Tech Tip: Blogger Profile

I updated my profile for this blog with a picture and brief "About Me" section. Having read a lot of personal blogs over the past several years, I always find it interesting to see what people actually look like, where they're from, and other personal details. Since this is for class, I put only the basics (primary major, career goal, location), but in general I don't mind sharing things online. Because I referenced in my Introduction post that my Blogger display name is SusieBookworm, I opted to keep it that instead of signing with my real name, though I put my first name in my profile. (Edit: changed it to my actual first name on 2/5/16, since most people in the class have their actual names displayed.)

I've been on the standard social media sites since high school and at one point ran a book blog, and from the beginning I've generally limited what I post to things that I wouldn't be too embarrassed for anyone -- anyone -- that I know to run across. I'm fine with posting personal details, but typically just ones that are fairly common knowledge for my friends and family. Now that I'm in college and looking at graduate schools and careers, I'm even more careful about what exactly I post, aware that they can find it. I recently deleted my scarcely-used Twitter account, since it was mostly old book blog stuff and complaints about writing papers. But for things like these class assignments, I'm fine with anyone I know running across what I've posted and anything personal I've revealed.

Learning Challenges: H.E.A.R.T.

Of the H.E.A.R.T. topics, I'm most interested in Attention and Time. I feel like I used to do pretty well with time management, but the longer I'm in school and the more I do, the shorter my attention span becomes. Last spring in particular I had issues with procrastinating and not being able to focus on my schoolwork, which in turn made the semester even more anxiety-inducing than it already was. It wasn't bad enough to have negative consequences for my grades, but I'd really rather not repeat the tiredness and constant stress of that spring. Anyway, re-discovering my attention span and time management skills would be welcome this semester as well as help my mental health.

I tend to get wrapped up in school and completely forget about the things that I once enjoyed. I liked this image posted on Learning by HEART, because it reminded me that by doing what I enjoy (like reading) along with school, I'll probably help myself deal with some of the stress and bad moods I have each semester.

Growth Mindset: Introduction

I had not heard of Carol Dweck or growth mindset before, but I think her ideas make sense. I'm still trying to place myself on the mindset spectrum. School is something that's always come easily to me; I know that up until college, I was rarely challenged in my regular classes. The focus has always been on making good grades and being top of the class, though with the larger student body of college, I've been able to start shifting my focus from competition with others to my own learning (but grades still matter, probably too much).

I've always enjoyed learning, though, and haven't shrunk from challenging classes, whether physics, calculus, and AP courses in high school or some of the more intensive courses offered in my major. With school, I think the issue I run into is tiredness rather than fear of challenge, even though challenges can often cause me great anxiety. I'm still too focused on what others think of my work and what grade it will get.

I think I have much more of a fixed mindset when it comes to work. In my mind, jobs/careers are a whole other ballpark from school; it's okay to mess up in school, but with work more perfection is expected. I'm more afraid to accept challenges at a job, because I'm terrified of making a mistake. I'd rather stick with the easy stuff I know well. I'm worried this will affect what kind of jobs I think I can handle and will apply for when I finish school, because I'll underrate my abilities and not want to take jobs I'm probably qualified for. I have a lot of work to do to develop a growth mindset in this area!

How I feel sometimes - a little person with a big task.

source: Growth Mindset Memes

Storybook Favorites: Past Indian Epics

I'm familiar with the Storybook project from the Folklore & Mythology class, but some of the more recent Indian Epics Storybooks are amazing in creativity, writing, and polishedness! Maybe I don't have much memory of the Storybooks from my class several semesters ago, but the Indian Epics ones I just looked over were even more impressive than what I remembered.

The first one that caught my eye was Shreemati News. The format of the webpage mimics that of an actual newspaper, down to the introduction being what one would expect from a business and having links (that don't actually work) to other "features." I found it interesting that each story took a different format - a "Breaking News" page, a developed interview, and an advice column. The content was really well-written and the layout innovative for a Storybook.

 screenshot example of the Shreemati News newspaper format

The next one I liked was CSI: Indian Epics. Of course the CSI title is what caught my eye. I thought the design and layout of the website was rudimentary, but the frame set-up of a crime scene investigator's case files was cool. The introduction in particular was nicely done to set up a typical find-an-old-journal frame for the stories that follow. The images also tied in well with the stories and frame.

