Tech Tip: Canvas Mobile App

I've recently downloaded the Canvas Mobile App onto my iPhone. The process was extremely easy for all it took was to go to the App store, search Canvas, download the app, put the University of Oklahoma in and you're good.

What I like about the app most is that I can see the files immediately. For example in my Molecular Biology class he puts all of his lectures annotated onto Canvas which I would normally have to down load on my computer to study, but with the app I am able to view it on my phone and study in places without having to have my lap top with me. I also like how it sends me notifications about assignments that I have and even gives me a to do list.

I'm surprised the app hasn't been more advertised and I'm only hearing about this now. This would have came in handy the past few years as well.

Overall: Great App no complaints in the least.

Learning Challenge: Observing Empathy

Recently in my life I have observed one specific person practicing more empathy than anyone else. The man I'm talking about is a pledge brother of mine named Chris and I've never seen someone truly care more about making another person feel comfortable in so many different ways. I've seen the man stay up late talking with another guy about his future when he was down. In this instance the guy was having a panic attack doubting everything in his life from his career, his happiness, and his relationship with his girlfriend. Although I was in the room trying to help as well, I hit a moment when I realized my empathy and words didn't have near the impact that Chris's did. It was because he truly felt the pain and wanted to relinquish our other friend of it. Another instance even though it was far back was Chris helping me. I was so far behind in a class and just couldn't seem to grasp the material. Chris completely understood the material and decided that his lack of sleep was worth helping me out. The man stayed up studying/tutoring me for hours into the night. By no means did he have to do that but I could tell he felt my stress and wanted to make me feel better. He had no incentive in doing this, rather he just cared about me just as he did the other night with my friend.

From some of Chris's actions I've learned that giving someone your time with full attention is one of the best gifts you can give someone. True empathy is sacrifice in my opinion because that means you are putting yourself in their shoes just to walk with them to a better place. What I have learned from Chris is that you are never too tired, too busy, too anything to give someone else your time when they are in a hurting state. For that I will be doing my best to give more people my full attention and input in times of struggle and the happy times as well. That in my mind is the best characteristic of empathy.

I found this picture describing Empathy as one on Flickr.

Growth Mindset: To Risk

A picture I created on Canva to express the meaning of my motto. 

I chose this motto because it is part of my favorite poem by William Arthur Ward. The poem is below.

I learned this poem on a spiritual retreat I took in high school called Kairos. I find it funny how somethings truly hit you in a moment and these words captured me back then and still do today. Although the entire poem is meaningful to me I chose "To live is to risk dying" as my motto for this blog post because in my life right now I feel that I am in my prime condition to live. I want to be doing as much as I possibly can with as many people as possible. I'm a firm believer in risking things and many times it doesn't work out. The true issue in life for me is doubt and regret. I don't want to regret not at least attempting to do something because I doubted it would work out in my favor. I'm not saying to be completely unreasonable but I really don't believe you are living if you don't feel the excitement in the moment. This is why I chose a picture of a man jumping because I have been cliff diving off of extreme heights and never felt more alive. Everyone dies so live in the moments you can.

William Arthur Ward   "To laugh is to risk appearing a fool, To weep is to risk appearing sentimental. To reach out to another is to risk involvement, To expose feelings is to risk exposing your true self. To place your ideas and dreams before a crowd is to risk their loss. To love is to risk not being loved in return, To live is to risk dying, To hope is to risk despair, To try is to risk failure. But risks must be taken because the greatest   hazard in life is to risk nothing. The person who risks nothing, does nothing, has nothing, is nothing. He may avoid suffering and sorrow, But he cannot learn, feel, change, grow or live. Chained by his servitude he is a slave who has forfeited all freedom. Only a person who risks is free. The pessimist complains about the wind; The optimist expects it to change; And the realist adjusts the sails."

To Live Is To Risk Dying. 

