Week 6 Reading Diary B

Merciless killing of Abhimanyu, from Wikipedia

Today, I finished up the last quarter of Narayan's Mahabharata. This reading really, really reminded me of the Lord of the Rings series, as well as Game of Thrones, though a little less of the latter. A solid chunk of the reading today was edited out because it was too battle and strategy heavy, as noted in a footnote, and yet it was still very much focused on the battle. A lot of the text came from who was fighting who, if they had died yet, when they died, why they died, the long journey to their current standpoint...

That said, there was still a lot of good material there. Yudhisthira continually makes me question his ability to be king, but it makes a lot more sense as we're dealing with half-god, half-men, instead of in the last epic, where Rama was flawless. It's interesting to see the parallels between the stories, both heir apparents ousted from their place of being into exile for a long time, and then fighting a battle and resuming their throne.

It's also really interesting that the wives consistently get treated incredibly poorly. Sita was also a goddess incarnate, and therefore flawless, and Rama was fairly terrible to her after they left exile. Similarly, Draupadi does nothing but sticks her neck out for her men, and gets absolutely nothing in return. Like, she yells at them every now and then. And that's it.

I feel like every week this just turns more and more towards me being entirely indignant for the women in the epics. They're awesome, awesome characters, and yet they're treated like cardboard cutouts for the men to enjoy but not worry about past that.

Week 6 Reading Diary A

Draupadi and the Pandavas, from Wikipedia

This week, I continued reading Narayan's Mahabharata. I found this week's reading more interesting than the last two sections--I think this was mostly because last week, I took the time to make a character chart and write out who everyone was, so I had a better idea of who was interacting with each other. 

So far, Duryodhana has been acting increasingly like a B-movie villian. When offered Krishna or a million soldiers, he is THRILLED that Arjuna asks for Krisha. Textbook. When everyone around him is telling him that the war is pointless and they're all going to die, he gets mad and throws himself further on the stake.

I really liked the story where Yudhisthira was tested for hours, and for me it redeemed his earlier actions of losing the entire kingdom, his brothers, and his wife because he enjoys gambling. I think he's learned, or at least is wiser now, and my confidence in him to run a kingdom has been restored. He also tends to be a little ahead of the rest of the brothers, except for Arjuna, who really shone in this section. Given the chance to get out and drive a chariot for the prince, Arjuna takes it and does well, until the Prince starts freaking out on him. I think this could make for a pretty good comedic story, though I'm not sure how I would change the setting.

I also liked how Draupadi was just too pretty for her not to go unnoticed during her time in exile. Everyone else went incognito just fine, but men were throwing themselves at her constantly, and in turn, said men died. 

Overall, I'm excited for this week's storytelling, because I think there's a lot to work from in this section! 

Thoughts about Comments

I love getting comments on my stories, as well as commenting on everyone elses. When I comment, I try to do it in a style that I find has been most helpful to me, so it might not be best for everyone. I think I should try and break a barrier and leave things I think might be helpful in the comments, but this post is going to act as a disclaimer- anything I suggest is 100% my opinion, and as with everything, it can be taken or left. I'll try to implement this in my comments in the future!

What would really help me is constructive criticism. Somehow, I think we're all a little timid when reading each other's stories, and because we don't want to be mean or come off as such, we hold back and say extra nice things about each other's stories. This is great, because it gives me a great confidence boost when I'm in really difficult classes, but it also means I stagnate (mostly) as a writer. I love writing, especially creative writing. I used to write all the time in high school, and one of the things that helped me most was other people inspecting my writing and letting me know what they thought of it, and what they would change.

I really like it when people share personal stories in their commenting. It makes me feel like I have a connection there, and with as much as I love talking to people and learning their stories, commenting is just such an efficient and great way to do that on a large scale.

Storytelling Week 5: Hell in High Heels

The Ordeal of Queen Draupadi, from Wikipedia

"What do you mean you bet me? Like, you bet on me?"

"Well, not--not exactly, but everyone else was gone and-"

"What? Everyone? You said everyone, not everything. Tell me you didn't gamble people."

"I didn't mean to, it happened so fast, they told me I could and-"

"You're kidding me. Who is they? You're telling me you literally gambled everything you had? And that after you did that, that you thought you'd put the boys and me up next?"

"No, I swear, it isn't that bad, I-"

"Save it. This isn't binding, right? It's a game. They can't actually do anything."

"I think I signed something, I don't know, I had a few drinks, it's just-"

"Drinks? You've been drinking? And you signed something?"

"I'm sorry, I'm so-"

Draupadi hung up the phone. Five husbands, and they were all idiots. The oldest brother, the one who was this big popular guy, with a good head on his shoulders, and he gambles everything away. She knew he had a problem, but did she know it was this bad? How could she have? Who thinks that their husband is going to gamble away his money, his family, and then his wife?

It's not like Yudhisthira wasn't smart, he just had weaknesses. Everything had been effortless for him in life to this point. Class president in high school, followed by prom king, then a star quarterback in college, and now quickly leading an underdog team to certain victory in the professional league. and his brothers were all the same. Leaders in their chosen fields, they were a brilliant band of brothers.

That didn't mean that they didn't occasionally make truly dumb decisions.

Yudhisthira had a gambling problem. Never really got to him until he got out of college, but once he landed a multi-million dollar contract, there it was. Couldn't resist the dice, or the cards, or the roulette wheel, or--frankly, there had yet to be a high stakes game that Yudhisthira hadn't fallen in love with. 

