Reading Notes: Public Domain Ramayana, Section C

"Hanuman"

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Instead of Hanuman being a monkey, I think he should be a lion, or a more aggressive figure. I think this approach would suit the personality of this character more. It needs to be more heroic and valiant, especially since he is held in such high regard. Also, Instead of Jatayu being a vulture I think he should be more of a sidekick who’s really smart. The sidekick could specialize in tracking. Instead of the soldiers finding Jatayu, he could be introduced at the beginning as the navigator to Sita’s whereabouts. Hanuman seems like a spy during the whole time he’s infiltrating the town to find Sita. I could write a story about Hanuman being a modern-day spy, infiltrating a base to rescue another agent who was taken. He could be skilled like a monkey. Meaning, he can do all sorts of crazy acrobatic type movements. Flips, Jumps, and he could be a skilled fighter and very strong. A strong resemblance to a James Bond type movie, except better. J I personally wish Hanuman would have just grabbed Sita and left without being noticed. However, his intervention definitely made things a little more exciting. He would have never been able to meet Ravana. At least under those conditions he could give Ravana one final chance. Following my spy idea, Lanka can explode the enemy base instead of setting it on fire. This could be one of those stereotypical scenes where they have a huge explosion and someone is walking slowly away from it. I would end the story there. Rather than having Ravana discuss with his court about going to war, they would be gone because of the explosions caused by Hanuman. In conclusion, I would turn this story into some type of spy movie with explosions, flips and every other stereotypical thing you could imagine. 

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Ramayana Online: Public Domain Edition - Section C

Feedback Thoughts

"image of crowd feedback"

I think feedback is a vital aspect to the growth of a person. Personally, I have had to give and receive feedback in many of my classes taken here. As a musician, you are constantly critiqued on how you play a specific passage. Of course, I have been discouraged by some negative feedback in the past. It is something musicians deal with throughout their lifetime. Despite dealing with large amounts of negative feedback, I have still improved in my playing. I believe if someone does not receive any type of feedback they will live their life not truly knowing what they are capable of. There needs to be a moment in time where they realize they can do more. There needs to be a balance of positive and negative feedback to mold the mind of someone into a growth mindset. With the proper use of feedback, people can achieve this goal and push themselves to new and greater heights. 

Articles

Presence, Not Praise: How To Cultivate a Healthy Relationship with Achievement
Be a Mirror: Give Readers Feedback That Fosters a Growth Mindset
Using Harsh Feedback to Fuel Your Career
Silence the Critical Voices in Your Head

Week 2 Story Planning: Chico the Lion

"two lions fighting"

For my story, I will have a father lion named Felix. He is the king of the land and all will bow before him. His queen, Cali, will have two sons born on the same day. Their names will be Chico and Monte. Throughout their lives, the two sons can be the best of friends until the day their father dies. From that day, they become competitive with each other for the right to the throne. During this time, Chico travels on a mission to deal with rebellion outside of the kingdom. However, the mission was a trap set by Monte. He has sent Chico to his death by sending him away from the kingdom.

While on his mission, Chico finds a wife named Lana. He takes her hand in marriage while away on his journey. Another animal Monte sent to kill Chico will interrupt the wedding ceremony. This animal’s name is Brutus. After Chico defeats countless animals sent to assassinate him, he returns to the kingdom to find Monte sitting on the throne. Chico and Monte fight for the right of the throne in a one on one battle. In the end, Chico is victorious and decides to give Monte a second chance at life. Monte takes the chance, however, tries to kill Chico in the end. Chico has no other choice but to slay his own brother.

The story style I would like to write in is using animals as characters. The use of different animals to portray whether a character is of good nature or not is a traditional idea. I believe a lion can represent valor and a hyena or wolf could represent evil. Similar to the “Lion King”. In addition, this story could fit under the category of childhood stories. However, it would be more suited for people of older age to read. The fact that Chico has to kill his own brother would prove to be a bit too graphic for some younger readers. 

