Week 12 Lab: Stories and Friends Story Lab

TED Talk Videos

1st TED Talk: "The danger of a single story" by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

I believe the best TED Talks are the ones that make you uncomfortable and restless. These TED Talks make us aware that we are being ignorant over something instead of mindful. The talk "The danger of a single story" pointed out my mistake of believing in a single story. Even if we hear different versions of the same story, it is still a single story, just repeated. This TED Talk caused me to think how many times and how often do I believe in the single story. As we are in a pandemic, the news is always on my family's TV. However, the news is always from the same channel. While I was aware that certain news channels lean towards a political party and we did not get both sides of an argument, I never thought of it as only listening to a single story. There is a depth in everyone that we unfortunately won't see. However, if we try to recognize the many stories of those that we have the opportunity to meet, then we can at least see the depth in them. In the end, we will always realize, that no matter who you meet, we are more alike than different.

(Image Source)

Above is a screenshot from the TED Talk "The danger of a single story" which caused me restlessness and motivated me to change.

2nd TED Talk: "Imaginary friends and real-world consequences: parasocial relationships" by Jennifer Barnes

I highly respect the talk by Dr. Barnes. She spoke about why we spend so much time with fictional characters and what effect does it have on us. As she pointed out, as humans, we spend a vast amount of time with fictional characters. She defined fictional characters as both the made-up characters from the books we read and shows/movies that we watch, as well as celebrities that we know but who do not know us. Dr. Barnes spoke about the reasoning she found for why we spend so much time with fictional people. She found that we almost get the same positive effects to our cognitive work after we interact with a "real" friend and a "imaginary" friend. However, I want to propose another reason. Sometimes people just needs an outlet or a way to escape. When we pour out our energy towards a celebrity, maybe it is because we do not have someone like them in our own lives. For example, I feel like YouTube has greatly grown within the past decade. These YouTubers are like "celebrities" but are sometime closer to our age, more relatable, and lives an, arguably, normal life that is very similar to our own. More so, anyone can be a YouTuber - you do not have to be born into a certain family or wealth. Therefore, YouTubers seem to be just like us. For some, it is watching these vlogs that some feel like they have a family or place where they get positive encouragement if that is not something they get in their reality. This is just another reason I wish was explored to explain why we spend so much time with fictional characters.

(Image Source)

Dr. Barnes presenting her research on "Imaginary friends and real-world consequences: parasocial relationships."

Week 11 Story: Perspective

Updated story found on Portfolio.


"AHHHHHHH!" thousands of fans screamed as he headed towards the stage. Performing on stage was his favorite part of his job. He smiled from ear to ear as he stood back and listened to the entire Wembley Stadium sing back to him his lyrics.

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Ava thought that the man standing before her, singing his heart out was the coolest person. She has been his fan since his first post on YouTube just singing a cover of a song in his room. Ava even went to his concert when he was just performing in small college auditoriums. Now, she saw him performing in one of the largest stadiums in the entire world. Honestly, she would do anything to  meet him.

Every time Ava would go to his concert, she would come back and talk nonstop about it to her friends. Nick, one of Ava's friends, could not wrap his head around what the big deal was with this singer. Ava would show Nick pictures from the concert as well as the songs she sang along to. Still, however, Nick was not impressed. Rather, Nick thought of him as an untalented celebrity unworthy of the fame he has achieved.

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Earlier that evening, Natalia was in her flat. As she crossed her living room to go to the kitchen, she caught her roommate change the channel of the telly from her ex-boyfriend's televised stadium concert to the food channel. Natalia hated him so much. It had been two months since they broke up but everyone in her life was still tiptoeing around her when it came to him and his fame. She regretted having him in her life as she thought of him as a player who played with her feelings.

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Right by the stage at the concert stood Ashley. She was happy to see her friend perform in their hometown. Ashley looked at him, then to the crowd, then back at him. She could see her friend so happy as he did what he loved.

After the concert, they grabbed Nando's as this was their favorite restaurant. Time would pass them without a single notice. Ashley's side ached as she laughed all night because of how goofy he was. Her favorite thing about him was that he always made time for his friends. She knew he was tired from performing, yet he was still there in front of her, engaged in conversation, and spending time with her. He really was one of her truest, kindest friends.

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Each person is entitled to having their own opinion based on the unique lenses they wear. Ava, Nick, Natalia, and Ashley all viewed the famous singer with very different perspectives based off the history and interactions they had with him. Some thought of him as good, while others hated his being. We cannot control how others view and think of us. Rather, we can only control ourselves, our own attitude, actions, and words. In a world where it is so easy to criticize as well as too feel put down, we must remember to disregard the "noise" the world may put around us and be our authentic selves.

The image above is of a packed Wembley Stadium, like the concert described at the beginning of the story. 

Author's Note:
My story is loosely based off of the Jataka Tale, "The Red-Bud Tree." In this tale, I found the lesson to be: A single thing can be seen from different perspectives. When we view a single person or thing, we are all looking at it with our own unique lenses, whether it be at different times, the same time but at different angles, or the same time and angle but with different mindsets due to past history and memories. In the original story, there were four princes who saw a Red-Bud Tree at different seasons of its life. Each prince saw something different from the other princes when looking at the tree.

Therefore, I wanted to use this lesson about perspective as the foundation for my own story. In my story, the Red-Bud Tree is replaced by a famous celebrity, while the four princes were replaced by four people who knew the celebrity (but in different capacities). I wanted to do it in this way because I wanted to incorporate a lesson about remembering that we have no control of others but only ourselves.

I chose to write the story using third-person language, because I wanted to have a helicopter view of the entire situation in order to acknowledge the different perspectives of the four people on the famous celebrity. I also chose not to name the celebrity. I feel that all readers are a fan of someone, and this celebrity portrayed in the story can be replaced by whoever the reader is a fan of. Lastly, I chose not to give the perspective of the celebrity. I wanted to keep the celebrity as a single item, like the Red-Bud Tree, who did not have a verbal role in the sections where another person's perspective is being described. This was to further enhance the message that we cannot control what others think about us.

Bibliography: "The Red-Bud Tree" from More Jataka Tales, Part A. Author: Ellen C. Babbitt. Illustrator: Ellsworth Young. 1922.

Reading Notes: More Jataka Tales, Part B

More Jataka Tales, Part B

by Ellen C. Babbitt

How the Monkey Saved His Troop

• As tomorrow is Easter, I found this story quite fitting for the season. The Chief Monkey said "Do not fear; I will save you." Then, he sacrificed himself (by becoming a bridge for his troops to step on) to save the troops. Jesus had the ultimate sacrifice when he decided to save us when He died for our sins. Therefore, the story "How the Monkey Save His Troops" reminded me of Jesus's greatest sacrifice. 

The Hawks and their Friends

• Lesson: The strong bond of friendship is greatly reliable. "Friends in need are friends indeed."

The Brave Little Bowman

• Lesson #1: Do not doubt the strength and skill of the little guy. (Your physical appearance does not define your inner strength.)
• Lesson #2: When it comes to a life/death situation, care for those who were mean to you (or your enemies). 

