Week 5: Famous Last Words

What a wonderful week! After hearing about my acceptance to medical school, everything seems brighter! My family is extremely proud of me as well as my friends. My coworkers at the pharmacy were so overwhelmed with happiness when they heard the news! They're also pretty funny because they wanted to buy me a cake to congratulate me, but I told them that it was completely unnecessary. It was so amazing to see how everyone was so happy to hear about my acceptance. I never realized how much it meant to other people. It hasn't hit me completely yet, but I've done some reflecting and for once in my life I can legitimately say that I'm very proud of myself and the work that I've done.

On another note, this upcoming week is going to be killer. I have 3 papers due plus and exam. Of course they're all due at the same time. I might be up later than usual trying to finish my papers and cramming for the test. Sometimes I think to myself, why try so hard? I'm already accepted! But at the same time, I know I shouldn't let my grades slip. It's just a breath of fresh air. I know I still have to graduate, but I finally have an answer. I don't think I have ever been so happy in my life before. The best part was that I did it. I know my friends and family played a huge part, but I can give myself some credit. I can't wait to see what's in store for me next.

My acceptance email. Personal Photo.

Week 5 Tech Tip: Google Site Background

For this week's tech tip, I'm going to write about how one can customize his/her Google Site's background page. I decided to customize my storybook in order to fit the dark theme. Since the title of my storybook is Hera's Hennessy, I wanted the background of the website to reflect a bar or bottles of alcoholic drinks. I browsed Google images to find images of a dark bar scene, and I found the perfect one! I saved that image to my desktop, and I uploaded the image to my Google site. In the settings, there is an option to upload an image to customize the background. After selecting the image, you can choose whether to repeat the image in the background or to stretch it out. I decided to repeat the image since I thought it would look neater. My finish product can be found at this link: https://sites.google.com/site/mythologystorybook337/

I'm pretty pleased with it! I hope it exhibits the mood that I'm trying to portray on the storybook.

Image of a bar. Source.

Week 5 Learning Challenges: Meditation

For this week's learning challenge, I decided to try a meditation technique. I learned about introspection in my personal health class. In class, we were taught that introspection was an individual's ability to evaluate oneself in certain situations. We also learned that the average population lacks introspection, and that we should practice introspection in order to learn about ourselves. Therefore, I decided to take at least 15 minutes of my day to meditate and practice introspection. It was quite interesting. For the situations that stressed me out, I questioned why they caused me so much stressed. I found out that I lacked confidence in myself which is what causes so much stress. I've also realized that I'm easily influenced by the people around me, more easily than what I'd  like to  admit. One thing that I haven't tried yet is to record myself speaking and look into a mirror while playing the recording. My personal health professor told the class that this activity would give us insight of how other perceive us, but on a superficial level. I wonder how I look and sound like to others.

In the future, I'm going to try to give myself more time for reflection. It helps me review my day and also to calm down a bit. It's also a nice break from the rush of life. Maybe we should hit the pause button every once in the while instead of fast forwarding.

Self-Reflection. Source.

Week 5 Growth Mindset: Take Some Time to Reflect

I did it. After all these years, I have finally reached my dream. I've been accepted to OU College of Medicine, and I couldn't be happier! First came the shriek of overwhelming excitement. Then the tears of joy came, but at last came the quiet reflection. After all the emotional craziness passed, I just laid in bed and thought about everything (and I mean EVERYTHING). I thought about the day in middle school when I decided that I would pursue a healthcare career. I thought about all the hours of studying in high school and in college. Most of all, I thought about the sacrifices that I've made. My mind became flooded with memories of stress and worries: college, shadowing, volunteering, MCAT, committee interview, waiting for an interview invitation, practicing for the real interview, post-interview wait, and finally the decision. I actually made it through everything, and it was done one step at a time. I thought the meme below was appropriate for this week's growth mindset. In my opinion, after a huge success or even a failure, everyone should take a few minutes and reflect. In my own reflection, I've learned that anything can be done with hard work and a great support system.

Reflection. Source.

Thoughts About Comments

I've read through some of the comments, and I'm loving the feedback! The comments that really stood out to me were the ones that were humorous! It really makes me happy when people tell jokes or say a witty comment. However, the absolute best comments are the ones that are filled with surprise. For example, if a reader told me that he didn't expect the twist or the ending, that shows me that I've done my job in entertaining the reader.

