Reading Notes: Mahabharata Part D (extra credit reading notes)

 Bibliography: Tiny Tales from the Mahabharata by Laura Gibbs

What a long strange trip it's been!

Despite it covering a lot of the section, since this battle has been coming for the whole story, it feels like it happened so fast! Still many bad things happening to the Pandavas, but if they didn't happen we wouldn't have a story. 

The ending is kind of wild - climbing mountains and descending to hell. I'm not sure if it's a happy ending, or just an ending. The tale of the Pandavas just stops and then we have a bit about someone else and a sacrifice. I may be confused though because there were so many names in this story that I am not 100% sure who or how this relates. Some googling may be in my future!

"End" by mrjoro is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0

Week 8 Comments and Feedback

 Let's be real - this is one area I have really fallen behind on this semester! 

 I don't know what to do to fix this. For me my second semester of social work practicum has really increased the amount of feedback I need to give and receive in 'real life' at my practicum site. That's been... a lot. And I don't always have the headspace left over to think of feedback for this class that is genuine and helpful. Everything would end up as "Great job, I like your story!" 

This is something I will have to think on. I am not sure how to approach this yet for the second half of the semester. I may try working kind of...sideways and do next week's feedback/comments this Sunday/Monday. Give myself a buffer between my daily job related feedback and things for this class.

From the Feedback Cats stream - Image source here

Week 8 Progress

 Progress. Oof.

So after last week I am definitely not where I would like to be. But things happen, internet goes out and all is not lost yet! I've definitely got some extra credit ahead of me to pull back up to where I would like to be.

From what I've looked at, everything should be fine to get back where I want/need to be by the end of the semester. I hate that the first half of this semester has started out so weird for me but done is done.

"Doing all the things. #mov #museumofvancouver" by sharpener is licensed under CC BY 2.0

Week 8 Reading & Writing

 The reading and writing assignments overall are great! It's my life that's a little bit extra crazy this time around and so I am not happy with the number of posts I have and certainly not pleased with the number of stories I've been able to write. 

I do like the look of my blog and project website. There are some things I thought I might want to do with the project website but that may be a bit beyond my coding skills for a project. :)

I have great ideas for my story posts/project! I have just needed about 5 more hours in a day these past two weeks. My biggest accomplishment so far is just maintaining - it hasn't been perfect and it hasn't been everything but it is enough. And sometimes enough is..well, enough. 

I enjoyed Narayan's Ramayana! The Mahabharata was not bad, but there were so many names and people to keep up with compared to the Ramayana.

My reading notes are odd, but they work for my brain! I may use some of them to experiment with micro fiction, which is something I have not done yet!

My favorite picture from my blog so far is this one of Lakshmi. I just really love the colors, and the elephants. :) 

Image source: Lakshmi

Reading Notes: Mahabharata Part C

 Bibliography: Tiny Tales from the Mahabharata by Laura Gibbs

The brothers get weapons! Attack! Wait don't. Do....and get captured. Sadness

Don't drink the water. No really. Everyone dies, but riddles! Make good choices and get revived. Plus a bonus boon/blessing to make that year in hiding, post exile, easier. 

Exile over - battle again! Because if it didn't work the first time, trying again should make it so much better. 

More offers of marriage - this wife gets pawned off on a son. 

Army maneuvering, alliance forming, pledges of help. So many moving parts in such a long running conflict. Some people want to be Switzerland. 

One last peace talk attempt! Send the god in - but alas it fails and the other side even tries to kidnap him. Krishna goes full god form and says nope. War is coming

"Repetition" by alanwordguy is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0

Reading Notes: Mahabharata Part B (extra credit reading)

Bibliography: Tiny Tales from the Mahabharata by Laura Gibbs

More flowcharts! I'm glad we read this one second - there are so many names. 

Draupadi has a LOT going on. Someone buy this lady a planner! (Also side story about dogs in public...)

Arjuna gets sent off to exile again because his brother's shoes were missing. He has many adventures. Exile = Adventure?? Like running away to join the circus.

Don't play dice with your enemies, dang it.

EXILE again. Wander, wander, adventure, adventure. Ooh, foreshadowing - go collect weapons for war.

Draupaidi painting - By Raja Ravi Varma - Original source not stated by uploader, however a source available here.

Week 6 Lab - Storybook Research

 Selection photos from this album on Flickr would be a great collage. 

Great short wiki page on the concept of multi-goddess (Tridevi) in Hinduism. 

 

Collage maker for photos is either here or Adobe spark used through OU login

Goddess / aspect collage created with photos from Flickr album using Adobe Spark

Collage includes: Radha, Parvati, Tridevi, Sita, Durga.

 

Reading Notes: Mahabharata Part A

 Bibliography: Tiny Tales from the Mahabharata by Laura Gibbs

Holy family tree flow chart batman!

Satyavati has a lot going on - being born from a fish, secret kids. I'm getting a very drama/reality TV vibe from this so far and it's amazing. From Satyavati in a way we actually get the Mahabharata because of Vyasa. Vyasa has a lot going on too - the making kids out of lumps in pots in also amazing and I love it. 

Focus may be on Vyasa coming from Satyavati - could do a brief intro on her as well since she has great backstory - and then things about Vyasa. The kids, the composing of the Mahabharata and the visiting the widows. Snippets to make up a fun tale of Vyasa. :)

Image source: Mahabharata. Published by Geeta Press in Gorakhpur . Written in Hindi.

 

Storybook Plan

 *Note: Storybook site image header is a work in process. Nothing feels quite right yet*


Current plan is to tell one story each about Parvati, Lakshmi, and Saraswati. I feel like those are my 'big three' and have the most to work with and explore.

 

Also kicking around the idea of some sort of wrap up story to tie it all together/revisit the intro. 

 

I think I will need to write with some sort of narrator introducing each story, and telling my intro, setting up sort of a story within a story. It could function as three independent stories but for a Storybook exploring the idea of Devi/Many Goddesses as one that doesn't feel quite right.  

 

THIS is why my google site image is a work in process. I need something like this, only not Lego. :)

Source: "The Many Faces of Unikitty" by Oky - Space Ranger is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0

Storybook Comment Wall

Comment Wall for my storybook: Devi - Many Faces of a Godess

This is a fun/silly depiction of having many faces in one body/entity - Unikitty from the Lego movies

 Source: "The Many Faces of Unikitty" by Oky - Space Ranger is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0