Storybook Topics

Statue of Lord Shiva with his trident Trishula from Wiki Commons

Possible Topic: If weapons could talk- I think it could be interesting to have the weapons talk about the battles they had experienced with those who wielded them. It could prove to be an interesting way to tell the stories. I got the idea when I was looking at topics and clicked on battles and weapons. I thought all the different weapons mentioned sounded really cool and would like to look more into what they did and who fought with them.
Research I've done: I liked how the storybook Weapons of the Gods went into the history of the weapons, but I would like to get more into when they were used. I also took a look at the list of weapons. Some that really caught my eye were Gandiva (bow), Trishula (trident), and Asi (sword). I think these weapons would have some great stories to share if they could.

Possible Topic: Indian Magic School- I have always been a huge fan of Harry Potter, Percy Jackson, and all things fiction. I think I could use this love and create a Indian Storybook from it. Instead of battling a basilisk in school perhaps they could come across an ancient demon. I think there are a lot of different ways this could go and would really like to see the idea come to life.
Research I've done: Since I mentioned demons, I looked on Wikipedia and found more information on some of the demons listed on the topic site for demons. Ravana and his family would be great people to fight with magic. I also looked at wikipedia for more history on Hindu mythology it could be more beneficial to use that and do more of a Percy Jackson vibe and fight monsters than using magic. It was harder to find stuff related to magic.

Possible Topic: The Return of Wolfgang Forrester - I absolutely loved my project in Mythology and Folklore: Fairytale Case Files! I would love to revisit the detective and see what he is up to! Perhaps he stumbles in a hole (like Alice in Wonderland) and is transported to another land (India) where there are new cases to be solved!
Research I've done: When I was looking at the list of stories last week one that caught my eye was The Missing Queen. Immediately I thought of Wolfgang! He would love the opportunity to try to find this missing queen! I haven't been able to read the story but I think it would be a good fit for the storybook. I also haven't had a chance to look, but I feel like I would be able to take some children's stories in Jataka tales. Perhaps he could solve Why the Owl is not King of the Birds. I am not quite sure what else he would solve, but I feel like I can find something.

Possible Topic: Tales of a Wanderer -  I think another cool story idea would be to follow a traveler throughout India and having people he comes across tell him a tale. This gives a lot of wiggle room because the people he runs into could be from anywhere and each person you meet has a different type of story to tell. Maybe they were a hero, a villain, a victim, or a bystander. This would give me a chance to take a variety of stories I like and twist them from another point of view. I would also be able to go into more of the Indian culture and geography with a traveler.
Research I've done: I liked the storybook Travel Journal. It is a lot of what I have in mind for this type of storybook. I also looked into all of the places mentioned on the Traveling India topic page. I also looked up on wikipedia the Culture of India. There was a lot of information about the language, religion, clothing, and arts that may be helpful when describing my adventurers travels.

Storytelling for Week 2: Sita the Warrior Princess

Meg from Hercules from Bustle

One bright and sunny morning, Sita, Rama, and Lak took a stroll through the Forest of Sandalla. Rama, being the hopeless romantic that he is, stopped often to point out different flowers to Sita  and in no time picked her a beautiful bouquet. Meanwhile, Lak was trying to explore the forest. He liked to tell the couple everything he would find. Occasionally he would yell things like "O look a nest!" or "Watch out for that cliff!" He soon found a tree as tall as a mountain and decided to climb it. "Lak! If you are going to climb so high could you try to grab me a cloud? I would love one as a souvenir," Rama said jokingly.  Lak, playing along, climbed even higher into the tree and then pretended like he was going to grab a cloud and reached as much as his arm would let him and then he fell. "LAK!" screamed Sita and Rama as they rushed to his aid. Lak sat up startled but otherwise unharmed. By some miracle he had managed to land in a large pile of leaves, it was like landing on a crunchy marshmallow. Sita embraced Lak with relief and then punched him in the arm, "Do not scare me like that Laksmana!" "Wow," Lak said with a chuckle, "you know I am in trouble when you use my full name." Rama started laughing with him until they were interrupted by a low growl. "Rama, please tell me that you are just really hungry." said Lak. "Definitely not me." replied Rama. They both look at Sita and she shakes her head no. Realizing they were no longer alone, they slowly turn around.