The Foolhardy Wolf

• Lesson #1: Do not be cocky. 
• The wolf thought he was as strong as a lion and thought he could in a sense "trade places" with the masterful lion. However, when he did this, he got killed. Turns out, he is not as strong as the lion. 
• Lesson #2: Be grateful to those who provide for you.

The Stolen Plow

• Lesson: You cannot get away from a lie. 

The Lion in Bad Company

• Lesson #1: Listen to your elders. 
• I believe there is a fine line in the phrase "listen to your elders." Our parents, or elders, have experienced greater years of life than us and are likely to have good recommendations for us since they want what is best for us. However, I believe that there is a line where we cannot always listen to our parents or else it will feel like we are living our lives for them, rather than for God. The simplest example I can think of is picking a major. If we listen to our parents's pick for a major we will pursue, we might not enjoy and would feel a sense of regret towards them. More so, they are not the ones to purse the major. They are not the ones who will put in the hours of work, take tests, find a job, etc. 
• Lesson #2: Beware of bad friends.
• The wolf just left the lion when the lion was in trouble, even though the lion was the one to provide him with good food and risking his life for the food. The wolf never tried to help the lion when he was being killed, instead he just turned away and went home. 

The Wise Goat and the Wolf

• Lesson #1: It is okay to help others; however, if you have that gut feeling where you are uneasy about the situation, be aware of the surroundings and cautious.
• Lesson #2: The bad people never win. 

Prince Wicked and the Grateful Animals

• Lesson #1: Keep your promise.
• Lesson #2: If you are able, save who you can - poor or rich.
• Lesson #3: Care for the weaker first. 

Beauty and the Brownie

• Lesson: Listen, pay attention, and follow instructions. 

The Elephant and the Dog

• Lesson: Best friends should not be separated. 

This image is from my favorite story of the collection, "The Brave Little Bowman." It embraces the theme that no matter your physical size, you can have great inner strength. 

Bibliography: More Jataka Tales, Part B. Author: Ellen C. Babbitt. Illustrator: Ellsworth Young. 1922.

Reading Notes: More Jataka Tales, Part A

More Jataka Tales, Part A

by Ellen C. Babbitt

The Girl Monkey and the String of Pearls

• Lesson #1: Don't be too proud.
• The reason the Girl Monkey got caught with the queen's string of pearls was because she became too proud and felt the need to show it off to others. The Girl Monkey's own arrogance is what trapped her. 
• Lesson #2: All lies will become visible. 
• The Girl Monkey stealing the pearls was a lie unhidden by the end of the story. 

The Three Fishes

• My thoughts: This story reminded me of Finding Nemo, with Very-Thoughtful as the dad, Marlin, and the Thoughtful and Thoughtless both being Nemo. Both Very-Thoughtful and Marlin analyzes the situation they are in. When they both foresaw danger, they recommended to the others to avoid that dangerous area. Nemo, Thoughtful, and Thoughtless just wanted to listen to themselves which caused them to enter danger.
• Lesson: Listen to the wise ones around us. 

The Tricky Wolf and the Rats

• Lesson #1: Do not deceive others - you will be caught.
• Lesson #2: Do not doubt the strength and wisdom of the little guy. 
• Even if the rat is much smaller than the wolf, he was still able catch the wolf in his deceitful act as he outsmarted the wolf and was even strong enough to kill him.

The Woodpecker, Turtle, and Deer

• Lesson #1: There is great strength in true friendships. 
• Lesson #2: It is with teamwork that we can succeed. 

The Golden Goose

• Lesson #1: Do not be greedy. You will get nothing from being greedy. 
• Lesson #2: While it is good to be giving and caring, make sure people don't abuse your kindness by being naive. 

The Stupid Monkeys

• Lesson #1: Do not give your work to another.
• Lesson #2: Ask questions when you are unsure about how to do something instead of proceeding on your own where you might mess the project up entirely.

The Cunning Wolf

• Lesson #1: Do not consume all your goods without knowing where you will get your next goods from.
• This could be related to money. It is important not to spend everything we earned at one time, without saving some for later or for emergencies.
• Lesson #2: Do not lie to get what you want, because you never do. 

The Penny-Wise Monkey

• Personal note: I really do not agree with the theme/lesson of the story. The story's lesson is: you will loose much when you try to gain a little. When this is put in the context of the Catholic Bible, there are many stories where Jesus leaves the majority of the lamb to find the single missing lamb. I think that everyone/everything has value. So, if this story was replaced with people instead of peas or islands, then I feel like it would be wrong to turn your back on the single person because you already have the majority. 

The Red-Bud Tree

• Lesson: A single thing  can be seen from different perspectives. 
• I think this is a very interesting story. We must all remember that when we view a single person or thing, we are all looking at it with our own unique lenses, whether it be at different times, the same time but at different angles, or the same time and angle but with different mindsets due to past history and memories.

The Woodpecker and the Lion

• Lesson: Ungratefulness really bites.

The Others and the Wolf

• Lesson: Do not argue for the "best part" when it is already split in half and you get one. Getting one-half is enough. 

(Image Source)

"The Red=Bud Tree" was my favorite story because it pointed out a great lesson about perspective. Embracing the realization that everyone has different perspectives but that they are not wrong is an important lesson I want to keep close to myself. 

Bibliography: More Jataka Tales, Part A. Author: Ellen C. Babbitt. Illustrator: Ellsworth Young. 1922.

Biography: Graduation Postponed

"Graduation Ceremonies. The ceremonies are postponed....." This was what I read in an email from the OU Interim President, Joseph Harroz, and a tiny tear slowly went down the side of my face. I was not going to have a graduation. Sadness filled my heart as I prayed, yelled for my parents to tell them the news, phone called my big sister, and started texting my friends. It was ironic because one of my Portfolio stories talked about graduation. It mimicked how I felt towards graduation as it said, "The constant long nights of studying, the thirty-plus pages of lab reports, and the anxiety-filled time during test preparation always seemed worth it, as long as they were able to enter the Maturing Forest for their own graduation." I felt that as long as I got to cross that stage, all my hard work would feel validated. However, my reality was that I was not actually going to have a physical graduation.

It sucked. 

There was really no other way to describe the situation. I found it very important to acknowledge how I felt about the entire situation. However, this was different than dwelling in the feeling. I had to acknowledge that I was sad and the situation sucked, because my feeling are valid. However, I did not dwell in it too long or else I could find myself in a bad place.

More so, there were definitely bigger concerns around the world that I began to be thankful for what I did have. I also began to look at my situation with a new perspective. I am stuck at home with my parents for a couple of weeks. I used to say, "I peaked in high school." While since I have said this, I have found college to be another great peak, I realized this was a time for me to live my life in a way like I was in high school. I realized what I enjoyed about high school and they were: (1) Spending time with my family; (2) Playing the piano; (3) Dancing ballet. Therefore, I thought it would be great time in my life to implement these three activities in order to feel like I have "peaked" again. 