Draupadi was their rock--sensible, fiery, and sometimes said to be the true brains of the family. There was a reason she was married to the five most powerful men in the country, and it was only partly that she was easily the most beautiful woman of her time. While Yudhisthira was crowned for his physical achievements in school, Draupadi was sailing through dual math and business degrees. Thus, she managed the family finances, and only gave Yudhisthira what was needed to satisfy both parties--enough for him to lose a fair sum of money, but too little to make a dent in the family's wealth. 

It didn't take long for Draupadi to realize who had put Yudhisthira up to this. Yudhisthira's backwoods cousins, Duryodhana and company, were jealous of the Pandava's success, and had always wanted a piece of it for their own. Truly, it was Duryodhana leading the fight. He was similar in age to Yudhisthira, and having grown up together, Duryodhana was constantly in Yudhisthira's shadow. He too had a brilliant mind, but in a culture that values attractiveness and charm, he never had a chance. Duryodhana was too sharp, too grating for people to really get along with, and so he was always mediocre in comparison to the other side of the family.

A knock came at the door, and Draupadi, still fuming, shot a look at the door, and took her time walking to it. The bangs on the door were faster and louder now, and when she threw it open the two meatheads at the door were so surprised it had opened at all that they were briefly rendered speechless.

"Don't talk. I'm not in the mood and I really don't have the time." Draupadi paused for a moment, waiting to see if it would stick. Typical--it didn't.

"Ma'am, we're here to collect on-"

"Excuse me, I wasn't finished. I suspect that you're here to take me back to the run-down shack my husband has lost me at, and get paid for delivering me to whatever scumbag tricked him into the whole thing?"

"Uh-" Both men were unsure of what to do. They were told she'd put up a fight, but they weren't smart enough to realize it would be verbal. If either one had thought to they probably could have thrown her over a shoulder and been done with it, but they were too dumbfounded to act.

"Rhetorical question. I'd appreciate it if you didn't answer."

The two men were silent. Finally.

"So here's my problem. I don't really feel like leaving the house tonight. I've got a nice glass of wine waiting for me and a date with the last Harry Potter book, and truth be told I don't think I'm going to find that wherever you're planning on taking me. Instead, you're both going to go back to where you came from, put my drunk husbands in a car, and bring them back here. After that, you'll find yourselves a fine promotion at--well, I'll figure out what your day jobs are. Understood?"

Seeing that both men had started to realize there weren't any repercussions in the deal as it stood, she spoke again.

"Oh-- I suppose if the both of you decide against doing what I've told you... You'll be on the streets in a heartbeat. Penniless, nameless... Hopeless. Have my men home within the hour."

*****

Author's Note: Well this ended up longer than I expected. The background music for the story can be found here, a song called The Wire by Haim. The song inspired Draupadi's firey attitude and her resistance towards the men coming to take her away. The game of dice was my favorite story during this week's reading, but I wanted to retell it in an unexpected way. The past couple of my writings had been pretty sad/sappy, and I really wanted to write something that had more punch, so after an hour of writer's block, I thought a modern-day family of pretty, brilliant billionaires would fit pretty well. When I was reading, I thought that there was no way that Yudhisthira would be the real king--anyone who can be tricked into gambling their family away twice can't be smart enough to sit on the throne. That's when I decided that in my story, Draupadi would be the head of the family, in kind of a matriarch sort of way. Hope you enjoyed reading! 

The Mahabharata, by R. K. Narayan (1978). Web Source: Reading Guide.

Week 5: Reading Diary B

Draupadi, presumably thinking 'I am far too pretty to be putting up with this', from Wikimedia.

Today I continued my reading of Narayan's Mahabharata. 

This time Draupadi played a much more major character, mostly by telling the five brothers that she was too good to be just one of their wives, and so she'd take all five instead. This works generally well, and they work out a pretty fair time-share system, but the brothers are very sternly warned to be the purest of the pure (hello, Sita) when they aren't her designated husband. 

Sort of a side note, time seems to pass really strangely here. Arjuna definitely thought about Draupadi when she wasn't with him, and so he was exiled. This seems to have worked out alright for Arjuna, since his exile is mostly noted by how he takes a couple more wives. Granted, neither are the prettiest woman that ever existed, but... Two wives are better than one?

Props to Dhritarashtra for not being able to hate the Pandavas like everyone else except the Pandavas seem to. I really need to go back and reread the earlier section, because between the similar names and the multitude of characters I cannot keep track of who hates who and who allies with anyone else. 

The eldest Pandava son is crowned, and immediately shows his with as a leader by gambling literally everything and everyone he loves away. He actually loses himself, and then keeps going by waging Draupadi. Fortunately, what I look for in a leader is the specific quality of not knowing when to stop. 

In accordance with the theme of awesome women who absolutely do not deserve what they are put through, Draupadi gets dragged to the hall by her hair, and then they try to disrobe her. Because the gods seem to be the only sane ones, she is protected and layers and layers of fabric come off of her, but never the final one. 

Reading Diary A: Narayan's Mahabharata

Draupadi and Bhimsena Conversation, from Wikimedia

For this week I chose to read Narayan's Mahabharata, for very similar reasons to why I chose to read Narayan's Ramayana. I really like print books over reading online. Reading print, there's a small chance I'll fall asleep, is better than reading on the computer, where I'll definitely fall asleep. Above, the picture shows Draupadi conversing with her five husbands. You go, girl.

Regardless, the Mahabharata is already pretty different from the Ramayana, in that there's quite a bit more in the way of politicking in the reading for tonight. The stories that really stood out were Ganga's story, where she gave birth to and then drowned her children, and then the beginning of Draupadi's story, and her previous life.

It just really seems like a lot of what I read (granted, it's late) entailed who would be king and taking vows and relations passing away to make room for new characters. This is fine, but it definitely didn't grip me as fast as the Ramayana did. I'm interested to read more, especially about Draupadi.

