Epics

Mahabharata- Exile of Pandavanas http://ouocblog.blogspot.com/2008/12/pde-mahabharata-second-match.html A woman born of fire? Draupadi is a queen before she is even knowing that her existence has come into life. The imagery of who this queen is astounds me and I am so excited to finally be getting to hear//read more about her. She is fierce. She is wild. She is radiant. So much can be said of her character and I haven't even gotten to parts C and D of the Mahabharata just yet. I am so hoping that I am able to try and get caught up this week... I feel so far behind. Draupadi is set to be wed to the five Pandavana brothers, whom she seems to be gladly willing. I myself, cannot imagine being passed around a fire for five different men; it does say that the brothers were given slave women. Are the implications for that, that the brothers were to be satisfied sexually by the slave girls? I do not know. Yudhishthira was a good and wise rule, the eldest of the brothers. Until

Let Me Tell You Somethin' Bout Nothin' This gal, Sita, is something else. I finally finished up all of the Ramayana and I just have to say it, "What the heck was the war fought for if all Rama was going to do is throw out what he was fighting for?!" Oh, how very frustrating. And then, then  Sita has to be all curt and coi, submissive and yielding. I wouldn't walk into fire for vindication. I was listening to Dr. Gibbs recordings and got excited and anxious to finish the story. I anticipated... something else. I am unsure of what, but where are the heroines at?! Sita is was feminine movements are made of? No, that's just regurgitating the same-old, same-old nonsense of how No Matter What, your efforts amounts to a  whole bunch of garbage about virtues being thrown in your face. *I am extra tired  and cranky from a long week of single-mothering two kiddos with the plague.  Don't forget to wash your hands, y'all. Poor, poor Ravana never gets what he

Ravana http://ouocblog.blogspot.com/2010/02/pde-ramayana-battle-of-rama-and-ravana.html Ramayana: Part D Rama attacks, laying siege to Lanka. Ravana still refuses to yield Rama's beloved Sita. The war must now continue. Ravana tries to fool Sita, saying that Rama has perished, bringing her counterfeits of Rama's head and weapons. As soon as Ravana leaves, the clones disappear completely and Sita is soon relieved. There is confusion of war. Hanuman scales the walls of Lanka again and sees the cost of what is happening. This kind of reminds me of the story  of Troy, where this huge war is fought over a bride. It seems that many can become so exceptionally fickle regarding other humans. As far as I am concerned, Ravana knew that the bride Sita, belonged rightfully to Rama and that also, the  God's so very obviously favored Rama. This invariably ends with Ravana losing his son, who also fights Rama, but dies.  Ravana desires to kill Sita in response to  his su

Ramayana Part C: (notes) Hanuman, Rama, and Lakshmana attack Ravana http://ouocblog.blogspot.com/2014/07/image-hanuman -rama-and-lakshmana-attack.html To return Sita to her beloved Rama. The stage is set with so much disarray and turmoil. This poor goddess woman ripped from him by Ravana... Sampati http://ouocblog.blogspot.com/2010/07/pde- ramayana-they-reach-sea.html Rama and Monkey King, Sugriva join as friends with common suffering- both wives were taken from them. Sugriva will help, if Rama can help him defeat Voli first. Voli's wife, Tara, begs Voli to change his mind and make peace but he refuses; he is shot and killed by Rama's arrow.  Sugriva betrays Rama and does not pursue Sita with quick purpose. He instead enjoys his many wives and victories.  Sampati, vulture,  tells of how  he has seen Sita in Lanka, raped by Ravana.  Link: The Ashoka Grove  http://ouocblog.blogspot.com/2010/07/pde-ramayana-ashoka-grove.html Sita is vi

Dark Princess Draupadi and Dharma ~The Winding Course Draupadi and dushasan scene https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Draupadi Who is she? Supposedly, she is the most important Hindu character of the Mahabharata, born of sacrificial fire; sacred and seemingly secretive,  Draupadi emerges from the sacred fire to bring  the destruction of the Kuru line.  What is it about this woman that brings thoughts of revenge, justice, honor, patriarchy, and so many more implications.  Stories Yama Dharma and Draupadi's Decisions Consequences of Love Dharma for Draupadi Draupadi's Exile Link: http://iereadingguides.blogspot.com/2014/06/overview-divakaruni-palace-of-illusions.html The Dark Princess https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Draupadi I honestly am so very excited about this project and how this character reflects Dharma. Of course, I don't know every  facet  of the project, how it will turn out, or if it will even be any good. What I have now is a super

I Am So Glad Last Week  Is OVER Disney Mural Progress Update- Picture taken by Blue My "Famous Last Words" for the  previous week is an elaborate array of expletives and on exhausted, "I made it!" Come to think of it, I've probably quit college a couple of times already this semester; something  always seems to help pull me through though. I  can't have my girls thinking that it's okay to be giving  up on their goals and such, right?  Outside of school, my eldest has a newly and first, very wiggly tooth. It is quite the subject of conversation for our weekend.  My youngest Emmy,  was having such a rough time with this terrible cough, poor baby. One of the rough parts of being a parent is having to sit back and watch your kiddo struggle with  something that you can't just fix; it is such a bummer and breaks my heart. This coming weekend, we have a Girl Scouts camping trip at an alpaca farm. That sounds super fun and I know Lissy will ha