Overall, graduation was postponed. As a senior, this was hard to hear. However, in a time where we cannot control much in this world pandemic, we can control our attitude. 

Oh, how I miss campus! 

(The above image is of the building I spent most of my senior year at.)

Author's Note:

In my biography story, I wanted to describe an event in my life when I expected things to go one way, but instead they went in a very different way as I expected. I wrote it in past tense because I wanted to show reflection on the situation as I have learned valuable lessons. I wrote it in first person because I wanted to acknowledge my feelings through the process. I wrote this story because I found that there were many lessons to it and it is a good reminder for my readers, including me in the future, that we can only focus on what we can control, and that is our attitude on any situation - even situations where unexpected events happen. 

Reading Notes: Jataka Tales, Part B

Jataka Tales, Part B

by Ellen C. Babbitt

The Wise and Foolish Merchant

• Lesson #1: Don't trust people so easily.
• Personal note: I feel that it is good to have faith in people. People are born good. However, there might be people who want to purposely trip you and that is when we have to be cautious. Trust your gut.
• Lesson #2: The good, observant being always wins. 
• We must always remember to look outside of ourselves and recognize what is going on around us. 

The Elephant Girly-face

• Lesson: We tend to listen to those around us. So, surround yourself with those who make you better and guide you in a good direction. 

The Banyan Deer

• Lesson: Others before self. 
• My favorite quote is "People change people: How can 'us' help 'them?'" This tale is a representation of how one king deer helped out another deer in need. 
• Personal note: Also, I have recently been watching the news a lot as I practice social distancing. I have watched a lot of Chris and Andrew Cuomo and I watched a video honoring their late father, Mario Cuomo. He taught people that one is defined by how they take care of others. I think this correlates very well to the tale. 

The Princes and the Water-Sprite

• Lesson: Know what the good do and also be kind.

The King's White Elephant

• Lesson: We should always help each other.

The Ox Who Never Envied the Pig

• Lesson: With patience comes good things.
• Personal note: Sometimes, we want to rush things, in order to get to the finish line or the top faster. However, we all have our individual path. We must be patient. 
• Sometimes rushing things will lead us in dangers places.

Grannie's Blackie

• Lesson #1: Recognize the constants in your life.
• Lesson #2: Do not forget to thank those who have helped you. (Thank others in the way you deem appropriate for the situation.)
• Lesson #3: There is greatness in a life of simplicity. 

The Crab and the Crane

• Lesson #1: Analyze your safety in any situation. 
• Lesson #2: Take precautions for your safety. 

Why the Owl is Not King of the Birds

• Lesson: If you try to knock another from the top in order to get there yourself, neither one of you will win. 

This image is from the Jataka tale "Grannie's Blackie." This tale was my favorite from Jataka Tales, Part B. Even though it is not a lesson in the forefront of the tale, I felt that the life Grannie and Blackie lived were simple, and that there is strength in simplicity. Grannie and Blackie really were the best of friends and really loved each other, even if it was never said, it was inferred through their actions. I want to live a life like this. 

Bibliography: Jataka Tales, Part B. Author: Ellen C. Babbitt. Illustrator: Ellsworth Young. 1912.

Reading Notes: Jataka Tales, Part A

Jataka Tales, Part A

by Ellen C. Babbitt

The Monkey and the Crocodile

• The Monkey outsmarted the Crocodile. 
• The Crocodile believed everything that the Monkey told him. 
• Lesson: One should not believe everything that is told to him/her.

How the Turtle Saved His Own Life

• The Turtle outsmarted those who were about to kill him through reverse psychology. 
• A proposed way to kill the turtle would actually save the Turtle. So, the Turtle complained about that specific way of "killing" him. Therefore, the men "killed" the Turtle in that way and the Turtle lived.
• Lesson: Reverse psychology works (sometimes).

The Merchant of Seri

• Lesson: Greedy people never win. 
• The grandma was the sweetest in this story. She would give up her only physical remembrance of her late husband to make her granddaughter happy with a gift. 
• The greedy merchant said that her bowl was not worth much at all. 
• The kind merchant said it was worth more than everything he had combined. 
• The kind merchant got the golden bowl.

The Turtle Who Couldn't Stop Talking

• Lesson #1: We have to know when we should keep our mouth shut. 
• My thoughts: Every person has a voice. We have the right to use our voice to speak our minds and to make positive change in this world. However, if what we will use our voices for will insult another, we should keep our mouth shut. (Insulting another did not happen in this tale; however, it is a reason why we should keep our mouth shut.) However, I would like to point out there is a difference between keeping one's mouth shut to prevent someone's feelings from getting hurt and keeping one's mouth shut to not insult another.
• Lesson #2: Don't listen to other people mocking you. Be you.
• Children were mocking the Turtle which caused him to open his mouth.

The Ox Who Won the Forfeit

• Lesson: Be kind. Even if you are in a higher position than another, still, be kind. 

The Sandy Road

• Lesson: Don't every give up. 

The Quarrel of Quails

• Lesson: When find strength in working with each other.

The Measure of Rice

• Lesson: Honesty is the best policy.

The Foolish, Timid Rabbit

• Lesson #1: Do not automatically assume. Check the facts first.
• Lesson #2: One cannot believe everything they hear. 

The image above is from the World Health Organization's website. During this time of the COVID-19 pandemic affecting our entire Earth, we need to find strength in working with each other, rather than against. The story of the Quarrel of the Quails reminded me of this lesson. 

This link provides other tips to help us during this time of the COVID-19 pandemic from the World Health Organization. 

Bibliography: Jataka Tales, Part A. Author: Ellen C. Babbitt. Illustrator: Ellsworth Young. 1912.

Week 9 Story: A Day in Our Lives: Warrior Training

ALL ON SCREEN: Hi! What's up guys! We're the Pandavas and welcome back to our channel! Before we begin please hit that subscribe button and turn on the bell button to receive notifications every time we post, or just come back every Sunday because we post weekly! As you can tell by the title of this video, today we are going to have old school warrior training! We are going to take you along our vlog! So without further ado, let's get on with the video.

(Video cuts to the training.)

YUDHISHTHIR: Hi guys! So we are here at the training ground. All five of us are here with our trainer, Drona. It's a beautiful day so we are very excited to begin. Drona is a bit late, he texted me saying that he is bringing my chariot so I can begin learning how to ride it. Anyway, it should be here any minute, but until then, let's check up on the twins!

(Video cuts to the twins in control of the camera.)

NAKUL: Hiii!

SEHDEV: Hello hello! We have our swords right here!! Ba bam!

NAKUL: I think they are pretty cool. If you look closely you can see our names engraved on it.  Drona just arrived and he saw us having a mock battle. He says we are naturals with the sword.

SEHDEV: I mean twin telepathy brought to the warrior stage?? Come on! That's legit bro! I think being twins helps us become better swordsmen because I feel like I know what you are going to do.

(Video cuts to Bheem in control of the camera.)