Not even ten feet away from them was a man-eating rakshasa. Standing at fifteen feet tall, with two huge fangs protuding from his mouth, the ugly beast roared "I am the great Viradha! How dare you awaken me!" Seeing the beautiful Sita adorned with flowers, he grabbed her as she screamed and said "I will take her and drink her blood, for it will surely be a great compliment to your flesh." "Ewww!" said Lak. "I really don't feel like being your "Lak burger with a side of Rama fries with a Sita pop to drink". Try the veggie burger! It is way better on the heart!" Viradha growled with impatience for the upcoming battle as Rama stringed his bow. "You have a death wish Viradha! You will not have my Sita today!" Rama yelled as he and Lak sent arrow after arrow into the rakshasa's flesh. When they were out of arrows, the rakshasa yawned and the arrows popped out of his flesh. It was as if they were never there. As he stretched, he dropped Sita and she ran to the side of the battle. "You will have to do better than that" said Viradha. The two warriors then charge the beast with their swords and battle for their lives. As Sita was sitting there on the side, she could not help but notice that no matter what the boys did they could not seem to injure the rakshasa. She then remembered that in their forest explorations this morning they had come by a cliff so deep that any creature would perish after a fall so great. Realizing this may be their only chance to defeat the monster, Sita ran off towards the cliff.

Sita grabbed some vines and pulled them off a tree and quickly tied them together and then wrapped them around two trees close to the edge of the cliff. Sita ran all the way back to the battle to a gruesome scene. The boys had somehow ripped off the arms of Viradha. This didn't slow him down a bit. The rakshasa was still kicking and biting at Rama and Lak and it looked like he was winning the fight. Rama and Lak were exhausted from fighting and were starting to slow down. Sita knew they weren't going to be able to hold out for much longer. She grabbed a stone from the ground and threw it at Viradha with all of her strength and yelled "Hey! You with the bad  breath!" The stone hit the beast in the head and he quickly turned all of his attention towards Sita. Sita stood tall and strong before the beast. "You said you would take care me first and I haven't got one scratch from you! What kind of mighty rakshasa are you? You can't even control a girl!!" "Fine," said Viradha, "I will kill you first woman!" and charges toward Sita with a ferocious roar! Sita runs toward the cliff and goes over her rope and runs to the side as Viradha trips over her rope and falls to his death. The boys ran to Sita and made sure she was okay. When she told them how she tricked Viradha, they were very impressed. Rama embraced Sita and said "I am so proud of you my warrior princess." Sita blushed with pride as the three of them continued on their journey through the forest. 

Author's note: I chose to keep the storyline but twist it to make Sita the hero. As much as I love the damsel in distress stories, I thought it was time to switch things over and have the princess save the prince. I also wanted to make Lakshmana more of a focus and to see more of a personality from him. I saw him as an animated and funny sidekick to Rama. He would have to have a sense of humor and a great personality to be stranded in the forest for years as a permanent third wheel. In the original story, Lak does not fall off of a tree or awaken the beast. I did that to make the story more exciting. There is also no Forest of Sandalla. I just wanted to have a name for the place. Sita is also hiding in a cave while Rama and Lakshmana battle the monster and then push it off of the cliff. I just adjusted the story to make Sita the hero and to trick the rakshasa into tripping and falling off of the cliff. Also, I had to choose my gif of Meg for this story because I love Meg and I feel that in my story Sita is the type of person who could definitely save herself from monsters. 

Bibliography: Viradha from The Ramayana translated by Manmatha Nath Dutt (1891 and following). 

Week 2 Reading Diary: Ramayana continued

Ramayana Online: Public Domain Edition

Bharata requests Rama's sandals.

By Balasaheb Pandit Pant Pratinidhi, 1916.

Wiki Commons

Sandals from Indian Myth and Legend by Donald A. Mackenzie (1913).

I chose this story because of the sandals. I think this is a really big moment because the sandals are supposed to represent "royal authority". I think I could write a story off of the shoes. It could be fun to go more into depth with this story and the "powers" of the shoes and why they represent who is in charge of the kingdom. 

