Reading Notes: Cupid and Psyche part B

Since this week I am focused on taking notes about the plot, today's post is about all the help Psyche received in this half of the story.

(Venus, Ceres, and Juno by Raffaello Sanzio)

Early on in this section, Juno and Ceres (Hera and Demeter in Greek mythology) visit Venus (Aphrodite) and try to persuade her that Cupid was just acting as a young man in love, not to spite her. They try to convince Venus that she should not be so harsh on the young couple. Their pleas fall on deaf ears, however. 

Once word got out that Venus was on the hunt for Psyche, and Psyche turned to the temples of Ceres and Juno, I was shocked that they did not help her! Each goddess explained that they had ties with Venus, whether it be platonic or familial, and they did not want to go against her. This is really the only example where Psyche does not receive help. 

After finally coming face to face with Venus, Psyche is sent to perform tasks until she can win the satisfaction of Venus. 

The first task Psyche had to do, was to sort out a large pile of different beans and peas into individual piles based on their type. Psyche would have been unable to perform the task all on her own, but some ants came to help her because she was Cupid's wife. 

For her next task, Psyche was to collect the golden wool of some sheep. After attempting to kill herself, a reed in the river which she jumped in, told her how to wait around until the sun faded to obtain the wool easier. 

The third task was to go to the river Styx and collect a phial of the water to bring back. The eagle of Jupiter (Zeus) was nearby and took the phial so it could avoid the serpents and rising water to help Psyche.

For her last task, Psyche had to travel to the underworld and obtain a Jar of Beauty from Proserpine (Persephone) herself. As Psyche was going to throw herself from a cliff, a turret suddenly spoke to her. It gave her detailed instructions as how to get to, and more importantly back from, the underworld safely. Psyche followed its orders and re-emerged in tact. 

Unfortunately, similarly to Pandora, Psyche's curiosity got the better of her and she opened the jar. I had really thought she would finish everything fairly easy, but of course, she had to open the jar. Thankfully, Cupid freed himself and came to her aid. I was actually surprised with how quickly the sleep spell was resolved after it happened. 

After performing all of these tasks, Venus was still not happy with Psyche. So, Cupid went to Jupiter to ask the favor of getting his blessing. Jupiter, like the other creatures in the story, helped out and Cupid and Psyche were allowed to marry legally. 

I like the emphasis and parallels of the different creatures helping with the tasks because they all recognized how unfairly difficult they were for Psyche. They all wanted Psyche and Cupid to be happy, the only one's in the story who didn't were Venus and Psyche's two sisters. 

When I do my retelling of this story, I think I might want both of the lovers, Cupid and Psyche, to have to perform the tasks. The helping aspect will definitely look...different. 

(Cupid and Psyche from the Boston Public Library)

Bibliography: Apuleius's Cupid and Psyche translated by Tony Kline

Reading Notes: Cupid and Psyche part A

For this reading notes, I am focusing on different plot aspects. 

The first thing I noted when reading this story was the fact that Psyche was so beautiful, it actually kept men from proposing to her. Before starting the story, I figured Psyche would be drowning in proposals but Cupid swept her away. I was surprised that that was not what happened at all. 

Foreshadowing was a huge plot device in this story, as well as dramatic irony because as the reader, I knew who her mysterious husband was. Two lines that I picked out that use dramatic irony are "Not even Cupid could compare to you," which Psyche said to her husband, and "If [the child] takes after its father, as it ought, it will be a perfect little Cupid," said by one of Psyche's sisters about her unborn child. I am a fan of dramatic irony when I am reading stories, but when it comes to writing my own, I don't tend to use it. Instead, I prefer for things to be a surprise to both the characters and the readers. 

Psyche's sisters were way more malicious than I thought they would be. Who wouldn't be jealous of a sister married to a god? However, planning to ruin that just so your sister won't be better off than you was intense, but true to Greek style. I wasn't sorry to see Psyche get revenge on her sisters at the end of Part A. 

