Famous Last Words: Slowly but Steadily

As my post title implies. I am readjusting to my college coursework slowly but steadily. So far, it's been hectic. Trying to juggle two math classes, two computer science classes and this online course can be a hassle. However, the ability to create this post at the end of every week allows me to decompress and reevaluate my week in a positive way. I believe that if you are able to write down all your challenges and goals, it makes them seem more manageable!

My math classes have been rough! So much so, I actually forgot to do one of the readings on time! Fortunately, we are always granted a grace period, which I definitely took advantage of. It is definitely frustrating, however, that I had to rush to put that reading assignment out so quickly and so haphazardly because I was so preoccupied by ONE math assignment that might as well have been a programming project. Fortunately, I got it done and turned in on-time and next week's assignment shouldn't be as demanding. As for my programming class, it's been rough, but I believe an optimistic mindset is key to surviving the rest of the semester, both grade-wise and emotional-wise!

Outside of school, it's been a great week for football! Our boys in red redeemed our school by destroying the Buckeyes in a game that was predicted to be a blowout not in our favor. The Patriots lost, which is a good sign that the Year of the Brady is not going to be a thing. And for my Cowboys, as I am writing this, they are demolishing the Giants that gave us so much trouble last season. All is right in the world of the pigskin.

I am definitely looking forward to next week. Looking at my giant calendar that I keep next to my desk, my week does not look overbearing at all. I feel that if I can keep all my goals/assignments written and visible, I can easily achieve them, or at least not feel too bogged down by due dates. Wish me the same luck as I wish you all for next week!

 

(Redemption:

YouTube)

Feedback Strategies

Last week, when talking about feedback I mostly stated that truth is the most important aspect when you are seeking to provide criticism to help others. However, I am also a firm believer that praise is an important part of feedback. Where criticism shows a person where they can improve, praise allows them to see where they are shining and provide a boost of confidence if needed. The issue, when providing feedback, is deciding how to balance out the two.

A common misconception about us millennials is that we are too expecting of praise. Older generations, and even some fellow people of our generation, believe that this expectancy is making us soft and our resulting work even worse. That is why it is important to only praise when it is deserved. In Maria Popova's article, Presence Not Praise: How to Cultivate a Health Relationship with Achievement, she quotes the mother of a Nobel prize-winner, who believes that praise is earned, and that unearned praised is irrelevant and does nothing for either party.

Marshall Goldsmith is also a firm believer of positive feedback. In his article, Try Feedforward Instead of Feedback, I especially loved that he emphasized that productivity can be improved with telling a person what they did right as opposed to proving to them what they did wrong. In my last article, I pointed out that honesty is very important when providing feedback, but only to a certain extent. There is a fine line between critiquing and chastising.

In the end, I stand by my previous belief that polite, but firm critique is necessary to develop good feedback, but after reading these articles, I now know that a reassuring gesture will go a long way just as well.

 

(A compliment goes a long way:

Me.me)

Hercules' 12 Deliveries: Topic Research

The more I think about it, and the fact that I am getting such positive feedback on the idea, I think my project for next week will be Hercules' 12 Deliveries, a parody on Hercules' 12 Labors. Since I am very confident that this will be my actual story, I was hoping that, instead of coming up with three stories, I could at least establish three of my deliveries. Last week, I went into a little detail here, but this week I am going to dive a little deeper. In one of my earlier posts, I mentioned how I liked the idea of writing in first-person so that we may see into the mind of Hercules as he is making these bizarre deliveries.

At this point, I only have a few issues with this topic. For one, I am not sure if I can come up with exactly 12 satirical takes on the original labors. As of now, I plan on coming up with 12 ideas, but only focus on my 3-5 best ideas. The rest, hopefully, I can mention in passing. That is not to say that I don't want to make them fun or ignore them to be lazy. I plan on making these tasks so astronomically hilarious that a mere mention of them will bring a chuckle to the reader. The other issue that I am facing is the fact that I don't need that many other sources. In the above link to one of my earlier posts, there lies a link to a site that does a good job of summarizing all of the 12 labors. Realistically,  I feel that it may be enough for the 12 labors at least (Anybody's input on what other sources I could use would be greatly appreciated!) However, other sources I plan on looking at are maybe old articles of the most bizarre/hilarious deliveries told by deliverymen/women. I am hoping, since this a fictitious piece of work, that I won't have to rely on scholarly articles or peer-reviewed articles that us college students are usually forced to rely on. I truly feel that these delivery stories will give me inspiration on some of the wackier stories. From the People's article, I hope to make my Hercules as non-nonchalant as these deliverymen/women when he is met with any type of weird situation.

