Feedback Thoughts

Growth-From the Feedback Padlet

John Spencer's Seven Ways to Crush Self-Doubt: There were some really great points in this article that I could completely relate to. First of all, I always compare myself to others. I have found that as I get older I have been better at not comparing myself to others, but I still do it quite often. Perfectionism sort of follows that line of growth, but like I said, I am doing better as I get older. I am fairly good at being vulnerable and embracing growth mindsets, so at least I have control over a couple of helpful tips. Setting goals within my control is also something that I take pride in, but the final two tips are the things I need to work on the most. Those include treating my work like an experiment, and trusting myself. Hopefully as this semester progresses I can work on these things. 

Joel Almeida's Rewire Your Self Critical Brain: There was some really good advice in how REBS can help you to focus on treating setbacks as just a temporary blip. REBS stands for reality-based self-congratulation. It was helpful to think of it as rebelling against your harsh/critical self. When you think of rebelling, you want to associate it with a negative thing, but in this case it is a positive. Overall, you can look at life in the present if you just follow some fairly simple steps. Lastly, I appreciate how the article ends with saying that everyone is worthy of respect and love.

Life can be really difficult, and sometimes hearing the reality from yourself and others can be really challenging. As someone who suffers with anxiety and depression, I have had to learn a lot of methods to make sure I stay grounded and know the reality of the situation. It is easy to get down on yourself, but it also isn't as difficult as it seems to smile. 

Topic Brainstorm

One: My first idea, that I am very excited about, brings together my love of storytelling and the medical field. I would like to create "patient charts" for characters in stories. Just like in the E.R. I would write down the stories of the characters and diagnose them with things such as happiness, love, or death depending on the stories ending. With this, I would have the opportunity to choose stories from all categories and play with my medical knowledge as well as have fun with original stories.

Two: For this example I would focus on the Biblical Saints of Christianity. I would basically create a site for people or animals in need. I would connect the different nonprofits around the world to each saint and essentially make the saints the face of said organizations. For example, Saint Francis would represent the homeless community. Therefore, his page would be all about homeless shelters. I would connect the original stories by using them as examples of people who he had helped benefit from the services of his organization that he represents. 

Three: This topic would be a version that was inspired by Mickey's House of Villains.  As I was babysitting three little girls, I realized that the show they were watching could help me to create my project. Like my first topic, I would be able to use whatever stories I wanted in this project, as I would focus only on the villains of each story. I would create each page by rewriting the original stories not only from the view point of the villains, but also that made them appear more relatable. The villains will complain about how their opponents are annoying and receive praise for no good reasons. 

Four: For this last example, I would essentially create an online recipe book for certain endings. For example, if a story ends with marriage, then the recipe for love would be a "dash of fate that leads to Mary being forced to the palace," and then a "pinch of a couple days of nursing the Basilisk." Again, I would be able to use just about any story I would like, which would allow for my project to not only be diverse in storybook endings, but also in culture as well. 

The Recipe For.....by OpenClipart-Vectors

Week 2 Story: Mother, Mary, and Man

I chose the story of The Three Roses, part of Josef Baudis's The Key of Gold (1922) because I found the relationship between a mother and daughter to be refreshing. In many tales of the past, there is a focus on a male main character, or at least a wise father figure, and so I was interested in this change. I decided to tell the story from the point of view of the daughter, Mary. 

Mother, Daughter and Roses

As mother walked into the door my excitement immediately turned into fright. I had never seen her is such distress. She looked as if she had aged 100 years in just a short journey's time. I thought the worst had already been seen, but little did I know that the worst was yet to be said.

"You must go child, or my life will be taken."

When mother spoke those words, I knew I had to show no emotion. After what she had been through already, my sadness would do nothing but bring more harm. And so I followed her back to the palace of the Basilisk. It was strange how such a beautiful palace surrounded by roses could be home to a thorn. If only I hadn't asked for a silly flower. I try to be a simple girl, but this time I wished I had just followed my sisters. 