Feedback Strategies: Confident Feedback

Be a Mirror: Give Readers Feedback that Fosters a Growth Mindset

Although this article seems to be aimed at giving feedback to children, I felt that most of it could apply to a adults as well. One of the things I truly liked about this article is that you can shape someone into believing in themselves just by changing their mindset. Another thing I truly enjoyed was the idea of being "specific". One time I was writing a paper and I went to the teacher to ask for help. The teacher read the paper told me what I needed to change but overall said how much she loved it. That same paper I changed what was recommended and got a grade less than the average. I was shocked but I wish the teacher had been more specific in telling me what could have used some work instead of praising it in a false way. I also like the idea of taking yourself out of the picture when giving feedback. This might be a personal opinion but I feel that if you are comparing your work to another when giving feedback the person will now only try to resemble you rather than grow. I also feel the person might be let down in the sense they can't ever reach the other person's ability when that isn't what it is about at all. Overall, I thought this article was a positive influence in helping one convey how to positively give feedback.

Criticizing Praise 

This article talks about how praise is a judgment rather than a feedback. I have to say that I agree with it when it says that kids seek this praise for betterment of themselves but only in the sense they are pleasing someone. I would be lying if I said I wasn't looking for praise from people in my life with some tasks I performed rather than trying to just better myself. Yet I am conflicted off this article because I feel that praise really isn't given out too much in the sense that it is bad but rather I think its given out too much in the sense of manipulation. I think people will give praise or what they think is feedback just to train someone into doing good for themselves rather than the person who deserves to be criticized.

With these different articles in mind I would say I should probably give less feedback to people. I think unless people are working towards a common goal feedback could possibly work negatively. I have told people things look good when they could be better just because I am being selfish. I'm sure others (like the teacher above) do the same just because they don't want to truly analyze someones abilities or actions. I know this seems slightly negative but I feel it is true. I believe unless you truly are invested in a person then you shouldn't be giving feedback or unnecessary praise. I think I am going to try and give feedback no matter how small the issue only when I am truly confident in what I'm saying to the person. This way I don't leave the person trying to please me or leading the person on.

This is a picture I found to be representative of giving feedback in a confident manner of what is said. This image is from Wikimedia Commons. 

Topic Research: The Haunted Man and Ghost's Bargain, Time of the Ghost, and Beyond the Wall.

After last week I realized that I have the most interest in writing Horror stories. This doesn't necessarily mean Ghosts for now but then again ghosts allow a wide dimension for me to work with. After doing more research on different Ghost stories, I've come to the realization that if I want to write a good ghost story than I'm going to have to base it loosely off another one. The stories I write might even just be completely original but have some slight ties or references to another one. I might possibly do a story inspired by one of these even if there is no resemblance. This is only being said for now but I feel for me to truly enjoy this project then I must try to be as original as possible. That being said I did take some notes on some stories that interested me in my research this week.

The Haunted Man and the Ghost's Bargain

This story is the last of Charles Dicken's Christmas stories, and it really got my attention in the sense that it is kind of like a realization story. The tale is about a man named Redlaw who is given the ability to forget all of the wrongful things he has done in his life. He is given this opportunity by his phantom twin but it ends up making him angered along with it spreading to other people. In the end things are returned to normal after a realization of the way he should act. 

The reason I like this is because I was thinking I could base a story off this idea of realization but maybe in modern times. I might be able to use the ghost to show him two different routes of events that could occur in his life, kind of like a Christmas Carol. 

The Time of the Ghost

This story I truly didn't get that much from in terms of liking the plot but what I did really enjoy from this story was the aspect of time. I think this story I could slightly base one of my own off of because I want to do a modern type story and this one actually involves someone from the future. In this ghost story it is a girl observing her family seven years after an accident in which she has no recollection of what has happened since then. In this I was thinking I could possibly have this ghost story be changed to a suicide instance where a character sees how people reacted to the death. I know this sounds slightly like the Christmas Carol thing again, but I was thinking I could add the twist of her seeing how much happier people were that she was gone and being able to get revenge. 

This is an image of Ebenezer Scrooge from Loren Javier on Flickr. This picture expresses my interest in writing a  "come to realization" type story. 

Beyond the Wall 

In this story it is a man narrating a story to his friend about how him and another woman would exchange knocks on a wall. The man was attracted to this woman and enjoyed knocking until it stopped for a long time despite him continuing to knock for some time. Without receiving a response for some time, he stopped only to hear one knock a long time in between which he found out was the lady on her death bed. The reason I enjoyed this stories plot was because I felt I could do something in my stories along the lines of mystery. In this story there is mystery why the knocking stopped or why the lady wanted to knock before she died. I was thinking I could possibly do a ghost story in which there is not haunting involved but rather a ghost just showing its presence. I couldn't tell you exactly why this story inspired me of this but possibly it was the casualness about it. I think I could copy the casualness into giving a chilling story that creeps up on you or even leaving the ghost's intentions not understood at all. 