BHEEM: What's up guys! Glad to bring you along to our training. I just came from our home gym and it was arm day, so I worked on triceps and biceps. All of us workout at the gym but we have different routines each day. If you want to see what we all do for our workouts, like how many reps we do and what machines we use, comment down below! Let us know what you want to see from us next! Anyway, today I am using the mace. I am glad that I went to the gym right before this because using this mace will require great strength.

(Video cuts to Arjuna in control of the camera.)

ARJUNA: What. Is. Up. Ahhhhh hope you guys are have a beautiful day! If not I hope this video is making you smile even just for a little. Today, as my brothers have said we are having warrior training! I have picked the art of archery, and my bow and arrow just came in a few days ago. I think archery is just as much a mental sport as it is physical, so that is why I chose to tackle the art. It will be a challenge for me so it will be that more rewarding at the end. 

(Video cuts back to Yudhishthir in control of the camera.)

YUDHISHTHIR: Look at this!! Its my chariot! It has arrived! Dude I am so excited to ride this thing, but for now let us cut to a training montage of all of us!

(Training montage of each brother is inserted into the video.)

ALL ON SCREEN: Aaaaaand we are back! We hope you enjoyed today's video! We just wanted to do a vlog since we haven't uploaded one in a while. We know all the weapons we trained with are a bit old school, but we thought it would be fun just to test it out! Hope you guys enjoyed! If you did, please give this video a thumbs up and comment down below which one of our weapons you would want to train with? Or if you have trained with any of these weapons, let us know your tips and tricks with your way around the weapon! Aaaaaand thanks for watching! We will see you guys next time! Bye!

This image represents where the Pandavas uploaded their vlog. YouTube is the prime location for creators to have a channel and post content they see fit. 

Author's Note:

So we are still in quarantine. Today marks my fifteenth day either at my home or only at a one mile radius from it to get some fresh air. During my time in quarantine, I have spent a lot of time on YouTube! Currently, I am hooked on watching the Merrell Twins (who I totally recommend watching)! Therefore, for my story this week, I turned it into a YouTube channel. I think it represents my life right now, similar to others, where we are working from home. So this story is a combination of YouTube and Epics of India. I based off the story over the warrior training the Pandavas got from Drona, but it is set in our time rather than centuries ago. Each of brothers has a specific weapon they excel using and I just wanted to bring that out in this story. 

Bibliography: Mahabharata Videos, Part B. By Epified Authors.

Extra Credit Reading Notes: Epified: Mahabharata Videos, Part B

Mahabharata Videos, Part B

By: Epified Authors

• Kunti had a past before marriage with Pandu. 
• She had a son given to her by the sun god. 
• She left their son at the river since she was unmarried. 
• In the present time, Pandu took his two wives and departed for the forest.
• In his arrogance, Pandu shot an intimate hermit couple.
• So, the hermit cursed Pandu saying that he will die the moment he tries to become intimate.
• Kunti then told Pandu that she was able to call on any god and bear their child. So Pandu told Kunti to bear the heirs of Hastinapur. 
• Kunti called Yama first, the god of truth and death. 
• Their son was Yudhishthir, who would keep calm in the heat of battle.
• Kunti then called to Vayu, the wind God. 
• Their son, Bheem, was very strong and courageous. 
• Kunti then called Indra, the king of the Devas.
• Their son, Arjuna, will become one of the greatest warriors.
• Kunti summoned the ashwin twins for Madri, Pandu's other wife.
• Madru bore two beautiful sons, Nakul and Sehdev.
• These five sons became the Pandavas. 
• Pandu died because he forced himself on Madri, and Madri decided to die too. 
• Gandhari was jealous of Kunti having children.
• Ghandhari became pregnant with Dhritarashtra's child, but she bore something lifeless. 
• Through Ved Vyasa, someone who was like a sage, Ghandhari transformed the lifeless thing into 100 sons. 
• The eldest son, Duryodhana, along with the other 99 sons, look evil and terrifying to everyone besides their blinded or blindfolded parents. 
• Kunti and the Pandavas came back to the kingdom of Hastinapur.
• Duryodhana was filled with jealousy and hated the Pandavas, as they were loved by everyone else. 
• Duryodhana especially was jealous of Bheem.
• Duryodhana tricked the Pandavas to go to a lakeside retreat. There, he induced the Pandava's food with sleep-inducing herbs. 
• When Bheem was deep in slumber, Duryodhana tied his hands and feet and pushed Bheem into the lake. 
• Bheem, still unconscious in the water, was attacked by snakes. 
• As the son of Vayu, Bheem woke up and fought the snakes until the snakes tried to help Bheem escape from the water.
• Bheem landed in a kingdom, deep in the water, and was greeted by their ruler that gave Bheem a magic potion, since he liked him. 
• This potion made Bheem even stronger and equipped him to fight anything or anyone that comes after him or his Pandva brothers.
• Bheem returns home and has no recollection on how he landed in the water, so Duryodhana stayed silent. 
• Bhishma wanted his grandsons to be men of war. 
• Drona appeared in the lives of Bhishma and his grandsons and he would help them become warriors. 
• Drona recognized and further developed the talents of the boys.
• Yudhishthir was an excellent charioteer.
• Nakul and Sehdev were great swordsmen.
• Bheem was evidently the strongest and chose the mace as his weapon and could even defeat adults.
• Arjuna became the perfect warrior. He could use any weapon with ease. The art he chose was archery, as it was the discipline of the mind.
• Drona's son and Arjuna was picked by Drona to use weapons that controlled all elements. 
• Arjuna soon found out that Drona's main purpose for seeking their kingdom and training them was for vengeance. 
• Arjuna ran into an extremely precise archer in the forest named Ekalavya. 
• Ekalavya told Arjuna that Drona was his teacher. 
• Turns out, in the past Drona had dismissed Ekalavya from being his pupil, which triggered Ekalavya to train hard to become a great hunter/archer. 
• Drona asked Ekalavya to cut off his right thumb, and Ekalavya did so.
• Drona took no pleasure in ending the legend that could have been Ekalavya. 

This image is from Mahabharata Episode 11 - Sons of Pandu from Mahabharata Videos, Part B. I felt that Part B at its core, revolved around the Pandavas; therefore, I felt that it would be appropriate to use an image that has the Pandavas. The five sons in this image are the Pandavas. 

Bibliography: Mahabharata Videos, Part B. By Epified Authors.

