Reading Notes: The Voyages of Sindbad, Part A

Before reading this story, I had heard of Sindbad but I hadn't actually read any stories about him. He went on seven separate voyages throughout the entire story, each more terrifying than the one before. My favorite voyage was the second one when Sindbad was stranded on an island and ended up being picked up by a giant bird called the Roc. He stumbled upon the Roc's egg, which was huge and soft. Once the Roc scooped him up, Sindbad tied himself to its leg, which was the size of a tree trunk. He stayed in the nest until the next morning when the Roc landed on ground once again and Sindbad untied himself and was set free. The adventures and horrors that Sindbad has to face throughout his journey are tragic and unlucky; however, Sindbad uses his quick thinking to devise a plan every time. Since my favorite voyage was the one about the Roc, I am planning to write my own version of this story in this week's storytelling post. I want to keep the character of the Roc and Sindbad in my story, but make a different ending that is completely different than the one told in the original story.

Sindbad tied to the leg of the Roc. Illustrated by H. J. Ford.
http://mythfolklore.blogspot.com/2014/06/sindbad-second-voyage.html

The Voyages of Sindbad by Andrew Lang.
http://mythfolklore.blogspot.com/2014/06/myth-folklore-unit-voyages-of-sindbad.html

Feedback Focus

Every time I read an assignment, especially for this Mythology course, I read it out loud. I tend to skim over things more quickly when I am reading it in my head. I feel like I am a part of the story when I am reading out loud. Understanding complex readings can be difficult especially when they aren't always exactly something you want to be reading about. It can make it more interesting and fun by reading out loud, plus you don't get as bored. This is most definitely my favorite technique when reading and understanding reading assignments.

The "Copy and Delete" technique is a little bit more difficult, considering it takes a little bit longer to finish an assignment when doing this. I like to have a piece of paper handy so that I can write down anything that comes to my mind right when it does, because I know that I will forget later on. That is information that is valuable for my posts so I want to make sure that I am fully retaining all of the information.

Using a timer is a smart way to make sure you really take in all the facts. I do think it is a good idea to devote time to the story you are reading, because sometimes reading it only once doesn't give you the full potential to write a good blog post or commentary about it. It is also important to read the information about the author because it gives more background on not only the author, but the story itself.

Reading out loud or even to a dog or family member can be extremely helpful in making sure you are retaining the information you are reading.

https://americanlibrariesmagazine.org/2014/12/22/dog-therapy-101/

Reading Notes: Ziya'al-Din Nakhshabi 's Tales of a Parrot, Part B

My favorite aspect of the book itself is that the stories that the parrot tells Khojisteh are so captivating that she can't miss a single one. The parrot is an impressive story teller and even though Khojisteh wants to go see her lover, she can't seem to get away from the parrot's enticement. There is shape shifting in many of the stories, and I want to include that in my version of the story that I write this week. In the story "Of a King and His Sons, and of a Frog and a Snake," the characters Khaliss and Mukhless are actually a snake and a frog that have taken on a human form. They acquired this power when the prince carved out a piece of skin for each of them. They also use their original animal form to help people with tasks that would otherwise be difficult. Mukhless jumps into the water to fish out a ring that fell in and Khaliss cured the King's daughter after she was bit by a snake. The characters that the parrot's stories include are typically manipulative and intelligent in their own ways. The fate of Khojisteh in the original story is unfortunate, especially since, after all that time, Khojisteh never even got to see her lover. Her husband also put her to death.


"The Parrot addresses Khojisteh" by Mir Sayyid Ali and Abdus Samad
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tutinama

Ziya'al-Din Nakhshabi's Tales of a Parrot http://mythfolklore.blogspot.com/2014/06/tales-of-parrot-of-king-and-his-sons.html

Reading Notes: Ziya'al-Din Nakhshabi's Tales of a Parrot Part A

The story Tutinameh or Tales of a Parrot by Ziya'al-Din Nakhshabi is about a parrot that prince, Miemun, purchased. The parrot tells stories to the prince's wife, Khojisteh, to keep her from committing adultery and cheating on her husband with another prince. Some of the individual stories in the reading are stories that the parrot tells Khojisteh. For my story this week, I am thinking about telling either my own versions of the stories that the parrot tells, or change the ending of them a little bit. The parrot is also extremely smart and can foresee the future. In my story this week, I also might incorporate the parrot's ability to see the future.
 