I found it pretty interesting that when the first rakshasa showed up, instead of immediately being killed by Rama, as I had pretty much gotten used to, she stuck around and had a kid with Bhima. That sounds... strange? 

Draupadi choosing her husband was great, because she outright denies the first guy who accomplishes the task. She doesn't like how he looks, so she says 'try again' and then she gets someone she wants. That's a really strong move for a women in this context, so I'm just waiting to read more about her. 

Week 4 Storytelling

Forest Sunlight, courtesy Wikimedia

Sometimes, an instant is just that. A moment. A fleeting glimpse of time, a half a thought, one breath, a blink. It's gone before it's had time to even exist, and by the time it crosses your mind, you're fourteen thoughts ahead of yourself, wondering how time passes and being all too aware of yourself and your hands and the tips of your toes and wondering how, how is it that life stretches so long but right now you can almost feel it slipping through your fingers. Gone. Like sand.

Sometimes, though, an instant is a lifetime in itself. 

Maybe it's a tense moment, a decision you have to make, maybe it's fear, maybe it's the last night you'll be here for a long time and you want to remember every detail, maybe you don't want to remember a thing. Time doesn't usually ask what you want, it just... Does. 

I remember an occurance, standing in front of my love, my loves, my people, my kingdom, my palace, and how time ground to a stop. I remember the looks on all their faces. Anguish. Rama, my boys, realizing what I was going to do, starting to break their strong stances and run towards me. I had months, though, years inside these few seconds. 

I'm one of the few that can confirm--when you're about to go, your life flashes before your eyes. It's a highlight reel, a sort of 'best of' film. Memories flashed before my eyes. 

Ravana's palace. Constant teasing, torture. Ten faces, staring at my own. Words, tearing into my heart, leaving wounds that wouldn't ever heal completely.

The deaths of the good men that followed Rama. Jatayu, sacrificing himself in a failed attempt to save me. 

Leaving Ayodhya as a newlywed, anxious about the future, but hopeful in following my king. 

Being torn from Rama in Ravana's hands, not knowing if Rama was coming for me, or even alive.

Running to Rama after being freed, relief written on my face, love spoken with my arms, warmth in my heart, and seeing none of the same in his eyes.

Nights spent alone. 

Feeling every inch, every second of distance between us. 

Leaving Rama a second time, for good, for the good of the kingdom. The bitterness I fought to keep from my heart for the people who ensured my departure. 

It seemed like my mind was bent on making this a painful journey. Rama had made it about a step closer at this point, but as the physical distance waned, there might have been a thousand oceans between our minds. Yet, as always, we were one. I saw the love in his eyes, the heartbreak he would face. I saw the good. If my heart could break any more at that point, I know it did.

The woods, the ashram. Cleaning, cooking, raising my boys. Seeing them grow into young men, unaware of their lineage, but happy, and humble. Knowing they would grow to be great, and more importantly, good.

Rama's ring, delivered to me, hope contained in an object. 

Days after we were exiled. Rama, being utterly useless when setting up camp. Lakshmana making fun of Rama for never learning how to build himself a shelter. Laughter, swatting and chasing each other with bamboo, thinking, 'maybe this will be okay'. 

Seeing the warmth return to Rama's eyes as I stepped out of the fire. Watching him dash towards me, sweep me up, and whisper, 'I never could have doubted you.'

Late nights, spent talking, giggling, hushed in the palace, and later, in our hut.

A kiss on the cheek. 

Two kids, catching the other's eye and knowing right then, at that second, that there'd never be another that lit the world up the way it was right that moment. 

Coming back to the present, I knew my eyes were wet and that if I didn't go then, I never would. There were sounds all around me, but I couldn't hear over the roar in my ears.

I stretched my arms out, looked to the sky, and pleaded. "Ma... Take me home."

In that last second, I knew Rama understood. If I had anything to do over again, I'd take those seconds. I'd live every moment given to me with him, and beg for more. It was all I had not to let the sob building in my chest escape, and just as it did... I was with Bhudevi. Five seconds, maybe? A hard life, maybe, but such a good one, and it was gone in the blink of an eye. Moments, often, are just that.

I never really understood distance until I couldn't go back.

*****

Author's note: 

This was the 'alternate ending' to the Ramayana, that was mentioned by Narayan, I believe, but not the generally favored one. I much preferred Narayan's ending, but honestly, after Sita's life in Sita: Daughter of the Earth, I didn't know what to think. Rama consistently questions if she's pure, and sure, he has a duty as king, but I'd believe that a king should set the example for his citizens, and not the other way around. Granted, Sita's story is a little different because she's the human reincarnation of a divine goddess, so death really doesn't work the same way for her as it does for the rest of everyone. The soundtrack to this writing was Even The Darkness Has Arms by The Barr Brothers. Now go read something happy, or look at this gif of a cat comforting her kitten. I actually set out to write a cute, funny story about how Rama was completely incapable of doing things like washing his own clothes and helping build things once they got into exile even though he's so good at everything else. Whoops. 

Also, just keep in mind that you're not a divine reincarnation of a goddess who is eternal/immortal, and if life ever seems this bad... It'll get better. There are resources out there for you.

Sita: Daughter of the Earth, by Saraswati Nagpal (2011). Web Source: Reading Guide.

Week 4: Reading Diary B: Sita: Daughter of the Earth

For the second half of the reading this week, I continued to read Sita: Daughter of the Earth. It was a quick read, but truly excellent. I love reading the rest of the story from Sita's perspective, and her wisdom and compassion in all things was so much more evident in this edition.

