Wikipedia Trail: From Medusa to Grammy Awards

(Grammy Award)

There was a funny picture portraying Medusa on the class Twitter so that's where I am beginning this Wikipedia trail. Medusa was a monster in Greek mythology. She is described as a winged human with a hideous face and living venomous snakes in place of her hair. The myth is that when people look at her they would turn into stone. Medusa was beheaded by Perseus, but the head still retained its power to turn people into stone. The symbol of Medusa's head is used in modern culture, specifically as a logo for the fashion company Versace. Versace is an Italian fashion company founded by Gianni Versace in 1978. They produce Italian leather accessories. The founder chose the logo because Medusa made people fall in love with her and they had no way back; he wanted his company to have the same effect on people. Versace is described as the "Rock n' Roll" designer because they design for famous people like Bruce Springsteen. Bruce Springsteen was born on September 23, 1949 and is a singer and songwriter. He has sold more than 64 million albums and more than 120 million records. He has earned 20 Grammy Awards, 2 Golden Globes and an Academy Award. The Grammy Awards is an honor that recognizes outstanding achievement in English music industry. The first ceremony was held on May 4, 1959. The trophies handed out are gold-plated and are shaped like a gramophone. By 2009, 7,578 Grammy trophies were handed out.

Wikipedia Trail: From the Bermuda Triangle to The Grapes of Wrath

(Bermuda Triangle)

There was an article on the Bermuda Triangle on the class Twitter page so I started my Wikipedia trail began here. The Bermuda Triangle is also called the Devil's Triangle and is the western part of the North Atlantic Ocean. Aircraft's and ships are said to disappear here. The earliest suggestion of disappearances in the triangle were published by Edward Van Winkle Jones in September 17, 1950 in The Miami Herald. The Miami Herald is where the trail let next. The newspaper was founded by the McClatchy Company in 1903 and now employs over 800 people. It almost went out of business in the 1930's during the Great Depression but recovered. The Great Depression began in 1929 when the  stock market crashed and lasted until the late 1930's. Unemployment rates rose and and international trade dropped. Many books were written about the Great Depression including The Grapes of Wrath. The Grapes of Wrath was written by John Steinbeck in 1939 and it is set in the Great Depression. The family in the book is forced from their Oklahoma home by drought and travels to California to seek a job and a future.

Wikipedia Trail: From Queen of Sheba to Natalie Portman

(The Queen of Sheba visits King Solomon, Giovanni De Min)

While looking through the class Twitter stream, I came across a link to a reading about the Legend of the Queen of Sheba. After reading that article, I wanted to learn more about her so I looked her up on Wikipedia. This is where my Wikipedia trail began. The first article, called Queen of Sheba explained how the queen came to Jerusalem with camels, spices, gold, and precious stones. She gave these gifts to King Solomon and then returned to her land. I wanted to learn more about King Solomon so I linked to his Wikipedia page. The name of this page was just Solomon. Solomon was the king of Israel and son of David. He reigned from 970 to 931 BC. He built the First Temple in Jerusalem. This led me to the Wikipedia page named Jerusalem. Jerusalem means "City of Peace" and is considered the holy city in the religions of Judaism, Christianity and Islam. While reading about the city, I came across a section dedicated to residents. Natalie Portman was born in Jerusalem and lived there until she was three years old. I went to her page next, titled Natalie Portman. Not only was she born there but she also has dual citizenship. Portman is a well-known actress and has starred in many movies including; Star Wars prequel trilogy and Black Swan.

Week 13 Review

It's the Sunday before Thanksgiving break is over so I am doing this assignment to make sure I completed all the assignments before break! Which also means class starts tomorrow. While rereading the announcements I came across a photo posted on Tuesday, 11/15.  I thought this was so cute. I was an avid reader as a kid (and still read whenever possible) so I thought that this accurately described my life. Over break I actually read the new Nicholas Sparks book. I love reading and am grateful that this class introduced me to some new stories that I probably never would have tried otherwise.

Tuesday, November 15, 2016 Link

Improvements

After reading through the ideas that are thinking of being implemented next semester, I had a few that I really liked and a few I was impartial about. I personally really liked the review weeks. It was a way for me to check and make sure that the points I had kept me on track for an A, while also allowing me to look at what I need to improve on. Maybe at the beginning of the semester, in Week 2, it can be a planning week for students to plan their schedule for the semester, and then in Week 9, students can review the work that they have completed and make sure they are on track. I tried the story planning option semester and I was not a huge fan of it. I just feel like its hard to write about how how you are going to plan a story. At least on the Internet. When I plan a story I brainstorm on paper with like lines connecting ideas so its hard for me to be able to write a blog post about that. One of the ideas I really liked was making audio students from recordings extra credit. I always retain more information by reading out loud, so if it were made an extra credit option, I feel like a bunch of people would do it every week, and would therefore be better able to remember and understand the stories they read.

Tech Tip: Pinterest Sidebar

I embedded my Pinterest board as a widget on the side of my blog! If you want to learn how here is the link! In this board you'll find pictures or articles relevant to this class!

