that Fleetwood Mac's Rhiannon was not about the same Rhiannon! Their song, Angel, however, is!

I also really enjoyed challenging myself with the one pulse story writing style. I know that I have a tendency to write long sentences, but I did not anticipate what a challenge it would be to use short yet concise words! It significantly shortened my sentence length. While, in my opinion, my writing lost my unique voice in this style, I think that with more practice I could write both concisely and in my own voice! I hope I can try this style again soon!

Other classes are also wrapping up, so I am beginning all of my big final papers in the next week. Wish me luck! I was lucky to have time to spend away from work a bit this week as well though to celebrate my birthday on Wednesday. I felt very loved and had a great time going to dinner and seeing The Princess Bride at the new theatre in Norman!

     Personal photo of birthday flowers!

Week 11 Learning Challenges: Mental Health Videos

While I have heard a lot about OUr Mental Health through both my friends and social media, I had not gotten the chance to sit down and watch and learn from the videos the group made until this week.

Each video includes the story of an OU student who has struggled with mental illness. I personally am friends with each student who posted a video. Further, I myself struggle with mental illness.

I cannot convey how much I admire each student's bravery, honestly, and vulnerability. It shows great care to share your own story in order to help others!

So many of those around us are struggling silently with mental illness, and it is important to learn how to best support them. Everyone is different. Every brain has strengths and weaknesses. Mental illness is not a weakness. Rather, it just leads the person to go through life in a different way. However, it is important that while we recognize that each person is different and not abnormal for having a mental illness, their illness is also just as real and serious as a physical illness!

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Week 11 Growth Mindset: Opportunity Kittens!

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These precious (and inspiring!) kittens are from the class growth mindset blog! I've looked through the memes tons of times, but this week, these kittens had the perfect message. As I slowly begin to hear back from law schools, I have to choose to see each admit, wait list, or rejection as an opportunity. If things don't go according to my own plans, it isn't bad, it just means that it is time to look for more opportunities to express my knowledge and be the best that I can be! Plus, I'll be even happier looking for inspiration to keep a growth mindset if I get the see these sweet little faces! :)

Week 11 Tech Tip: Google Timer

Tomorrow, I begin to complete my final projects and papers for all of my final courses at OU. Further,  I am still making final decisions and waiting to hear back from plans for after graduation. To say that I'm getting nervous would be an understatement, but I am committed to preparing well and doing my very best!

In order to complete everything in the coming weeks, I must adhere to a strict timeline. Previously, if I needed to adhere to a strict time deadline, I had used the timer on my phone, but as we all know, phones also have way more fun features on them that can quickly become a study distraction! So, as I was browsing through the tech tips looking for some study help, I was thrilled to come across the Google Timer! I had no idea that it existed! Now, in conjunction with the SelfControl App, I can have my phone safely locked away and have no worries about scurrying off to look at cute puppy pictures on the internet instead of working on a paper or studying for an exam!

Hooray!

Week 11 Reading Diary: Alice in Wonderland

For this week's extra credit reading, I read from my mom's favorite story, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll.

Before now, I had not read the original book. I had only seen the Disney movie! Here are a few things that either caught my eye as interesting or different:

Alice is falling for so long after going in the rabbit hole that she has time to talk to herself. Unlike the movie, at the bottom of the hole, there are several keys. Still, none of them fit the tiny door! Once she escapes and meets the caterpillar, Alice talks to him for an extended period of time about her dilemma. It seems that Disney took a great amount of liberty with its caterpillar scenes! In the most strange part of all, Alice is transformed to only be a torso and has to move along like a caterpillar would. However, I was very happy to see that the familiar questions and purposely confusing rhetoric seen in the movie at the tea party remained, especially in Alice's conversation with the Footman!

The famous white rabbit -- my mom's favorite character!
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Week 11 Storytelling: One Pulse Pwyll and Rhiannon

Long ago, there was a Chief whose name was Pwyll. His home was grand and sat on huge tracts of land. One day, at a feast, a guest told Pwyll that a mound near his home was magic.

The guest said, “if you sit on it, you might get hurt or you might see an image like a dream.”

The tale made Pwyll want to test the mound at once. So, he and his men went to sit on the mound. Soon, they saw a horse run past them on the road that was near by. A girl of great beauty in gold robes was on the horse.

