Learning Challenges: Reviewing my Schedule

Reviewing my schedule for Class 

I picked the six hour weekend time schedule for this class in week one. So far I really enjoy this schedule and when my assignments are due. It is working out in my favor. I am also having time in the week to do the extra credit assignment. So far I am pleased with all my outcomes. I am also on the right tract for getting the goal grade I have set. I am pretty busy through the week days, picking the weekend schedule give me a set time of hours where I can get all my reading assignments down on one day. Then my project assignments done the other day. While still having time for my other class assignments. Below is the class grading chat. As of now I have 105 points! I think I am right on track. You can find this chart at online course lady.

Expected Grade	A	B	C
end of Week 2 / beginning Week 3	54 (59)	48	42
end of Week 3 / beginning Week 4	82 (88)	72	63
end of Week 4 / beginning Week 5	109 (117)	96	85
end of Week 5 / beginning Week 6	137 (146)	120	106
end of Week 6 / beginning Week 7	165 (176)	145	125
end of Week 7 / beginning Week 8	191 (205)	168	148
end of Week 8 / beginning Week 9	218 (234)	192	170
end of Week 9 / beginning Week 10	245 (264)	216	191
end of Week 10 / beginning Week 11	272 (293)	240	212
end of Week 11 / beginning Week 12	300 (322)	264	234
end of Week 12 / beginning Week 13	327 (351)	288	255
end of Week 13 / beginning Week 14	354 (381)	312	276
end of Week 14 / beginning Week 15	382 (410)	336	298
end of Week 15	410	360	320

I picked to do a time management challenge due to my past experience with procrastination. Yet, I have found it hard to procrastinate in this class. I have been enjoying all the assignments and I also learn something new and interesting. I still enjoy learning little tips here and there. I enjoy the H.E.A.R.T board and hope to learn more helpful information like I did in the Time Management section of the blog. 

(Clock found on pixabay)

Styles For Storybook

Topic: Cherokee Storybook

My storybook will be about Cherokee myths. I want to mainly focus on their being, such has how the Cherokee came to be. The origin of their lives. I have been reading a few of the myths form Myths of the Cherokee, by James Mooney. So far my two favorite myths have been How The World Was Made and Origin Of Disease And Medicine. I already have idea about writing story based from these two myths. I have also done a little reading on Mooney's background from his Wikipedia page. The Cherokee are a very strong traditional group of Indians. I am proud to say I am a part of through my ancestors.

Bibliography: 

1. How The World Was Made, from Myths of the Cherokee, page 240, by James Mooney (1900)
2.  Origin Of Disease And Medicine, form Myths of the Cherokee, page 251, by James Mooney
(1900)

Indians by Karl Bodmer

Styles: 

The old wise one. I could tell all of my stories from the perspective of the tribe chief who knows all. It would be as if it was the storybook of the chief. He could be telling to a group of young ones sitting around the fire his stories. He would be the oldest and most wise of them all. I could even make it so at the end he tells how he was the first Cherokee and he knows these myths because he was there. 

Spirit viewpoint. I could make a the spirit that goes along with each myth. The story would be told from the viewpoint of the spirit. For example the story of the dream catcher, a spider is the spirit and weaves a web around a hoop as he tell the Cherokee Indian what to do. Instead of the regular story being told by the Indian who meets the spirit. It would be the spirits side and how the Cherokee Indian called out to them, and why they choose to help the Indians. 

Through a child's eyes. A young child could be presented entering the world of his Cherokee tribe trying to learn their ways. As the young child grows up he will learn they myths of how the Cherokee came to be. As each story is told the boy will experience a new part of him and what his tribe represents and lives by. Then by the end of the story the young child will have grown into a wise Cherokee man. He will know his past and his place in the present. He will understand the meaning of being Cherokee. 

A white man. This style would be told through a white mans perspective. He has chosen to learn they ways of the Cherokee an  how to live among them. As he lives with them he learns how and why they do the things they do. He learns the meaning behind them as they tell their stories. In the final story he could have a vision of his own and he is being fully excepted into the Cherokee tribe. The Cherokee now trust this white man. 