As I walked into my new home I realized that I now had everything that I would ever want, except my family. Although, I was not able to mourn for long, as the beast swiftly made his way to my side with demands. I was confused by his request of nursing for three hours a day, but I thought it better to oblige with my master instead of be slain. 

The routine continued until the third day. On this day, he came in with a sword in his beak. It was the sharpest sword I had ever laid eyes on, and it looked heaver than stone. 

"You will cut off my head dear girl, or consequences will lead to your death." 

At first I was quite hesitant, but I thought it best to kill than to be killed. I took the sword from his beak and looked him in the eyes. I couldn't help but back away and admire the beast one last time before swinging with all of my might at his neck. 

Immediately I saw something other than blood emerge from his neck... it was serpent. Without hesitation, I silenced it's hissing by swinging again and slicing his head off as well. I then heard the cling of keys hit the palace floor, as a beam of light emerged from the lifeless body of the two creatures I had slain. 

Suddenly, a beautiful man emerged from the light and spoke with sweetness, "My sweet Mary, your sacrifice has delivered me again. You nursed me to health, and you freed me from the beasts. I have no choice but to happily take you hand in marriage." 

When I realized what I had done I was overcome with joy. We wed promptly, and had the most glorious ceremony of all time. Best of all, I saw my mother again, back to health and more cheerful than ever. 

Reading Notes-Week 2: Anthology

The Key of Gold by Josef Baudis (1922)

The Three Roses:

• I was immediately drawn in by the title of the story as well as the background information provided. 
• The "Once Upon A Time..." aspect of the story formula portion also was an intriguing tidbit. 
• The vagueness of the items that the other two sisters want is an interesting way to have the reader think of something that they associate as a feminine gift, as opposed to deciding what the gifts are for the reader.
• The mother showed no hesitation to the third daughters request, and was willing to pull herself up through exhaustion just to get the gifts for her daughters. 
• The vivid descriptions of the roses really highlighted the main object of the three roses without forcing the reader to have no personal imagination. 
• The story makes a harsh turn that comes without much description or warning when the main antagonist, the Basilisk, comes and demands the woman's daughter in exchange for the picked roses.  
• An interesting use of overtly harsh words are used when describing the punishment of not giving the Basilisk what he wants. 
• It is surprising that the mother's emotions are not shown, and yet the daughter's lack of emotions are pointed out.  
• It is also interesting that the two greedy daughters are not mentioned again in the tale. 
• It is strange that Mary must nurse the Basilisk as a sort of payment for her stay at the castle, but yet again Mary doesn't seem to put up much of a fight.
• I was surprised that the Basilisk used violence in order to force Mary to commit an act of violence, not once, but twice. 
• Mary is less hesitant to cut off the head of the serpent, but there is not a clear given reason as to why she was more hesitant about the Basilisk head she had previously cut off. 
• A little bit of information is thrown in regarding the keys to the castle before the big transformation of the groom. This gives the reader more closure overall alongside the final sentence of the great wedding. 

Three Roses of Love by Pernilla Rydmark

*I chose this image of three roses because like Permilla states on her Flikr caption, they commonly represent the three words "I Love You." I found it interesting that the roses could symbolize either the love between mother and daughter, or daughter and beast-turned-human. 

Week 2 Reading Overview

Choose from CLASSICAL and/or BIBLICAL units for Weeks 3 and 4.
Week 3: Jewish Fairy Tales

Week 4: Apuleius's Cupid and Psyche

Choose from MIDDLE EASTERN and/or INDIAN units for Weeks 5 and 6.
Week 5: Turkish Fairy Tales

Week 6: Persian Tales

Choose from ASIAN and/or AFRICAN units for Weeks 7 and 9. [Week 8 is review week.]
Week 7: Tibetan Folk Tales

Week 9: Japanese Fairy Tales (Ozaki)

Choose from NATIVE AMERICAN units for Weeks 10 and 11.
Week 10: Native American Marriage Tales