Not quite golden, but a deer all the same. Image from Wikimedia

Sita: Real Life Disney Princess: When Sita first gets to where she, Rama, and Lakshmana will be staying during their exile, one of the first things mentioned is how quickly all the animals take to her. She's a regular Snow White during her time there, and it's actually what ends up getting them all in trouble, unfortunately. Sita completely loses her head here, which is unfortunate, because she's incredibly wise later on, and even before that. Just in this specific instance, she happens to freak out and knows she just has to have the deer for herself. This part has confused me consistently within the readings of the Ramayana--why is it that all of a sudden everyone freaks out and goes after the dear, and gets tricked by Ravana? Up to this point, Rama's been fair, kind, smart, merciful, and just about everything you could want in a husband, except indulgent. He doesn't stand for Sita or Lakshmana being anything but the best, but when Sita wants the deer, by gosh she's going to have it.

I'm not bitter.

Sita: Rama, What Gives?: So after Sita spends a year with Ravana, being fairly consistently tortured mentally and emotionally, sitting under the same tree and presumably not moving, Rama saves her and does not immediately take her back. Because he would look bad. Because she probably didn't have the willpower to not immediately succumb to Ravana, because she's a woman. Let's not talk about the fact that Rama spent who knows how long equally distanced from her, because he's the golden (blue?) child and can do no wrong. Sita, who we can't forget is of equal divine heritage, is the one who messed up though. Nicely done, everyone. So Sita decides she's done with this, and tries to throw herself in the fire, but because of her innocence and purity, is saved by Agni. And everything's happy.

Sita: Rama, What Gives? Part II: Until it's not. A few years go by, and everyone's pretty content to accept that Sita was pure, but then some particularly jaded villagers decide that, no, the word of their beloved king really isn't enough, and that Sita's probably been a harlot the whole time. Rama's on edge, because he doesn't have the respect of the citizens. So she leaves again, this time pregnant with twins. It surprises me not that when the boys go back, and Rama decides to accept her back (again) and Sita decides she's pretty much done. I love this. I much prefer Narayan's ending, because Rama has an ounce of sense and the people of the kingdom trust him, but after Rama being a twit, Sita throws up her hands and asks for her mother to take her back. As moms do best, she opened her own arms and said "You're absolutely right you've been through hell, let's get you out of here." Go Bhudevi.

Week 4: Reading Diary A, Sita: Daughter of the Earth

This week I chose to read Sita: Daughter of the Earth, as I really enjoy reading graphic novels, and wanted to read a story written from Sita's point of view.  

I chose the image of a modern day camping area with a campfire because much of this section can be classified as "Rama, Sita, and Lakshmana Go On an Extended Camping Adventure", and I think I'd like to do something with that for my story this week.

Bonfire stock photo from Pixabay

Sita: The Literal Daughter of the Earth: First, I'm really enjoying rereading another point of view of the Ramayana, because I know I missed things the first time around. I loved that Sita was actually born from the earth. As her father plowed the field, they hit a gold box, and there she was. Sita grows up to be a strong woman, and I think that's a neat parallel because she draws strength from Bhudevi. The term Mother Earth gets used all the time, so it's an interesting reversal to think of a true Daughter of the Earth. 

Sita: Warrior Princess: Sita discovers her divine parentage by accidentally moving Shiva's bow. I think it's interesting that in this edition, it's made clear that not only Rama can move it, but Sita as well. She's just as strong as Rama, but in a much more feminine way. I was a little disappointed when she was discouraged to be a warrior, and then admits that her place was definitely off the battlefield later in the forest. I think as much as Sita loves to read, she could be a great strategist. That said, it is completely within Sita's character to embody femininity. I don't think the two are mutually exclusive, though.

Sita: Master of Her Own Fate: These titles are meant to be a little humorous, but I thought it was a change of pace when Sita suggested that there be a competition for her hand in marriage--not her father's idea, but Sita recognizing her own worth and saying that she would accept nothing less than the best. I think it doesn't always come through that Sita was exactly as much of a catch as Rama was, even though she was treated poorly time and time again, so I'm glad that was emphasized here. 

Week 4: Tech Tip - Google Timer

Image of Pomodoro timer from Wikipedia

Usually I trust myself to manage my time wisely, but after a couple breaks that end up taking longer than anticipated, I remind myself to go back to my tried and true time management method, which is more commonly known as The Pomodoro Technique, which is linked here. They want you to buy their timer that looks like a cute tomato, and while it is pretty adorable, I like my timers free. I didn't realize Google had such a great option either! I've been using a free online timer that's fairly annoying to set, so this is a definite upgrade for me.

How the Pomodoro technique works: the user sets a timer for twenty five minutes. They work on that task (studying, cleaning, etc) for the full twenty five minutes, and then take a five minute break. After four twenty-five minute cycles, the break is a 30 minute break instead of just a five minute one. Repeat ad naseum. This is how I've studied for finals since second semester of freshman year, and I can't recommend it enough. The twenty five minute intervals make the studying seem short, and the frequent breaks keep me from getting burned out too quickly over the course of the day. Plus, during those breaks, instead of browsing Facebook, I'll use them to do something physical, like jumping jacks, or wash some dishes, or pick up around the house. Two birds with one stone!

Anyway, the Google timer will really help, and I can't wait to use it!

Week 3: Backup and Review

After one crazy week, and heading into another, I really appreciated one of the images in the announcements that really seemed to hit the nail on the head for how life's been going lately...

I really enjoy playing board games like Catan, and I'm a fan of video games, though I'm fairly casual about it--they provide such a great escape to pretending to 'adult'. The link to the announcements for Thursday, the day this picture was posted, is located here. 

Week 3: Curation

Here's the rundown of the three most interesting things I found over the last week!