Pwyll said to one of his men, “Go get on your horse. Catch up to her and bring her here!”

But, while his horse ran as fast as it could, the man could not catch up to the girl in gold. Her speed did not change, but as the man sped up, more and more space split them. For many days, the same girl in gold robes rode down the road near the mound. Each day, the men could not catch her.

At last, Pwyll got up from the mound and got on his horse. He would try to catch the girl on his own. He was sad to find that he met the same woe as his men. Pwyll could not catch the girl on the horse!

In a yell, he said, “please wait!”

To his shock, the girl in gold robes said, “I am glad to wait. You should have said that the first time that your men went to catch up with me!”

The girl in gold robes told Pwyll her name and said that she rode to his home to search for him. She told Pwyll that her kin set her up to wed a strange man but that she knew that it was right to wed Pwyll. Pwyll said he would be glad to have her as his wife.  The two then said that they would meet in a year to be wed and have a great feast.

Author's Note:

For this storytelling, I wanted to try one of the example storytelling styles: one pulse stories! In this style, the writer is challenged to retell their story using only word with a single syllable. It is a great brain exercise to sit and think about all of the synonyms for words that you want to use or various ways that one sentence can be phrased to convey the same meaning! This was a great challenge for me because I am prone to using long sentences and lots of descriptive words to get my point across. Here, I had to try to be concise and brief! My story is a retelling of how Pwyll and Rhiannon met in the first part of The Maginobi.  My story very closely follows that of the original. I only changed little details about time in order to fit my writing style.  Of course, I also called Rhiannon the "girl in gold robes" for this reason as well!

Bibliography:

The Mabinogion, translated by Lady Charlotte Guest (1877).

Pwyll and Rhiannon
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Week 11 Reading Diary: Pwyll and Taliesin

This week, I am reading sections from The Mabinogion by Lady Charlotte Guest. These stories are all Welsh in origin. Since I read Native American stories last week, I'm excited to read stories from another part of my heritage this week!

Pwyll Goes Hunting:

I think that this story sets the scene for the rest of the action! Two leaders meet on a hunt and essentially agreed to switch places for a year. How is the king capable of disguising them so well and for so long? I can't help but wonder if he also has ulterior motives. Further, who is this enemy who will fall after one hit but be just fine after another? This is a really interesting introduction.

In the Stead of Arawn:

Not too much attention is given to how the residents of the kingdom perceive the disguised Pwyll. I wonder if no one really noticed or if they were in on the plan! Also, I wish that I knew more about the enemy, other than the fact that he tried to smooth-talk his way out of defeat. Tricky! Now, the two nobles have switched to their true forms and the king promises to reward Pwyll.

Pwyll and the Wondrous Lady:

In the time that we missed in Pwyll's kingdom, the people were treated better than before. Pwyll promises to continue that standard. Meanwhile, a new mysterious character is introduced! The wondrous lady literally shines as she rides past the men on the mound. No matter how fast they go, they're unable to match her constant speed. Is she magic like the other king?

Pwyll and Rhiannon:

The riding lady's name is Rhiannon. Now I can't help but wonder if the Fleetwood Mac song is based on this character! She has some kind of magic or psychic ability because she comes specifically to seek out Pwyll whom she intends to marry. A year after they promise to wed, he goes to their arranged meeting place to find a huge celebration.

Gwawl's Request:

It's getting even more dramatic! Rhiannon confirms her magical powers with her plot to get rid of the suitor that steals her away. It seems like she could just say no, instead! Now, another year has to pass to make it work. Is that a significant time in Welsh stories or just this particular one?

The Game of Badger in the Bag:

Pwyll wins! Also, the (apparently significant) game of badger in the bag begins.

The next few stories I read in quick succession because they were so interesting! Pwyll and Rhiannon's baby gets taken. He grows tremendously quickly. Must be the magic! This reminds me of Disney's Hercules. Wasn't there also an Indian Epic boy that grew extremely quickly? His adoptive parents give the boy the horse born on the night he was born. Eventually, he is returned to Pwyll and Rhiannon. Everyone is so kind in returning favors in this story! The boy later rules all the lands. 

Rhiannon on her magic horse
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