Learning Challenge: Reading Out Loud

(Reading.  --  Nahh)
Source: Flickr

This week I chose to do the Learning by H.E.A.R.T. reading out loud challenge. I definitely never read out loud (I only recently started in my posts to help proofread), so it made me interested to see how it actually could affect my reading.

At first, it seemed really weird hearing myself talk constantly for the duration of my reading, but then I adapted. That was when I started to tell a difference in the reading experience. I'm not going to lie and say it was a 180 degree switch from my usual reading, but I did notice minute details that seemed to benefit my learning. When reading my own material aloud, I picked up on more errors that I wouldn't have known existed, if not for hearing it out loud. Also, it seemed as though I retained more information when reading other material aloud. That may be due to the fact that I normally only think about the words, but when reading out loud, I hear the words while I also think about what is happening. It isn't completely different, but I do enjoy doing it when I can. I won't be able to do it often (due to library/roommate etiquette), but I do think it benefits me when I seize the opportunities as they arise.

Week 3 Story Planning: The BFC (Big Friendly Cyclops)

"I thought the cyclops might be somewhat friendly, but it seems as though he trapped them to eat overtime. I may try portraying the giant in a friendly manner, just to switch up the story line. All of the stories I've heard concerning the cyclops make him the enemy. Teaming up with the cyclops could be a nice twist to my story." -Reading Notes Part A

"I plan to use the Cyclops, Circe, Odysseus, the crew, and a made up crew member (a woman) in my story. I think dialogue between the Cyclops and Odysseus will be important to form a friendship. Also dialogue between Circe and my new crew member (the narrator) will also play a pivotal role in the story." -Reading Notes, Part B

I would like to blend a few parts of the entire story together because I don't have enough room to write a section about each character. I also think it would be cool to have the characters set apart in the original actually interact with each other. The characters I would focus on combining would be the Cyclops and Circe. In the original reading, Odysseus encounters Polyphemus (the Cyclops), who is an enemy. He ultimately defeats Polyphemus and then moves on to conquer Circe. I would like to twist the story in a way that makes the Cyclops a trusted ally against Circe. Maybe have some preexisting conflict between Polyphemus and Circe that Odysseus helps resolve.

(Metabus with Camilla  --  Jean-Balptiste Peytavin)
Source: Wikimedia Commons

The original was told from Odysseus' perspective. Throughout the story he is very confident/cocky about his abilities (which suits him). Instead of using his point of view, I would like to introduce a female crew member who would narrate the story from her perspective. I think it would be kinda funny to have her be the main protagonist in the end. To do so, I would resolve the conflict with her taking down Circe because she is a woman (Circe's power has no influence over her). Odysseus would then have to come to terms with being more of a side kick figure.

The main protagonist, Camilla, would be a tall, brown haired woman. She would start off as a shyer character, not sure of her ability. Eventually she would find out from the Greek goddess Diana, that she will be a great warrior in the future and is daughter of Metabus (source: Britannica). My inspiration of her character comes from Camilla in other mythological stories. As in many stories, I would have dialogue between Diana and Camilla to portray what is to come from Camilla's future. I like the foreshadowing effects that I've read in other stories, so I would like to try to write similarly to that style in that part. The original story kept the crew members in the background of the story (short end of the stick as far as story life comes), so having Camilla really explode onto the story scene and solve the conflict would be a great twist to my story.

Bibliography:  Homer's Odyssey, Tony Kline

Reading Notes: Homer's Odyssey, Part B

• Odysseus' sacrificial ritual was quite in depth. I like the dialogue between Odysseus and the ghosts. The tone within the dialogue adds to the moods and manner by which they are speaking. It definitely makes me feel sorry for Elpenor because he was young. Hopefully Odysseus remembers to do all of what he asked. The fore warnings of what is to come are present again. Writing in that style sort of lays groundwork for the rest of the story. You know what the characters should and shouldn't do, so while reading, you fill in the plot with information about how they get to those decisions and ultimately what decision they make (I'm surprised Odysseus doesn't have to write some of the tasks down. He is given a lot to remember).
• All of the dialogue gives great insight and backbone to the story. Although my story will be shorter, I would like to have meaningful dialogue between the characters. It really adds to the story in totality. 
• In this story, there may be a few too many introductions of the famous women's ghosts. They may be needed but as of now they are getting harder and harder to remember. I would leave out so many introductions into my story because I definitely wouldn't have enough room for that.