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BIBLIOGRAPHY- Public Domain Ramayana

"King Dasharatha"

"Sita"

"King Janaka"

"Rama Wins Sita"

"Parashurama"

"Manthara and Kaikeyi"

"Rama is Banished"

Reading Notes: Public Domain Ramayana, Section B

"photo of Rama and Sita"

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Instead of sandals, Bharata can give Rama a necklace. It can be a dinky piece of metal that looks like it has little no worth. However, the necklace could be some type of mystical object that alerts Rama of anything going wrong in the kingdom while Bharata is guarding the throne. It can also be the vice versa. The necklace can allow Rama to contact Bharata if there is anything going wrong and he could not be with him at that instant. Also, once Rama finishes his journey and returns to the kingdom to take his spot on the throne the necklace changes. It changes to a symbol of hope for the entire kingdom. The aesthetics of the necklace will become beautiful and envied throughout the land. It can also possibly lead to be a curse. People from other lands can attempt to steal the necklace from Rama in hopes to have that symbol of hope and power for their kingdom. This could be the start of another war between a supervillain and Rama.

At the Battle with Khara, instead of Rama winning the battle he could lose on purpose. He will let the enemy believe they have won the battle. However, they have not and Rama can use this ploy to defeat Khara once and for all. After the enemy believes the battle is over, the army will stay back at the battlefield while Khara searches for Rama’s brother and wife. As Khara approaches the cave where Rama’s brother and wife occupy, Rama appears and challenges him to a one on one battle to the death.  After Rama defeats his enemy, he gives him one last chance to change his ways and become a good person. Khara takes the chance, but his ego was too large and he tries attacking Rama once again. Rama then slays him once and for all. 

BIBLIOGRAPHY

"Battle with Khara"

"The Sandals"

Reading Notes: Public Domain Ramayana, Section A

"photo of Rama"

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-Rather than multiple queens,  there will be one. The queen would eventually have twins. Soon after  they are of age, their father can die  without announcing the heir to the throne. Then maybe the three  sons can argue over who becomes  the next ruler of the land. This could lay into a whole war  between the sons where they finally figure  out that the father never died and it was a test to see who  can lead the nation in times of selfishness  and crisis. Rama would eventually win the throne, but  only after he completes his journey. 

-Indra should kidnap Ahalya rather than just steal her love. She should be kept prisoner instead of  being cursed. Gautama would have to seek out additional help because he cannot possibly defeat a  God by  himself. Rather than breaking the curse of Ahalya, Rama is sent out to rescue her from the  God,  Indra. His new, powerful tools will be the sole factor Gautama needs his assistance. 

-Instead of Rama getting Sita by pulling back the bow, Sita's father hears of Rama's heroic act and  offers his daughter to be his wife. Also, the man that is looking for the person who broke the bow  can be another lover of Sita who is jealous of Rama marrying her. They can battle for Sita's hand in  marriage. Also, to see who the better archer is. 

-Instead of Manthra being obviously evil, she could be Rama's closest friend who eventually plots to  never let him reach the throne. The whole time Rama was on his quest, Manthra was the one sending  these people to Rama on his journey to stall the time of him on the throne. Also, hoping he would die  by one of the enemies sent to kill him. Rather than everything going down hill and Rama getting  banished from the kingdom, Rama foils Manthra's plans and becomes the ruler of the land. 

BIBLIOGRAPHY

"King Dasharatha"

"Sita"

"King Janaka"

"Rama Wins Sita"

"Parashurama"

"Manthara and Kaikeyi"

"Rama is Banished"

Growth Mindset

"growth mindset brain"

This topic is very interesting. I am sure everyone can relate to her points in some way or another. There have been multiple times where I have felt challenged by something. However, I believe I am more of the growth mindset. Rather than viewing a challenge as a problem, I view it as an opportunity. In terms of being a musician, this relates in many aspects. If there is a difficult passage to play, most musicians will practice until they achieve the goal. It is a certain characteristic one must have in order to be a successful player. Giving up is not an option unless they want to be cast with the rest of  the musicians who do not play for a living. I am certainly interested in learning more about this topic. I believe it could assist in daily activities other than music. Improving oneself should be a desired opportunity rather than a feared challenge.  