"Khojisteh and the parrot" by Mir Sayyid Ali and Abdus Samad.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tutinama#mediaviewer/File:Indischer_Maler_um_1580_001.jpg

Ziya'al-Din Nakhshabi's Tales of a Parrot. http://mythfolklore.blogspot.com/2014/06/myth-folklore-unit-tutinameh-or-tales.html

Story: Scarlet and Flynn

It's August in Los Angeles and the heat is unbearable, not to mention it's the first day of school today. One person in particular who has been dreading this day ever since she moved to LA in the beginning of the summer is Scarlet. She rolled over and hit the snooze button for the fifth time on her alarm clock. It was her senior year at a new school where she knew no one. Scarlet is shy around new people, so she is especially nervous for a walking into a school where she knows no one. Her mom always told her that she got her looks from the Greek Gods and not from her parents. But do looks really matter if no one wants to be your friend?

A few streets down a boy named Flynn was getting ready to leave for his first day at a new school too. There were so many thoughts going through his head as he walked out the door to meet his sudden fate at a place where he knew nobody. He wants to make friends, but it's so hard considering it is senior year. He has always been told that he was a beautiful child, but that didn't seem important because Flynn was lonely all the time.

Scarlet walked up to the front doors of the school and pushed them open. Everyone turned and looked at the new, exotically beautiful girl. Her wavy red hair draped all the way down to her lower back. She had no makeup on; her mom always told her that her natural beauty was enough. Scarlet walked through the hallway with everyone's eyes on her, but then all of their eyes shifted back to the front door. Out walks Flynn, a long, chiseled face hidden behind curly brown hair. The girls couldn't keep their eyes off him, and the boys couldn't keep their eyes off Scarlet.

The first bell of the day rang and everyone bolted to class. Scarlet and Flynn bump into each other as they both try to make it inside the classroom before they are counted late. Scarlet dropped her books and Flynn quickly bends down and picks them up in one fell swoop. They sat at desks next to each each other in the back of the room, but neither of them spoke a word the entire hour. As they walked out the door to go to their next classes, Flynn calls to Scarlet. "Hey, I'm Flynn by the way." He walked away and little did they know that would be the start of these soulmates' story together. 

This picture of a statue of Psyche and Cupid represents the love that they share and the love that Scarlet and Flynn share.

"Psyche Revived By Cupid's Kiss" by Antonio Canova.

Author's Note: I based this story loosely on the story of Cupid and Psyche. Psyche was the most beautiful girl to ever set foot on earth, yet no one wanted to marry her. It wasn't until Cupid came along and shot himself with his arrow that Psyche met the love of her life. Scarlet and Flynn represent Psyche and Cupid and although their story is much more modernized, it still is a romance story about two young lovers.


Apuleius's Cupid and Psyche; http://mythfolklore.blogspot.com/2014/05/myth-folklore-unit-apuleiuss-cupid-and.html

Reading Notes: Apuleius's Cupid and Psyche Part B

I love the power that Venus carries with her. She is the goddess of love and she doesn't think that Cupid should be with someone like Psyche. Venus is incredibly protective of Cupid and that is kind of why I chose to use this picture. Psyche's character is the most interesting to me because she is strangely beautiful, yet the only man to ever fall in love with her is Cupid. The series of events that happen because of Cupid and Psyche's romance are nothing less of unfortunate. Venus does everything in her power to set things back to the way they were and to get Cupid back. In this week's story, I also really want to focus on the imagery and descriptions like the author does in the original story.


"Venus Chides Cupid" by Giordano.
https://www.uni-erfurt.de/fileadmin/user-docs/spz-latein/materialien/apuleius/psyche-giordano.pdf

Apuleius's Cupid and Psyche; http://mythfolklore.blogspot.com/2014/05/myth-folklore-unit-apuleiuss-cupid-and.html

Feedback Thoughts Week 2

Throughout my teenage years I played volleyball and had many different coaches. At first I was uncomfortable with straightforward criticism, but I soon grew accustomed to it because what they were saying was right. Obviously feedback for writing is different than in sports, but it makes you better. It teaches you things that you didn't know before and can give you options to things that you didn't know existed. My advice for giving feedback, however, is to be firm, but relatable, especially when giving feedback to peers. When people get feedback, they want helpful and nice feedback that is to the point. Everyone should do as they would want for themselves.


It is true that the person giving feedback should give some criticism, or else it is unhelpful.
http://quotesgram.com/img/constructive-criticism-quotes/13774181/