Biography: My Graduating Self

Photo of me and my dog, Remi. Photo taken 04/25/2020

WOW! Has 4 years really flown by this quickly?! How in the world?! I feel like it was just yesterday that I was being moved into my dorm room on the 6th floor of Couch. I remember the first time I ever tried to find my classes on this campus; I remember the first test I failed; the first (and only, thank God) class that I failed; I can recall my favorites moments on this universities grounds that have made Norman my home for the quickest 4 years of my life.
Now that undergrad is one week from being over, I'm taking the time to reflect, not only on my time at OU, but also on the person I was and have become throughout my time here. I'd also like to offer advice/lessons I learned while I've been in college. 

SO... Here we go!!!  

I came to college lost- I wasn't proud of myself, nor was I really excited about starting college. However, as I got accustomed to university life, I have learned so much about myself. 

• I love microbiology! This was probably my favorite class that I took 
• I'm not a good test taker... and that's okay. It just means that I have to study and work THAT much harder 
• I like to be challenged 
• My love for helping people has only grown stronger & has led me to wanting to pursue a nursing degree

Now, my advice/tips: 

• GO HOME. Seriously. Every chance that you can get, go. LET your mom do your laundry. LET them feed you until you're miserable. CALL your family. 
• The best water fountain is located in the honors college :) but really. It's always cold.
• Sunsets are best watched from the very top of the parking garage 
• ASK FOR HELP. And then ask again. Do not be embarrassed for not understanding something in class
• office hours and established relationships with your professors is SO important. Once they know your face, your effort and hard work is made known 
• Sutton Wilderness Park is one of the most relaxing and beautiful scenic places to go and clear your mind 

All-in-all, I am so thankful for what I've accomplished throughout undergrad! I'm excited to continue on with being a sooner with nursing school!! I may not physically be in Norman anymore, but my heart will always belong there 

Reading Notes: Grimm Part B

Image Source: Pinterest 


The Monkey and the Crocodile
Source: Jataka Tales by Ellen C. Babbitt

• a mother crocodile tells her son that she wants him to catch a monkey so that she can eat its heart 
• the crocodile tells the monkey to come with him to the other side of the river where the fruit is ripe 
• the monkey says that he cannot swim; however the crocodile ensures the monkey that he can swim and that the monkey can ride on his back over to the other side 
• the monkey agreed to this
• the crocodile proceeds to dive into the water
• freaking out, the monkey asks why he did that & comes to find that he is plotted to die 
• the monkey gets clever & tells the crocodile that he left his heart in the tree
• he gets away, but not for long 
• the monkey acts as if he is caught and tells the crocodile to open his mouth so that he can jump inside of it 
• little did the crocodile know that the monkey knew whenever they opened their mouths wide, they also shut their eyes 
• the monkey gains the crocodile's respect & goes on to live his life as he pleases 

Reading Notes: Grimm Part A

Image: Frog Prince; Source: Pinterest 


The Frog Prince 
Source: Fairy Tales by the Brothers Grimm

• a princess plays with a golden ball but it ends up rolling into the spring
• She says aloud that she would give all of her fine clothes and jewels, and every that she has in the world to have her ball again
• a frog proposes that he will bring the ball to the princess if she will love him and let him live with her and eat from her golden plate 
• desperate & not thinking that the frog would ever be able to get out of the pond, she agrees 
• the frog gets the ball and she takes off without acknowledging him 
• The princess sat down at dinner and heard a knocking on the door that was the frog 
• she tells her father what she has promised and he makes the princess stick to her word & the frog proceeds to eat from her plate 
• he comes back later that night pleading to sleep upon her pillow 
• the princess awoke to a handsome prince 
• he tells her of the spiteful fairy 
• because the princess has broken the "cruel charm" the prince asks for her hand in marriage 

Microfiction: From the Heart

Source: Medium.com

Doors of Life 
And just like that my time here is done.
I must now go out into the world and start a new chapter of life.

Life Decisions 
Who Do I Want To Be?



Authors Note:

 I was inspired to write both of my stories from the very fact that I am graduating in basically a week. I've had so many mixed emotions lately about being done with school (or deciding if I don't want to be) and going out into the world and solely working. No school attached to it- just working. 40 hours a week. Just to work and home. It's a little scary to think about.

