Growth Mindset: Favorite meme

Overwhelmed

This meme totally fits me this past week. A couple of my classes are proving to be more challenging than I expected. Along with work and family issues, I have been feeling totally overwhelmed. I have been trying to make the best use of my time. I'm just feeling so tired. Can't seem to get enough restful sleep. I know it will get better. Trying to stay positive. Hopefully I can get some rest tomorrow so I can start next week off on the right foot.

Week 2: Topics Brainstorming

Storybook Topics Brainstorm

Possible Topic: Phoenix. I have always loved Phoenixes. I find them graceful and mysterious. The fact that when they die, they then rise from the ashes, reborn, to me has special meaning. To be beaten down, the person you once were gone, dead, and then you rise again anew. I have been at rock bottom and have struggled to redefine myself.

Research so far: Phoenixes and other similar creatures are found in several different cultures. Upon a quick scan of the topic, I found Bennu from Egyptian mythology, Huma from Persian mythology, Feng Huang from Chinese mythology and Milcham or Chol from Judaism are all similar to the phoenix. I am interested in knowing more about them, in what ways are they different and in what ways are they the same.

Phoenix

Possible Topic: Dragons. I love dragons. Always have even as a kid. In many European mythologies, a dragon is malevolent. But that didn’t stop me from liking them. Some are drawn as horrific and others as beautiful creatures. On the other hand, in some cultures, mainly Asian, dragons are benevolent. They are often thought of as lucky. Asian dragons also look very different from European ones.

Research so far: I haven’t done too much research into the topic just yet. I have considered focusing on a few specific dragons from various mythologies. Possibilities include Jormungandr from Norse mythology, Shen Lung from Chinese mythology, Hydra from Greek mythology, and Quetzalcoatl from Aztec mythology. There are many I intend look into and find my favorites.

You have got to love Toothless

Possible Topic: Mischievous Gods. I have a certain soft spot for the Norse trickster, Loki. I even used to have a cat named after him. I thought I might do my storybook on Loki and other trickster gods.

Research so far: I haven’t found much on other mischievous gods just yet. There are others in different mythologies. Many are not gods, but creatures. Coyotes in many different Native American cultures are considered mischievous. Foxes appear in many cultures as well. Anansi in African mythology is a spider. I have heard of him before, but I know nothing about him and think he would be interesting to learn more about.

Loki and Sigyn

Possible Topic: Weather Gods. As a meteorology major, this one is likely going to be the one I go with. From the moment I realized we were going to have to do a storybook project, my mind first went to Thor, the Norse god of thunder, even before it was suggested to me that I might want to consider doing my project on weather mythology.

Research so far: There are a few different ways I can go with using weather gods. My first thought was to do something on the storm gods. But upon researching a little on the different weather gods, I realized I can go in so many different ways. I didn’t realize how many weather gods there were. It seems like every culture has weather gods, many have more than one. There are gods that are over the weather in general, there are gods over things like the sun and clouds and rain and even rainbows. I could also just choose one culture and study all the different weather gods in that culture. I will definitely need to spend more time researching before I make my decision.

 Thor's Battle against the Jotnar

Storytelling, Week 2: Entries from Earth's Diary

 Entries from Earth's Diary

   Phaethon

Dear Diary,

Today Phoebus Apollo, the sun god, has allowed his son, Phaethon, to drive his chariot. I overheard Phoebus Apollo tell his son that he might have one favor as proof that he truly is his father. The foolish boy insisted on driving the chariot. I can’t believe it. I heard his father warn him over and over how dangerous it is. The horses are difficult to control. Phoebus Apollo is clearly concerned. Phaethon is an idiot, but Phoebus Apollo can’t seem to say no to him. Why can’t he listen to his father? I’m afraid of what this will bring. 

Earth 

Dear Diary,

It is as I had feared. Phaethon is losing control. The horses are off course. They are running wild. Why, oh why, did Phoebus Apollo allow his son to take the reins? It was such a foolish move. I can see that chaos is about to come if he doesn’t regain control soon. 

Earth

Dear Diary,

HELP! I AM ON FIRE! My mountains are burning! I can feel the heat from the flames as they scorch the tops. It hurts so badly! Make it stop! How do I stop the flames? They are spreading too quickly. The heat is so intense that there is no moisture left to rain. It’s so hot, too hot.