Week 3 Storytelling: The Light to the Beginning

When the Earth was first born it was nothing but dirt and water. Then one day in the great heavens from above, an idea stuck a God looking down on Earth. Now, this wasn't just any God; it was the strongest, wisest, kindest, most loving and talented of them all. He had run out of ways to exert his strengths and talents until he had a though one day. Then the mighty God decided to create another living world, he would do so in the Earth he was looking down upon.

He decided to start of by adding beauty to the planet. God made trees, flowers, grass, mountains, streams, lakes, ridges, volcanoes, geysers, waterfalls, plains, and shrubs. He made many different varieties of each one. He then had the idea of operating the different varieties on different parts of the Earth, so it wasn't all the same everywhere you went. Due to God being very wise he decided that because this was Earth and not the Heavens the plants would need a way to say alive and replenish themselves. He pondered for a moments and then knew he need animals to live among these habits he had created. He would place animals with scales and webbing in the water. He then put animals with fast legs to run in the open plains. For the mountains he added strong beasts. He made it so the animals could live from the land they were placed in. All of the plants and surrounds would all coexist together as one.

After a few weeks of observing God's new creations he noticed his plants color was fading, they were dying. God was very puzzled by this but soon figured out a solution. He need to provide an energy source and protection for the plants and animals. This is how the sun and moon were invented. The sun would energize the living and the moon would be its cover for rest and relaxation. The sin would also bring warmth to the plants and animals. God was very please by his cleaver and extravagant creations. Yet, he still felt something was missing. Then he knew what he had to do to fulfill the planet Earth, he would create a human race. With this human race they would adapt to the Earth leaning the was of nature. They would be able to live of its plants and animals. Everything they needed they could find on Earth. God preceded starting to work for six hard days.

 On the end of the sixth day he had created the beginning to the human race. He created the most perfect man he could of imagined. He named him Adam, he was made from the heart of a god, and the dirt from the Earth. On the seventh day God decided this would be his day of rest, to enjoy the creation of the human race on Earth.

Creating Mankind

Author's note: This story was based from the Unit Adam and Eve. It was hard to just pick one story to go from because they all messed together as one huge story. I found my inspiration from the story The Darkness. This story tell how Adam and Eve had signed and were punished by being place in a cave. While Adam was not allowed to be in the garden God had to created other people to work there. He realized that these people needed rest from their work. This is when God created the Night and Day, and the sun. Adam though he was being punished when it became completely dark. This was the first time Adam couldn't see anything and was terrified. Then he was please when he saw light again. When Adam headed towards the light though he felt a great warmth it brought and thought it was God trying to burn him. I was inspired to write a story about a God from heaven who created the Human race and everything they would need to live would be provided by earth. It was in the beginning a self sustaining community. The plants, animals, and humans would all work together to create harmony on Earth. With my story telling I just took a different approach as to how the human race began and Earth was created.

Bibliography:Story based from, The Darkness. Unit Adam and Eve, 13-14-15.  From The Forgotten Book of Eden, edited by Rutherford H. Platt, Jr. (1926)

Week 3: Reading Diary, continued: The Darkness

The second half of this weeks reading, was interesting to say at the least. The section was like one giant story, with each small story following right after the other. The Darkness I choose as my favorite story though. I choose this story because this is when God decided to create the sun for light and the moon for night. He created these two to give darkness and light for work and rest time. Instead of having continuous light he knew the humans he created needed time to rest. With his brilliant mind and creativity he came up with darkness to help the humans sleep. Not all could be as strong and as mighty as Adam, for he was the first. He was made for the dust of the ground, the platform of Earth. It was interesting how the story was told about Adam and Eves first reaction to experiencing dark as well as when the light came back again. They were terrified of the dark because it was the first time they couldn't see anything. They felt a very strong sense of insecurity. Then when they saw the light again they were shocked by the warmth it brought. They thought it was fire, or the wrath of God coming to punish them for their sins.