Finally, I enjoyed looking at Real Housewives of Ramayana. I think this is a Storybook idea that's been used several times, but it's still fun. Mythology is full of soap opera drama presented as truth! I thought the author did a great job translating the stories into modern speech and actions, accurately mimicking the feel of the reality shows that are so popular right now. I liked how much dialogue the author was able to create, as I think writing engaging dialogue is more difficult than writing about actions.

Class Overview

I will be reading the Narayan version of The Ramayana. I prefer reading physical books over digital, and I've found with other ancient translated works that modern translations often read better than older ones. I also already obtained my own copies of both the Narayan books, because I am a book hoarder prefer to read my own copies.

I'm looking forward to reading the original epics and also to the weeks later in the semester when we can branch out to other topics. I appreciate having the option to look at other legends and folktales, not just the main two epics. I'm most interested in original tales as well as modern fiction (short story or full novel) versions of them. I'm particularly looking forward to working in Breaking the Bow: Speculative Fiction Inspired by the Ramayana, which I noticed Bizzell has, as I enjoy both speculative fiction and retellings.

I've taken courses on religion, epics (Classical Mythology and Arthurian Lit), and folklore before, but, with the exception of a couple West African epics, most of the class reading has focused on North American or European topics. I have only a very basic understanding of Indian and other Asian religions and cultures, so most of this class will be new material for me. I typically enjoy epics because of how close they often come to my favorite literary form of novels, and I'm looking forward to reading more this semester!

Krishna Splits the Double Arjuna Tree

anonymous, Gujarat, India (c.1720)

source: Wikimedia / Indian Epics: Images and PDE Epics

I picked the image above because the style of the repetitive, one-dimensional background of trees, leaves, and fruits (or flowers?) reminded me of Pennsylvania German folk art I've been looking through lately. Actually, looking through the other images on the Indian epics image blog, I was surprised by how many seem similar (at least to me) to various Western high and folk art styles, just with Indian people and gods.

Introduction to a Bookworm

My name on this blog shows up originally showed up (I finally figured out how to change it) as SusieBookworm, which has been my online nickname since middle school. Obviously I really enjoy books and reading, though after almost four years of college, I've been sadly neglecting reading-for-fun for reading-for-school. When I do get to read for fun, my favorites are classic novels, science fiction (like H.G. Wells and Aldous Huxley stuff), and retellings of old stories. I'm fascinated by utopian communities and off-beat religious groups. The last book I finished was The Map of the Sky by Felix J. Palma, the second of his spectacular romps through H.G. Wells's novels that humorously mimics the style of Victorian speculative fiction and adventure novels.

I'm graduating this May with majors in anthropology, history, and English lit, and a minor in religious studies (FYI, I also came to OU from high school with a ton of transfer credit). I'm hoping to be able to start in an M.A. program next fall in folklore and historic preservation. My goal is to work at a museum or historic site; currently I'm an undergrad assistant in the Archaeology Department at Sam Noble. The most interesting thing I did this summer was a month-long field school at the Berry Site in western North Carolina, which had both a 16th-century Native American town and a 1560s Spanish fort. It's still a little bizarre to me to imagine Spanish conquistadors walking around the North Carolina mountains, but there's chain mail and pottery at the site to prove it!

Speaking of North Carolina, that's where I grew up. I'm looking forward to returning to the Southeast, and especially to proximity near the Appalachians (that's App-a-LA-chan, not App-a-LAY-shan) after graduating. Probably the least interesting thing I did this summer was move with my family to New London, with a population of exactly 600. I have to drive a ways to do anything besides sit in my house, but otherwise I like the quietness of the town and the close-knit community.

But the best part of moving was finding this silly goose, otherwise known as Genny, underneath the deck of the new house. (personal photo)

As anyone who's known me for like more than 15 minutes is aware, I love contra dancing (and similar forms of community folk dance). Here's a great video demonstrating what contra is, with a fantastic band.

Week 1 Storytelling: Three Men in a Bowl

Foreword

In the town of Gotham were once three men, good friends who were all wise in their knowledge of philosophy and natural science. All the townspeople looked up to them, consulting them in matters as far-ranging as astrology, the best land to farm, spiritual questions, and remedies for colds. Chester, Prester, and Nestor were their names. For years, the trio contented themselves with reading their myriad books of arcane knowledge and discussing them together. They appreciated how the simple townspeople acknowledged their intellectual superiority by seeking out their help, even if it was only for such mundane matters as doctoring a milk cow or interpreting their tea leaves. It gave Chester, Prester, and Nestor something practical to do during the day.