Week 3 Story: Follow Your Soul

Follow Your Soul

There one was a leader of a group of college kids who found the perfect deal in celebrating their summer break in Vegas. The group went and checked into their Hotel as smooth as possible. The group had no set plans of any kind so when they saw a promotion that read “Follow your Soul to the best pool party with music you won’t forget”. They were all immediately interested.

The group decided that this pool party was the perfect thing to do.

Upon reaching the area where the pool party was located, one of the people in the group noticed how everything was closed off so that there was only one way of entering and leaving the facility. He assumed this was just the best way to keep the line in order.

Upon what seemed like an eternity of waiting in line in the hot blistering sun, the group finally all reached the party where they found there was no DJ or any music. One of the people in the group asked a worker in the club “Why are you wearing ear plugs there is no music? The advertisement also said there would be music?”

The worker did not respond with his voice, instead all he did was point to a clock that showed a timer ticking down in front of a giant stage.

Assuming the weird behavior was just part of the excitement to come, the person in the group told everyone about the timer. When the timer had reached 5 minutes to go the group all went to the main pool in front of the stage where the music was supposed to come from.

As everyone was splashing around and enjoying the main pool the timer hit 10 seconds where everyone screamed a count down. Once the timer hit zero, the most beautiful voice came about with the perfect feel from a melody. It was like the audience had never heard music before and it caused everyone to slowly become put into a trance like state. The music was hypnotizing the group with its beautiful essence.

Suddenly the beautiful voice started commanding the people to “Follow your Soul, Follow your Ears, Follow the Drain”. As soon as this started, the beautiful voice repeated it to the music.

Everyone in the college group along with everyone else at this pool party began to follow this beautiful voice in the most calm way imaginable. One by one the people started walking towards the giant drain. This drain was extremely loud from sucking everything and everyone in it yet no one heard nor cared due to only hearing the beautiful voice. As the first person reached the giant drain it immediately sucked the person through like a giant vacuum

Everyone in the pool party saw what happened, but no one seemed to care. Everyone was focused on following the sweet melodic voice.

One by one everyone, except the workers, was sucked up by the giant drain until there remained no one left to hear the beautiful voice. In fact it turned out all of the workers had now walked to the main stage wearing their ear plugs even though it had now gone completely silent in the place.

“Follow your Soul, Follow your Ears, Follow the Drain.” They all said together yet no one was there to hear for the college group and the rest of the people in attendance of the pool party were never seen again.

Vegas Pool party from Wikimedia Commons

Authors Note:

This story is based off the section “Passing the Sirens” from Homer’s Odyssey translated by Tony Kline into English in 2004. In “Passing of the Sirens” there is a group of men sailing a ship near what is known as the Sirens. The sirens have a beautiful voice and song in which they would guide ships into wrecking. In the story, Odysseus put beeswax in the people’s ears in order for them to not be distracted, but he also had them tie him to a mast of the ship so he could hear the song yet not cause any harm to the ship. Although in the story the sirens didn’t affect all the crew, I wrote this story in a horror sense where the characters in the college group were sucked up and never seen again. The voice that is heard from the music in the Vegas pool party is supposed to represent the Sirens, but in my version the only ones who were unaffected were the workers who covered their ears like Odysseus’ crew.

Bibliography: 

"Passing the Sirens" from Homer's Odyssey, translated into English by Tony Kline. (2004).

Reading Notes: Part B, Homer's Odyssey, The Sirens, Scylla, and Charybdis

What I liked most about this story was the characters. I felt like I could redesign them or make them characters of my own in a story I would write. When I went to Vegas there were these giant pool parties in which people are dancing wildly and listening to these sweet sounding electronic songs. I was thinking what if I created a story using a character like the Sirens (which could be the music at these type of clubs) and it drags them to a giant monster in the pool like Scylla and Charybdis. As I've said in past posts I want to modernize most of the stories I write so I feel like these characters would be a perfect disaster story in modern times. I could possibly write out descriptive lyrics for a song like the Siren's. I would also be able to change the ending to be more disastrous than them escaping and what not. 