Viradha translated by Manmatha Nath Dutt (1891 and following).

I am a sucker for a good battle scene. I really loved this story of Rama saving his damsel in distress. This creature really sounds terrifying so I can understand why Sita was "trembling with fear". I like changing the story by putting it into a different perspective than what was originally told. I think it would be great to hear this story from the monster's point of view. Or perhaps from Sita's point of view. Men perceive women as weak so maybe she was not shaking or trembling with fear. Perhaps this was anger. What if the boys gave her a few more seconds and she exploded in fury and kicked this no good monster's butt? I think that would be a fun twist to the story. 

The Golden Deer from Indian Myth and Legend by Donald A. Mackenzie (1913).

I was really interested in this story because in two of my three favorite storybooks they used this story. I think it could be fun to link my love of Disney with this story. I could make it a twist off of Bambi in some way or another. 

Week 2 Reading Diary: Ramayana

Ramayana Online: Public Domain Edition

Thataka from Indian Myth and Legend by Donald A. Mackenzie (1913)

I enjoyed this story a lot because it is the first time we get to see Rama in action. He must have some mean weaponry skills to be able to Thataka when she was invisible by just listening to where she would be. I also thought it was really cool that Rama could just think of his weapons and they would appear by his side when he needed them. It sort of reminded me of Thor and his hammer. 

Sita from The Divine Archer by F. J. Gould (1911).

I am a romantic at heart and loved to read the story of how Rama and Sita meet/fall in love. The scenery and description in this was really quite beautiful. I love gardens! I think it may be kind of different to go more into detail about what Sita is thinking, or perhaps make her not as perfect and ladylike (clumsy). 

Rama wins Sita from Indian Myth and Legend by Donald A. Mackenzie (1913)

I really enjoyed the challenge that the monarch had made for his daughter's suitor. I think it would be funny though if, because he broke it, Rama did not get to marry Sita. It would be interesting to see the actions of the characters after that happened. Would Sita speak up? Would Rama challenge the monarch or accept defeat and leave? 

Karma from Indian Myth and Legend by Donald A. Mackenzie (1913)

I am really intrigued by the story of how the hermit was accidentally killed. More specifically I am interested in the hermit himself. It is sad but true how your life can end in an instant and you never know when it will happen. This is why it is so important to live life to the fullest. 

The blind hermit and his wife mourn their son by Kala Pahara from Wiki Commons

Growth Mindset

I do believe that it is extremely important to take on challenges in life. Life is full of them and it is a good idea to get used to them and practice different ways to handle different types of problems in life. I think the idea of keeping a growth mindset is a great idea. I had never heard of "growth mindset" before watching the videos in this class. However, they seem to find a lot of positive results with this idea, so I think it is something worth trying out. I could not help but laugh at the thirteen year old kid that said he could not believe that he had wasted so much of his life. If he thinks his life has changed for the better from using the growth mindset, the least I could do is give it a try! I really am not looking forward to my French class this semester, so perhaps if I try to have a growth mindset I could see improvements in French.

Cat from Cheezburger meme site

Learning Challenges: By HEART

Netflix Meme by Dave Whamond

I like the idea of "Learning by HEART". It will be great to focus on some different life skills and gain extra credit for it. I actually hadn't seen the Jelly Bean video before and I loved it. I was amazed by how much time was spent in front of a tv. Then I thought about it and it makes since. This meme perfectly describes many instances in my life. When you have to click "yes" that you are still watching it is like pushing the biggest button of shame. Netflix is totally judging you and your lack of doing anything. I am really interested in the Time category and am excited to see what you suggest for time management. 

Storybook Favorites: Indian Epics Edition

It was really quite difficult to pick just three storybooks for this post! I felt like every time I clicked on a story I was intrigued and loved the creativity of the storyteller. However, I was able to do the impossible and pick three storybooks.

The evil demon Ravana - Instagram filter: Lo-Fi + blur + frame

The first storybook that caught my eye was Social Media in Ancient India. I loved the idea of using something that is so prominent in the world today and seeing what characters from stories would do with it. I loved that the author used Tumblr in their storybook. It was a great alternative to having Sita and Rama write in a diary or something a little more predictable. I also loved that the author actually used Instagram filters for some of their pictures. It was a nice touch that helped with the overall theme of the storybook.