(On a side note, I am also planning on changing Hercules' name into something a bit more modern. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!)
(Another side note, I found a site that contains a lot of useful information about Greek mythology:
Mr. P's Mythopedia)

Labor 1: Hercules' Lost Belt
After his latest delivery, Hercules is without a belt for his uniform's trousers. Ironically, one of his deliveries includes the request for a woman's belt. Since he is without money, he plans on stealing a belt from a nearby roller-rink. His only issue is that he has to get through a women's roller-derby team who are all angry from a recent lost. They do not enjoy the idea that they are being robbed by an awkward college-student.

Labor 2: Cerberi, The Three Dogs
His final delivery leads Hercules to a seemingly abandoned house. Walking inside, he is encountered by three angry guard dogs. Hercules has to use his wit to dodge the dogs until he is finally able to wrestle all three dogs into a makeshift collar.

Labor 3: The Buckling Bull
His latest delivery leads Hercules to the house of a professional wrestler, nicknamed The Minotaur. The Minotaur refuses to pay unless Hercules can beat him in a wrestling match. There's a large part of me that wants the match to end with Hercules hitting The Minotaur with a folding chair to get the money he is owed.

These are the three stories that I feel I could incorporate into my project. Let me know what you guys think! I am always open to suggestions and feedback!

 

(According to my story, Cerberus is actually 3 dogs!
Mr. P's Mythopedia)

Week 3 Story: The Lion Gums His In-Laws

Being married can be a real hassle, especially when you and your significant other don't even share the same species. That's right. I am a 500 pound lion married to a small, petite woman. I'm not going to even mention her weight or she'll try to kill me like her folks tried to when I asked her to marry me! You'll hear about that later!

I first met my future wife after accepting a challenge to wrestle this odd fellow named Hercules. He wanted to skin me and wear me like a coat! However, I am digressing. After the match, she approached me and introduced herself. She was obviously impressed at my ability to beat a demigod, so we began dating. After a few months of dating, I knew that she was the one, so I decided to propose. I asked her and her parents to meet me at a local restaurant so that I may ask for her hand. I knew that this would be extremely difficult since her parents didn't (and still don't) like me. When I got to the restaurant, I was met by her parents, both with disapproving scowls imprinted into their faces. Despite their hatred for me, I tried my best to clean up and impress them. Over the months while my wife and I were dating, her parents insisted on me filing down my teeth and claws. Since I loved her so much, I decided to do it to the point where my claws are nearly nonexistent and my mouth looks like that of a 2 month-old's.

After taking our seats at our table, I cleared my throat and mustered all of my might to ask them for their blessings. I decided to just come out and ask them before even getting our appetizers. I'm assuming I didn't get their blessings considering the fact that, after asking, her dad lunged towards me with a nearby steak knife while her mom started spraying me with mace as if it were a new cologne. Had I had my teeth, I probably would have mauled them both, but since all I had were my filed down teeth and bare paws, I mostly gummed on them until my future-wife was able to pull them both off. At the end of the dinner, I was maced and scratched up. Regardless, I still proposed and we decided to elope, sending pictures of our honeymoon to her parents as payback. A few years later, we had a couple of kids (imagine centaurs with manes) and are on visiting terms. Even so, they still try to kill me every visit. Every year, for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and her parents birthdays, we have to get dressed-up and visit. Where most Christmas dinners ends with the family arguing with each other, ours usually ends up with me maced and her parents covered in my saliva since I've lost all my teeth.

The moral of the story - at least how I, a lion stuck with in-laws who try to kill me all the time, interpret it - is to never get married.

