Ideas on Class Writing

What I liked most about the writing in the class was the amount of freedom and creativity one had when writing a story. It really allowed one to open up and use their imagination. I choose the Storybook option and I was very happy with my choice. One reason I like the Storybook so much was because it allowed you to customize the whole web page however you liked. While the Storybook comments may seem a little lengthy at first, it becomes easier and easier as classmates lengthen their Storybooks. I do believe this class helped my writing skills. The amount of writing it requires allows one to really hone their skills.

Ideas on class reading

I really enjoyed the epics that we were instructed to read. Even though some were very alike, they still proved to be most exciting. The way the readings were split up also made the day to day reading bearable and not too overwhelming. Another aspect of the class I really liked was the commenting and reading of other classmates stories. This made for fun interactions and allowed one to read very interesting stories. One piece of advise I might give to a future student would be to get ahead and do as much extra credit as possible.  

Famous Last Words, Week 14

Hello, I am going to take this time to kind of reflect on this past week and the upcoming break. This  past week for class I have been reading over a lot of other storybooks and I have to say I am privileged be in such talented class with so many great writers. I have really enjoyed reading over some of the stories I had read earlier in the semester then now seeing how they have transformed into a finished product. One of my favorites was Rama's Bestiary because of just the sheer creativity and detail that was added to every single sentence. Reading these stories has really made handling my other classes a tad bit easier. While most of my classes require textbook reading and a lot of physics, these stories offer a nice break in the other monotonous schoolwork.  Thanksgiving is right around the corner and I have to say I am so excited. I have a ton of family coming into town that I haven’t seen in while and they always bring the most amazing cooking. By the end of this week I plan to have gained at least ten pounds. The dish I have to be looking forward to most is definitely the pumpkin dessert roll, though my uncles home smoked turkey is also to die for. While the festivities are so close I can almost taste them, I unfortunately have to finish out the next couple days and stay focused. Tomorrow I have a massive class presentation to give for my international activism class, along with a change of command ceremony for my NROTC unit. My presentation tomorrow is over the pollution of Ukraine and how my mock NGO will help solve the issue. I’ve just got to power through these next couple days and then I’m home free.

Thanksgiving Turkey.Turkey found here

Blogger Templates Tech Tip

For my tech tip assignment, I altered the templet to Awesome inc. I found this templet to be a little more exciting and attention grabbing. I also changed the font to grupo which I found made the reading a little bit easier. The last thing I changed was the width of the side bar. This made the organization of its contents more formal looking.

Week 14, Reading Diary B: Buck's Mahabharata

• Vaishampayana  is taught the Mahabarata by Vyasa.
• The Pandavas and Kauravas are descendants of Bharata.
• Bhishma decides to die after the battle and around his friends.
• The people around him at his death are Satyaki, Krishna, the Pandavas, Dhritarashtra, Vidura, Vyasa and Yuytsu.
• Bhishmas body is then burned and dumped into the Ganges.
• Yudhishthira has a bad dream that consisted of him and his brothers going on an adventure.
• All of his brothers end up dying and it's only him and a friendly dog.
• The dog turned out to be Lord Yama, his father. It turned out to be a test.
• he then finds himself in hell with his brothers and then he wakes up.
• On returning to Hastinapura, Yudhishthira is made king.
• Parikshit is born dead but Krishna brings him back to life.
• Parikshita eventually becomes king and continues on the Pandava line.
• After going into the fort to live and meditate, Dhritarashtra, Gandhari and Kunti all die in a forest fire.

Week 14, Reading Diary A: Buck's Mahabharata

• With the power of illusion, Duryodhana makes the water of the lake impenetrable.
• Duryodhana ends up dueling Bhima. Duryodhana consequently gets his thighs smashed and slowly dies.
• Sanjaya, Kripa, Kritavarman and Ashwatthaman visit the dying Duryodhana.
• Duryodhana, while dying, tells them the story of how death came into being along with how he is glad to have been killed in battle.
• Duryodhana lastly requests that Ashwatthaman become commanding general.
• A great battle happens during a night raid on the Pandavas camp.
• Dhrishtadyumna, Sikhandin and Panchala's armies led by king Drupada are killed.
• After the battle, Rakshasas enter the camp and eat the dead.
• Kripa, Kritavarman and Ashwatthaman are the only servivors from the Kaurava army.
• The broken chariots from the battle are used to make the funeral pyres. 
• Kunti cenfesses at the funeral that Karna was her son.
• The dead army is lead into the Ganges by Drona.