Tech Tip: Sidecar Bar

Hello everyone! I added a new widget to my blog page! If you want to learn how just follow the link to tech tip! Only a few weeks left, so you all can do it!!

Tech Tip: Google Timer

For a tech tip this week I decided to try and set up a google timer. A lot of time I get so engrossed in studying that I forget to take a break, which has been proven to help retain more information. Short breaks are good while studying as it gives you a chance to stretch your legs, get a snack or something to drink or even check your social media or messages you missed while studying. If I play on being in the library for a long time I will set up a tomato timer on my phone. But sometimes that gets me distracted as I am then always checking my phone waiting for the break. The google timer is nice because you can play it right on your computer so you are never distracted by your phone while studying.

Reading Notes, Brothers Grimm, Librivox, Part A

(Disney's Aurora/Briar Rose, Link)

As the final extra credit reading notes in this class,  I decided to finish reading all the stories written by the Brothers Grimm. This was honestly probably my favorite section of the Grimm Brothers just because it contained most of the stories we all know, and I like seeing how these originals differ from the Disney version or storybook versions. Of course my favorite one in this section is Briar Rose. The only thing that I could really tell that was different between the two was the curse. In the Disney version it was said that Briar Rose would remain cursed until true loves kiss, but in this version Briar was only cursed for one hundred years. In this version the prince that rescues her still kisses her but it is just as she is waking up. But regardless, the Disney version of this story stayed pretty close to the original written by the Grimm Brothers.

Bibliography: Fairy Tales by the Brothers Grimm Link

Reading Notes, Hans Christian Anderson, Part A

(The Princess and the Pea Link)

I was originally attracted to this unit because in the description it said he was one of the authors of the Little Mermaid. However, I figure I will do another extra credit reading note on just that story as it is in the second part. The first part consists of stories somewhat widely known such as the Emperors New Suit and the Princess and the Pea. The latter was one of my favorite stories growing up. There was once a prince who wanted to marry a true princess. He searched the world many times but was never able to find one who was a real princess. One day a girl knocked on the gates of the palace claiming to be a real princess. The prince decided to test it. He put a pea beneath 28 mattresses that the princess was to sleep on. The next morning, when asked how she slept, the princess replied, "Oh, very badly! I have scarcely closed my eyes all night. Heaven only knows what was in the bed, but I was lying on something hard, so that I am black and blue all over my body. It's horrible!" The prince determined no one but a real princess could be that sensitive so he married her.

Bibliography: Fairy Tales and Stories by Hans Christian Anderson and translated by H.P Paull Link

Reading Notes, Jacobs Fairy Tales, Part A

As some extra credit I decided to continue with the European unit so I chose Jacobs fairy tales. I loved reading these because they put twists on classic stories that we have heard our entire lives. I love all the Disney princess stories so my favorite in this collection would definitely have to be Beauty and the Beast. This story differed from the Disney version in a couple of ways. The first is how the youngest daughter (or Belle in the Disney version) came to be with the beast. In this version her father was caught stealing from the beast's garden so to avoid death, he told the beast he would bring his youngest daughter back. Something else that differed is the servants. In the Disney version they were ordinary people who were transformed into objects but in this version, they are just described as invisible hands. In the end of the Disney version, the beast fights the villagers and almost dies but is transformed when Belle says she loves him. In this version the youngest daughter finds the beast laying dead and says she loved him so he is transformed into a prince. Below is my favorite song from the Disney version of Beauty and the Beast.

Bibliography: Europa's Fairy Book by Joseph Jacobs Link

Reading Notes, Brothers Grimm, Hunt, Part B

(Red Rose and Snow White, Pinterest)

My favorite story in this second part of the Grimm Brothers was Snow-White and Red-Rose. I was expecting this story to be like the Snow White we heard as children but it was not. Snow White and Red Rose were siblings, who were so close that they liked to hold hands as they ventured out. One night they spent the night in the woods and as they awoke, a young boy was sitting near them. Their mother told them it was an angel who watched over good children. One night, there was a knock on the door and it was a bear. The bear meant no harm and only wanted to warm itself so the little family let him in. The bear came every night throughout the winter and took his leave during the day. When summer came, the bear went away for good. Later that summer, their mother sent them into the woods for kindling and they met a strange dwarf with his beard stuck. Snow White cut off his beard as a way to free him and instead the dwarf was angry and put a bad curse on the siblings. The sisters continued to meet the dwarf and free him or save him from his miseries until they came across him emptying his many jewels and gold. Their bear saved them by killing the dwarf and when that happened he transformed into the King's son. Snow-White married him, and Red-Rose married his brother and they lived happily ever after.