Another thing, that I suppose falls under dramatic irony as well, was hearing Cupid warn Psyche time and time again not to listen to her sisters, but know that she would. It made my heart break long before Psyche found out she was married to Cupid. And in the same sense, like when you watch a movie you've seen a hundred times, I was hoping and wishing she might do something different instead. 

I'm really looking forward to the rest of this story and then retelling it!

(Amor and Psyche [1589] by Jacopo Zucchi)

Bibliography:  Apuleius's Cupid and Psyche translated by Tony Kline

Feedback Thoughts

Why rejection hurts so much — and what to do about it by Guy Winch

I picked this article based off of it's title because I am definitely someone who has struggled with taking rejection in the past. Winch's main points (Have Zero Tolerance for Self-Criticism, Revive Your Self-Worth, and Boost Feelings of Social Connection) were really amazing tactics that I have not heard before. I think the third section, "Boost Feelings of Social Connection, is what can really help me control the feeling of rejection in the future. I know when I feel rejected, my first instinct is to close myself off to anyone and everyone because I'm hurt and in a bad mood, but if I talk to someone I love about my rejection, or even just about something else, I can build my confidence back up. 

The Psychology of Comparison and How to Stop by Ellen Jackson

Another thing I fall victim to a lot is comparing myself to others. As Ellen Jackson explains, when we are feeling inadequate, we seek out others' progress to see how we stack up. The biggest piece of advice that I took from this article is one I have heard before, but just haven't taken to heart: "Don't compare your beginning with someone else's middle." I do this, more often than I like to admit, and it really does put a damper on my creative process. My "favorite" thing to do it to compare myself to artists who have been practicing far longer than I have, or writers who have been writing longer. This is sort of a public promise to myself that I'm going to stop all of that and focus on bettering myself, not comparing with others.

(Feedback by MorganK)

 What are the most productive feedback experiences you can remember?

The most productive feedback experience in my college career so far is probably the feedback I received on papers in my Expository Writing class. My professor would take the drafts of our papers and just go to town marking them up. He would point out things we did well, small things like spelling errors, and larger things like derailed trains of thought or ambiguous points. This sort of criticism was beneficial for me because I wasn't just told I did something wrong, it was explained to me. Another reason this feedback worked so well is because we had the opportunity for one-on-one meetings to discuss it, which helped clear up any misconceptions on either of our parts.

The most negative?

Some of the most negative feedback I have received, not necessarily in college, has been vague criticisms about my creative projects. I love to draw, paint, write, you name it, and usually when I'm done with a piece I'm particularly fond of, I show it off. Some of the most hurtful criticism I have received has been about these sorts of things whenever someone just says they don't like it, or give a half-hearted "eh" but don't explain why. It hurts to hear that someone doesn't like something you poured into of course, but if someone is going to criticize my work, I'd much rather they give me tips about what I could do better next time. 

What kinds of feedback have helped you to grow as a learner in your extracurricular activities? 

The extra curricular where I have gotten the most helpful feedback is probably from when I did karate for 6 1/2 years. This, again, had to do with the nature of the feedback which was one-on-one and I could make the changes immediately. I'm not really a fan of receiving criticism in front of others because it makes me extremely nervous and anxious. However, feedback given more privately is perfect for me because I feel comfortable enough to ask questions about specifics and how I can improve in the future. 

Topic Brainstorm: A Witch, A Trickster, And A Banshee All Walk Into A Dungeon...

Topic #1

My first idea for my project comes from the tabletop RPG Dungeons & Dragons combined with the story of Jumanji. In my story I would have the players participating in their regular D&D game suddenly be transported into the actual game. This would give me opportunities to explore multiple different mythologies and legends as creatures or tasks they must overcome. One creature I would have them fight, for example, in traditional D&D style is a dragon. I particularly like the legend revolving around the Bisterne Dragon, and I would incorporate that into my story. Other beings they might encounter would include one of my favorite Inuit goddesses, Sedna; where they might have to find some way to appease her to move forward.