( illustration of the "chariot vision")

This inspired me to go about thinking in a way as to if things weren't already known to man. I am hoping I can introduce something new to my story and make up different reaction from the typical ones you would expect. Another idea, I could have a story where it was a known object yet the human or living being had never seen it before. Have the human experience it in a different was to the average norm.

It was interesting to learn about the being, how Adam and Eve started. I learned that Eve was not the first girl made for Adam. There was also many other details I had never heard of. I also learned that Adam was the one who names all the animals and named then in alphabetical order as they came to him. He also had a reasoning behind each one. This would be an interesting idea to incorporate to a story. For example say a man had to go through many task and each one had a lesson learned behind it. Yet, the man did not know this until the very end.

Unit: Adam and Eve Story: The Darkness
Story source: From The The Forgotten Book of Eden Edited by; Rutherford H. Platt, Jr. (1926)
Section of story- The First Book of Adam and Eve 13-14-15

Week 3: Reading Diary: Paradise

Story from Adam and Eve. 

Story: Paradise By:Louis Ginzberg

What drew my attention to this story was its meaning. To get to Paradise you had to go through different portals. In this story it told of the first three portals that lead to the gates of heaven. At each portal you only made it through if you were worthy enough. If not you would be sent away or say consumed by a fire sword. Parts to this story unit where more of a challenge for me to read. It was all pretty new to me, considering I have no religious background. I am not used to reading in the way some of these stories were wrote. For example the words they used such as; nor, hath, ye, doth, and others. I still enjoyed learning about the religious side of mythology. At the end of this story it told about how Adam was sent to earth by God and shall stay there and live by his ways following the six commandments. The following commandments are: "man should not worship idols; nor blaspheme God; nor commit murder, nor incest, nor theft and robbery; and all generations have the duty of instituting measures of law and order." Due to these readings not being what I am familiar or used to reading it caused me to really tune in and focus. So far from the first half of the readings, I have come to the conclusion that Adam was a man of perfection and highly committed as well as wise. The story also talked about how there was a massive tree that was feed by four great streams. The streams were Ganges, Nile, Tigris and Euphrates. I am not sure how I feel about all these religious stories but just talking about the story its self and how its told it sounds very creative. I like how it told about the tree of life it was said the trunk in diameter would take someone five years to walk around it. Exaggerations can make a story very entertaining. My favorite part about these readings is that they all followed one another.

(The Ash Yggdrasil: mythical tree)

Week 2: Review

Never be afraid to try something new, Its the only way you'll find out of you like it!

Check out Class announcements

To any STEM major out there ASK (Alpha Sigma Kappa, women in technical studies) Is doing a spring rush this semester. We are a great group of girls all trying to help each other out and succeed. There is a rush event this Wednesday, January 27th. The event is Burts and Blotts, held in Deven Energy Hall from 5-7pm. 

The engineer's club is also having their Winter Ball this weekend! Go Support and have a great night!

Winter Ball Poster

Famous Last Words: Week 2

Thats a Wrap 

I am pleased to say that I finished all my week 2 readings and did the extra credit. For my reading this week I read over Unit: Saints and Animals. I enjoyed the readings and look forward to next weeks. I am also glad I did the extra credit reading. It lead to some curiosity, that lead to ideas to picking for my storybook. It was over the Cherokee Unit, I hope I will get to read more on. I remember my favorite reading was the tale of The Wolf-Mother of Saint Ailbe. It gave me a sense of connection on how even though the wolf family was not Ailbe's birth family it was his family none the less. Ailbe never forgot his family. I am very close with my family and have friends I would without a second though call my family. It is about the people who care about you as much as you care about them that we call our family. 