https://www.theexceptionalskills.com/eat-that-frog-summary/ H.E.A.R.T. The subject matter is new to me. First, I will start by reminding myself of the  acronym: Health//Happiness Empathy Attention Reading Time Link: The Secret Powers of Time https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A3oIiH7BLmg There are time zones of perspective. Are you living in the past, present, or future? When you think of the past, are you focusing on what was good or the regrets? To think in the  future, you will need to learn trust. As little babies, we think hedonistically, instinctually  within the preset; We want food and we don't want to be in pain. Continually living this way would mean that  we would not make plans for our futures and it seems, to me, that patterns would perpetuate- never ending in the  monotony of  non-growth. The speaker talked of how only 20% of families have regular sit-down meals together. Yet, we'd like to imagine ourselves in a society that is family orien

http://growthmindsetmemes.blogspot.com/2016/05/ english-it-takes-time-for-potential-to.html It is so very easy to get  discouraged with  all the hustle and bustle that life can throw one's way. The reminder to warmly encourage those challenges, as well as allowing  myself  time to prosper is such a sigh of relief. Link: Sprouts: Learning With Passion and Enthusiasm https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JawhTCCbVZM&vl=en As the weeks go buy, I would  like to explore this more. I understand that it is likely that I  can absorb information and learn better when I am filled with excitement and passion for said project//objective; The problem here is with finding that "joy" when I am down- depression sure can kick focus and productivity on it's tuckus. What I found interesting about the video linked above, when we are expecting something good to happen, we can pay attention easier and with excitement and/or anticipation. (The purchases of "nice" things fee

Why Feedback Is So Important: What I love the most about this assignment is how  feedback is placed in a positive and constructive light. There is so much that I run into, that it seems when someone asks me for feedback or what I think of something they've  done, what they are really asking is, "Can you praise me on my efforts and please don't say anything needs fixings- tell me its perfect! " I was sincerely just thinking about that that this afternoon  when I'd  made composition feedback for some artists that I work with musically: It is such a bummer that so many artists get defensive or defeated when you offer critiques. Feedback Gallery: Link:https://canvas.ou.edu/courses/59823/external_tools/6248 What I appreciate most from the feedback gallery are these specific bullets: Point out anything confusing Suggest ways to expand Be  specific on what to fix and why -Feed4Ward- https://www.cultofpedagogy.com/feedforward/ I also really enjoyed,

Brainstorming Project Topics:      When going through the lists pf possible topics that I could use for my storybook, these four stuck out to me the most and quickly: death stories, love stories, women of the epics, and my favorite- dharma.  http://iereadingguides.blogspot.com/2017/08/project- idea-death-stories.html Death Stories:  The appeal of writing up a storybook that can capture the attention of readers seems important and intriguing. I do not have much knowledge of a majority of these topics, but I would like to learn and am willing to do so. Paying attention to the dramatics of perishing, as well as the consequences of this, are so very interesting. I wonder what makes//encourages//inspires people to act in certain fashions; I hop that the search through all these stories can help do that also. Yama, the Hindu God of death is certainly a good starting place and wildly fascinating.  Link(1): http://iereadingguides.blogspot.com/2017/08/project-idea-death-st

Picture taken by me of a beautiful path in Mexico So, my plan for this project is still in its infancy stages. I know that I would like to discuss Dharma and how it relates to Sarvodaya (Upward lift  of a community as a unit). There are so many things that I still need to get information on, thank you for your patience on this project!

Picture taken by me of a beautiful path in Mexico My Storybook Site:  https://sites.google.com/view/sarvodayatheblue/home

Shiva catches Ganga as she descends http://ouocblog.blogspot.com/2011/06/pde-ramayana-story-of-ganga.html Indian Myth and Legend  by Donald A. Mackenzie (1913). [300 words] Notes: Rama Avatar of Vishnu http://ouocblog.blogspot.com/2011/06/pde-ramayana-rama-avatar-of-vishnu.html King Dasharatha is sad because he has no sons, though he did have daughters from his three wives.  The brahmas advise that he perform a sacrifice, a horse that is let out to wander and upon its return will be the offering to Vishnu who may grant the king sons of his own.  Vishnu separates himself into four pieces and becomes the four sons of King Dasharatha, Rama the most beloved of all and bearing the  greatest resemblance to Vishnu.  austerity- Sternness and qualities of severity. (In this telling it seems to have sexual implications, though I am unsure of how.)  Rama elicits the breeze to blow once the breeze witnesses his beauty, relieving him and his companions while on their

https://www.sarvodaya.org/about-us I have chosen Option two of the public domain variety, not  because I am interested in this  variant  more, but because I am already behind and cannot go purchase Narayan's at this time of night. Let's see if I can catch up and figure out what is going on! Comic (1): Ramayana http://ackguide.blogspot.com/p/ramayana.html Comic (2): Mahabharata http://ackguide.blogspot.com/p/mahabharata.html Video (1): Ramayana Crash Course https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qsuqbPda5uo&list=PLrWYQjLLbXcie5DuhgxacocxvQp_5pNIX&index=10&t=0s Video (2): The Mahabharata (Abracadabra" by Steve Miller Band) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xKn7-xXyLpY&list=PLrWYQjLLbXcie5DuhgxacocxvQp_5pNIX&index=16&t=0s I chose these videos and comics because they seemed to be the quickly and closest-related to current objective for our upcoming readings, which I am excited to catch up on. I am interested in epics and storytelling  in g

Me Time Managing STRESS- Photo by  ME I do believe that  the schedule I have allotted for myself for this course is sufficient; there will likely be a few variances now and then. I don't have any worries for getting my work done in any case- I just need to make sure that I continue monitoring the announcements, even if I think I have gotten all my work done already! The trick to me staying sane while going to school and raising  two young  daughters is remembering to make time to decompress in a way that makes  me  happy. I love to paint! So for almost two hours  I painted, after I had gotten my  kiddos to  bed. This is the last assignment for this class for the week and I  made sure to leave enough time to get that done also. I can do this! *Somehow this didn't post or maybe I fell asleep. So much for time management...