Author's Notes: I thought I'd put a spin on Aesop's fable about the lion who tried to marry a woman. I'm not a fan of either endings (where either the lion is betrayed and laughed off or where it is killed) so I decided to make my story a bit more lighthearted. One aspect that I wanted to keep from both iterations of the story was the fact that the marriage between a lion and a young woman was totally normal.

(The Lion in Love:

Mozoho)

Bibliography: Aesop's Fables by Joseph Jacobs; The Lion in Love.

Reading Notes: Homer's Odyssey, Part B

Homer's Odyssey is one of my most favorite stories from Greek mythology, however, in every iteration that I've heard of this story it was always an abridged version. Most of these abridged versions have always shown the story from a third person perspective. That is why I enjoyed Kline's translation. We are given a first-person view of Odysseus' thoughts and sights. I feel that I can apply that to my storybook, since it is a fairly simple technique to incorporate into my writings. A first person perspective allows us to see the character pass all the attributes that others know him for. Odysseus was a renowned leader and warrior, feared and respected by many of the time. Watching how he reacts to and handles many of the monsters and situations he and his men are pitted against, this fame was earned. However, our interpretation is solely based on the situations' outcomes. Just off the top of my head, I remember reading his interaction with the cyclops. Before rereading the story, I knew that Odysseus confidently chided at the cyclops AFTER escaping from the cave. However, in the story, we see how Odysseus is actually frozen in terror as he and his ram crept pass the blinded monster. Naturally, we only focus what the outcome was, not what happened during the situation. 

 From a first person perspective, we get to see the human side of Odysseus. We are exposed to his terror while dealing with these otherworldly situations. As aforementioned, Odysseus was known for being a leader and warrior, but a severely underrated attribute of his was his ability to mask his fear. I believe that using a first-person writing style will undoubtedly add a deeper layer to your protagonist. Another great example of where the first person perspective really deepened Odysseus' character was his encounter with Charybdis. In this story, we see just how haunted and disturbed by the lost of his men to this terrible creature. Although I don't seek to make my story as dark as this, I hope to make my character as exposed as Odysseus was in this situation.

(Charybdis, in all his terror:

Mr. P's Mythopedia)

Bibliography: Homer's Odyssey, translated by Tony Kline. UN-Textbook.

Tech Tip: Canvas Calendar

Since Canvas' introduction a few years ago, I've actually been a huge fan of its calendar feature. My only gripe with it back then was the fact that not every professor was forced to use Canvas; but now, since Canvas is the standard site used by all professors, it allows us to track everything that we have due in one convenient place. This is actually the first and only calendar application I've ever used, and I am incredibly happy that it is easy to learn and use. For this class, I've marked all my work days and, at the beginning of every week, I manually create the due dates for my assignment so that I can at least acknowledge them. Overall, I enjoy this Canvas feature!

Reading Notes: Aesop's Fables: Lions (Part 1-2)

I've chosen to focus my notes on the first two readings due to the fact that they can be applied so heavily to one of my storybook topics that I've written about previously. In both parts of Aesop's Fables: Lions, the Lion is depicted in a different fashion than we are accustomed to (or at the very least, I am accustomed to). Lions are generally depicted as the fiercest, most feared animal of the wild, yet in a few of Aesop's stories, the Lion is seen in a different manner. As a matter of fact, the Lion is shown more as a victim in some of the stories. In Androcles and the Lion, the Lion is show to be a victim who is in need of saving from a small thorn. In another story, The Lion in Love, the Lion is depicted to be a victim of love, with two different narratives either ending in embarrassment or death. I really like this style of writing that gives us a different and unusual look into different characters that we already know. I've seen this style of writing in different comics, like where Superman is depicted as a scrawny, sheltered man instead of the muscular hero that we all know. I hope to write something similar into my storybook project, where Hercules transforms from one of the strongest, most revered demigods of all Greek/Roman mythology into a meek delivery boy with no real physical prowess. My goal is to create a character that is recognizable to the reader, yet make it so that this version of the character is far from being the character that we all know. The Lion being shown as vulnerable captures this unique style that I hope to be able to apply to my own story.

(The Lion in Love:

Myth-Folklore UN-Textbook)

Bibliography: Aesop's Fables by Joseph Jacobs; UN-Textbook link.