Reading Notes: Epified: Mahabharata Videos, Part A

Mahabharata Videos, Part A

By: Epified Authors

• The Mahabharata is a story of karma. 
•  Shantanu fell in love with Ganga, a river goddess. 
• Ganga agreed to be Shantanu's wife if he never questioned her.
• Shantanu agreed.
• Ganga drowned their first seven babies.
• Shantanu did not question Ganga until the eighth baby. 
• Ganga was trying to free spiritual lives that were reincarnated in the eight sons. 
• Ganga was questioned so she took their last son and left.
• Shantanu found his long lost son, named Devavrat, and brought him to his palace.
• Shantanu fell in love again, but to a fisherman's daughter named Satyavati.
• Satyavati would not marry Shantanu, because her father believed that Shantanu and his first wife's children would be prioritized. 
• Shantanu did not argue and went home.
• Devavrat noticed how sad his father was so he went to reason with the fisherman and his daughter, telling them he would not assume his father's throne.
• The fisherman still did not approve of marriage.
• Devavrat made a promise that shook the whole world: he vowed to never have any children. In this way, there would be no reason why Satyavati's children would not assume the throne.
• Devavrat's name turned into Bhishma (he of the terrible oath). He took Satyavati to his father, where his father felt sad about Bhishma's oath.
• However, Shantanu, for his son's kind intentions, let him decide when he should die. 
• Bhishma cared for his two half brothers.
• When one of the brothers died, Bhishma looked for a wife for the other brother. 
• Bhishma kidnapped three sisters/princesses for his half-brother.
• Bhishma began the cycle of his death.
• The oldest princess, Amba, pleaded with Bhishma to let her love another king. She was sure that the other king loved her back and would take her in; but, the other king would not take her.
• Amba pleaded with Bhishma to take her as his wife. 
• Bhishma promised to not have any kids so he could not take her as his wife.
• Amba placed full blame on Bhishma for ruining her life. So, she seeked ways to destroy Bhishma.
• Only one, the former mentor of Bhishma, would fight Bhishma. They were so equally strong. Only when the mentor withdrew from the fight did Bhishma win.
• This did not stop Amba from wanting to ruin Bhishma.
• Bhishma's second half brother died, leaving his two wives both a widow and childless.
• Satyavati was forced to tell Bhishma of her previous relationship where she bore a miracle child. 
• The miracle child, Vyass, came to marry and bore the children of the two widows.
• These two widows were scared of him for they thought he was unattractive.
• Vyass bore a child with one of the widows when she closed her eyes; therefore, their son, Dhritarashtra, was blind.
• Vyass bore a child with the other widow when she became weak and pale. Therefore, the son she bore, Pandu, was weak and pale. 
• Saryavati sent Vyass to bore a child again with one of the widows. However, the widow sent a servant girl instead. This servant girl was not frightened at all, so the son she bore, Vidura, because one of the wisest in the land.
• Bhishma raised these three boys.
• A rivalry arose between Dhritarashtra and Pandu that Vidura noticed.
• There were too many contenders for the throne of Hastinapur.
• The eldest, Dhritarashtra, became king.
• Pandu ruled the armies. 
• It was known that Pandu was the true ruler even though his brother was titled as "king." 
• Pandu ruled with the wisdom of his brother Vidura.
• Bhisma seeked a wife for Dhritarashtra.
• One girl agreed to marry Dhritarashtra and blindfolded herself to be blind too.
• This outraged her brother, who was wise so he seeked revenge.
• Pandu also married. He had two wives, Kunti and Madri.
• Kunti had a secret which would cause more chaos. 

This image shows the overall theme of the Mahabharata. It is told in the beginning of this series of videos, that Karma is the theme that people recognize within the epic when they look closely.

Bibliography: Mahabharata Videos, Part A. By Epified Authors. 

Biography: The Sweet Smell of Car Exhaust

Ahh, the strong smell of the gasoline exhaust of a car. Most may think that it is a disgusting smell that could trigger coughing. However, when I smell it, while I do think about the negative affect of the exhaust on our planet, I cannot help but think of home.

As I was walking out of my last final of Fall 2019, there was a car revving their engine. Out released a the scent of gas exhaust. As weird as it sounds, smelling this weird smell made me smile. Anytime my sister or I would smell the sweet smell car exhaust, we would always look at each other and say "Smells like the Philippines." While the Philippines has its own concerns regarding pollution, that is besides the point.

This happened a few days before I was to depart for vacation in the Philippines. Leading up to my departure, I had constant doubts for a few months about even wanting to go to the Philippines. I had not been there in such a long time (about 10 years) that I was nervous and was afraid my family there would make fun of me for whatever reason. I also was worried about not feeling like I belonged when I was with my family. However, when I smelled the gasoline exhaust from the passing car, I felt some sort of peace. It was like God was telling me that it was going to be okay - that seeing my family would be okay.

Shown in the image above are tricycles. This is a very common of transportation in the provinces of the Philippines. This is a cheap way for people to get from point A to B without walking. It is also provides a job for many. Depending on the provinces and the distance traveled, the cost of a single person to ride a tricycle differs. However, in non-touristy areas the cost to get to the center of the city from the outskirts is about 20 pesos ($0.40). There are many tricycles across the country which results in a smell of gas exhaust that you realize as walk around town. Therefore, this smell lead to the biography above. 

Author's Note:
Wow. Through writing this biography, I just realized a little bit more about myself and my feelings. I did not realize what the real reason I was afraid to go back to the Philippines until I just let myself write. Wow. I should write to myself more.
On another note, I have written a lot about the my birth country in this class. I just want to share some wonderful experiences I had there with the readers just so they have opportunity to learn about new place. In this biography I wanted to write a story prompted by a vivid memory of a smell. I wrote in the first person because I really dived into my feelings. I hope to read this in the future and smile.

Extra Credit Reading Notes: PDE Mahabharata, Part D

Public Domain Edition of the Mahabharata, Part D

By:Arnold, Besant, Devee, Dutt, Ganguli, Kincaid, Macfie, Mackenzie, Nivedita, Seeger, and Tagore

Reading Notes - Character Analyzation:

• The following were notes on the scenes that I thought were particularly important to analyze the character Arjuna:
• Revolted against the idea of fighting against Shikhandin.
• Arjuna loved Shikhandin as a child so the idea of fighting against him was brutal.
• Arjuna and Bhishma fought in war.
• Arjuna's arrows pierced Bhishma which lead to Bhishma's death.
•  Arjuna was told that his son was slain.
• Rightly so, this news really hurt him as he wept for his slain son.
• He then cursed the murderers of his son. 
• He said that he never wanted to reached heaven if he did not kill Jayadratha (who he believed killed his son) the following day.
• Jayadratha was told of Arjuna's vow and became fearful.
• Many people tried to fight Arjuna and the two men who accompanied him (Bhima and Satyaki) before he could reach Jayadratha, including:
• Duryodhana
• Karna
• Bhurishrava
• Many others fought Arjuna and his men but did not succeed.
• Finally, Arjuna beheld Jayadratha who was guarded by warriors. 
• Arjuna easily killed Jayadratha.
• This killing caused a right of continuous fighting by men who really had no reason to fight.
• Arjuna asked for a truce and the warriors agreed. 
• Yet again, Arjuna is in another fight. This time he is in a fight with Susharman when Karna fought against the Pandava army.
• In my opinion, it seems like Arjuna is a very good, effective, and skilled warrior but he is in too many battles.
• Arjuna battled against Karna. 
• This is a close battle because both are seen as mighty.
• During battle, Arjuna asked Karna to pause the fight because his bow-string was severed.
• Karna obviously did not care and dismissed Arjuna's request. 
• Then the opposite situation occurred: Karna asked Arjuna to pause in battle because his chariot sunk into the ground.
• Differently, however, Arjuna did pause in battle.
• Krishna pointed out that Arjuna did as Karna asked when he needed it but Karna did not do the same. 
• As Krishna said this, he spoke the name of Arjuna's son.
• This triggered Arjuna which caused him to be outraged and shot at Karna's head.
• Arjuna defeated and killed Karna.

