Week 7 Story: Tricks in the Yard.

Tricks in the Yard

One day the 3 puppies were running around the yard when their owner came out side and put them all in their outdoor kennels except one of them. To which he told them all “Today you will be tested on the tricks you were supposed to have learned!” The first puppy up was Buster, who had made it clear from the beginning that he didn’t care to learn any of his master’s tricks or commands.

“We will start off easy” said the Buster’s owner. “Sit!”

Buster took a second to think about his owner’s command and then decided to instead run towards a chew toy laying on the ground. To this action, the master chased him down, took the toy, and punished the dog by putting him in his kennel the rest of the day.

Next up was Penny, who knew a couple of the commands and tricks but is easily distracted by anything and everything because of how hyper she was.

“Alright Penny, let’s see if you are more disciplined than Buster was.” Said Penny’s owner. “Sit!”

Penny remembered this one and thought it was an easy command, so she sat as she was taught to do so.

“Good Girl! Now shake!” said Penny’s owner.

Penny knew this trick too, but just as she was about to lift her paw, a squirrel ran by on the fence across the yard. Penny couldn’t resist her distraction and before she lifted her paw to shake, she immediately bolted towards the squirrel.

The owner became madder that another one of his dogs had not listened to him, and he once again chased down his dog and put it in his kennel for the rest of the day.

The next dog up for the test was Lilo. Lilo was not the most skilled of the three puppies in terms of performing the tricks and commands, but she was a great listener and didn’t become as easily distracted.

The owner, who expected Lilo to fail as she had in the past, was fed up as he started the test again with the simple command of “Sit!”

Penny as slowly and crooked as possible lowered her body into the sitting position she had been taught as she looked up at her owner for the next command.

This is an image of Lilo sitting which I found on Wikimedia Commons.

“Good Girl! Now shake!” said Lilo’s owner with a sense of doubt in his voice.

Lilo becoming off balance slowly lifted her paw and tried to maintain posture as she waited for her master to grab her paw.

“Good Job! You’ve made it past the other two!” said Lilo’s owner.

Lilo began to become scared as she didn’t want to disappoint her master for she had heard him yell at the others and knew she would be punished if she didn’t perform.

“Last one is to roll over!”

Lilo became relieved as she knew how to do the trick but was slightly worried because she was uncoordinated. She began to roll over, although it looked less athletic than any other dog to have ever performed the trick.

“CONGRATS LILO! All you had to do was listen and pay attention, and with time we will make these tricks look better!” said the owner as excited as ever. “

The owner then gave Lilo three dog treats for each of the commands she had followed. Lilo knew that the other dogs could perform the tricks even better than her but realized they had not listened. She then decided that she didn’t want her treat unless the other dogs could share them with her. She then put the three treats in her mouth and ran over to their kennels where she dropped a treat in front of each of them and began to sit as her owner had taught her.

Lilo’s master watched and realized that she wanted her sister and brother to be free and enjoy the treats with her, so he said, “I’ll let them free but let it be known that being disciplined and listening is the only way to enjoy the treats in the future.”

Author’s Note:

This story is based off Riddles at the Lake from Mahabharata. In the original story the Pandava brothers are resting before they go on a hunt for a deer with sacred twigs. The brothers are extremely thirsty so one of them climbed a tree to see where water was located. Once they saw, one of the brothers, Nakula, went to the pond first to drink but before he did so a voice challenged him to answer riddles before he drank. He decided not to do so and when he drank the water he dropped dead. Then another brother, Sahadeva, came and he too ignored the voice and dropped dead once he drank the water. Arjuna then went and he too ignored the voice but in an arrogant manner. Finally, Yudhishthira came to the pond where he listened to the voice and answered his questions patiently. The voice then reveals himself as Dharma and awards Yudhishthira two boons. Yudhishthira then wishes that his brothers were returned to life. In my story, I used dogs in order to make the story more modern and easier to read. Although I didn’t make them desire anything as the brothers did, I had their owner symbolize The Voice who challenged the dogs in tricks he had taught them instead of riddles. I had both of the first two dogs show neglect and lack of patience toward their orders to symbolize the three brothers who died. Instead of having the dogs die, I had the owner punish them by locking them in kennels. The third dog, Lilo, who completed his master’s test symbolizes Yudhishthira which is why I made her patient and once she completed her tasks I had her want to share them with her siblings, just as Yudhishthira wished his brothers were alive. The lesson in the story is that patience and listening can be rewarded even if one is not the best performer of the challenge.

Bibliography: 

Riddles At The Lake from the Mahabharata found in Indian Myth and Legend by Donald A. Mackenzie (1913).