Time Strategies

"photo of checklist items being marked"

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I read the article titled "Psychology of Checklists". I have always been a fan of checklists, especially since I came to college. Checklists give a sense of accomplishment every time a task is completed. This article explains that sense of accomplishment in great detail. Dopamine is the 'feel good' chemical in our brain that provides this feeling. The idea of creating a list with small, achievable, tasks to stay motivated is a great way to be productive. Rather than working for a large goal that requires a lot of patience and countless failed attempts, achieving smaller, possible, goals is a good way to prevent quitting the task at hand. I personally continue to use checklists to this day. I have found they prevent me from forgetting things I need to complete. Also, they provide me with a sense of accomplishment after the list is complete. Checklists are a very useful tool for anyone that hopes to stay organized and productive. 

Reading Options

Personally, I would prefer to read the public domain version of Ramayana. I believe the pre-recorded audio is something I would really enjoy. I can listen literally anywhere, whether it be in the car or falling asleep. It would be very beneficial. In addition, I am on my computer for a good chunk of the day and an online source of reading is the easiest way for me to complete my assignment. I also cannot complain that it is free! 

Other than eating at an Indian restaurant once in my life, I have never experienced Indian culture. In the image below, I recognize the name "Krishna". However, I am not entirely sure where I learned it. It could be because I am a musician and Krishna plays the flute in this image. An interesting topic I would be willing to learn more about is the music of India.I am sure the music has a vast amount of interesting styles and instruments. 

"Krishna playing his flute"

I have heard about the great stories and wonderful culture of Indian people and I am interested to learn more about it overall. 

Storybook Favorites

"Indra"

 In the story, Indra is an underappreciated god that has worked tirelessly for his people. In terms of personal experience, I can relate to Indra in a way. Of course, I do not believe of myself to be a God, however, I have felt underappreciated at some point in my life. I believe that is a feeling many people have faced at some point in their lifetime. The introduction definitely gives multiple examples of Indra's feelings. The writer keeps listing specific situations of times Indra has saved the world. Also, mentions how his subjects had no clue of his heroic actions, they simply reaped the benefits. Overall, the design of the page is very clean. It is very simple to navigate and the theme of the page fits the pictures in the story. I would consider replicating the theme choice in my own story. 

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"A Karmic Hero"

"Yama, the god of death"

The introduction does a wonderful job describing the plot of the story. A man finds himself in hell meeting with the god of death himself. His mission ironically is to perform good deeds to purify his soul. The title and introduction go hand and hand with the story. This story also has a nice theme. The page is well organized. The look of the page portrays the dark and gloomy setting of the story. The pictures go along perfectly as well. The dark, hell-like monsters on each image helps set the mood. I am mostly impressed with the descriptiveness of the writer. I personally would try to imitate their use of creative description. 

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"The Herculean Hanuman"

The introduction clearly represents the topic of the story. The Hanuman is worried about the current state of humans. All he wants to do is help, however, he feels helpless. I am sure everyone can relate to this in some way. The feeling of wanting to assist in something they cannot is a situation many people face. The design of the story is also relatively organized. Out of the three stories I chose, I enjoy the dialogue the most out of this one. It felt as if I was reading an actual conversation between two gods. The verbiage of the story helped immensely with this feeling. I would definitely consider writing dialogue with the character in mind. 