The next storybook is Bedtime Stories. I liked a Bedtime Story themed storybook in Mythology and Folklore so I thought I would check this out. I liked how this storyteller had chosen one of the same stories that the previous storyteller chose (The Golden Deer). It was cool to see the different ways they chose to tell the same story. I really liked the idea of retelling stories in a way that is entertaining for kids and easy for them to understand.

For my third storybook, I had to choose How I Met Your Mother. I am in love with the television show and thought I had to check it out. I loved that the author used a modern show and gave it a twist to fit into the Indian stories. I think the author's favorite "How I met Your Mother" character is Barney because they seem to use a lot of Barney references throughout the storybook. However, I am not complaining! I think this story was legend.. wait for it and I hope your not lactose intolerant because the next word is... DAIRY! LEGENDARY!

Overview: So many options to choose from!

Odissi Dancer Sitara Thobani from Wiki Commons

After looking at the descriptions of both of the options for week two, I have decided to use the public domain edition of Ramayana. I enjoyed the fact that it was free, has illustrations, and has a listening option. I think listening could bring a different aspect to the reading and I always enjoy seeing different artwork. I also believe that the notes provided with this version could help me study this story.

As I was browsing through some of the material for this class, I was really intrigued by the stories for children Babbit. Jataka Tales. and Babbit. More Jakata Tales.. I think you can find out a lot from a group of people by what they teach their children. I was also really intrigued with the Sacred Tales of India. I noticed you said it was a popular choice last year and love that it is connected to Hindu rituals. I love to learn about other gods, goddesses and heroes so I think I would love to read Monro. Gods and heroes.  The title The Missing Queen really grabbed my attention. I love that it set in modern times! It sounds like a great read. To switch things up, I think I may look into watching Seven Secrets for Hindu Calendar Art. It could be cool to watch something instead of reading and I could always make my roommate watch with me!

Since you mentioned it, I do love Game of Thrones! I will probably be finding time this semester to squeeze in the last season so I can be refreshed on everything that happened before the new season starts! I do not have any experience studying Indian history or culture, so I do not recognize any of the names I saw in the online textbook. However, I am really excited to learn! I have taken Arthurian Legend and Literature as well as Mythology and Folklore here at OU and loved learning in those classes.

Introduction to a future OT and her dogs

Hello! My name is Chelsey Zerby! I am a fifth year senior majoring in Health and Exercise Science and should be graduating this spring! I really enjoy learning about the human body and getting to participate in under water weighing and go to tour fitness facilities throughout the OKC area. I am applying to Occupational Therapy (OT) school for next year so please wish me luck! My favorite class last semester was Pride. I was given the opportunity to be in the Pride of Oklahoma for a fifth year, which is the University of Oklahoma's marching band. I was in the colorguard. In other words: I was one of the girls spinning flags (or maybe lightsabers or perhaps a Mario and Luigi running around) during halftime and doing Big 12 kicks with the huge flags during pregame. The most exciting thing I did this christmas break was going to Miami for the Orange Bowl. I had a blast even if it did not end up the way I wanted it to.

Lightsaber Dueling 

Mario (my friend Emily) and Luigi (me) 

Meet my two dogs! Sue-ner the Pug and Zoey the Schnug! Sue-ner is ten years young and is the best cuddle-bug you will ever meet. Her favorite place is on your lap. You may think that she is the laziest thing in the world but can you blame her? Pugs were bred to sit on the emperor's lap. I think she does a great job! Zoey is a mutt. She is half miniature schnauzer and half pug (schnug). She is only six months old and Sue-ner's complete opposite. She is super energetic and thinks everything is a game. Obviously you are only putting on your socks and shoes on in the morning to entertain and have fun with the schnug! Zoey also has a stuffed duck that she is obsessed with. It is her favorite toy. You should have seen her face when my mom grabbed it to put into the washing machine. She definitely thought my mom was going to kill her duck!