The first is, again, from Kid World Citizen. It's an interview with the author of a book who writes about a young Indian Princess traveling to different countries around the world. I really like this for a couple reasons--one, kids from all over the world, regardless if they're in India or France, can learn something about another culture through this book. Two, it really encourages a global mindset from a young age.

The second thing I found was more related to writing than anything else. I got stuck for a while on curation, because I wasn't sure how to relate everything back to India, but then I realized that there's a ton more we're doing in this class besides just reading Indian Epics, and that writing is a huge part of it too! So here I've got a link to someone who wrote up several tips on how to make dialogue more effective. I've already tried reading mine out loud, and it's really helped!

Lastly, another writing resource. This one is from a Tumblr called Writing Prompts. It's got a ton of interesting ideas and pictures to start a story from, all you have to do is supply the writing! Next time I'm stuck and can't think of a creative idea, I think I'll look here first!

Week 3: Storybook Styles

The Ordeal of Queen Draupadi from Wikipedia

Topic:

After reading more about Draupadi, I think I'd like to do a storybook about women in Indian Epics. I think it would be interesting to showcase the strong (or otherwise) women that have a large role to play in these stories. It would be cool to focus on four different women, with a connecting factor, to supply four different stories.  The first story I'd like to do something with is The Game of Dice, which deals with Draupadi and her being gambled as a last resort by Yudhisthira. She gets dragged by her hair to the game, which, there's tons of potential there. I love graphic novels, so I'd like to do something with the stories in Sita: Daughter of the Earth, or something akin to that. Both women are limitless as towards stories that could be retold!

Bibliography: 

"Sita: Daughter of the Earth" by Saraswati Nagpal. Website: Reading Guide

Draupadi. Source: Wikipedia

Styles: 

Letters Home: I recently wrote a storytelling blog post in a style of a soldier writing home during WWI, and I really enjoyed writing it. I think this could work well, if a character is writing home about her experiences, or keeping touch with people elsewhere--maybe even a pen pal situation. I'm definitely more comfortable writing in third person, and that's how I'd write this style of storybook. I'd like the women to be the storytellers here, since we don't often hear their point of view. 

Bedtime Stories to Daughter: An interesting frame tale might be to have a mother telling her daughter about the strong women of days past. I think this one probably gets used a fair bit, but if it's done the right way, it could be interesting. Whenever I have offspring, I plan to tell them, regardless of their gender, about the great men and women of our society and societies past. Having a mother--maybe a sister--telling a younger daughter stories that inspire her. These could be done in flashbacks, too, as the now older daughter comes across events in her own life that remind her of the stories, and she could take inspiration for action from them. 

Western: This is purely, purely because I think it would be great fun to write and design an old-timey Western storybook. A storybook with saloons, gunfights, and feisty women would suit these stories quite well, I think. Gambling happened often enough, so that would tie in with Draupadi fairly well, as well as several other facets I'm sure I haven't thought of yet. I like Westerns, especially ones with a futuristic element (tastefully) tied in, a la time traveling, maybe space... Magic? Westerns of ye olde time periods? All good things.

The Resistance: I accidentally inspired myself with the Bedtime Stories style--if the women together were part of a loosely formed resistance against some government, past, present, or future, the tales could be the stories of how they further their cause, or how they became legends within the ranks. This might have a good way to tie the story together with a plot line--told through the eyes of the young girl mentioned earlier, how she interacts with these women and how the women interact with the world, this could tie together really nicely. 

Tech Tip: Sidebar Box

I just completed the Sidebar Box tech tip, and I embedded a Spotify Playlist that I like to listen to when studying or writing (instrumental so extra words don't get in your brain) so I could share with anyone interested! Enjoy!

Also, if you're interested in embedding your own playlist or song, here's a link that shows you how to do it!

Week 3 Storytelling: Dearest Sarah

Infantryman by Henry Ellis Townsend 

     Dearest Sarah,
          
          I write with the anticipation I may see you soon--though surely not soon enough. Each day here it is cold, and wet, and where I am not soaked to the bone, I am covered in mud. It's tiresome, this rain, and the war, though I'm told we've only survived barely half of the rains, and even less of the fighting. I am more concerned with the strength of our men to survive this rainy trial than I am worried about the enemy. 

     Most of all, my concern is for you. It feels as if you've been taken from me, kidnapped by some wretched demon who thrives on our separation, and yet I know this is not true. It's I who have been taken from you, by the monster we fight each day. I send my steadfast love, and dream only-

"What's this? Writing letters again?"

Remy was jerked out of his letter by a close comrade's words, Lawrence. Rather, the letter was jerked from Remy, as Lawrence snatched it and made to read what Remy had been writing.

"Give it- stop- that's not yours to read!" Remy grasped for the letter, finally tearing it from Lawrence's hands. Smoothing it out, in a smaller voice, Remy followed, "it's private, and I'd ask you to stop interrupting me while I'm writing her. "

Lawrence smiled. His smile was easy, a bit crooked, and could warm an entire room. The man himself was strongly built, taller than Remy by several inches, though a touch younger. "I'm only teasing, you know. Someone has to do something to liven the atmosphere around here."

Remy knew in his heart Lawrence was right. Remy had been in a mood for days, and frankly, the rest of the troops had as well. They had been stuck in the trenches for weeks. When they weren't fighting the enemy, it was certain to be raining, and when it wasn't raining, they were fighting.

"Well lighten up elsewhere, if you please. I'm busy." Remy shot back his reply, surprised to hear his own words so sharp against someone he was so close to.

Lawrence and Remy were almost brothers, and often joked to be as much. In fact they were extremely similar in personality and look, but no familial ties bound them together. The ties they had formed were much stronger, weaved in the trenches during their first days together, and were brotherly of another nature, if that nature was being threatened within an inch of life on the daily.