Week 11: American Indian Fairy Tales

Choose from BRITISH and/or CELTIC units for Weeks 12 and 13.
Week 12: Alice in Wonderland

Week 13: Faerie Queen - Britomart

Choose from EUROPEAN units for Weeks 14 and 15.
Week 14: Dante's Inferno

Week 15: Russian Folktales

I am really excited to start reading all of these unique stories. I wanted to read some originals that are more well known such as Alice in Wonderland, as long as some other Tales from around the globe that I am unfamiliar with. Considering my previous enrollment in Indian Epics, I tried to avoid repeating any stories that I have already read, just to broaden my horizons. I am also looking forward to asking my boyfriend about some Polish stories that he heard growing up so that I might make some suggestions. 

Thank You Note for Every Language by woodleywonderworks

I chose this photo for my post because I think it is important to remember that the majority of these stories were not written in English. As a religious studies major, I am always very appreciative of original texts in their primary languages. Some words cannot be translated exactly into English, and so we must keep that in mind when reading texts. However, there is such a beauty that surrounds the idea of multiple languages representing a single story. It is amazing that people around the globe now have access to wonderful stories in their own language. 

Time Strategies

After looking at The Myth of "Too Busy" and 3 Steps to Recapture again, I can honestly say that my time management skills have really improved. I unfortunately had to take the MCAT this past summer in order to apply to medical school, and so my time management had to be nearly perfect. I had to juggle 15 hours of my classes at OU along with 12 hours a week of MCAT online classes for over four months. My sanity was tested, but time management ultimately was my saving grace in keeping my mind sharp and my mental health decent. Comparing my past time management skills to the current, I can say that these who articles just solidified my confidence that I am moving in the right direction.

Improvement is Key!

Technology

I must admit that when taking Indian Epics in the past, I was terrified about all of the technology and tools that I had not ever used before. Now, I can honestly say that I look forward to using Blogger and other things that I became surprisingly familiar with. I did not think that I would be able to do things as well as I had liked in the previous class, but now I know that the tools actually aren't that complicated and that I can use some technology that I would have considered way too advanced for me in the past with ease. I am excited to see how much better my project and assignments will be now that I have a little bit more experience under my belt.

A Good Ole' Apple Computer

Assignments

I am really looking forward to this class, especially after taking Indian Epics previously. I really enjoy the freedom and flexibility of how this class is structured. In Indian Epics, I loved the storybook project the most. I also really love writing, and so I thoroughly enjoy the opportunity to take a storyline and twist it into something new.  Project feedback really helped me to move my project forward previously, and so I am going to use that extra credit opportunity to try to do so for others as well. Just like in Indian Epics, extra credit is always something that I like to take advantage of, and so I will most likely find myself doing some extra reading this semester!

A Picture of My Dog Jessie: This is a Representation of the Smile I have when Someone Gives me Constructive Criticism 

Growth Mindset

Considering I have previously had Professor Gibbs's Indian Epics class I can recall the Growth Mindset assignment, however, I have had an abundance of assignments in between. Therefore, I decided to revisit the videos as well as my post from last year to see how my viewpoint has changed. I really like that this assignment is something that can be taken into many different branches by each student. For me, one example that I pointed out in my previous blog from Carol Dweck that is so relatable is the overwhelming feeling as a student to achieve an A despite the lack of actual learning and/or retention. I think life overall can have this issue in which we are trying so hard to achieve a goal or reach a point of success, that we don't actually realize what it takes to get to that place or what is learned along the way. Of course this isn't always the case, and in fact I really like the example of  practice in sports or performing arts in order to get to a championship or competition. I know that I personally can say from an athletes point of view that "just getting an A" doesn't cut it. As a golfer, I had to practice or I wouldn't be invited to a regional, conference, or state tournament. Therefore, if I were to slack off, I wouldn't even get the opportunity to fail! Thankfully, I can say that I feel that I am growing as a person and find myself stopping to smell the roses instead of zooming along in life just to get to an end point. Sometimes in life we metaphorically can be stuck by a few thorns along the way to our goals, but overall that can help us grow as people as well. 