As I mentioned in Part A of my reading notes, I love the description that is provided in these stories. I think to truly capture the intensity of the beautiful sound though it could have been described a tad better which I would do. I was thinking maybe I could describe the drains to be like Charybdis sucking you into them as some type of horror story. I would describe actions of the terror through similes just as Homer did in the case of these monster's attacks. I think I would also make the main character of the story have a little more personal relationship described so that way I could really capture the harshness in losing members to the monsters. 

Overall these characters were easily relatable to me and I feel that I could truly expand on them in a modernized way to create an adventure/horror story. 

This is a picture of Scylla & Charybdis versus Brittain which I chose because it is different like how I would like to tell the story. I found it on Wikimedia Commons

Bibliography: 

Homer's Odyssey, translated by Tony Kline into English (2004)

Wikipedia Trail: From Cyclops to Cap of Invisibility

Cyclops

In my reading for this week, I read about the escape of Odysseus from the big angry Cyclops. This grabbed my curiosity to look it up as the first page of my Wikipedia trail. I knew he was one of the biggest characters in the Odyssey but I thought I might try to find some random things about cyclopes that I never knew. One thing I learned about is that Homer isn't the only one who has written about Polyphemus. In fact the page said that one of the possible origins of tales for cyclopes as a whole was that they originated from the blacksmiths because they would wear an eye patch to keep sparks from hitting their eyes. Overall my curiosity lead me to Polyphemus' family line which has his parents as Poseidon and Thoosa.

Cyclops from Wikimedia Commons

Poseidon

I've heard of Poseidon many times before in different classes I've taken so when I saw his name on the Cyclops page I couldn't help but be lead to this page. I knew he was the God of the Seas but this page taught me that he was also the God of earthquakes and horses. I also found that he was the second son of Cronus and Rhea. Honestly the page didn't excite me as much so after seeing that Hades was his brother I went to his page as well.

Hades

Remembering Hades from the Hercules movie I had seen so many times as a child I was lead to this page. I knew he was the Greek God of the Underworld but I also learned that his name is usually seen to mean "The Unseen One". I also remembered his carriage from the movie and learned that his carriage by tale is actually drawn by 4 black horses. Being a huge Harry Potter fan I saw that Hades was known to have a "Cap of Invisibility".

Cap of invisibility

Embarrassing enough, I thought that this originally said "Cape" instead like Harry Potter's so this is why I clicked on this page. Although the item was actually a helmet, I learned that Hades possessed a helmet that made him turn invisible much like the cape did in Harry Potter. On this page I learned that in mythology the only users of the cap were Hades, Athena, Perseus, and Hermes.

Reading Notes: Reading A , Homer's Odyssey, The Cyclops Defeated

In reading the section of the Cyclops being defeated it was hard to not notice the extreme detail that allowed the reader to truly visualize what exactly was taking place. I think it is important as a writer to use things such as similes and metaphors because it helps bring the idea to the mind easier. He also does a great job of describing things that apply to our senses. For example he describes the taste of the wine to wear I almost felt as if I were drinking wine. I also think the use of speech needs to be descriptive as well in what they are saying to each other.

In a manner of me writing a story like this one I would probably use the ironic name like Homer did. I think the "nobody" name is hilarious and a critical detail of the story which I would like to put in my story. Whether its his name or another aspect I come up with, there needs to be a key detail like this that brings the wittiness to life. In recreating this story I would possibly try to change the Cyclops villain aspect to maybe a talking animal of some sort. I was thinking the character could be rather unintelligent like the Cyclops along with ugly looking. I was thinking maybe have him be like a "King Kong" type character some how and possibly using bananas that were poisoned instead of wine to trick him.

Another thing that I liked from this story was how brutal it is with describing the violence. I think that to fully express how dangerous the situation is you have to describe the violent actions as did Homer. I would need to mention if the scene turns bloody or the action of stabbing and what not. I was thinking if using the "King Kong" type character of maybe having him drown instead of be blinded so I would have to describe the pains of drowning.

Overall the main note I can make to be successful in writing a story mirroring this one would be: USE DETAIL. In every aspect this is what makes this story so amazing.

King Kong from Pixabay

Bibliography:

Odyssey: The Cyclops Defeated from Homer's Odyssey, translated into English by Tony Kline (2004)