But eventually, the three men grew tired of the same routines. “Really, what we do is so easy that anyone who can string his ABCs into words can figure it out!” Chester complained. “These people are imbecilic, always coming to us for the simplest matters instead of doing things themselves!” Prester added. “What good is all of our knowledge if we don’t do anything impressive?” asked Nestor. “It’s time we did something dramatic, unprecedented, inconceivable to their simple minds – something that reaches the world, not just our small village!”

So the trio hatched an epic plan. Travelers frequently published accounts of the trips they took through the sea on the shores of which stood Gotham. These tales were popular, but how much could they actually differ from one another? The men wanted to find something they could do in this same vein, but with one big difference that would shock all those who heard of their trip. Chester (or was it Prester?) came up with the idea that they would do the impossible – make the sea journey not by boat, but by bowl! The men made the mathematical calculations, figured out the physics required, and together built a giant bowl not only large enough to carry all three with their provisions, but also steerable and of the correct design and buoyancy to float with its considerable weight on the sea.

Chapter One

The three “wise men” of Gotham, having purchased all their necessary provisions and outfitted their bowl-boat, set sail on the great sea on a bright, cheerful morning in April. They were delighted to find that their bowl did indeed float once loaded and placed in the water. In fact, all their scientific calculations seemed to have been quite accurate, and their voyage promised to be a fantastic success, the results of which they would publish in this book to widespread fascination and acclaim. They congratulated each other on a job well done, thanks to their superior intellectual knowledge and prowess.

They spoke too soon, however. As the bowl left the calm harbor for the open sea, they realized there was one thing for which they had not accounted: the pressure placed on the oversized bowl as it was buffeted by waves. The walls of such a large ceramic piece had to be thin for it to remain buoyant, which at the same time made the piece extremely fragile. It soon broke apart in the sea, and the three men desperately swam back to shore, now mortified that for all their planning, they had failed to take into consideration such an obvious problem of practicality. Thus ends this brief account of three men in a bowl.

 the Wise Men of Gotham in their bowl

Author's Note: This story is based on a nursery rhyme collected by Andrew Lang:

Three wise men of Gotham

Went to sea in a bowl:

And if the bowl had been stronger,

My song would have been longer.

For more on the Wise Men of Gotham figures (and how they may relate to Batman), see this Wikipedia article as well as this blog post. My idea was to provide a backstory for the tale told in the nursery rhyme, then give a sudden, humorous ending as in the original. I thought of the nursery rhyme as telling an ironic fable about the strength of wisdom. People may think they are wise, and may actually have great learning, but they can still fall prey to folly and try to do things that turn out disastrously embarrassing for them. Indeed, this seems a common theme for other tales regarding the "wise men" of Gotham.

The title of this post and the concluding line, as well as the idea of common accounts of boat voyages and of structuring the story with a foreword and chapter as in a regular book, are a nod to Jerome K. Jerome's novel Three Men in a Boat (1889), though there is no dog in this version.

Bibliography

story: "Three wise men of Gotham," in The Nursery Rhyme Book, ed. Andrew Lang (1897)

image: from The Editorial Board of the University Society Boys and Girls Bookshelf (New York, NY: The University Society, 1920); found on Dawn of the Unread

Favorite Place: Lake Junaluska

For years I've considered Lake Junaluska, up in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina, my favorite place. My family has typically gone up there for vacation at least twice each summer. As the United Methodist conference center for our jurisdiction, it is the place where we attend Annual Conference as well as Music & Liturgical Arts Week most years. While my family moved every few years for my dad's job (he's a United Methodist minister, in case the last sentence didn't tip you off), Lake Junaluska is a constant place to return to. It feels more familiar and more like home to me than many of the places where I've grown up.

Being in the Appalachians, the area is also gorgeous. Every time I go back to the mountains, I wonder why I chose to go to college in flat Oklahoma instead of the lovely Blue Ridge! I enjoy hiking in the region and seeing the historic sites there, and I also appreciate the proximity to Asheville with all its quirky cultural offerings. The Lake itself is a quiet area. There are often more pedestrians than car traffic, everyone's friendly (not to mention the frequency with which one runs into people they know!), there's a rose walk and several small gardens along the lakeshore, and there's often the sounds of music and worship coming from the auditorium or chapel. It's a relaxing, spiritual place, where one escapes the normal pace of everyday life to focus on community, music and dance, and appreciating this beautiful site.

 view of Lake Junaluska from Lambeth Hill cross

Daniel Hass, photographer (Oct. 2013)

source: Wikimedia Commons