Week 1 Review: Beeeeeez

(Bee  --  Jim Smart)
Source: Flickr

My favorite announcement from this week was the Words of Wisdom post. When I first read the English proverb, I took some time to reflect and figure what it meant to me. Truthfully, I couldn't think of a meaning to learn from. After reading Dr. Gibbs' metaphor analysis, I came to appreciate the picture and proverb more. It's amazing to think of the seemingly limitless amounts of information at our disposal, which we can build upon everyday. This proverb got me thinking even more about the growth mindset, and why we need to realize our potential.

Famous Last Words: And So It Begins

Note to Self:

(writer's block-Jerry Seinfeld  --  the writing reader)
Source: Flickr

This week I would consider some of my best writing to be my introduction post. I wouldn't say that the writing quality was eloquent or that my vocabulary was top notch, but I was able to write freely and creatively. Usually when I write, I hit many road blocks where I can't think of what I should put down next. Throughout the writing process I get discouraged by these stopping points and begin to think about the word count, hoping that I will be able to scrape words together in a somewhat logical sequence. When writing an introduction about myself, as self-centered as it may sound, I did not have that issue. Now, it may be due to my knowledge of self, so I didn't have to do much thinking, but I was really able to have fun with the flow of writing. I usually don't take the time to talk much about myself when meeting people, but with this assignment I felt as though I dipped further into my hobbies, which was a fun experience. Also, choosing appropriate photos to insert into my blog post was a nice challenge to really put a picture to my words. I hope that my future writings can be even more enjoyable.

I don't feel as though my other classes have really started even though we have had a few meetings. Maybe that is because I am used to spending a lot of time for this class, but I am sure the workload reality will hit me like a sledgehammer soon enough. Considering that my other courses are mostly based on numbers and formulas, sadly I may not be able to utilize my new blogging and writing techniques in them. On the bright side, after spending so much of my time working with numbers, it will be refreshing to read and write about various topics that I choose in this class. One of my weaknesses would have to be writing, especially when trying out different styles, so I hope to improve in that area throughout this course.

My goals for Week 2 in this course are to be started on the Week 3 and 4 assignments. It is definitely going to be a stretch, but now is the best time to take on a great deal of work because my other classes are just starting to turn their wheels. For my other classes, I hope to be able to use some of the time management tips discussed in our Week 1 blogs to better plan my work in the future. This semester seems like it will be time consuming, but who knows, maybe I'll be reading this at the end of the semester wishing that I could do it all over again... that may be pushing it.

The Reality of the Growth Mindset

Before reading the video transcripts of Carol Dweck, I hadn't ever heard of the term "Growth Mindset" or even of Carol herself. After reading about this topic, it made me realize how today's generation is being prepared for instant results and gratification. People search for instant validation to their work to make sure they are doing the right things.

(BRAINS!  --  Steve)
Source: Flickr

One of the best examples I can think of would be with working out/dieting. Many individuals trying to get into better shape are always on the lookout for shortcuts to working out and to the overall results they want to achieve. The hard truth is that it doesn't come easily or quickly. The people who are able to take this Growth Mindset perspective will be better prepared for the long run results because they realize their potential to improve. As Dweck said in her "Make Challenge the New Comfort Zone" video, "I want "challenge" to be the new comfort zone, not "easy" being the comfort zone." Working out can be very challenging, so the people who can only handle easy (comfortable) situations may not achieve the results they set out to reach.

One of my biggest faults when it comes to this topic would be aiming to get certain grades in my classes. I focus solely on what I need to do to get the grades most of the time, rather than truly trying to learn the material and letting the grades come after that. Hopefully, learning more about Growth Mindset will help me realize my potential for the future as opposed to what I can get tomorrow. Overall, that mindset could help me utilize my time better and could even aid me in correcting my problems with time management discussed in my last post.

Time Strategies

11 Ways Unsuccessful People Mismanage Their Time
Instead of reading the articles about what I should be doing with my time, I decided to read one that discussed things I could be doing wrong. While reading each of the 11 ways, I compared my time management methods to see if I had any of these bad habits. Sadly, I do.

(time  --  Sean MacEntee)
Source: Flickr

• The first thing I need to do better is utilize my time on the weekends. Rather than think of them as "off" days, I can use the open hours on Saturday and Sunday to get ahead in my work coming up for that week.
• The second thing I do is wrong is juggle too many assignments and activities. The main reason I have issues with this, results from my estimation of the time it will take to do certain assignments. Sometimes I believe something will be quick and easy (wrong) and other times I plan too much time for something that can be easily completed. With more scheduling experience, I can get better at estimating the time needed to complete both crucial and trivial tasks.