My favorite blog post form this week was my story I rewrote on The Wolf-Mother of Saint Ailbe. I put a lot of thought and work into it. I ended up cutting it short from when I first wrote every thing out. It was a struggle to keep it under 1,000 words. When I was young and we had to make up stories in class I never had trouble writing the page minimum. I like to say I have a good imagination. I am working on trying to use different story approaches every week, as well as challenging my self to keep things different. My goal is to keep my readers entertained, and not to be able to guess the outcome of my stories. Another goal I have for this class is to eventually rewrite a poem, or a story into a poem. 

Accomplishment, I think I found my story book topic! The earth is my inspiration. 

(GAEA)

Topics

1. Capricorn mythology:

I choose this topic due to my curiosity and interest in my zodiac/horoscope sign. I was first inspired by this topic when my grandma recently gave me a black onyx necklace. I was studying petroleum engineering and took many rock property classes. I have always been fascinated by rocks, gems, and stones. Then when I looked up the gemstone I found out it was known to be the star stone of the Capricorn. Then I found my self researching Capricorns the rest of the day. I thought it would be a great way to learn more and incorporate it into this assignment.

Research: I found a good web sight called Gods and Monsters.com that has good in tel on Capricorn mythology. The Capricorn's sign is the sea goat, from the ancient Greeks. This web sight also referenced the Scriptures of Delphi containing information about most mysterious constellation myths. The zodiac sign of the sea goat begins with Pricus, the father of the race of sea goats. Prices is also tied to Chronos, known as the god of time. Capricorns pulling planet is Saturn, its element is Earth, flower is carnation, metal is lead, and quality is Cardinal.

2. All About Wolf Myths

In week one I picked the animal unit because i am an animal lover. Yet, I find the wolf legends to be my favorite. When I was born my dad had a dog that was 3/4 wolf and 1/4 husky. He look just like a wold and was extremely protective over me. When my parents first got a baby sitter for me I was in my crib when they left. Then a few short minutes later they got a call from my sitter saying the dog wouldn't let her pick me up. He stood infant of me and pined his ears back to growl. He never harmed anyone though. He did help raise me and watched over me. A wolf is also my spirit animal and I love to lean more about things I am passionate about.

Research: I found a great Web Sight that lists tons of wolf myths, Aesop, legends and stories. I also wikipedia searched wolf mythology and found some information. The wolf was first seen as a symbol of a warrior in one hand and evil in the other. The wolf held great meaning and importance to the nomadic people. I also researched a little on the forlorn side about wolfs found on treesforlife.org.

Fenrir, bound by the gods.

3. Cherokee Myths

I would enjoy studying, reading and leaning more about the Cherokee because I have Cherokee blood in me. My great great grandmother was a full blood Cherokee that traveled on the trail of tears. I am also taking Cherokee right now. The more you know about one or one thing the better you may be able to understand it. I am intrigued how the Indians lived in their native ways. How they lived only from the earth.

Research: I researched a Native American web sight that lists and tells about many of the important Cherokee mythology characters. Most of Cherokee tried tell of how they learned to live the way they do now. Such as the Myth I read about  The First Fire from the un-textbook. It tell of how they found fire and a water spider was able to carry it back with her to warm her tribe. There is also a whole Cherokee Unit for this class found in the un-textbook.

4. (GAEA) Earth Mythology or Protogenoi

I am fascinated by earth and the though of traveling all around it. So I thought of how the earth came to be. Where the elements came from and how they are so great. Also I love the outdoors and natures beauty.

Research: I searched earth mythology and found out that GAEA is the Greek god of earth, as well as a protogenoi. Protogenoi is the basic components of the universe that emerged at its creation. Such as earth, water, air, sea, underworld, darkness, night, light, day, procreation, time and sky. These are also known as the primeval gods.

Magnum Chaos

Growth Mindset: Attitude Over Intelligence

Positivity Is Key 

I choose to do a Growth Mindset leaning over  Why attitude is more important than intelligence. This article was wrote by Travis Bradberry, published by Entrepreneur.com.