Reading Notes: Mahabharata, Part D

Horse Sacrifice

What I really enjoyed about this story was the excessive amounts of detail that lead towards the sacrifice. The author did a great job of describing why they were doing it, who was involved, the scenery, and the event. I felt that things were so detailed in a sense that you could actually see things like people dancing and gathering. I also felt that you could picture the setting perfectly with the full moon and different characteristics. While sometimes I feel that it is better to have not as much detail when you are trying to get to the point of something, in stories like this I feel it is a must. When I describe a scenario of reverence and beauty, this is a story that I should look to for trying to make as much vivid imagery for the reader as possible. The way the author described things truly sold how special this event was going to be.

In terms of creating my own story from this one, I thought about how I could incorporate dogs into a sacrifice. I was thinking about a group of Dogs performing a sacrifice of toys, bones, or even their own kin. I would make this more of a giving aspect, instead of killing, but I think it could be a good lead into a funny story. I would try to resemble all of the details of course and I was thinking maybe having a toy be glow in the dark to resemble the shining of the horse when it was cut open. My only problem with this is the fact I'm not sure exactly what I would have the dog's sacrificing to. Maybe instead of a God interaction like in the story, I could make it more of a king of the neighborhood or so.

Overall, I really enjoyed how beautifully written this part of the story was and think that detail can make or break a story especially if one is trying to make it seem like a big event.

This is a picture of a Dog with a bone which he could possibly sacrifice in my story. I found it on Pexels.

Bibliography:

This part of the story comes from Indian Myth and Legend by Donald A. Mackenzie (1913). The link is above.

Reading Notes: Mahabharata, Part C

Riddles At The Lake

I chose to write my reading notes on this part of the Mahabharata because it was so much different. I felt that this was clever in the sense that it showed results in the threats yet people still didn't listen. The seriousness of the voice comes with repetition. I feel that is one aspect I could take into my own writing. I feel that if I were to try to tell a moral story this is a good way to show the seriousness or at least the power of a character. I also enjoy the idea of a character proving worthiness through riddles. This can be seen in multiple stories but I like the format in this story as in each time there were multiple parts along with multiple answers. I think that if I were going to try and write a story based off this one I would try to make it be Dog trying to get a treat from his master. I was thinking about how I could make it into riddles, but I don't want a talking relationship between the two. I was thinking maybe the dog must have to perform a bunch of tricks which other dogs couldn't before him in order to get a bone or what not. One thing I would do in masking this story is try to replicate the repetition to show the seriousness. I was trying to think of a way to make a punishment but I wasn't able to think of one. I thought about however the dog getting a treat for each trick he performed but instead of eating all of them, he gives them to his dog friends kind of like how Yudhishthira wished that his brothers would come back to life.

Overall, I like the style of this story but the writing didn't necessarily impress me other than the great use of repetition to lead to the climax.

This is a dog doing a trick with a ball that I found on  MaxPixel.

Bibliography:

 This is from Indian Myth and Legend by Donald A. Mackenzie (1913). The link to the story is above.

Famous Last Words: A Changing Schedule

So this week was a change in my schedule completely. Most of this was due to the Ice Storm that made us miss school for most of this week but my schedule varied tremendously. At the start of the week I was so focused on my two tests that were Monday and supposed to be Tuesday. However once class got cancelled for Tuesday, I started to work on this class slightly. I then did some more studying for my cancelled test that was rescheduled for Thursday but then it got cancelled as well which made me do more of this class on Thursday. I then finished the rest of this class on Sunday, but now that my test is scheduled for this next Tuesday, I probably won't be able to look at this class again until Tuesday night which puts me back. This all just shows how things don't always go to plan but we have to adjust. This is why I like to build cushion room for my schedule by knocking out as much work as I can early. Next week I'm going to have to make some adjustments as well but after that I should be able to get back to my normal schedule.

In terms of my other classes, I feel that I have been pretty proactive and getting ahead which I enjoy. I do feel I have slacked on my DAT preparation however due to these tests. Next week I want to get a better grip on this for myself. I also slacked on working out which I didn't like because this is normally my way of relaxing and taking time away from school, as well as I feel it betters me in a health manner. I want to start waking up earlier to make sure I don't let this slide aside.

I want to get back into running more so I found this image on Pexels.