Bibliography: Household Tales by Jacob Grimm and Wilhelm Grimm Link

Reading Notes, Grimm Brothers, Hunt, Part A

The stories in this section were particularly long. So I choose to read one that I heard as a child and compare the differences between the two. This happened to be Hansel and Grethel. Hansel and Grethel had a stepmother who, when times got tough and there was a lack of food, told their father that he needed to take them into the forest and leave them there. Though it was hard, their father consented, but Hansel heard the conversation and took white stones into the forest to find his way back. The came back and stayed for a while until times got tough, and their father took them into the woods and left them again. This time they could not find their way out so instead they followed a snow white bird. The bird led them to a house built with bread and covered with cake. The children began to eat the house and were interrupted by the owner, an old woman. The woman locked them up with plans to fatten them, and then eat them. Grethel tricked the woman and pushed her into the oven before harm could be done. On the way out they took the woman's pearls and jewels. They eventually found their way home, into their fathers arms who regretted what he had done. Their stepmother was death, and the little family lived happily ever after with the many jewels.

(Hansel and Grethel, Pinterest)

Bibliography: Household Tales by Jacob Grimm and Wilhelm Grimm Link

Reading Notes, Brothers Grimm, Ashliman, Part B

The second part of this collection contained stories that were all unfamiliar to me. My favorite story in this part was called the Little Lamb and the Little Fish. There were a brother and sister who loved each other very much and their mother had died. They were being raised by a stepmother. The children were playing a game outside and their stepmother grew so angry at their happiness, that she cursed them. She turned the girl into a little lamb and turned the boy into a little fish. After a long time in that form there were visitors to the castle. The stepmother tried to get rid of the lamb by killing it, but the brother fish saw and begged the cook against it. The cook agreed and gave both the lamb and fish to a wise woman in the village. The wise woman, who was previously a wet nurse for the children,  recognized them and turned them back into their original forms and they lived happily ever after.

(The Lamb and the Fish, Otto Ubbelohde)

Bibliography: The Grimm Brothers' Childrens' and Household Tales translated by Dan Ashliman Link

Reading Notes, Brothers Grimm, Ashliman, Part A

(The Elves, Tumblr)

Fairy tales written by the Grimm Brothers are some of my favorite! So I decided to start with some of the most well known ones. Ashliman translated some that are very well known and some that are not so much. My favorite known one in this section is Little Red Cap. It is the story upon with the classic fairy tale Little Red Riding Hood is based. However almost everyone knows that story. My favorite unknown one is called the Elves. In that story there is a poor shoemaker who only had enough money left for one last pair of shoes. He cut the leather and two little elves came in the middle of the night and sewed them into the finest pair of shoes that sold for double the price. This continued every night until the shoemaker stayed up to see who was sewing the shoes. When he saw it was little elves, he and his wife made some clothes, complete with shoes for them and set the outfits out. The next night when the elves came they saw the clothes, jumped for joy, put them on and ran off. But the shoemaker still lived happily ever after.


Bibliography: Grimm Brothers Children and Household Tales translated by Dan Ashliman Link

Week 12 Review

(Sunday's Announcement, Link)

I was really busy this week so I missed a lot of normal assignments and didn't get to read a lot of announcements. Today was catch-up day so I did a bunch of extra credit, caught up on the assignments not due until tonight, and read the announcements. My favorite picture was actually from today's announcement. It's pictured below. I love this because it shows people that you can be the most insignificant person in the world and, yet, you do still matter!

Tech Tip: Embedded Tweet

#Big12FB: This week's @AP_Top25...

8. @OU_Football
10. @WVUfootball
13. @CowboyFB

— Big 12 Conference (@Big12Conference) November 13, 2016

BOOMER SOONER! Moving up in rankings!

Reading Notes, More English Fairy Tales, Part B

For some extra reading notes, I decided to finish reading More English Fairy Tales. My favorite story in this collection was Rushen Coatie. This story was very similar to that of Cinderella. In this story, Rushen Coatie's father married, and his new wife had 3 children. They took all of Rushen Coatie's coats and gave her one mad of rushes. The made her sit in the kitchen nook. Before her mother's death, she told Rushen Coatie that a red calf will come and grant any wish. Her step-mother hoping that Rushen Coatie would die, only fed her a thimble of broth, a grain of barley, a thread of meat and a crumb of bread. So Rushen Coatie wished for food. Eventually the step-mother found out and had the calf killed. But Rushen Coatie could still make wishes on his bones. One day, the family went to church and Rushen Coatie had to stay and make dinner. So she wished for clothes and that dinner would be made and she went to church. There she met a prince who fell in love with her, but she had to return home and accidentally left her slipper there. The prince came and found her and they lived happily ever after.

(Rushen Coatie, John D. Batten)

Bibliography: More English Fairy Tales by Joseph Jacobs Link

Reading Notes, King Arthur, Part A

(Arthur, Walter Crane)

King Arthur was a story that many of us heard as kids. There even was a Disney movie made from the myth called The Sword in the Stone. The myth that this movie was based on was the first story I read in this collection. This story was a little different. In this story, Arthur pulled out the sword from the stone. However, no knights were present when it happened so in order to claim the throne, Arthur had to put the sword back and pull it out with witnesses. When he pulled it out his father and brother were present and much to his dismay his father said that he is not actually his father. That Merlin was his father. The rest of the stories in this collection were all about the adventures of King Arthur.

Bibliography: King Arthur: Tales of the Round Table by Andrew Lang Link