Introduction to an Aspiring Musician

Hi everyone! My name is Tyler Chargualaf and I am a senior music performance major at the University of Oklahoma. From a young age I was exposed to many styles of music. Jazz, Rock, and Classical, are a few styles to mention. I come from a family full of musicians.  All of my siblings play instruments, along with my father. Also, my mother was a choir member. I personally think the best thing about my major is the creativity that goes along with it. There are endless amounts of ways music can be interpreted and performed. It is its only language in a sense. The best classes I have taken during my time at OU have always involved music. For example, attending orchestra rehearsals throughout the week has been one of the greatest experiences. I get to learn from a conductor whose knowledge vastly surpasses mine. Also, I get to perform with high caliber musicians. After college I plan on continuing my music career in the military. Many people do not know, but the military offers some of the greatest jobs for musicians. Whether it be playing in a concert band, big band, or ceremonial service I would love to have music be my livelihood. 

"headshot of me junior year w/trumpet"

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On top of music, I also have a couple other hobbies that interest me. I love working on cars. My first car was a 1992 Honda Civic that was three different colors and banged up. The A/C did not work and it had no radio! My senior year of high school I installed a radio. Finally in my sophomore year of college I fixed the A/C! (YAY!) Eventually I started working on the body of the car and even pulled some dents out. Ever since then I have really enjoyed working on cars whether it be a simple oil change or replacing a radiator. I always had a good time doing the work. 

Now we can talk about food! I love Korean food. It could possibly be the best food I have ever had. Bulgogi, Kalbi, and Kimchi are some of my favorites. I think my girlfriend has some influence since she is Korean... but I still cannot get enough of it! 

There are a few things about me! 

Week 1 Story: The Power of Words

After school one day, a young boy ran as fast as he could to the playground. He had heard of a fight that was taking place between the two biggest kids in his class. He believed it to be a once in a lifetime opportunity and would not miss it for anything else in the world. Once he arrived he found a large group of his fellow students gathered chanting the fighters on. The boy was reluctant at first to join the group in their enthusiasm. Eventually, the boy caved and began chanting along with his fellow students, "Fight! Fight! Fight!". Halfway through the altercation the students were disbanded by the principals and teachers of the school. The students bolted in every direction in hopes to not get caught up in the trouble. The young boy was too entrapped in his own chanting that he did not notice the school faculty's presence. He was the last student still chanting until the principal yelled at the boy "Enough!". The boy, incredibly shocked, had become silent. The playground was so silent you could hear a pin drop. The principle said "You! To my office now!" The boy was incredibly scared and had no idea why he was being sentenced to the principal's office. However, he headed straight to the office, not even thinking about looking back. 

"Student sitting by the principle's office"

As the student sat in the office he began to ponder what he was in trouble for. "I was not even fighting! Why am I in the office? This is not fair! It should be the other kids, not me!". After 30 minutes of anxiously waiting in the office, the principal finally entered. The boy, cowering in his chair said, "What am I in trouble for?!". The principal then replied to the boy, "I know you were not physically fighting, but you encouraged it. Words encourage deeds and in this case..that is worse than fighting".

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Author's note

The original fable I used was titled the "The Trumpeter taken Prisoner". This fable was about the trumpeter who sounds calls during war to inform troops. In the story, the trumpeter wanders too close to the enemy and is taken hostage. While he was prisoner, the trumpeter pleads for his life saying he does not cause harm to them because he is just a musician. However, the enemy sees it in a different light. The enemy state's "You may not fight yourself, but you encourage and guide other men to fight". This fable reminded me of childhood school fights and how they can influenced by a student's peers. 

Bibliography

The story is based on the fable "The Trumpeter taken Prisoner"in Aesop's Fables. 

Guam - My Favorite Place

"The Island of Guam"

http://www.iexplore.com/destinations/guam/travel-guides/australia-and-south-pacific/guam/overview

Guam has always been my home away from home. I was born here. However, my family had to move away while I was still very young. It took 17 years for us to make it back due to our life schedules and the cost of  travel. Once we arrived back on the island we were welcomed with open arms by everyone there. It is truly a different place in terms of kindness. I believe everyone should visit. The hospitality shown by the people on the island is like no other. It was a great visit and it made me proud of where I was from. I plan on visiting again this winter and I am positive it will prove itself to be my favorite place once again. 

   

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