Sue-ner the Pug

Zoey with her duck

Zoey the Schnug

I am very glad to be back in Norman and am really excited for what this semester has to bring! Honestly, I am also really looking forward to this class. I took Mythology and Folklore in fall 2014 and I absolutely loved it! I cannot wait to read everyone's stories and see how creative everyone is!

Week 1: Storytelling

Stanley the Stag was a great deer. He was one of the best deer you would ever meet. However, he could be more than a little vain at times. Stanley's pride and joy was his antlers. He was the envy of every stag in the forest. Everyone wanted antlers like him. Stanley would spend hours in the morning making sure they looked perfect for all of the does in town. His antlers resembled branches extending from a tree and they had over twenty points on them. With all the attention he received, it was no surprise that he had such an enlarged ego. However, he was insecure with his legs. Stanley had high and unrealistic expectations of how he should look. He insisted that if his antlers were indeed flawless, then the rest of him should be perfect as well. He was always looking at deer fashion magazines. He tried all the best leg workout on the web, but, he could not get his legs to look the way he wanted. So Stanley did the only thing he could think of and had surgery on his legs to make them immaculate. Although Stanley had the legs of his dreams, the surgery left him very weak. He could hardly stand and was told by his doctor to not participate in a lot of physical activity. The next day Stanley went to his groomer, Panther. Panther hated Stanley and his perfect antlers. While he was trimming around Stanley's antlers Panther cut a little too close and chopped off the left antler. With a quick smile, and only a second of hesitation, Panther cut off the right antler too. After realizing what had happened, Stanley went completely insane with grief over his lost antlers and ran toward the forest. While he was running, however, Stanley's new legs failed him. He tripped and rolled down a hill and into a cave waking a very angry bear and was never seen again.

Red Deer Stag by Bill Ebbesen transferred from Wiki Commons

Author's Note: The original fable "The Stag and His Reflection" can be found in  The Aesop for Children with pictures by Milo Winter. The original story is about a stag that is looking at his reflection in the water and is admiring his antlers. He also notices his legs and is ashamed of them. The stag then notices a panther and runs for it. However, his antlers get caught and the panther killed him. The thing he admired most about himself ended up being the stag's downfall and what he despised was more useful to survival. In my version, I concentrated more on the vanity of the stag and how it became his downfall.

Bibliography: "The Stag and His Reflection" from Aesop's Fables written by Aesop and illustrated by Milo Winter (2006). Web Source: Project Gutenberg 

Favorite Places

“The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page.” -- St. Augustine 

I have been pretty fortunate to be able to read a couple pages and I simply cannot choose one specific place! So here are my top three!

Orlando, FL:

I am convinced that there is no way you can ever be too old to go to Disney World. I got to go to Hollywood Studios with the Pride of Oklahoma a couple of years ago. It was so fun! I would probably go there tonight if someone told me to just hop on a flight and go. I mean I would make it in time for the fireworks! I also love Harry Potter. So naturally, I loved the Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Studios. 

Hollywood Studios with some of my best friends

My family in front of the Hogwarts castle.

                   

Biltmore:

The Biltmore is the home of George Vanderbuilt. It is located in Asheville, NC and is the largest home in the United States. I love to tour old homes and this one is BEAUTIFUL! As you can see it is huge! It also has a couple of gardens and a great view. I would highly suggest putting it on your bucket list. I took this picture a couple summers ago and I would love to go back around Christmas to see it decorated for the holidays.

One of my pictures from family trip to Biltmore

Christmas at the Biltmore - Pine Crest BB

Yellowstone:

Yellowstone is a national park located primarily in Wyoming. It is larger than some states. This place is beautiful. Definitely the prettiest place I have ever been to. These are all pictures I took on my iPhone and they do not do the place justice. Not only is Yellowstone beautiful with nature, but their lodge next to Old Faithful is stunning.

Lower Falls

Mammoth Hot Springs

Old Faithful Lodge

Bighorn Sheep

Comment Wall

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Here are a few of my favorite music videos! There is a wide variety so I highly recommend clicking on each of them. They range from videos that will hit you right in the feels to lighthearted and fun.

Testing.. Testing... 1,2,3

Indian Epics