(Scilla e Cariddi  --  Dave & Margie Hill)
Wikimedia Commons

• The second reading will mostly help me with my story in the dialogue areas. I need to make sure that with whatever dialogue I have, it truly adds to my overall story structure. I don't want to jot down empty filler words into the reading. I plan to use the Cyclops, Circe, Odysseus, the crew, and a made up crew member (a woman) in my story. I think dialogue between the Cyclops and Odysseus will be important to form a friendship. Also dialogue between Circe and my new crew member (the narrator) will also play a pivotal role in the story.

Bibliography:  Homer's Odyssey, Tony Kline

Famous Last Words: Innovative Note Taking

(Boy studying  --  Lewis Hine)
Wikimedia Commons

Reading this week was very different than any I had done before. Well it actually was the note taking within the reading. Usually when I read, I focus on the plot sequence for the most part to get a grasp of the story. Then I hone in on the details that add to the story. In this situation, I had to stop myself from taking notes about the story's makeup of events, which was extremely unusual at first. I did enjoy the readings during the week, but I had to become accustomed to a new style of notes. I felt as though I was randomly making comments on things I liked versus didn't like (exactly what I did). After finishing the reading and writing my own story, I think I will be able to improve my note taking in the future. In the first week, I didn't read with my story in mind. Now that I've started week 3 reading, I am keeping what kind of story I want to write in the back of my mind as I go along. Then I jot down notes about details I like that will help my story grow where it needs.

I was impressed by the writing skill and creativity this week by my fellow classmates. I did both the blog comment assignments (usual and extra credit), so I was exposed to a lot of different material. It's great seeing how they take the original story and transform it into their own. I also did a tech tip on how to customize our canvas page. After choosing all of my options, I liked looking at other students customized pages to see how they differed from mine.

I have started week 3 assignments, so my main goal would be to get at least a week ahead in the next week, but I also have smaller goals. One of those being improving my writing and storytelling. I felt pretty uncomfortable with my first storytelling experience, but now I can tell that I am becoming more accustomed to do so. I haven't hit great strides of advancement with my writing technique, but there is a lot of room to improve so hopefully over the course of the semester that will come.

Reading Notes: Homer's Odyssey, Part A

• The indication of the importance of the wine seems somewhat vague. Hopefully there will be more of a backstory to that. The setting is depicted well at the beginning of the story. I don't know how much space I will have to do the same in mine, but I hope mine is similar (but a little shorter). I would like to tell the story from the point of view of one of Odysseus' crew. 

• Wine is noted again. I thought the cyclops might be somewhat friendly, but it seems as though he trapped them to eat overtime. I may try portraying the giant in a friendly manner, just to switch up the story line. All of the stories I've heard concerning the cyclops make him the enemy. Teaming up with the cyclops could be a nice twist to my story.

(CYCLOPS  --  Daniel Ferencak)
Source: Flickr

• The detail involved within the storytelling is great. It really helps me image what is going on in the gave. Although my story will be much shorter, I would like to use detail like Kline did.

• Deceiving the cyclops with his false name, "Nobody" was clever. I didn't see that coming when he first said that. Odysseus was almost too cocky when he left the cyclops' island. By mocking Polyphemus with his chants, the cyclops was close to wiping out their ship. I do like him portrayed in that manner though.

• The description of the food and drink in the story is great. I can see how Odysseus' crew were tempted by Crice's food (drugged). It made me hungry just by reading! Odysseus believes he should go save his crew even beyond Eurylochus' warning. Up to this point Odysseus is proving to think quite highly of his ability (a step above everyone else). It fits him well throughout the story though. I would like to keep this trait when writing my story.

• There are many prophecies throughout the stories. It is interesting to see how they pan out when you know something will happen (just not how it will happen). 

Bibliography:  Homer's Odyssey, Tony Kline

Learning Challenge: Gratitude

(Gratitude  --  klhug)
Source: Flickr

I watched the video The Amazing Effects of Gratitude. As said in the video, gratitude can be defined as "The quality or condition of being thankful; the appreciation of an inclination to return kindness." I was surprised by all of the studies involved with gratitude and gratefulness in the video. Before, I thought of gratitude as a simple feeling of happiness when someone did something nice for me. In a way that's what it is, but it's also a lot more complicated than that. I couldn't believe the study about keeping a gratefulness journal and how it correlates with an increase in happiness (it even helped people with heart disease). I am going to try out the grateful technique for the next week to see if it works for me!

Tech Tip: Blog Profile

I decided to remove my profile from my post (because I didn't have any information filled in), but I kept my name when I publish. It's interesting to see how many different things you can do to configure a profile both on our blogs and on canvas. I'm not too creative when it comes to things like that, but I like seeing how other people do theirs. It is a great way to show some of your personality right from the get go.