In the article Travis mentioned  several key points to why attitude can have a large impact on intelligence as well as improving the growth mindset. I placed each key point in bold below with my favorite line Travis wrote for each key point. 

Don't Stay Helpless

"People with a growth mindset don’t feel helpless because they know that in order to be successful, you need to be willing to fail hard and then bounce right back."

Be Passionate
"What you lack in talent, you can make up for in passion." 

Take Action

"Taking action turns all your worry and concern about failure into positive, focused energy."

Go the extra mile

"Bruce explained it this way: “Quit and you might as well be dead. If you always put limits on what you can do, physical or anything else, it’ll spread over into the rest of your life. It’ll spread into your work, into your morality, into your entire being. There are no limits. There are plateaus, but you must not stay there; you must go beyond them. If it kills you, it kills you. A man must constantly exceed his level.”

Expect Results
"Expecting results keeps you motivated and feeds the cycle of empowerment."

Be Flexible
"People with an empowerment, growth-oriented mindset embrace adversity as a mean for improvement."

Don't complain wen things don't go your way
"A growth mindset looks for opportunity in everything, so there's no room for complaints." 

(found on flickr)

I have learned that even the littlest of an attitude change can make a difference. There is always a positive side you just have to find it. Every journey starts with one step. I had already learned from past experiences that if you find a positive to the situation you will find yourself at ease. When i find myself getting stressed, having a worth day, getting gin trouble I stop and think for a moment. I think about the situation, then find something that is positive about it. I have truly learned you can always find the positivity you just have to look and think hard enough. If you focus more on the positive it leave little room left for the negative. I am pleased that i choose this growth mindset challenge to remind my self to always look for the up side, don't complain (be grateful for the good in your life), its alright to go with the flow sometimes, stay motivated by expecting results, push yourself by going the extra mile (or miles), passion can go a long way, and failure comes with success! 

Week 2 Reading Diary: The First Fire

Extra Credit

The First Fire

I enjoyed reading all of the Cherokee myths for this assignment. The myths had to do with animals and sports as well as old legend. As for the first fire it was how the Cherokee founded fire. They had many different animals volunteer to go to the boring fire and bring it back. At the time they were in desperate need of it due to the cold. May different animals tried to go and bring back the fire. The birds tried but either their feathers or eyes burned. They could not get close enough. Then the snakes friend but they ended up restoring black for their skin being burnt. \With each animal that went I'd like to think they lead from the previous. Each time coming up with a new idea on how to bring back the fire and have warmth. Then the water spider can up with the grand idea of making a Tusti bowl form her webbing.

(The spider was the hero)

When I read this story I didn't know what a Tisti bowl was to I looked it up. According to The Book Streaming by, Allison Coke it is a bowl, or pocket, spun of spider silk that spider wear on their backs to carry great things. Such as in this story the coal that brought back the fire. 

I enjoyed reading the cherokee myths and leaning a few of they ways things where brought into the tribe. I leaned a few of their beginnings. 

Bibliography: The First Fire By: James Mooney From, Myths of the Cherokee, 1900.

Week 2 Storytelling: The Wolf-Mother of Saint Ailbe

No love, I felt no love. I was cold, hungry, alone, and scared. I was just a baby, a newborn baby. Warmth, is that what I felt? I was being picked as I wrapped in a cloth. I was being taken, or so I thought. At the time I was just a baby, in the home of parents who didn’t want me. They had no desire to keep me so they decided to abandon me and leave me in the woods. With only a dirty piece of cloth wrapped around my body, they left me in a bush deep in the woods.

The night was growing close and a storm was headed my direction. As the night crept closer so did the thunder. I tried to ignore the hunger, the cold, and the hurt. I didn’t know how how long I would last, so with everything I had I cried. I kept crying, yet the thunder was starting to drown the sounds of my cries. Then when all hope was almost lost a sound cried out from behind the bush. Howling to the storm, a mother wolf cried out. Death, that’s what was coming. The wolf had found me and was coming to kill her prey.