Reading Options

Homer's Iliad

(Poor Dog, Sioux  --  Boston Public Library)
Source: Flickr

This reading is based on a poem about a fight between Achilles and Hector in the Trojan War. Reading A contains 11 pages and Reading B is 7 pages long. I have heard of stories about the Trojan War (with the famous/infamous Trojan Horse), but after reading about this, I realized it was not about that. Hopefully I will be able to learn new information regarding the Trojan War because this seems to delve further into Trojan War detail than I have examined before.

Sioux Legends
The legends in this reading are about the Sioux people. I am interested in the writing style within the reading because it gives points of view from two different women, so that may change the language within the stories. I do not know anything about the Sioux people, but from this reading I hope to learn more about the legends of trickery along with the life of these people. Reading A and B are both 9 pages long.

Alice in Wonderland
Growing up, I heard stories and watched the movies about Alice in Wonderland. This reading contains many of the stories from the original novel, but the style of writing may be different than I am used to. It  contains poems and is written in a prose style. I am anxious to see how my reading/note taking will be affected by the style. Reading A is 9 pages long and Reading B is 10 pages long.

Storybook Favorites

Andrea's Storybook: Weather Gods
The title of this storybook immediately caught my attention towards the top of the mythology list. I definitely wouldn't consider this to be something that I have much knowledge about, which is part of the reason it intrigued me. In the introduction, Andrea explains how she wants to travel to numerous specific times to visit different weather gods. My curiosity expanded as I read through the introduction and it actually did make me want to know the questions and answers she asked the different gods. The image and font added to the ambiance of the page because they are colorful, which is something I think of with space/time travel (bright colorful lights). The different tabs for each god she visited were helpful because they helped organize the information. I would like to use similar tabs in my project, so it is easy to navigate when the time comes.

The Adventures of Thor and Asgard

(Thor  --  Source: The Mighty Thor)

I have always enjoyed stories and movies about Thor, so when I saw this title, I had to read about it. The title is slightly misleading because the introduction is narrated from a Frost-giant's point of view. I originally thought it would be from Thor's point of view, but the stories are related to Thor and Asgard. After finishing the introduction, I felt inclined to read more about the stories from the journal. I do enjoy the fact that the narration came from a different point of view that hasn't been covered much from what I've seen. It is creative to give the side of someone who lives outside of Asgard looking in. The design layout is somewhat simplistic, but well organized and easy to navigate. 

Remember the Alamo
I learned a lot about the Alamo in grade school growing up in Texas. I only remembered broad details, so when I saw this title, I became interested in renewing old memories. "Remember the Alamo" is a great title for this project because it is truly the topic. I enjoyed the navigation of the site and the presentation of the introduction. It is told from Sam Houston's point of view and the writer truly went into character, which made it even more fun to read. I would like to really get into character when I do my project because by reading "Remember the Alamo", it seemed more interactive with the accent in the writing. Overall, I would say that the introduction did make me want to recount the memories of major role characters in the Alamo.

Introduction to the Accountant (Tech Tip: Embedded in Youtube)

The Accountant Official Trailer #1 (2016) - Ben Affleck Movie HD

Hey everyone,

My name is Logan Lambert (as you can probably tell from my blog) and I am a junior, accounting major at OU. I don't know if there is one particular exciting thing about my major (most people would say none), but for some reason it is enjoyable to me. I've been fortunate with my accounting professors thus far and hope that streak will continue! A few of my hobbies include golfing, working out, fishing, various other sports (basically anything outside), reading, and hanging out with friends/family. I played golf throughout high school and was lucky enough to find the golf club at OU, which I decided to join. Golf is also how I met my current roommate who is on the actual OU Golf Team. The reason I enjoy working out and being outdoors is because it is a huge stress reliever for me. Whether it is running in the morning or relaxing outside on campus, I love to take those leisure times throughout the week.

A newfound hobby of mine would also have to be cooking. After being in college for a few years, I have had to learn how to fend for myself when it comes to eating. Now that I am accustomed to doing so, it is a challenge to me to see if I can make acceptable food on a college budget. I try to expand out of the box, but mostly stick with what I know such as chicken or shrimp (not quite Bobby Flay standards).