Reading Notes: Ramayana Part D

Image: Building the bridge to Lanka. Source: Philadelphia Museum of Art 

The Bridge
Story Source: Indian Myth and Legend by Donald A. Mackenzie (1913)
- Rama performed sacrifices to propitiate the God of the Ocean 
- The God of the Ocean is known as Varuna 
- Varuna's vehicle is a Makara- a part fish, part land creature
- He has a weapon of a Pasha- a noose, rope loop 
- Rama seizes his bow & shot weapons into the sky 
- this caused for darkness to cover the sky & the mountains broke into pieces 
- Rama attempts to dry up the waters of the sea by shooting a fiery dark 
- The King of the Ocean appears & tells Rama to seek the aid of the vanar chief to create a bridge could be built that would allow for the armies to cross the deep
- a causeway of rocky islands between the mainland and Lanka is called Rama's bridge 





Information source: Wikipedia 

Reading Notes: Twenty Jataka Tales Part A

Image: Hou Keng- the original and best Monkey Chief tea(Hou Kui) producing area. Source: Flickr

Monkey-Bridge 
By: Noor Inayat (Khan)

- magnificent tree that bore tender white blossoms & later ladened with fruit
- chief warned the monkeys not to let any of the fruit from the branches hanging over the tree fall into the river, because then the men of the city would follow the river up the hills and find the tree, which would take all of the fruit and the monkey's would have to flee
- it, however, happened & a fishermen was the first to find it
- the fishermen asked woodcutters about the fruit & they told him it was a mango
- they set out to find the tree and came upon it
- the king made a bridge of himself and told his eighty thousand followers to walk across, but Devadatta jumped so heavily and broke the kings back
- "It is not your sword which makes you a king; it is love alone. Rule them not through power because they are your subjects; nay, rule them through love because they are your children"

Week 8 Progress

Image: Even if it kills you to move forward, never look back. Source: Make A Meme 

Looking back: 
So far with this class, I am proud of how much I have learned and how my skills for blogging are evolving.

I am happy with my progress, but I wish that I could have gotten more ahead than I am and done more extra credit opportunities.


Looking forward: 
For the second half of the semester, I want to do just what I have yet to: I want to get ahead in the class

I want to do more extra credit opportunities I want to expand my horizons and try to venture out in the types of stories that I write I  want to avoid procrastinating I want to try to play around with my project website and find new ways to improve it

Weel 8 Reading and Writing

Work Hard But When I Do I Go Home Early. Source: Memes Monkey

Looking back: 

Overall, I have enjoyed the reading and writing assignments, although I feel like because this is a different course that is based on Epics of India, some of the stories are a little hard to follow along with, be interested in, and understand.

As far as my blog and my project website, I have never been a tech-savvy person whatsoever, so this entire concept of building them has been a learning experience for me. So far, I am impressed with myself in some of the ways that I've explored with and played around with the different settings and layouts.

I'd say that my biggest accomplishment has been being inspired to take a story and either completely change it up and make it my own or to simply change characters and the plot. This has challenged me in many ways, but it has definitely helped me brush up on some skills that I lacked at before.

My favorite reading is one that I have based my first portfolio story off of- The Cunning Crane and the Crab. 

Story source: The Giant Crab, and Other Tales from Old India by W. H. D. Rouse. Internet archive.

Looking forward:

I think that I should continue to try and learn new strategies each week. I would like to make more time and strive harder to do the extra credit. I also think that I could benefit from maybe asking more questions or really trying to focus in on the content, so that I better understand it.

PDE Mahabharata Reading Notes: Part D

The Forest and its Ghosts 

Source. Indian Myth and Legend by Donald A. Mackenzie (1913)

Image Source: Pinterest

- Suddenly the waters began to heave and foam
- Vyasa muttered holy words and called out the names of the dead one by one
- all the heroes who had been slain arose one by one
- they all came in chariots and on horseback and riding upon lordly elephants
- uttered triumphant cries
drums were sounded and trumpets were blown
- seemed as if the armies of the Pandavas and Kauravas were once again assembled for battle, for they swept over the river like a mighty tempest
-  All strife had ended between kinsmen and old-time rivals; in death there was peace and sweet companionship
- The elders who were living conversed with those who were dead
- burdens of grief and despair fell from all hearts after long years of mourning
- past was suddenly forgotten in the rapture of beholding those who had died


Story idea:
Using this ritual as part of the story or incorporating part of the dead coming alive and the celebration to follow.