Hearing Remy's reply, Lawrence was a bit deflated, but changed tactics nonetheless. "Remy, do you know what happens after the rain?"

Remy had been trying to pick up his train of thought in his letter, but Lawrence wasn't having any of it.

"Well, do you know?"

"Lawrence, I know what'll happen to you if you don't quit being a pest."

"Well, I know what happens after the rain. Most of the fellas here, they say that the rain is the cleansing part of the season. The rain comes and washes it all away, but the cleansing happens after you thaw out a bit."

Resigning, Remy nodded. "Sure. Just like mum washing clothes."

"Exactly," Lawrence affirmed. "Except the clothes aren't really clean until they're on the line and the afternoon sun dries them. That's the cleansing bit--peeking back out into the world and having the sun shine down on you."

Remy sighed. "Lawrence."

"I know. It's difficult for all of us."

"She's my wife. We only just married-"

"I know. You can't help her by dragging yourself further down in this mess. Keeping alive's what matters."

"I know."

"Finish your letter. I'll go pester the others for a while."

Remy gave a half smile, nodded once, started writing again.

...and dream only of you. You, my sun, my stars. I'm on my way, sweet Sarah, and I promise, I'll come back whole.

Yours,
Remy

*****

Author's Note:

     I've more or less decided I'm going to pair each story with a song, and so this week, my story was partially inspired and mostly written to Glenn Miller's Moonlight Serenade. I really liked the sweet moment between Lakshmana and Rama during the rainy season in the forest, where Rama is particularly plagued by his demons, and Lakshmana helps him out of it. Sometimes, it doesn't take a great act to turn someone's day, week, or month around. It's the small things that count, and I really wanted to spend time on that moment. I changed the names to make them sound a little more WWI authentic, but the characters and who they relate to should be fairly obvious.

I chose to reset the story during World War One because there needed to be something to take Rama away from Sita, and to have a brotherly bond between the two men. I had been thinking of the Christmas Truce earlier in the day, and how on Christmas Day German and English soldiers called an unofficial truce between themselves and spent the day playing football and singing carols. Usually for my stories I get inspired by something happening or thinking about something earlier in the week or the day, and want to use that as a basis for what I'll write.

Narayan, R. K. The Ramayana. New Delhi: Vision, 1987. Print.

Week 3 Reading Diary B: Narayan's Ramayana

Image of Ravana and Sita from Wikimedia

This week I continued my reading of Narayan's Ramayana, and finished the epic. I've listed and explained some things that intrigued me below.

Sita, Period: Sita, again and again, proves her strength throughout this portion of the epic. She's been cooped up with Ravana for ages as a prisoner while Rama's been hanging out in the forest. Women as well as Ravana come and torture her to give up information about Rama, or to sacrifice her purity, of which she does neither. Sita gets points because of that. After all of this, Rama (albeit somewhat guided by cultural expectations) has the gall to not immediately welcome her back into his arms. Sita, you deserve better.

The Battle: The entire battle is interesting, with each side taking wins and losses, though it's definitely more weighted towards Rama. Rama is constantly looking for ways to save Ravana, to not have to kill him, which is in Rama's nature. He's always trying to do the right thing, but often has to kill the enemy in order to complete his task. A scar on Ravana's back that Rama notices as he is dying worries Rama as to whether he did the noble thing--surely, fatally wounding an enemy from the back while he was running isn't noble. He's reassured that this is an old wound, and everyone's happy.

Maya:  This is a fairly trivial point, but it was interesting that there were two sides of this brought out. Ravana fights with Maya, illusionary tactics, but after he does that, Rama fights back with wisdom, which could be said to be the exact opposite of Maya. Only a fool would be taken in by these illusions, but Rama is no fool. Just an interesting point I liked seeing.

Week 3 Reading Diary A: Narayan Ramayana

Rama Chastises the Dying Vali from Wikimedia

This week I continued reading Narayan's Ramayana and really enjoyed it. Some points I found particularly interesting follow below.

Jatayu's Death : Jatayu is very confident going into this battle, and it's interesting to me that he tells Sita to not worry, because he's going to save her from Ravana. The battle is intense, but in the end Jatayu is killed, and cannot even tell Rama where Ravana took Sita. This isn't a martyrdom, so I wonder what purpose Jatayu's death has, besides the appearance that his older brother makes later. The Ramayana hasn't had many 'senseless' deaths that I've noticed, so the fact that Ravana beats Jatayu ends up being a testament to Ravana's power. It's a good reminder of why Rama is going through the world and purging it of evil, and really shows the reader how terrible Ravana is.

Vali's Death: Narayan begins this story with an interesting sort of aside, saying that this is a strange chapter morally in the Ramayana, and I have to agree. Rama kills Vali, while hiding, and ultimately takes sides in a familial argument because of this. Granted, Vali seems pretty terrible, especially since the whole thing was a misunderstanding, but for Rama to take part in his death was odd. It really reminded me of a Shakespearean death scene, where a character is fatally wounded but still manages to deliver a wonderful monologue before actual death sets in. Rama and Vali have a whole conversation. Not even a conversation, but an actual debate for several pages before death actually sets in. Things that make you go 'hmm'...

Hanuman Mistaking Almost Every Woman He Finds For Sita: Alright, it only happens twice, but really Hanuman? One of the women he meets isn't even named, it's just said that she's being punished until someone finds her. Maybe the individual elements of beauty in these women are also a part of Sita, but more pure in her, and that's why he keeps mistaking her. I know he's just eager to find her, but with a description like Rama gave, how could he not tell immediately that these other women weren't her? I might be biased towards Sita.

Week 2 Curation

Alright, here's the top three breakdown of things I found and loved this week.

