Review Week 3

Passing it on (Chinese Proverb)

This was my favorite announcement because it signifies paying it forward. It emphasizes leaving something better for the future of America and the Earth in general. Thanks for reading.

Growth Mindset: Risky Cats

Cat Taking Risks (Islam Abudaoud)

My growth mindset this week is to not live within the boundaries that we are given, but rather be willing to go outside my comfort zone. To be honest, taking this course was way outside my comfort zone. However, now after three weeks of storytelling and blog posts I have really opened up a side of me that I didn't know existed. This is why we take risks, to discover new talents. Thanks for reading.

Famous Last Words: Week 3

This week I did exceptionally well on interpreting the Ramayana. I felt as if I was able to keep track of a majority of the characters in the story. In addition, I was able to remember past characters that again became revelant in later parts of the Ramayana. It is so much easier to understand and interpret the Ramayana when you understand all the small relationships that occur between all of the characters of the story. As I mentioned in my storytelling post, I was shocked at the ending of the Ramayana and felt as if it should've stopped three episodes earlier with Rama being crowned the King of Ayodhya. However, I was able to make up for it with my alternate ending I came up with.

Classes this week in general have started to ramp up in difficulty. I have been unsuccessful in completing any of my homework's in other classes thus far. I am hoping to meet up with some of the other petroleum engineers in this online course and collaborate on how to finish the production engineering first assignment. In addition, I have a lab report that is soon approaching its due date that I want to try and complete as soon as possible. This is of course so I can be free for Super Bowl Sunday and pray a victory for Peyton Manning and the Denver Broncos. On that note I hope the Broncos win so Peyton Manning can retire and go out on top as a hero. Also I don't want his little brother, Eli Manning, to have more Super Bowl rings than him because he is just simply not as likeable.

The best QB ever, Peyton Manning (silverandblueblood)

All in all this past week hasn't been too bad and I'm looking forward to starting our new reading, Mahabharata.

Learning Challenges: Happiness Jar

Happiness Notes (oulbh)

The learning challenge I would like to bring up this week is Happiness. I thought this was a neat idea and will be my new years resolution for next year. I feel as if myself and humans can always remember the bad things in life but often forget the good things that happen to us everyday. We take it for granted or become complacent in the little things others do for us all the time. Thanks for reading and be happy! 

Storytelling Week 2: Quest for the Throne

Pieces of ancient stone tablets that washed up on shores of mainland countries were the only evidence that the island of Mawa existed in the world. A land that was not traceable by explorers, luck, or expert navigation. The gods of the island determined who would and wouldn't stumble upon the sacred land which they protected. Only a special being would stumble upon it.

 

For thousands of years the mysterious island was self-sufficient for its community. Such an island was ruled by a single king who would again and again pass on the throne to his eldest son. However, as greed and power-hungry kings began to come to the throne, the gods of the island grew angry and displeased. Alas, one day the superior god of the island, Mawa, declared a curse on the current king of the island, Zoro. Zoro was unable to have any more children after his first daughter Zamantha. As the years passed Zoro tried and failed to have a son with seven wives of the island. On his death bed, there was a terrible storm that washed away much of the village and kingdom that Zoro and his ancestors had built. However, among the wreckage was a ship that came in from the mighty storm.

The ship was very damaged from the mighty storm and many of the passengers of the ship had washed overboard and drowned. Even much of its corridors and cargo were flooded and damaged. As Zamantha went with her royal patrons to inspect the ship, a lone survivor remained among the wreckage. Persons of the kingdom came to the young man's aid and helped him back to health. Many of the kingdom of the island were afraid of the young man. No one on the island had ever seen anyone else from outside the waters of the kingdom. Even the queen had never seen an outsider but she thought very little of the incident and went on with her daily routine. However, there was one elderly man in the village who could remember an ancient prophecy that greed amongst the throne would trigger extraordinary events. Soon the story passed through the kingdom and the persons of the kingdom were amazed. When Zamantha noticed all the hype of the village and the kingdom, she too became curious. Zamantha ordered her assistant to inform her of the latest news of the village. Upon discovery of the ancient tale, she demanded to see the young explorer from the wreckage at once. As the young man came walking up the steps of the kingdom to the queen's palace, you could see the anxiety of Zamantha. There was a special feeling that overcame her, nothing like she had ever experienced before. Once the young man had gotten close enough to the queen, he bowed. The queen asked him one question and one question only: "Sir, what is thy name?" The young man replied, "Mawa." In complete disbelief, the queen immediately knew this was a message from the gods of the island. She said, "Oh great Mawa, you will be my husband, and thus the new King of the Island of Mawa."




Author's Note: This story was inspired by the story of King Dasharatha and other stories from part A of the Ramayana. The main purpose of the story is about corruption of the throne. Over time Kings of the island are overcome with the effects of greed and too much power. This in turn displeases the gods who protect the sacred island. To fix their problem of the corrupt king lineage, they cast a curse on the current King Zoro. This curse is similar to the problem that King Dasharatha is having. He is unable to have a son in his lifetime. Much of the story from then on is personal material I came up with. For the ending I wanted to leave a cliffhanger of what might happen from here on, but leave the reader with some closure about previous history of the island. This is in turn similar to what I felt after reading section A of the Ramayana. Many new doors were opened but many questions about various plots were answered as well. As the king of the island passes away, the throne is left unfilled. This is different from the Ramyana in which the throne was filled by Rama's brother. However in a way Rama's brother is portrayed as Zamantha as a temporary holder of the throne until Rama comes back. On the day of the death of King Zoro an unexpected ship wreck has occurred on the beach of the island. This prophecy was inspired by Vishvamitra.

Bibliography: Mackenzie, Donald ."King Dasharatha". Indian Myth and Legend. Warwick Goble. (1913). Web Source: Project Gutenberg

Picture Citations:

Island Kingsom

Author: Floato, Flickr

Island Shipwreck Wikipedia