(Image Source)

By analyzing Arjuna, he seemed to be a great warrior, as he defeated many. I believe this image really shows this aspect of the character analyzed.

Bibliography: Public Domain Edition of the Mahabharata, Part D Multiple Authors from Various Sources: Arnold, Besant, Devee, Dutt, Ganguli, Kincaid, Macfie, Mackenzie, Nivedita, Seeger, and Tagore

Week 8 Comments and Feedback

The quality of the comments and feedback that I am getting from my peer students is very helpful! It helps me realize what may be missing in the story from a reader's perspective. Since I live out stories in my mind, I sometimes forget to consider things that may not be assumed by others. Therefore, the "Let's Pretend" and TAG feedback methods have been very helpful to me. 

Furthermore, I would like to believe that the quality of the comments and feedback that I am giving to my peer students is helpful. I really enjoy giving feedback through the WWW and "Let's Pretend" methods. Particularly the "Let's Pretend" method allows me to think of the story in a wholistic view because I am pretending that I am a character in the story. Furthermore, I am getting some good ideas for my own writing from analyzing other people's writing. For example, I have read stories that instead of bluntly telling the reader particular information, they use descriptive words to allow the reader to infer information. Therefore, I have tried to incorporate this tactic in my own writing.

Through blog comments, I feel like I have been getting to know people! I have recognized great diversity in the people, their interests and majors, in this class. I have realized that I have taken a lot classes with students in my major but I don't know any of their interests. I love how this class is structured that we get to meet others even past their name and major. I love my Introduction post, so I hope people are getting to know me too.

Looking forward, I want to use the TAG method more. I feel like that feedback method has been helpful to me so I want to do the same for others. I feel like my peers could possibly give me feedback in the style WWW to help me improve too? I like my Comment Wall and Introduction so I will be keeping that the same and get feedback there. 

(Image Sources: (1) and (2))

I have chosen this photo because it is an accurate representation of how I feel about my peers giving my feedback. They have really guided me by giving my honest opinions from their perspectives. I think through their feedback, I have improved in my writing. I truly feel like the orange kitty in this photo. I also feel like collectively, as a whole, my peers are represented by the black cat. 

Week 8 Reading and Writing

Reflecting back on the reading and writing that I have done throughout this class, I become very happy with myself. Reading has never been my forte or even something I just enjoyed. I struggle with reading at an appropriate speed as well as comprehending what I have read. However, when I look at my reading notes, I give myself grace because I was able to comprehend the stories. Furthermore, at the beginning of this course, writing the stories was what excited me the most for this class. It has kept its end of the bargain! Writing the stories is still my favorite part. I notice that when I write I go into another world. A world where I can control what happens and use my imagination again. I have felt like I pushed my imagination to the corner of my brain these past few years, but I remember how my second grade teacher told me to never loose it. So, it feels good to use my imagination again.

Also, I can see how my reading notes and stories have improved throughout the semester. I have used different reading techniques and that has really helped me explore the story in different ways each week. Furthermore, I can see that my writing has improved because, in my opinion, they have become more engaging. 

Looking forward, I want to keep improving on my reading and writing. I believe there is always room for improvement, so it is great that we get to reflect on what we have done and where we want to go. Regarding my reading, I want to keep using reading techniques. However, I want to use different reading techniques and not repeat the ones that I have used. Regarding my writing, especially for my portfolio, I want to condense the wordiness of my stories. Naturally, I am a very talkative person, and I think that is translated in most of my stories. Therefore, I want to work on condensing the number of words while still telling the story in its entirety. 

(Image Source)

The above image was used for my "Extra Credit Reading Notes: PDE Ramayana, Part C" assignment. Looking through my past reading notes, I recalled using most of the images. However, the image above, I do not remember choosing. It made me really interested in the notes that I took again. I was then reminded of the courage of Sita and Hanuman in their respective ways when Sita was being captured. It was a gentle reminder that we all should be courageous too. 

Week 7 Story: The Bond

It was time for battle between the Dosteps and the Calihans. In the Dosteps army, there was a tough, powerful, fearless warrior named Alex. He was the best bet that the Dosteps army had in defeating the Calihans.

In the Calihans army, there was five brothers. These brothers were tight knit and lived with their mother, Ashley, or raised them well.

On day, Ashley bumped into Alex at the farmer's market. They did not know each other, but they did give each other a polite, gentle smile. Later that day, Ashley and Alex ran into each other again, but this time at a shoe shiner. Ashley was a customer and Alex worked there. Alex was both a shoe shiner and warrior so he could afford to support himself.

As Alex shined Ashley's shoes, they had really good conversations. For both of them, it was easy for them to talk to the other.

Days, then weeks passed, and Alex and Ashley became very close.

One day, Ashley's private investigator approached her very frazzled saying, "I have found your long-lost son!"

Ashley became anxious all of a sudden. "Who is he? Am I going to finally meet him?" she thought.

As the private investigator told her who her son was, Ashley began to feel faint.

It was Alex.

She always felt very comfortable around Alex, but she did not think that he was her long-lost son. Then she became torn. She knew Alex was fighting for the Dosteps. How could he though? That would mean he would be fighting against his own brothers, the Calihans.

Ashley searched for Alex. When she did find him, she expressed to him what the private investigator told her and asked him not to fight the Calihans.

Ashley watched as Alex's face went from surprised, to saddened to angry.

Alex revolted against Ashley! He said, "How could leave me! You see my life now! I work two jobs so I can make sure I have something to eat, while your other sons are having a feast every night without lifting a finger. And to think that you would ask me to not fight against them in battle? You have never been a mother to me and your sons are not my brothers!"

After saying this, Alex ran away as Ashley wept.

This image is an artistic representation of the torn bond between Alex and Ashley that is hanging by a thread. (Image Source)

Author's Note:
I wanted to create a twist to the episode "Krishna and Karna." In my story, Alex is Karna and Ashley is Kunti. I wanted to provide a different setting for them to a more present time. The foundation of the story is the same. Ashley appraoches Alex and confesses her identity to him, then she begs him to not fight her other sons which he just found out were his brothers. This is the same situation between Kunti and Karna. However, I have changed their characters a little bit just to add my own creativity. This was my favorite episode of PDE Mahabharata, Part C of the reading (refer to bibliography) so I wanted to reiterate the story but in my own way.