First up, we have a Hindu Gods and Goddesses quick reference chart I found while browsing on Pinterest. I've included a link to the chart below. I pinned it because I'm fairly terrible at remembering who's who whilst reading, so it's nice to have a handy reference guide in case I get lost. The chart is a fairly large image (so it's tiny here!), but it's got lots of little tidbits and good information to remember.

Image from worldhistorycharts.com

Number two is an interesting craft for kids I found, also on Pinterest. It's a dual arts and history/learning craft, and I love it when the arts can bring cultural awareness to children. The idea is to have hands cut out of craft paper and glued onto construction paper for some fun color, and then have children draw henna style designs on the hands while also learning about an ancient Indian tradition! This would be my most favorite thing I found this week, if the chart hadn't already come in at that spot. 

Image from Kid World Citizen, a website that I'm definitely going to have to frequent from now on.

I've also been using Pinterest to find and store images that I might like to use in the future for a Storybook or stories in general. One image I found was from Atlas Obscura, called the Root Bridges of Cherrapunji. The people in the region noticed that a type of tree, called the rubber fig, had roots that were particularly strong, and they began to guide the roots of the tree into bridges. The bridges are living, how cool is that? That's an insane feat of truly organic engineering.

Image of the root bridges from Atlas Obscura

If it wasn't apparent, I used Pinterest for all my finds. During one of my study breaks this past week, I actually did this as a fun and destressing type of activity instead of doing something completely unproductive, like browsing Facebook. I'm most familiar with the Pinterest platform, and being able to use it in conjunction with school is great!

Reading Feedback Week 2

First and foremost, I think it's really cool that there are options at all for reading in this class. The fact that I could choose what I wanted to read, or which edition to read of something, has a flexibility that almost none of my other classes have. 

I chose Narayan's Ramayana because of a few reasons, the most important one being that I have a hard time reading on a computer. Fairly short articles/works are fine, but once what I'm reading gets to be ten pages or more, I can't focus and it starts to mess with my eyes. In the past, I've managed by turning up the red on my monitor, and turning down the blue, which makes it a lot easier to read. Having a print option is almost always better for me, though.

If I ran into something in the reading that I wasn't sure of, or a name I wasn't familiar with, I made sure to Google it so I'd stay on the same track. Narayan does a pretty good job of keeping names straight, though, which is helpful. There were a couple times when someone's name would change for the foreseeable future, or they would be addressed differently, and the little notes to remind the reader who was being addressed made it much easier to read. Narayan seems easy to read in general.

Image of man walking and reading a newspaper, from Wikimedia

The picture above accurately describes how I read a good chunk of the reading this week. I walk to campus instead of driving, and so I have a few minutes each day and before class to read. When I was younger, I used to read while walking, and this book is light enough to carry with one hand, so I resurrected my old habit. This is largely because I really wanted to keep reading even after I needed to go to class! Best of both worlds, here. 

The reading took me a couple hours the first time around, but I did quite a bit of back and forth referencing after the fact, so it probably added up to three hours after everything was said and done. 

Looking forward to this week's reading!

Storybook Topics Brainstorming

Possible Topic 1: Gurus, Yogis, Rishis

I've recently started going to yoga after having a couple semesters of being incredibly stressed out and realizing I need to do something about it. I've also been looking at trying meditation, so it's easier to focus my mind for longer periods of time, and because of this, I'm interested in the Gurus, Yogis, and Rishis topic. I'm also a fan of the sage trope in books and movies, a la Gandalf, Obi Wan, Dumbledore... The list goes on.

Research:

The Wikipedia article for Yogis mentions that a yogi patel "as someone who knows that the entire cosmos is situated within his own body". I think it would inspire some interesting stories based on that concept, especially since I've been rewatching Doctor Who lately. Wikipedia also lists Shiva as a historical yogi, and I hadn't made that connection yet in my readings. It was interesting to read that the Divine Mother Devi, which is the female manifestation of the trinity, and her/their connection to yogis. I also like the idea of a guru, which Wikipedia describes as a someone who's more than a teacher. These kinds of guides often have great storytelling potential as well. 

Possible Topic 2: Maya

Illusion is a great storytelling device, and as a fan of most things fantasy and science fiction, I think I'd be interested in retelling stories that deal with this. 

Research:

Reading about Lila, the closest thing I can compare it to is divine intervention, but on a smaller scale. Maya is described on Wikipedia as "that which exists, but is constantly changing and thus is spiritually unreal". It's also described as power, which I find interesting. I read the Maya Sita story, and was interested in how easily the topic came up. I like that there's such an acceptance of magic within that story--when Rama's presented with the idea of having a clone of Sita as a decoy for Ravana, he goes for it almost without question.

Possible Topic 3: Animal Characters

I love animals. I especially love animal presences in stories, and when looking at the animal characters, I was particularly intrigued by the idea of vahanas, and how stories could be told that way. Elephants in particular are one of my favorite animals, and their presence in Indian epics and mythology is something I've always wanted to explore.

Research:

When looking at the animal stories, I looked at Airavata, and first found a picture on the Wikipedia article that further interested me, so I've inserted it in the post below. Airavata is Indra's vahana, and is an elephant with four trunks and seven tusks. Airavata is also the king of all elephants (including, I assume, the tiny ceramic elephant I bought to paint because of this class) and is connected, through Indra, with the water and rain.

Image of Indra riding Airavata, from Wikipedia

Possible Topic 4: Women Characters

I love how many women there are in the Epics, and I'm especially excited at what large parts the women have to play within the epics. Sita already has had a huge part to play in the Ramayana, and many of the other important characters have been women as well. 