Moreover, I noticed that most of my peers critique my stories more in depth. They comment about my character development and story format which is something I might look into for future comments. I also like how my classmates relate my storytelling to their own experiences. This shows me that I'm connecting to my audience on a deeper level. I'll keep the feedback that I've received in mind when I write my next story. Thank you to all who have commented on my posts!

Week 5 Extra Credit Reading: Cupid and Psyche

I've read through a couple of people's storytelling, and I've noticed that Cupid and Psyche (from Tony Kline's Apuleius's Golden Ass) was a popular story. Therefore, I decided to read it myself.

Cupid and Psyche

It was a very interesting read since it was so fairy-tale like! Psyche fell in love with the god Cupid, but she never saw his face because they always met in the dark. It did remind me of the classical Beauty and the Beast story. It appeared that Cupid was hiding in the dark to hid his hideous features when in fact he was hiding because he was Venus's son! Of course when Psyche found out that she was in love with Cupid, it all goes down hill. They marry and Venus is outraged. The chapter that stood out to me the most was Venus and Psyche. Venus absolutely hates Psyche! In fact, in the chapter it described how Venus would physically abuse Psyche by pulling her hair and dragging her by the ear. Owch! At this point of the story, Psyche was pregnant with Cupid's baby, so it really surprised me that Venus was beating Psyche, knowing that she could potentially hurt the baby (then again that was probably her goal). Venus assigned Psyche ridiculous tasks such as mixing beans and seeds together and telling Psyche to separate the ingredients again. Honestly, this chapter reminded me of how my ex-boyfriend's mother used to treat me when I was dating him. Not sure why she didn't like me since I was always respectful, but I always forced to oblige his mother by performing tedious tasks. The theme of crazy or evil mother-in-laws is so common, but I also thought it was exaggerated until I dated my ex-boyfriend. Luckily, I left that relationship.

Psyche and Cupid. Source.

Week 5 Storytelling: Elephants Never Forget

I sat in the trees for weeks. I looked far and wide for any sign of an elephant, but no such creature arrived. It's been three months since my master has left me in the forest. He assigned me a task to kill every elephant that crossed my path and take their ivory tusks. I had to make my master proud. If I give him a giant pile of tusks, it just might be possible that he'll grant me my freedom.

Suddenly, like a miracle from the Allah, a heard of elephants came stampeding in front of my tree! These creatures were enormous with long, mighty tusks that shined like white gold. They raised their trunks high in the sky and bellowed a loud cry. It almost appeared as if they were in pain... But, my eyes were on the prize. I stood up on the sturdy branch slowly, and pulled my arrow back. I tried to keep a steady aim on one elephant, the largest elephant of the heard, but the powerful stomps from the stampede were causing me to lose my balance. I only had one shot. I took it. The arrow pierced the elephant's tough skin behind the ear, and it immediately slowed down. My heart raced! This could be my freedom! I immediately took another arrow from my sack and shot the elephant two more times. The creature stumbled on the ground and was left behind. Success.

I quickly climbed down the tree and rushed to the elephant's side. I couldn't believe that I finally killed one! I imagined my master embracing me and thanking me for retrieving such large ivory tusks. Then, I'll be free. As I was approaching the elephant, I noticed that its chest was slowly rising and dropping. It was still alive... I prepared my bow and arrow just in case it tried to attack me. I took hesitant steps towards the head. There was blood trickling down its face from the bows. I couldn't believe this monster was still alive! I pulled my bow once again to finish it off. One straight shot through the eye should do the job. Just as I was about to release my last bow...it looked at me. I couldn't explain what it was, but I lowered my bow. The elephant's golden eyes stared into mine, and I saw the pain that I caused. I saw an elephant graveyard filled with numerous tusks for my master. I saw my master congratulating me. Then, I saw my freedom. The vision was so vivid and realistic. I dropped to the ground and sobbed. What have I done?

There still could be a chance to save its life. I pulled out the arrows from the elephant's ear, and bandaged it with medicinal herbs that my master gave me to fight infections. For the next two weeks, I cleaned the elephant's ear, fed it, and attempted to heal it to the best of my ability. Finally came the day when the elephant walked away healthy. My master arrived just as the elephant was leaving in the distance.