Reading Notes: Seven Secrets from Hindu Calendar Art, Part C

Ardhanari's Secret

This week I did the third part of the video extra credit reading. Although I didn't really take much from this on how I could create my own story, it did give me one possible thing that I thought about trying to approach in a story for my project involving dogs. As the video talks about the different God's and how people view them, I thought what if I had a story that involved a Dog talking about his own form of God's. I was thinking about a Dog talking about his master being like a worker for his Dog God but then splitting the God into three aspects. I was thinking it could be into a Survival, Love, and Sacrifice. I was thinking the Dog could talk about how these are the different style of God's but they tie into each other. I was thinking it could even be a example story where the dog gives examples of each of his God's work. This is a very strange concept and could be difficult to write, but I thought it could be fun in the sense of trying to create a story of belief based off an animal telling stories.As the video even talks about how beliefs apply to political aspects I was thinking about having a code of a Dog. This could even be a Ten Commandment type idea. 

In terms of the video itself, I found that it did a good job describing each of the God's and what they do and represent. I find it hard to keep some of these people straight so it was nice to have detailed descriptions. Overall, this is a very abstract idea but it could possibly be done if I don't think about any other ideas for a fun Dog themed story. This could be a good opening topic for my portfolio, but then again it doesn't necessarily fit in with my other stories. 

This is a Dog being an Angel, which I felt describe my idea for a new story. I found this image on Flickr.

Learning Challenge: Reviewing My Schedule

Since I have tried a few different strategies with the way that I have approached this class, I am writing about how I'm going to change my approach from what I initially decided for my schedule. Initially I said that I would separate the work between Monday and Wednesday, but I have decided that this hasn't been what I normally do. Most of the time I try to do as much as I can on Monday being sure to at least get both readings and the Story out of the way. I think that with the way I've tried to do my work in the this class it should be Monday: Do as much as you can until your tired but at least do those three mentioned earlier. Tuesday: Finish all of the week's work and do all the extra credit you can. Sunday: Finish whatever work is left.

I think that this is the best for me because it clears up most of my schedule plus I can get on a roll with my work. Once I'm in the zone I can keep things fresh for my writing and then get them going. The Sunday is for a comfort zone if I need to get this class done but also it allows me to start thinking about everything I need to do the next day. Overall, I think this should be my main schedule unless there is something that makes me have to adapt.

Overall, I'm trying to get this class finished early and by pushing myself to get all of the extra credit done now, I'm setting myself up to be done with this class by week 09.

This is a picture of a symbol for moving time which I feel applies. I found it on Pixabay.

Growth Mindset: Sharing With a Friend

For this week's Growth Mindset challenge I had a conversation with my room mate Carter. He is normally a pretty motivated person so I shared the idea with him and asked for his approach on different things. He said that he had never heard of the exact idea of Carol Dweck's approach but he had heard other inspirational things. One thing that he felt was more important was making sure that at an early age kids realize that things always get harder. He felt that kids should be challenged more because college and real life always are difficult so if we have people inspired to work hard at an early age it transfers on. He also felt that today's older students should be required to do more outside work as in research. He felt that sometimes things are always laid out perfectly how to learn something but he felt that someone looking things up and learning how to apply something was the best for learning. He said at his high school and stuff no one ever challenged him to do this so he felt unprepared for this in college but this also made him keep wanting to learn. Overall, I liked talking to him because he had such "Work hard" mindset that he felt anyone could do anything even if difficult but they can't always be walked through things.

This image symbolizes the struggle that Carter talked about. I found it on Pixabay.

WIkipedia Trail: From Dog Fighting to Hugh Jackman

Dog Fighting

Even though it is a gruesome activity, I decided to start my trail here this week since I wrote a story about two dogs fighting this week. The story I wrote wasn't about the sport of having people fight dogs, but it came to mind when thinking about a topic for this. One thing I found terrible to read was that even if the dog doesn't die in its fight, most owners especially in gangs kill the dog through different means. One thing I enjoyed learning was that this is a felony in all states and it is also illegal to provide for this sport in anyway so that means you don't have to fight the dogs just to get penalized. I almost think that it should be more than a Felony but that is my opinion. I learned that the sport can be traced back to the 1750's in America but became most popular after the Civil War. I'm proud of the ASPCA for trying to contain this terrible event.

American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals

The ASPCA is a non-profit organization that try to protect animals from harm. It has been working since 1866 and its headquarters is located in New York City. I found it interesting that the ASPCA had false allegations against the Ringling Bros. which lead to a lawsuit in which they had to pay the circus. Overall I think this is a good organization and I think that they do great work.

Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus

When I was a kid I remember going to this circus and having a blast. I learned that the circus has been going for 146 years which I found pretty interesting.  Although I haven't seen the movie yet, I had heard of The Greatest Showman which due to this reading I learned is about P.T Barnum and just came out this last year. One fun fact I learned on reading about the Circus was that in 2017 a Siberian Tiger named suzy had escaped in Florida. I can't imagine what I would do if I saw a wild tiger! 