Slowly, the wolf walked up to me and stop dead in her tracks. She blocked the rain from falling on me. Her eyes were a piercing blue and her fur was as black as the night. She was swift and strong, yet I wasn’t afraid. For some reason I knew she wouldn’t hurt me. With the most gentle of touch the wolf picked me up and then took off running through the woods. As she set me back down I was in her den. I then felt warmth surround me, she had three pups that nestled around me. This mother wolf had taken me in as one of her own.

The moon was full and bright tonight and I was ready for the hunt. My brother and I have been practicing and felt the strength of the moon tonight. We had been watching a bull elk graze in the far meadow from the den. Tonight we would take it down and feast. As we set out for our hunt, mother wolf howled to the moon then we took off into the night. It had been two years now since i’ve been with my wolf family. They have taught me the ways of the woods and how to live. They also taught me their language and how to live by the moon. I felt at one with the woods as if it’s where I had always belonged. We took down the bull elk with ease, mother wolf was proud.

(The wolf and the Moon) From pixabay

 Dog Wolf Yelp Moon Tree Night Starry Sky

That next night my brothers and I were all still full from the elk so we decided to go out and play. I was out exploring some new land on the other side of the meadow when I saw something strange. It was a hunter on a horse. I had never seen one before. I stopped to watch, I was curious. As I was watching my guard fell and I was spotted. I didn’t run, I felt the same way I did when mother wolf found me. I let the hunter approach me. He started to speak but I couldn’t understand. He dismounted his horse and walked up to me. He gave me a look of concern as if i was lost. To the man that is how I looked. I was a two year old boy running on all fours, unclothed. I was raised in the way of the wolf. The hunter was also a curious boy who wanted to learn more. He was about to pick me up until he heard my brother howl out. The hunter grabbed me not knowing that was my brother wolf. The hunter jumped on his horse with me in his arms. The horse took off and we were running away from my brothers. I could hear them chasing after us, crying out for me. I howled back, yet I was already too far away for them to hear me. They were gone, this time I was taken from my family.

Years had past since the boy was taken from his wolf family. The boy was now a grown man who had become a wise and respected Bishop. He leaned how to read and write very quick and advanced with ease. In this time he had never forgotten about his wolf family, especially every full moon.

One day a local shepherd sheep got out. The Bishop offered to go out and look for them. They had been looking all day, night started to fall. Just as the Bishop was about to head back he found the last sheep. He was headed toward the sheep but a rustle in the bushes stopped him. The Bishop paused and looked around, yet it was to dark to see anything. The Bishop knew he wasn’t alone. He did not panic though, yet he felt a sense of home. The smell of the night air, the moonlight, the cool breeze. Then with a moment's notice he knew at once what made the sound in the bushes, a wolf. In a language almost forgotten, he howled to the moon. Then from behind the shadows four wolves appeared in front of him, his family. He recognized them and the wolves knew this was their long lost brother.

Man and Wolf

Author's Note: The original story was about a baby boy who was left in the forest by his parents. A wolf found him and raised him as her own along with her wolf pups. Two years later a hunter found him and took him home in hope that his wife would raise him. It turns out the hunter was a prince. Ailbe now lived in a castle and grew up to be very wise. He then became a Bishop. One day in the town of Emly there was a huge hunt. Ailbe did not participate in this hunt, he stayed in the town. As the hunt was almost over he heard the hunters chasing a wolf in. Ailbe knew this cry, it was his mother wolf. Ailbe saved the wolf after realizing this and claimed that no one should ever harm her or her pups, for this was his family. She showed him love and kindness when no one else did. Alibi did the same for her. From then on the wolves came to eat dinner with Ailbe and they were reunited as a family. To change the story up I was inspired by the idea of writing the story form Alibi's point of view and gave more detail to when he was with his wolf family.

Bibliography: This story was inspired by the writings of The Wolf-Mother of Saint Ailbe, found in The Book of Saints and Friendly Beasts, by Abbie Farwell Brown published in 1900.