"There's an elephant, Sinbad! Why don't you kill it? Kill it!" shouted my master. I looked at my master with a disgusted look and threw my bow at his feet. "I wouldn't dare take another animal's freedom just to have my own." With that, I took my freedom from slavery and walked away.

Elephants in the sunset. Source.

Author's note: I decided to rewrite the seventh voyage from The Voyages of Sinbad. In the original story, Sinbad was sold into slavery. His master sent him to a forest with a bow and arrow to kill elephants. Sinbad killed hundreds of elephants and collected all the ivory tusks. One day, a group of elephants surrounded Sinbad and took him to the elephant graveyard. There were piles of skeletons and tusks everywhere. Sinbad relays his findings to his master, and they makes a trip to Ivory Hill (what they named the elephant graveyard). Pleased with his slave's hard work, Sinbad's master gives Sinbad a portion of the fortune along with his freedom. I wasn't a fan of the fact that Sinbad had to kill elephants in order to win his freedom. I interpreted the graveyard scene as the elephants showing Sinbad the many lives he took from their heard which is how I changed the story.

Bibliography: The Voyages of Sinbad from The Arabian Nights' Entertainments by Andrew Lang (1898).

Week 5 Reading Diary: The Voyages of Sinbad Continued

This is a continuation of The Voyages of Sinbad from Andrew Lang's The Arabian Nights' Entertainments.

 Seventh Voyage

 On his journey of delivering a gift to a king, Sinbad was captured and sold into slavery. His master asked Sinbad if he was skilled with the bow and arrow. He told his master that he was talented with the bow and arrow, so his master assigned him to a task. His master led Sinbad into a forest where he was commanded to shoot any elephants that he saw (why are the elephants always killed)? Sinbad waited and waited for an elephant until finally a heard of elephants came rushing by. He shot an elephant to the ground and buried it for his master to see. Months passed and Sinbad killed countless of elephants. One day, a heard of elephants surrounded Sinbad and shook him out of his tree. The heard took Sinbad to an elephant's graveyard that was filled with elephant skeletons and tusks. I think this was supposed to show Sinbad the horror that he has been causing, instead Sinbad traveled to his master and showed him Ivory Hill (as the place was called). The master was so excited about his riches that he freed Sinbad and gave him a fraction of his fortune. This depressed me. I'm a huge animal lover, and I wish Sinbad realized what he did to the elephants instead of being rewards for it.

Elephant's Graveyard. Source.

Week 5 Reading Diary: The Voyages of Sinbad

For my Middle-Eastern unit I read The Voyages of Sinbad which is part of Andrew Lang's The Arabian Nights' Entertainments. I remember years ago I watched the cartoon version of Sinbad. The only part I remember is the scene with the deadly sirens. I thought reading this unit would refresh me of the story, but it turned out to be completely different than what I expected. My favorite voyages were Sinbad's second voyage and fourth voyage.

Second Voyage

 During Sinbad's second voyage, Sinbad was stranded on an island that contained huge pearly white rocks. These rocks were extremely massive and unlike any stone he has ever seen. He then realized that these "rocks" were actually eggs of a giant bird known as roc. Of course Sinbad, being the crazy sailor he is, attached himself to the bird's legs by wrapping his turban around the talon. I don't know why he thought this would be a great idea because the roc transported Sinbad to a valley of giant snakes which can swallow whole elephants. Sinbad noticed that the entire valley was covered with diamonds. So he takes some diamonds and attaches a slap of snake meat onto himself so that he can return to the roc's nest with his jewels.

Sinbad in the valley of diamonds. Source.

Fourth Voyage

This voyage was a bit crazier. Sinbad was ship wrecked on an island where he found a beautiful. What he didn't realize was that the was a strange custom on the island. If one married partner dies, then the other partner must be buried alive with his/her spouse. Sinbad's wife died of an illness so Sinbad was trapped in a cave with water and bread. Another couple entered the cave (husband died, wife alive), and Sinbad killed the wife to eat her rations. He continued this until a ship rescued him. What was crazy to me was the fact that Sinbad killed several husbands and wives in order to steal their rations instead of plotting an escape together...