Research: 

For my research, I started by reading about Draupadi on Wikipedia and was immediately intrigued. Not only is she the "fire born" daughter of Drupada, but she was the most beautiful woman of her time. I'm currently reading The Princess Bride, and that reminded me of how Buttercup is described in the book. Reading further on the article, it's evident that Draupadi goes through some hardships, none the least being made as a bet in a game and then being dragged to court by her hair. I think Draupadi could have some really great stories, and right now she's the one I'm most excited about reading about soon.

Storytelling Week Two: Ends of the Earth

Étretat: Sunset, by Claude Monet

The first thing anyone has to understand about Rama? He's in love with his lady. Sita's a work of art, with eyes like dusk and wild hair the color of the night sky. She's been with him long as anyone can remember, if anyone remembers, and if there ever was a couple in love, they were it. The second thing? He's never stayed in the same place long. It's been said he had a home, once; a home in a breathtaking place, skies clear and blue like the good lord hadn't ever heard of a cloud to put there, waters crystal clear to match the sky, mountains tall and strong and proud--and weathered. It was a place where everyone knew there was history in every flurry of dust kicked up by their feet, knew the land would outlast them. Time passed slower there. So it's said, at least.

There wasn't ever a name to accompany the place. Just descriptions of beauty, simplicity, things anybody would describe when they thought about where they'd like to end up some day. Rama was lucky enough to start there. Broken homes don't account for perfection in setting, though, and sooner than later Rama got the boot from his stepmother. His father didn't have much to do with it; seeing as he wasn't around enough to help make a decision. It wasn't his fault, truly. Living a dream isn't cheap, never was. By the time he got home after working a couple, three, jobs, he barely had the energy to muster getting along with his second wife, much less fighting with her. 

Rama's a legend to many. Most of us haven't ever laid eyes on the boy (a man now, accounting for time), and those who have can only describe him as handsome, wonderful, kind, fair--and the same is always said of Sita. He comes quietly through towns, does a few odd jobs, and goes on his way. He's one of the last few gentlemen there are, and a jack of all trades too. There's a few who compare him to Robin Hood, preferring to live in the forest with his Maid Marion. The comparison isn't so far fetched, though he's a better hunter than Robin Hood could have ever hoped to be. Seems like every town who's been blessed by his presence is a little better off. If there's a bad apple in the ruling party, they're gone in a fortnight. An abusive family gets run out of town. When we get news like this, his name is never said... But we all know.

I remember when he came to our town. I was already an old man then, and had trouble sleeping nights. Up late one clear evening, I glanced outside and saw him. Tall, strong, proud... Weathered. He swept in on a whisper, left quieter than the rustle of leaves in the summer wind. His company followed, just two others, his lady and another young man. His brother? They listened to the cries of the town, heard our hurts, listened to how we were besieged constantly by a pack of thieves, scoundrels, who had lead in their hearts and steel in their hands. It didn't take so much as a week before an incident became altogether unheard of.

Thing is, there's a storm brewing. Rumors say the band of thieves aren't gone, just left for reinforcements. It's been years since anyone's seen Rama, though there are sightings of Sita. Nothing much, but here and there a child will tear out of the forest, yelling about strange men holding a woman captive. It's not long before the child will forget all about the men in favor of the woman's beauty. That's how we know it's Sita. That's how we know Rama's looking for her. 

We all worry for Rama. The people hear of his actions, his adventures, they know he's impossibly good at combat, strategy, persuasion, but is he good enough for those who stole Sita from under his nose?

I think so. 

I hope, someday, someday soon, that at the end of a long day, with his lady at his side, he'll get to go home.

Author's Note:

I'm really intrigued by the idea of pairing music and stories. This story in particular was inspired by a couple things, the first being a song by Lord Huron, from which the title is taken. I also really wanted to create a fuzzy picture of Rama, something that wasn't particularly attached to a time period or place. That's why I chose an impressionist painting for my image. Can you tell I like Monet? The story I worked from was more of the overarching story of the second reading diary. I thought it was important to try and evoke the good Rama's done so far, as well as Sita and Rama's passion for each other. His 'home' is Ayodhya, and I thought making him a Robin Hood-esque character would allow me to explore what Rama's interactions with others while in exile might be.

Narayan, R. K. The Ramayana. New Delhi: Vision, 1987. Print.

Week 2 Reading Diary B: Narayan Ramayana

One of the things I noticed particularly in this section of Narayan's Ramayana was how much of the characters' actions were driven by passion. Generally, everyone around Rama acts out of passion for him. The people he's meant to rule over follow him until he goes into true exile, Sita and Rama fell in love beginning with passion, and half of the reading today was driven by Soorpanaka's passionate love for Rama.

Rama Spurns the Demon Lover, from Wikipedia

I chose this particular image because most of the artistic renderings of Soorpanaka have Rama and Sita sitting beautifully off to the side, but she looks like a toad. Here, at least, she is also portrayed as a beauty who could be compared to Sita. It's interesting that Soorpanaka is dressed in red, which is traditionally interpreted as a 'passionate' color, while Sita is in more subdued, though royal, golds and greens.

Lakshmana acted pretty strongly as the voice of reason through this section--he was the only one to keep his head on when Mareecha lured Rama away, and tried to calm Sita while Mareecha was trying to lure Lakshmana away as well. One wonders what would happen if everyone listened to Lakshmana, but if everyone did, the epic would probably end up much less... Epic.

A last note--Jatayu swooping in at the end of the section, trying to save Sita, very strongly reminded me of when the Eagles show up to save the day in the Lord of the Rings. The difference here, of course, is that while the Eagles in Tolkein's universe escape essentially unscathed, Jatayu is not so lucky. I was glad to find that the section didn't end with a deus ex machina, and am excited to read what happens next!