Hugh Jackman

Hugh Jackman is one of my favorite actors but I learned that he plays P.T. Barnum in The Greatest Showman. I really enjoy the Wolverine character that he plays for it was a movie series that I started watching as a kid. I learned that he is 49 years old which is crazy for all of the action roles he plays in. I also learned that he is from Australia. I also learned that he is involved in charity work and even uses Twitter for it to see from fans where he should donate. I also learned that he was given the opportunity to be James Bond at one point. 

This is an image of Hugh Jackman from Wikimedia Commons.

Google Timer Tech Tip

This week I decided to give the Google Timer another try, as I did use it a couple times last year and wrote a tech tip about it for Mythology Folklore. This time when I used the Google timer I used it to study for a test this week. In my Neuro class I used it to help time myself in writing these possible essay questions. I felt this made sure that I will actually know how to respond and hopefully it will give me more time to think about questions I might not know. I also used it for studying some sections for my DAT test. It is a great way to simply give yourself a heads up on how productive you are being with your work and that is why I like to use it.

Week 6 Story: No Clear Winner

No Clear Winner

“You two get to come inside today since it is so snowy and cold,” said Penny and Buddy’s owner.

 The two were normally outside dogs since they were slightly on the larger size and were both very playful. Penny and Buddy were best friends who loved to do everything together. Even though they were best friends the two also were very competitive with each other. They couldn’t play fetch without the game turning into a race to see who could get the ball first. They couldn’t play tug-of-war without a clear winner. Most certainly, they could not wrestle without a clear winner as well.

Buddy and Penny fighting on a normal day. I found this image on Wikimedia Commons.

By getting to come inside, the dogs really didn’t know how to just sit there and behave. Penny would try to jump on the couch which would make her owner mad. Buddy would try to chew on a shoe which upset the owner as well. After trying to be good dogs for a while in the living room, it wasn’t before too long that Buddy decided he would pester Penny. He decided to playfully bite her as he did before most of the times the two would wrestle, so Penny knew what was going on. She then decided to claw at him in return to approve that she wanted to wrestle as well.

As one can imagine it wasn’t too long before the dogs began running around the living room tackling, biting, and clawing at each other. There owner kept telling them to stop but didn’t sound as serious as he did earlier when he got onto them. This meant that the two kept going until Penny tackled Buddy into the sharp part of the chimney. As Buddy was struck with pain, he showed no sign of weakness, and instead became very mad as he growled and barked while he simultaneously lunged at Penny and bit harder than usual.

Immediately, the two were no longer just having a friendly competition, but instead this became a true fight between them. They were growling, biting, and clawing with all of their might causing a huge scene in the living room to which upset their owner. As their owner grew upset, for he was tired of having to deal with the two misbehaving dogs, he decided to grab his newspaper from the coffee table.  

WHACK! WHACK! Before either dog knew it, they were struck with the newspaper so hard that they both forgot what they were doing in the first place. The owner grabbed buddy by the collar, who was on top of Penny, and dragged him to the washroom. He then came back for Penny who was trying to find a place to hide before she too was being yanked by the collar. He put Penny in the guest bathroom before she could even try to resist.

Then loudly he yelled “SINCE NEITHER OF YOU CAN BEHAVE OR PLAY NICE, BOTH OF YOU WILL BE LOCKED UP FOR THE REST OF THE DAY!”

It was then that both dogs started whimpering to come out which lasted the rest of the day. Although neither dog would admit it, they both realized that they can go a bit too far with their competitions, and on this day there was no clear winner.

Author's Note:

This story is based on The Contest from Mahabharata in which Bhima and Duryodhana are competing with each other. The way they are competing in this story is through a fight that really wasn't too serious at first. However, as the two continue fighting they both begin to become more prideful and the mock fight turns into a real one. As the two are now fighting with anger involved, a third challenger, Arjuna, enters the fight. Arjuna is clearly a better warrior than the other two and with his bow and arrow he ends up completely dominating the two for a victory. In my story, I wanted to make a more playful, modern version of a playful fight turning serious. In my story, Penny and Buddy represent Bhima and Duryodhana. I had the two be friends because I felt this added a more personal connection with the two wanting to win especially when they got too aggressive and the playful wrestling turned into an actual fight. Instead of having a third warrior enter the fight, I decided that it would have the dog's owner be the person who ultimately wins the fight between the dogs, as did Arjuna between the other two warriors. I felt that this was a good way to show that sometimes we can get too serious in out play with others, and there is someone else who can always ultimately beat you in whatever competition it is.

Bibliography:

The Contest from Mahabharata, Epic of the Bharatas, by Romesh C. Dutt (1898).