(Fail.  --  Allen Lee)
Source: Flickr

This past summer I was introduced to a series of books called The Dresden Files by Jim Butcher. It quickly became my favorite series as I tore through them in my spare time (all day). They may not be for everybody, but I would highly recommend them to anyone looking for a new series to start. As far as music goes, I basically listen to anything under the sun. I love to use Spotify to search for less popular music to see if I can find songs that are somewhat diamonds in the rough. Along with the music I listen to, I try to learn some of the songs on guitar. I wouldn't say I am very good, but when I'm actually able to play a song and someone else guess what it is, I feel a great sense of accomplishment.

(kpmg  --  Line Orstavik)
Source: Flickr

My biggest accomplishment last semester would have to do with an internship with KPMG (accounting firm). I was extremely ecstatic to receive an offer from them, but it was also a great accomplishment for me because it forced me outside of my comfort zone. I had to attend receptions, interviews, dinners and things of that sort in order for the firm to make their decision. I hadn't ever been exposed to such situations before, so it took a great deal of learning and accepting (the stress) for me to become comfortable. Although I'm not perfectly relaxed in those types of situations, it taught me a lot, which is a big reason as to why I would consider it a top accomplishment from last semester.

Hopefully this semester will bring even bigger and better accomplishments!

Week 1 Story: The Three Wise of Different Size

"Three wise men of Gotham,

Went to sea in a bowl:

And if the bowl had been stronger,

My song would have been longer."

Once there were three men that decided to take an adventure away from Gotham Island. These three men were brothers who ranged in all different sizes. The youngest, Bruce, was of average height and weight. Wayne, the middle brother, was just a little heavier than Bruce. The eldest brother, Alfred, was much heavier than either Bruce or Wayne.

Each brother believed himself to be very wise, so they made a plan to leave Gotham in search of a town where they could put their talents to use.

The brothers devised a plan to travel by water to find a new home.
It took them hours of discussion to try to find the right place to move.

"I've heard of grand cities towards the south, so I think we should begin in that direction." said Bruce.

(Honolulu, Hawaii  --  Roxanne Ready)
Source: Flickr

"No!" exclaimed Wayne, "We need to make our way north. I know of a place, Dent Town, where the citizens are naive. Our superior intellect will surely have us dictating the town in a meager amount of time."

Alfred pondered the options they had presented but finally declared,

"I am the oldest and wisest here, so I will have the final say on the matter. We are going to sail east to the uncharted islands of Razagul."

Finally, the three brothers had agreed and chose to set out in the morning.
As dawn broke the next day, the brothers headed to the docks of Gotham and purchased a small boat.
Bruce, the smallest boarded the boat with ease. Next, Wayne hopped in, which further stressed the bearings as the boat pressed further into the water. The largest brother climbed in the vessel, causing it to let out sounds of creaking and uneasiness in the wood. Despite the sure signs of weakness in the boat's make up, the brothers set out on their adventure.

(The Three ages of man…  --  rawdonfox)
Source: Flickr

Two days into the journey, the boat reached its breaking point.

The brothers had spent too much time arguing about the destination and not enough time on the effectiveness of their traveling methods.

The boat quickly filled with water as the brothers began to teeter-totter and were never heard from again. -END

"Three wise men of Gotham,

Went to sea in a bowl:

And if the bowl had been stronger,

My song would have been longer."

Author's Note: The inspiration for my story came from Batman (because of "Gotham") and a children's story, Goldilocks. I described each character in a similar fashion as Goldilocks tried the different things in that story, by increasing the size of each character. I also named the various characters and places to allude to things in Batman. I chose to elaborate the sinking of their bowl by making it somewhat ironic. The three men were so "wise", but they let such a simple obstacle cause their downfall. For my title, I decided to make it rhyme because the overall story was about a nursery rhyme.

Bibliography: Based on the nursery rhyme about "Three wise men of Gotham" in The Nursery Rhyme Book, edited by Andrew Lang.

 

Maui, My Favorite Place

Maui, Hawaii: When I was 12 years old, my family decided to take a cruise to the different Hawaiian Islands. We went on a kayaking expedition, which is one of my greatest vacation memories. This image reminded me of some of the views we saw while on the expedition. Although this stream does not seem safe to kayak, it looks like a great place to hike!

(Iao Valley, Maui Island- Wikipedia Commons)