Week 13, Reading Diary B: Buck's Mahabharata

• Before the battle, Vyasa sees bad omens regarding the coming battle.
• Bhishma is appointed commander and because of that Karna won't fight.
• Bhishma won't fight a woman.
• Sthuna becomes Sthuni because she wants to become male.
• Bhishma is commanding Duryodhana's army which is larger than Yudhishthira's.
• Bhishma kills the king of Matsyas but when Krishna decides to kill him, Arjuna stops him.
• Arjuna in turn attacks Bhishma with Sikhandin.
• Bhishma is then shot by a whole lot of arrows and killed.
• Bhishma has the power to decide when he dies so he decided to stay around until after winter.
• Drona is then made commander of Duryodhana and is instructed to capture Yudhishthira alive.
• Uttara is killed after being caught behind enemy lines.
• Arjuna beheads Jayadratha and then throws the head into the lap of Jayadratha's father, causing the fathers head to explode.
• Drona kills Drupada but Drona is killed by Dhristadyumna, Drupada's son.
• Arjuna chops off Karna's head after his chariot gets stuck in the mud.

Week 13, Reading Diary A: Buck's Mahabharata

• Yudhishthira and his brothers chase a deer through the woods.
• All the brothers but him drink from the lake and die.
• Turnes out it was a test from his father Dharma. Yama ends up reviving the brothers.
• The Pandavas end up taking residence in the Matsya kingdom.
• They all disguise themselves and pick up relatively important jobs in the kings court.
• Kichaka falls in love with Draupadi but she won't love him back.
• He ends up assaulting her but ultimately gets pounded into a fleshy ball by Bhima.
• Kichaka's kinsmen want to burn Draupadi for what has happened but Vaishravana rescues her.
• War breaks out and the Pandavas come out f exile to win the battle.
• Arjuna then marries Princess Uttara after the victory.
• War between the Pandavas and Duryodhana is set in motion. Duryodhana's head is cut off by Krishna.
• The war is scheduled to start in seven days time.  

Week 12, Reading Diary B: Buck's Mahabharata

• Arjuna is turned into a eunuch for a year because he wouldn't reciprocate Urvashi's affection.
• The story of Mankanaka illustrates the apparent dangers of eating grass.
• Manakanaka lived in the forest and only ate plants. He in turn bled plant juice and danced with joy.
• He danced so hard he started to get the whole world into which worried the gods that the world may fall apart.
• Manakanaka realized the gods were worried so he stopped.
• Rishyashringa was born after his father came in a river and a deer swallowed it.
• He had antlers and a pure heart which was needed to end a drought in Anga.
• He ended up marrying the princess from Anga and stopped the drought.
• Jayadratha kidnaps Draoupadi but is chased down by the Pandavas.
• His life is spared after Yudhishthira begs Draupadi to let him live.
• Vyasa tells Draupadi the story of Savitri and how she found the love of her life. 

Week 12, Reading Diary A: Buck's Mahabharata

• Once again there is a dice game.
• Draupadi is lost to Duhshasana who keeps trying to rip off her clothes but Krishna keeps her covered.
• One more throw of the dice is made to see who will go into exile.
• Yudhishthira loses and the Pandavas, along with Draupadi have to go into exile in the forest.
• Arjuna meets his dad in the forest on a mountain. He then goes hunting and runs into Shiva. 
• Arjuna then travels to the pleasure forest with Shiva who introduces him to Urvashi.
• Urvashi falls in love with Arjuna.
• The love story of Nala and Damayanti commences.
• Nala and Damayanti were in love but the gods Indra, Agni, Varuna, Yama and Kali all wanted to marry her. 
• Nala ended up losing everything in a dice game with Pushkara his brother who was possessed by Kali.
• Resulting in Nala and Damayanti having to live in the forest.
• The two end up getting separated.
• Nala gets poisoned and works for a king.
• Nala is later recognized and gets word sent to Damayanti that he is at the palace.
• They end up reuniting and living happily ever after.