PDE Mahabharata Reading Notes: Part C

Duryodhana. Image source: Wikipedia 

Preparations for War
- Duryodhana refusing to make peace with the Pandava brethren, despite the warnings of the sages who sat around the MaharajahDhritarashtra.


Idea for story:
- to create a scene and character that is similar to Duryodhana

PDE Mahabharata Reading Notes: Part A

Vyasa dictates to Ganesha source: Wikipedia 

Vyasa and Ganesha 

• Vyasa is the author of the Mahabharata & arranged the Vedas that contained everything that man out to know of thing on earth and in heaven
•  anxious for someone to write it down but declared that no one on earth is worthy of such a task 
• Vyasa repeated it to a disciple who then recited it at a snake sacrifice 

The story of Vyasa's birth: 

• King of Chedi that was devoted to asceticism & the gods feared he sought to rob them of their powerr
• Indra was sent to bribe with a crystal car that was capable of carrying him through the sky
• As he was flying through the sky, his semen fell into the the river & was swallowed by a female fish 
• 10 month later the fish was caught & out came a boy and a girl
• the king took the boy after the fishermen showed him what he found
• the girl was left to be the fishermen's wife 
• Upon ferrying across the river, the rishi persuaded the girl to yield his embrace & promised she'd remain a virgin & lose her fishy smell 
• a child was born on an island 
• called Dwaipayana (island bloom)
• called Vyasa due to arranging the Vedas 

Comment Wall

HEYYOOOO. You can access my Portfolio site here!

Image: Somebody come here and look at this. Source: Pinterest 

Week 5: The Diary of Tara

Image information: Dear Diary. Source: Flickr


Dear Diary,

There has been so much that has occurred. I am now with Vali instead of Sugriva. On a night when Vali chased an enemy into the moonlight, Sugriva was left to stand watch. However, Sugriva claims he thought that Vali had been killed... from Vali's side of the story, the hole of the cavern had been filled up with a mountain top, making it difficult for Vali to get out. Once he did, though, Vali returned to the kingdom and took me from my husband and made me his own. I'm not sure how I feel about this.. this entire situation just doesn't seem right.

xo Tara

Dear Diary,

I am very suspicious of Sugriva.. I have a bad feeling in my stomach about he and Rama becoming allies. If this is true, there could be terrible fate ahead. I don't know what to do! Vali is so stubborn that I feel like if I tried to warn him, he wouldn't listen. BUT SUGRIVA IS MY KING'S BROTHER! Why must he betray his loyalty?

xo Tara

Dear Diary,

SO MUCH has happened today! I tried so hard to keep Vali away from starting war with Sugriva. I tried several times to tell my king about my knowledge of Sugriva and Rama becoming allies and that he should not go try to find him, for there could be terrible fate, but he would not listen to me... instead, Vali has stormed off to find Sugriva and fight him until the death! I don't know what to do! I can't help from thinking the absolute worst possible scenario! What if I lose Vali?! I can't live without him! I'm praying, praying, praying that Vali stays safe and defeats Sugriva.

xo Tara

Dear Diary,

MY KING! MY KING VALI... he has been slain by the hands of Rama!! Upon Sugriva and Vali beginning to fight, Rama came out from hiding behind trees and shot my Vali with an arrow shot from his bow! My king's own brother has betrayed him! What shall I do?! I am widowed! I am alone! What ever will I do without my King Vali by my side?!

a brokenhearted Tara


Authors note: 
I thought that telling the story of Vali's death through the eyes of Tara would be interesting because of how invested and dramatic that she is throughout the story.
Bibliography: PDE Ramayama. Sugriva's Story  Sugriva and Vali  & Vali's Death 

Extra Credit Reading Notes: Narayan's Ramayana, Section D

Focusing on content: 