Bibliography: "Krishna and Karna." Public Domain Edition of the Mahabharata, Part C.  Multiple Authors from Various Sources: Arnold, Besant, Devee, Dutt, Ganguli, Kincaid, Macfie, Mackenzie, Nivedita, Seeger, and Tagore

Reading Notes: PDE Mahabharata, Part C

Public Domain Edition of the Mahabharata, Part C

By:Arnold, Besant, Devee, Dutt, Ganguli, Kincaid, Macfie, Mackenzie, Nivedita, Seeger, and Tagore

Reading Notes - Favorite Episodes:

• Bhima and Hanuman
• Hanuman was in the epic Ramayana; therefore, it is interesting to see the same character in a different context. 
• Bhima came across Hanuman.
• Hanuman was a monkey on the ground that would not get up.
• At Bhima's request, Hanuman told him of his extraordinary identity.
• When Bhima did not believe Hanuman, Hanuman became a giant. 
• Hanuman shared much wisdom to Bhima. 
• Both found out that they were both sons of the god, Vayu. 
• Krishna and Karna
• Karna tries to convince Krishna that if he comes with him, then Krishna will be regarded by the Pandavas as their older brother and Krishna will be king.
• Krishna is not convinced by Karna and says that he must stay and fight for his friends. 
• Krishna knows he must stay to fight Arjuna in battle.
• He believes that fate will decide who is greater when they fight.
• Even though, Krishna did not do as Karna wishes, they were still in good terms,
• Both Kunti and Vidura are distrought about the idea of war breaking out between Duryodhana and the Pandavas.
• Karna is Kunti's eldest son that she hid.
• However, it is Karna supports Duryodhana. 
• Therefore, Karna, in a way, is planning to go to war against his brothers.
• Kunti searched for her son, Karna, in order to apologize about hiding him. 
• She confessed to him that she was truly her mother and Radha, who found him, was not his mother. 
• Furthermore, Kunti seemed to plead with Karna to not fight a war against his own brothers, the Pandavas. 
• Karna was known of having a lowly birth, so Kunti used this opportunity to convince him that he should come back with her and not go against his brothers and that he will be no longer known of lowly birth. 
• A voice from the sun spoke and confirmed that what Karna said was true. 
• Karna could not easily forgive Kunti.
• Karna believed that Kunti was never a mother to him; therefore, he does not see her other sons as his brother.
• Karna said that Kunti was "too late" in coming forward towards him and request a favor from him.
• Kunti respected Karna's decision and respectively bid him farewell. She told him to remember that he pledged the lives of his brothers while he is in battle, while also wishing him good health.
• Karna agreed with Kunti.
• They both departed from each other. 

This image represents the reaching of Kunti to her son. Similar to this image, their hands do not clasp and they go their separate ways. 

(Image Source)

Bibliography: Public Domain Edition of the Mahabharata, Part C  Multiple Authors from Various Sources: Arnold, Besant, Devee, Dutt, Ganguli, Kincaid, Macfie, Mackenzie, Nivedita, Seeger, and Tagore

Reading Notes: PDE Mahabharata, Part B

Public Domain Edition of the Mahabharata, Part B

By:Arnold, Besant, Devee, Dutt, Ganguli, Kincaid, Macfie, Mackenzie, Nivedita, Seeger, and Tagore

Reading Notes - Favorite Episodes:

• The House of Fire
• Prince Vidura has an interesting character.
• His mother was a slave girl
• His half-brother was a king.
• I wonder how he felt coming from both two two extremes of royalty and slavery. I wonder if he felt just as worthy as his half-brothers for the title "king."
• He played a really important role in the episode.
• Prince Vidura was the one who guessed the cruel plot discussed below of Prince Duryodhana. 
• Varanavata palace:
• had beautiful furniture and decor
• was built of wood so it would easily burn
• Prince Yudhisthira was warned by Prince Vidura of the evil plan of Prince Duryodhana. 
• Prince Yudhisthira shared with his mother what was told to him by Prince Vidura and told her that he feared that his, his brothers', and his mother's lives were in danger by living in the said palace.
• He pointed out to his mother that the palace would be set on fire that is why the furniture and tapestries were soaked in oil and the walls and roof of the palace were made of only wood. 
• Prince Vidura hired a miner to build an escape route in the form of an underground passage for the Pandavas and their mother. 
• The minder did this very sneakily as he worked at night and covered the passage with wooden planks by day. 
• Prince Bhima set the guard-house on fire which, through the wind, blew towards the palace. 
• Therefore, both the guard-house and palace were up in flames. 
• Coincidentally, a low-caste woman and her five sons came to beg for food and slept at the palace.
• Unfortunately, this woman and her sons died in the fire.
• However, the next day the people of the community believed that the low-caste woman and her five sons were Queen Kunti and the Pandavas, and that they died in the fire.
• The Burning of the Forest
• Krishna visited the Pandavas and a huge party was thrown.
• Agni, the god of fire, visited Krishna and Arjuna requesting food. 
• Agni wanted the two heroes to help him.
• The two heroes to agreed to help Agni if he got them celestial weapons.
• Agni got a bow from the god Varuna and many other weapons. 
• This ignited a battle.
• Therefore, Indra was defeated.
• A fire arose and many animals died in flames. 
• Only a few animals escaped.
• Agni, in a result, became powerful again.

Image Source

Bibliography: Public Domain Edition of the Mahabharata, Part B  Multiple Authors from Various Sources: Arnold, Besant, Devee, Dutt, Ganguli, Kincaid, Macfie, Mackenzie, Nivedita, Seeger, and Tagore

Extra Credit Biography: A Christmas to Remember

Tall trees are hitting against each other so hard that it seems like they are fighting. Rain pellets are banging against the windows. The wind is howling as it weaves around the house. We are in the middle of a Signal #2 typhoon. At the house, my lola (meaning grandma), two aunts (named Nene and Mabelle), mommy, daddy, sister, 15 year-old cousin (name Miguel), and two year old niece (named Andrea) are preparing for Christmas Mass. This is my first time being in a typhoon. I am so confused at why no one was freaking out. However, I just go along with the flow. With our makeup done, we begin taking family pictures. This is a Christmas for me to remember because it is my first Christmas spending it with my relatives that I can ACTUALLY remember. Living in the U.S. has brought me so many blessings; however, when holidays roll around everyone seems to be having big, family dinners with their grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, etc., I always felt a little bit of sadness. As we are taking family photos of all different poses, I realize I forgot about the typhoon encircling us. Family is everything. They are ones who will stick by us through the sunshiny days and the typhoon, rainy days. I love my family!

(Personal image of my family on Christmas 2019)

Front Row: Andrea, Nene, Lola, Mabelle, Miguel

Back Row: Mommy, Sister, Me, Daddy

Note:

In this biography story, I wanted to showcase the importance of family. Growing up, I had lots of friends who had grandparents, aunts, or cousins who lived across the street from them. However, about 90% of my relatives live outside of the country. While I absolutely love my immediate family, sometimes I wish I also had my relatives to spend important moments with. More so, I wrote the story in present tense because I wanted the reader to feel my same emotions, especially being in a typhoon for the first time.