Stop and Smell the Roses by April 6/17/11

Introduction to the Eclectic Megan

Hello all!
My name is Megan Renee Palmer and I am a senior this year at OU. My major is religious studies, and I am also a Pre-Medical student. I started off as a biology major, but after taking courses with Dr. Kimball and Dr. Hicks-Keeton, I found my love for religious studies to be major worthy. I enjoy the opportunities to take non-math/science based classes that give my brain a change with courses that interest the other half of my mind. For example, one of my favorite classes I have ever taken is The History of Heaven and Hell. Professor Shepkaru did a spectacular job in keeping the three hour, once a day course interesting and engaging. I highly recommend taking at least one class of his or the other two professors I mentioned previously, as all of them had classes that flew by because I enjoyed them so much.

In regards to my future plans, my plan is to go to medical school (podiatry school specifically). I find weird/gross medical procedures fascinating and luckily have been exposed to some pretty awesome experiences in person thanks to multiple volunteer opportunities in an E.R., wound care center, children's hospital, and many more. Blood, smells, and puss doesn't bother me one bit! I also plan on getting certification for certain cosmetic procedures post doctorate in things such as nerve mapping, varicose vein dyeing, and amputee reconstructive surgery. Not only do I enjoy the anomalies of the human body, but I also want to make people feel better both physically and mentally. Especially in regards to their legs and feet, people get very insecure about their abnormalities. I want to help provide relief so that they can live their lives not having to worry about hiding who they are or what they have, Everyone is beautiful in my opinion, but I want to help others feel that about themselves.

Speaking of insecurities, I have a few faults of my own. About four years ago I was diagnosed with body dysmorphic disorder, anxiety, and depression. Anxiety and depression unfortunately run in my family and is a genetic/chemical issue, however, the B.D.D. stems from a rather dark time in my life where I struggled with an eating disorder (as well as over working out) due to bullying in my grade-school years. Thankfully, I have God and my family by my side. I won't go into the personal details, but with their help, I am doing much better than I was and overall I am much healthier.

Now that all of the deep, heavy stuff is out of the way... I'm now going to talk about my favorite activity. I love to golf and I have been golfing since I was 11 years old. It is so relaxing yet challenging and I enjoy spending family time on the course. Not to mention, Top Golf is much more fun when you know what you're doing! I'm really close to my family, especially my older brother who is an OU graduate/current Putnam City West teacher and my cousin who is three days younger than me. She goes to OSU (sadly) and somehow we actually ended up being sorority sisters as well! Golf is a great way for us to spend a few hours together just enjoying each others company as well as some friendly competition.

I of course have to include something about my precious dogs. I have a Yorkshire terrier named Jessie and a Bishon Frise named Mia. Jessie is an 12 year old princess who weights a whopping 6 lbs. She still acts like a puppy and she is my sunshine on a cloudy day. She has the most adorable face in the entire world and I love her so much. I got her on Easter three years ago from my grandparents. Her original owner passed away from cancer, and the husband wanted to give Jessie away, as she was just a reminder of his deceased wife. She had a rough time adjusting in her new home as an older dog at first, but by now she knows that she is spoiled rotten and that she will forever receive constant love and attention from her second mommy. I also have my angel Mia who is 13 years old and is blind. She has cataracts, but her retinas are detached as well. She is my childhood dog and I love her with all of my heart. She is the biggest sweetheart you'll ever meet. Plus, not many people can say that their dog has an afro! I also have to mention that I am the proud aunt of Colt and Jack, the two craziest blue-heeler mixes that you'd ever meet. I am also the god-mother/aunt of the biggest pet bunny I have ever seen named Thumper.