The Bridge
Narayan's Ramayana 


Image: Rama and Vanar chiefs. Source: Wikipedia 

vanar: 
- a group of people living in forests 
- help Rama defeat Ravana
- these are strictly mythological creatures
- they are shape shifters 

Identification of vanar: 
- derives from the word "vana" meaning forest and nara (man) meaning "belonging to the forest" or "forest-dwelling"
- derives from vana (forest) and nara (man) meaning "forest man"
- derives from the words vav and nara meaning "is it a man"" or "perhaps he is man"

Source of information: Wikipedia 


The God of Ocean: Varuna 
- found in the oldest layer of Vedic Literature of Hinduism
- in the Hindu Puranas, he is the god of oceans
- he has a vehicle of a Makara, which is a part fish, part land creature
- weapon is a Pasha, a noose, rope loop
- guardian of deity of western direction
- found in Japanese Buddhist mythology as Suiten
- The theonym Varuṇa is a derivation from the verbal vṛ ("to surround, to cover" or "to restrain, bind") by means of a suffigal -uṇa-, for an interpretation of the name as "he who covers or binds",


Information source: Wikipedia 

Microfiction: Skin Crawlers

Image of a clown statue. Source: urban legends 
Clowns 

My friend was dog sitting for me while I was on vacation.
She sent me a text asking what she should do with the clown statue that was in living room...I didn't own a clown statue..



SHHHHH
Silence is more deadly than words.




Author's note:
The first story was inspired by a a horror story that I read in a magazine when I was a kid. I remember that my aunt and uncle got me some makeup and other spa-like presents, along with a magazine for my birthday. This story has stuck with me for so many years because of how creepy I thought that it was. You can read the actual story here.
In the second story, I first, I wasn't sure at all what I wanted to write or how to even write a story with 6 words. However, I sat and reflected about sayings that meant something to me and immediately thought of this one.

Reading Notes: Narayan's Ramayana B

Reading Notes: Narayan's Ramayana B



Image: Golden Deer. Source: tsl.org

The Golden Deer 
Narayan's Ramayana

• Maricha assumed the shape of a golden deer with silvern spots 
• golden tints upon his haunches
• sapphire on his antlers 
• neck was golden 
• silver-white his flank and side 
• this starts out as a story and then goes into a rhyming
•  Want to capture the deer and then slay the deer for Sita's sake
• afterwards will skin him to use his hide as a "golden carpet" 

The Chase

Narayan's Ramayama 

• Rama chases the deer and shoots an arrow at it, which pierces through its heart 
• causes Maricha to spring out of the deer's body and begins to cry out for Sita to save him, but he ends up dying
• Sita cries out 
• she cannot live without Rama 
• says that she will not live one moment after he dies 
• also says that if Rama is slain that she will die by drowning, or by poison, or else by the noose

Week 4 Lab Advice to Writers

Writing Advice & Tips 

Image: I am a writer. Source: Writing Cooperative 

With writing so many short stories every week, I thought that it was important that I explore and try to find information that could help me (and whomever reads this!) write for my personal blog. The following tips come from AdviceToWriters


Karma Brown 

= Write, or read, every day... it keeps the writing muscles in shape 

=if you want to be a writer, then BE a write

=Accept the shitty first draft 

Isaac Asimov 

"The ordinary writer is bound to be assailed by insecurities as he writes....The ordinary writer is therefore always revising, always chopping and changing, always trying on different ways of expressing himself, and, for all I know, never being entirely satisfied."

Carolyn See

Henry James said, “What is character without action?” Your character doesn’t have to jump off a building, but what does he do when he’s moving? Where is he? What’s he doing? Cast him up in front of your eyes. He’s yours now. You own him. And from now on, it’s a combination of what he does and what you want him to do that’s going to make this character come alive.

James Joyce:

The more we are tied to fact and try to give a correct impression, the further we are from what is significant. In writing one must create an endlessly changing surface, dictated by the mood and current impulse in contrast to the fixed mood of the classical style. This is “Work in Progress.” The important thing is not what we write, but how we write, and in my opinion the modern writer must be an adventurer above all, willing to take every risk, and be prepared to founder in his effort if need be. In other words we must write dangerously: everything is inclined to flux and change nowadays and modern literature, to be valid, must express that flux.