Biography: My Favorite Vacation Memory

This is my first time back in the Philippines in about 10 years. Back in the province, life is very simple. I wake up around 5 a.m. (which is very different than my typical vacation wake=up time of 3 p.m.) and sleep around 9 p.m. I enjoy this type of lifestyle. Similar to every night, I go about my usual sleep routine. I sleep next to my lola (which means grandma) on the bed and my niece, aunt, and cousin sleep on the floor in the same room. My relatives are so kind that they would make sure that my immediate family and I got the beds. One night I suddenly felt my lola move. My lola is the stillest sleeper I know so I would be conscious of her movement so I can check up on her. As I am waking up I hear awful scream crying. I noticed that my 86 year-old lola is reaching for my 2 year-old niece who is wailing. My lola has 9 kids so I can see how alert she with taking care of babies. However, my lola has REALLY bad hearing. Her eardrums are almost completely broken, so I wondered how she heard Andrea (my niece). It is either God woke my lola up or I am a really deep sleeper. At this point, I am trying to grab my glasses. My eyesight is 800/10. That means my eyes are so bad that I am not part of of the 20 in "20/20" scale. What people with 20/20 vision can see in 10 800 feet, I can see in 10 feet. However, I could not find my glasses! I did not have time looking for them! I carry Andrea and I start to rock her. I look for my aunt and I could not find her. I look for my other aunt, but her location was unknown as well. I look for my sister. Of course, I could not find her either. Andrea is pointing at the kitchen. So I'm like oh she wants milk!! But she doesn't want milk after I gave her milk. She keeps saying "nameg." That is not a word in Tagalog, so I am very confused on what she means. She reaches for the freezer and tries to open it. I open the freezer door and she grabs a water-bottle from the freezer. She GULPS it down. I have never seen a 2-year-old chug water. Turns out she was meaning to say "lamig" which means cold, instead of "nameg." At this point. I. Still. Cannot. See. Clearly. I get closer to my lola who is trying fix up the house. I get as close to a clock as I can and see that it is 2 a.m. and I am so confused at where my family is. My lola is trying to turn on the electric fans, because we live in the province and most rooms do not have air-conditioning. Andrea is sweating so I can see why my lola was doing this. However, my lola did not have her cane. Then my lola pulls out the electric fan a little far where the cord is not resting on the floor. So at this point I'm thinking, "There is NO way I am going to have two year-old wailing and have my 86-year-old grandma trip over this cord while I cannot see clearly and I cannot find my family." So I  push back the electric fan and run, while carrying the toddler in my arms, and find my lola's cane. I gave it to my lola and told her to use it. FINALLY. Everyone is settled. My lola has her cane and stopped fixing the house at 2 a.m. and my niece stopped crying and chugging water. I bring them back to the room and lay my niece in the middle of me and my lola to prepare for bed again. All is well in the province.

Philippines (Image Source)

Note:
I used first-person in this story because I wanted to walk my audience through my experience. I wanted them to know my thoughts. I wanted them to feel the uncertainty that I felt as I experienced this memory. I also wanted to use present tense for this reason, because I wanted the audience to feel that worry I felt. I tried to tell a story that was fun and light-hearted looking back at it know, even if it was stressful during the moment. I feel like there are many moments like this in life - but if we look back at it with a good attitude, it can become some of our favorite memories.

Reading Notes: PDE Mahabharata, Part A

Public Domain Edition of the Mahabharata, Part A

By:Arnold, Besant, Devee, Dutt, Ganguli, Kincaid, Macfie, Mackenzie, Nivedita, Seeger, and Tagore

• King Shantanu married Ganga. 
• Ganga was a goddess assuming human form, but King Shantanu thought she was fully human. 
• Ganga made the promise of casting her children into the Ganges river prior to assuming human form. 
• Fufilling her promise, Ganga threw each of her and King Shantanu's children into the river.
• Shantanu stayed silent as she did this to their first seven children; however, by the eighth child,l he became furious at Ganga for her action.
• Ganga left Shantanu with their eight child because Shantanu yelled at her.
• Ganga returned and gave back their son, Devavrata, to Shantanu.
• Shantanu later fell in love with Satyavati. 
• Satyavati was a human twin who was born from a fish. 
• She was born from King Uparichara, who was the King of Chedi, when he was flying through the sky and his semen fell into the river which was swallowed by a female fish. 
• A fisherman caught the fish and two children came forth - one boy and one girl.
• When this was presented to the king, the king only took the boy. The girl, Satyavati, stayed with the fisherman and his wife.
• Satyavati bore a child name Vyasa with the rishi Parashara. 
• However, the rishi with his powers made Satyavati virgin againm even after the birth of their child.
• Satyavati agreed to bore a child in order to have her fish smell replaced with a sweet fragrance. 
• Shantanu and Satyavati married and had two sons Chitrangada and Vichitravirya.
• Devavrata promised the father of Satyavati that he would not claim the throne after his father passed so that Satyavati's sons will become king. 
• Chitrangada died soon after he assumed throne.
• Vichitravirya assumed throne but needed to find a wife. 
• Devavrata found Vichitravirya three wives: Amba, Ambika, and Ambalika. 
• Amba left the kingdom to go to who she loved.
• Ambika had a blind son, Dhritarashtra.
• Ambalika had a pale son, Pandu.
• Pandu assumed throne.
• He had two wives, Kunti and Madri.
• Kunti bore a child that she sent into the river.
• Besides the son Kunti sent into the river, Pandu had 5 sons: Yudhishthira, Bhima, Arjuna, Nakula, and Sahadeva. 
• Pandu died and Madri followed along.
• Dhritarashtra assumed throne and married Gandhari, who bore a hundred sons.
• Their eldest son, Duryodhana, was born terribly crying so men told Dhritarashtra to kill him for it was a bad sign and the boy will turn evil.
• The Pandavas (the five sons of Pandu) and Kauravas (decedents of Kuru) lived together in the kingdom but there was always tension between them. 
• Leader of the Pandavas: Bhima.
• Leader of the Kauravas: Duryodhana.
• Duryodhana poisoned Bhima.
• Bhima came back to life as the king of the nagas (or snakes).
• Drona and Drupada were best friends that drifted apart. 
• Drona was found by Bhishma to train the princes to fight and their fight would be agains Drupada.
• After, many wanted to be trained by Drona. 
• Drona welcomed everyone except Ekalavya, the son of the rajah of the robber Bhils.
• Tournament between Bhima and the Pandavas versus Duryodhana and the Kauravas.
• Drona with the princes fought Drupada.
• Arjuna captured Drupada which angered Duryodhana.
• Out of jealously Duryodhana planned on setting the palace on fire when the Pandavas and their mother was asleep.

This image is a cartoon representation of the jealousy Duryodhana has against Arjuna for capturing Drupada.

(Image Source)

Bibliography: Public Domain Edition of the Mahabharata, Part A Multiple Authors from Various Sources: Arnold, Besant, Devee, Dutt, Ganguli, Kincaid, Macfie, Mackenzie, Nivedita, Seeger, and Tagore