Earth 

Dear Diary,

I am the victim of a foolish child’s stubbornness. Someone needs to stop Phaethon. He is ruining everything. My beautiful land, it is burning. The pain is becoming unbearable. I don’t know if I can take this heat for much longer. Please make it stop.

Earth

Dear Diary,

I didn’t think it could get any worse, but it has. My lovely trees have lost all their green leaves. Nothing is left. All has been turned to ash. My beautiful meadows with flowers of red and violet are all gone. The cities where all my people live are being consumed by the flames. Both animals and people alike are burning, dying. Whatever should I do? How do I make it stop? I am extremely sad and in great pain. I just want it to end.

Earth

Forest Fire

 Dear Diary,

Grief is consuming me. I am saddened at the loss of my plants and animals. I tried so hard to keep them safe, but there is nothing I can do. The flames are out of control.

Earth 

Dear Diary,

What did I do to deserve this punishment? The pain is more than I can bear. My rivers and lakes are drying up. My trees and flowers have been turned to ash. I thought I was doing well with my service to the gods. Why do the gods allow this punishment to continue?

Earth

Dear Diary,

Oh Jupiter, king of the gods, if I have deserved this, why delay your lightning bolts? Is it right for me to die through the power of fire? If so, let me die by your fire and let the one who caused it lessen the pain! I have offered my fruitfulness and service for your gardens and grazing for your flocks. This is what I receive in return? I do not understand what I have done to receive such torture.

Earth

Dear Diary,

Now the waters have been diminished. My poles are steaming. Soon they will melt and if they do the God’s own palace will fall. Poor Atlas, he is suffering as well. The sky is too hot and difficult for him to hold up. Please, king of the gods, have mercy on me. Save what is left before all is lost.

Earth

Dear Diary,

My prayers have been answered! Jupiter himself has struck Phaethon from the sky with his powerful lightning bolt. Just when I thought all hope was lost. Sadly Phaethon is dead now. I do hope lessons have been learned and Phoebus Apollo will no longer allow anyone to take over the chariot reins. But now I can begin to heal. I thank you Jupiter for your mercy.

Earth

Dear Dairy,

Once again I am happy. The torture of the flames is subsiding. I have endured the pain for so long. My forests and meadows are beginning to recover. The rains have returned and my life is no longer threatened. I feel so relieved.

Earth

Aftermath  of wildfire

Author's note: I took this story from Ovid's Metamorphoses, Phaethon's Ride. I liked the idea of expressing the anguish of the earth as she burned. I thought that the earth recording the events as diary entries would be an interesting spin on the story.

 Phoenix

Bibliography:  Ovid's Metamorphoses: Phaethon's Ride, translated by Tony Kline

Week 2 Reading Dairy, continuted: Ovid's Metamorphoses 1

Reading B - Ovid's Metamorphoses 1 (Books 1 - 4) translated into English by Tony Kline
 
I really enjoyed the story of Echo. Echo lost her ability to speak, except repeating what she last heard, because she would distract Juno with her long conversations. The conversations would allow the nymphs, which were lying with Jupiter, time to escape. This infuriated Juno ‘I shall give you less power over that tongue by which I have been deluded, and the briefest ability to speak,’ and she took Echo’s ability to hold normal conversations.

The story of Perseus, Andromeda, and Medusa has always been a favorite of mine. I think it’s interesting that the winged horse Pegasus and the warrior Chrysaor were born from Medusa’s blood. Many mythology stories are strange in the way that some of the people and creatures were born. They really don’t make much since and I wonder how the stories got started. 

 Birth of Pegasus and Chrysaor

Week 2 Reading Diary: Ovid's Metamorphoses 1

Reading A - Ovid's Metamorphoses 1 (Books 1 - 4) translated into English by Tony Kline

Illustration by Virgil Solis

I had forgotten how difficult a prose is to follow. It's been a while since I have read any of Ovid, or any other prose for that matter. A couple of sections caught my interest. The flood in Deucalion and Pyrrha is similar to the story of Noah in the bible. Callisto tells of how Callisto and her son become Ursa Major and Ursa Minor constellations. I really liked how in Phaethon's Ride, the earth complains about being burned and begs to have her misery ended.

I'm not really sure at this point how to go about taking notes on these stories. I am starting to get ideas on how to go about writing my own story. Several of these stories could use more detail. I think I could easily expand on one of them for my own tale. At this point I am considering expanding on the earth's misery. I will need to read the second half of my reading before making that decision. A quick glance at that reading appears as though it might hold my interest more.