Since this class is about short stories, Joy Williams gives her advice in Eight Essential Attributes of the Short Story and One Way it Differs from the Novel:

1) There should be a clean clear surface with much disturbance below.

2) An anagogical level.

3) Sentences that can stand strikingly alone.

4) An animal within to give its blessing.

5) Interior voices which are or become wildly erratically exterior.

6) A novel wants to befriend you, a short story almost never.

7) Control is necessary throughout. Constraints allow the short story to thrive.

8) The story's effect should utterly transcend the naturalness and accessibility of its situation and language.

9) A certain coldness is required in execution. It is not a form that gives itself to consolation but if consolation is offered it should come from an unexpected quarter.

Vonnegut's Rules for the Short Story

1. Use the time of a total stranger in such a way that he or she will not feel the time was wasted.

2. Give the reader at least one character he or she can root for.

3. Every character should want something, even if it is only a glass of water.

4. Every sentence must do one of two things–reveal character or advance the action.

5. Start as close to the end as possible.

6. Be a sadist. No matter how sweet and innocent your leading characters, make awful things happen to them–in order that the reader may see what they are made of.

7. Write to please just one person. If you open a window and make love to the world, so to speak, your story will get pneumonia.

8. Give your readers as much information as possible as soon as possible. To heck with suspense. Readers should have such complete understanding of what is going on, where and why, that they could finish the story themselves, should cockroaches eat the last few pages.

Reading Notes: Narayan's Ramayana, Section C

Image: Sugriva and Vali begin to fight. Source: Chithira Poomalai

Sugriva and Vali  

by Romesh Dutt

• poem format 
• Rama and Sugriva are friends/allies 
• Vali's wife Tara is begging her husband not to to start war
• tells him that he doesn't know what strength and forces that Sugriva has
• Tara tries to warn him that Sugriva has befriended Rama
• "Conscious strength, not hesitation, speaks in voice so proud and high"
• Tara urges Vali to make peace with Sugrive & become his companion 
• "Brother's love is trust safety, brother's hate is deadliest sin"
• Vali insists that he must fight Sugriva 
• Tara begins to cry as she prays for Vali 
• Vali then takes off to find Sugriva, "hissing like an angry cobra"
• Vali tells Sugriva that he is going to kill him; however, Sugriva disagrees and says that it is Vali who is going to die 

Rama hiding before he ambushes Vali and kills him. Source: wordpress

Vali's Death 

by: Romesh Dutt 

• written in poem format again
• both bleeding, but continue to fight 
• Rama has been hiding 
• In an ambush, he appears shoots his arrow at Vali 
• Vali is hit with the arrow and falls and dies 

Biography: A personal letter to myself

A story to myself whenever something in my life goes wrong: 

Kennedee,

You're reading this, well, because something has obviously not gone exactly how you pictured it to be. And for you- a perfectionist- I know that you are beating yourself up about whatever has happened. I know that you are frustrated and most likely upset with yourself, if you had any control over the situation, BUT, there are some things that you need to know.

·      You have overcome sooo much throughout your life- seriously, you’ve came out on top in so many aspects in which you weren’t dealt a good deck of cards. Think about the big picture of your life and ask yourself: “Is it really THAT big of a deal?”

·      You are smarter than you give yourself credit for

·      If you haven’t already, take whatever journal that you’ve been writing in and let out all of your frustrations. Turn on some music, whether it be country or Christian worship songs and sit alone in a room to take time to reflect on the situation

·      If you need to cry, it is absolutely okay. Get out all of the pain that you are feeling. Once you do that; however, you need to pick your head back up and keep moving

·      Remember your favorite quote:

Winnie the Pooh Quote. Source: Pinterest 

     You are so blessed and have come SO FAR in the last two years. Whatever this situation may be, know that you are not alone in it. Now, dry your eyes and smile, because life is a precious gift that is not promised from one day to the next! 


a Authors Note: 
       My reasoning for writing this letter to myself is because sometimes, I am my own worst critique. This quote that I put as my image is one that my sister Morgan sent to me my senior year of high school when I was going through a really tough time. This quote has stuck with me throughout college and has helped me in the greatest and hardest situations that I have encountered in life thus far. This quote by A.A. Mine is so special to me.