                                 Jessie and Mia on their way to Remington Bark 2017    
                    

                                               Colt, Jack and Thumper Cuddling the Day Away 

Lastly, I am going to be the typical 20 year old girl and brag about my super sweet boyfriend. He recently moved all the way from Florida to Oklahoma just to live by me! He was born in New York, New York and is 100% Polish. He speaks Polish fluently and most importantly can cook traditional dishes. I believe I talked about how much his family has influenced my new found love for Poland in a previous post, so feel free to check that out as well! He is a tall, red head and he has the most true, ocean blue eyes I have ever seen. Even though he is a total Pokemon nerd at 24 years old, I couldn't be happier with my total goofball boyfriend.

Honestly, I could type all day about my life and the things I love, but I'm afraid I have to save some things for later. Overall, I am an artsy, crafty, book-loving, sappy, horror-movie hating, Lany and Billie Eillish listening, animal loving, sporty, emotional 20 year old young woman. I guess you could say that I am an all around type of girl, but there is nothing wrong with being eclectic right?

Three Storybook Favorites

Looking through the archives of random projects from both classes, I could see that not only were there projects that I had explored before from taking Indian Epics in the past but also my own project! However, I decided it would be helpful to find three projects that I had not seen before. 

One: The Brave Hedgehog 

I was immediately drawn to this story because I absolutely love hedgehogs! In fact, I have a large tattoo of a hedgehog on the right side of my ribcage.  I really loved the overall layout of the project and enjoyed the introduction that explained just how this project was going to be presented through the eyes of these adorable little creatures. I also appreciated the explanation of how the life of a hedgehog or hedgehogs could relate to the stories within the course. 

This is a picture of my hedgehog/lotus tattoo on my right side. I had it done at ZSR Gallery Tattoo in South Oklahoma City by an artist named Matt. 

Two:  A Whole New World

This story title caught my eye because Aladdin happens to be my favorite Disney movie. I liked the recap that the author provided on the introduction page of the storybook project because I know that not all readers are as obsessed with Aladdin as I am, and may not be familiar with the original characters. One of my favorite things to do last semester was to take an original story and combine it with something more modern (like Aladdin) in order to make it more relatable or even readable to people of this generation, and so I really appreciated the overall storybook project. 

Three: Toto's Adventures in Oz

Yet again my eye was caught by a story that I absolutely loved as I was growing up. The Wizard of Oz is a classic story that is easily relatable to many other stories and so I can see why it was chosen as a platform for this project. The pictures of Toto were icing on the cake in my opinion, but I may be biased because I am a yorkie owner. The author did a great job in using a variety of descriptive words in each page of the site and I look forward to visiting this project again in the future for some inspiration for my own. 

Favorite Places: The Best of Both Countries

Why choose one when you could choose two? Although India and Poland seem to be polar opposites, they are the two places I want to visit so badly. 

 Akshardham Temple in Delhi, India By Russ Bowling                                https://www.flickr.com/photos/robphoto/2727868694

As a religious studies major, I love to learn about how countries are influenced by religions, and I have to admit that the influence of religion in India is by far one of the most fascinating in my opinion. My love for India and it's culture started far before my decision to become a religious studies major. When I was a young girl, I read a book series Tiger's Curse by Colleen Houck. Long story short, I finished the entire series in two days. I hope that one day in the future I can visit, along with my cousin who also fell in love with the culture through books.

   Akshardham Temple in Delhi, India By Russ Bowling

                                     

Poland Coat of Arms

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Coat_of_arms-poland.svg

Poland may seem like a strange place for a twenty-one year old girl to choose as a desired place to visit, and I cannot say that it is a normal choice. However, Poland holds a special place in my heart. My boyfriend is Polish and his mother immigrated to the U.S. from Poland when she was only 18. His family is very set in their traditions and although I am still learning, I fell in love with their culture and language. My boyfriend had a difficult time regarding mental illness two summers ago, and after spending nearly two months in Poland, his entire life changed for the better. I can honestly say that I feel like I owe this beautiful country my boyfriend's life. We "joke" about having a honeymoon in Poland, but both of us know in hour hearts that we most likely will go there after all.