(Gaming by James Bowe)

Topic #2

My second idea would be a storybook following a modern witch who is trying to find what she believes in. For this story, the different sections would be her researching and attempting to communicate with deities from different religions. Using the Wikipedia List of Deities I would choose gods and goddesses of multiple different cultures to include and explore many different options. I think this would be an interesting story to write because many people who identify as witches in today's time do a lot of searching about what sort of path they want religiously, if any at all. 

(Crow Vector Silhouette by Colleen O'Dell) 

Topic #3

My third story idea revolves around different mythologies involving tricksters. Tricksters are some of my favorite mythological characters because they always make things more interesting. For my story, I would have a trickster, perhaps Loki or someone else, create a place where they trap people and those trapped have to figure out how to get out. The trickster would very much just be doing this to cause mischief. The setting of the trap would be based around an artist I enjoy who creates 3-d renderings of, sometimes impossible, rooms. The artist, Abby Dougherty, creates these spaces in neon colors and impossible physics and calls the collection the Neon Saltwater Hotel. With proper credit, I'd love to write a story where the Neon Saltwater Hotel is what our "heroes" must escape. It would be a more modern telling because of the setting. For pictures for my story, I would reach out to the artist to ask permission to use images of their work with proper credit, or I would find visually similar images and still credit the idea of the setting to Neon Saltwater. 

(Beverages by Mediengestalter)

Topic #4

My last story idea comes from reading over Chapter 7 of True Irish Ghost Stories  by St. John D. Seymour and Harry L. Neligan, (1914). Chapter 7, entitled "Banshees, and Other Death-Warnings," talks about, well, banshees and other kinds of Irish death-warning legends. I would write a story about a family who has a sick relative living with them who start seeing things like banshees and headless coaches. To protect their loved one, they attempt to fight off these warnings in hopes that it will prolong the sick family member's life. The setting would be in Ireland, modern day, and mostly taking place at the house because that is where these sort of apparitions appear, normally. 

(Banshee on wikimedia commons)

Week 2 Story: From Man Into Moon

From Man Into Moon

According to the law of the conservation of energy, energy can neither be created nor destroyed, but simply changed from one form into another.

---

Once, in a place where it was always day, there was a blacksmith’s apprentice, only but eighteen summers old. He was a lazy sort of boy who always found comfort napping in the warm, bright sunlight. When he wasn’t working, he spent his days humming a favorite tune, sipping cold tea, and lounging around in the grass until the knees of his trousers were stained green.

One day, while lying in the sun in the field where stone-cutters find their stones, he sighed to himself. “Oh how I wish I were a stone. I tire of working in the overly hot blacksmith’s workshop. I want to lie here in the warm sun for all my days.”

A wise man who was walking by overheard the boy. Because he happened to be a wise man who could control any manner of things, he decided to grant the boy’s wish. The man raised his elegant hand into the air, and snapped his long fingers.

Instantaneously, the lounging boy began to feel heavier and heavier until he was a stone. Thrilled at his new life of forever lounging in the sun, the stone settled into the grass and basked.

However, since a new stone was made, one must go.

---

Nearby, there was a large stone that was being chipped at by a stone-cutter. Spending its days in the sun, it had wished time and time again that it might instead be like one of the stone-cutters who came by day after day to cut it. “Oh how I wish I were a stone-cutter. I tire of long hot days in the sun, and never ending chipping away. I want to stand and walk and chip at stone myself.”

As the boy transformed into a stone himself, the first stone felt an odd sensation flow over it. Soon, the stone realized he was no longer a stone at all, but instead a stone-cutter. He stretched his new torso, examined his new hands, and pushed himself up with his new arms and legs.

For the rest of his days, the stone-cutter would walk around the fields barefoot, relishing in the feel of grass between his toes. He would marvel at the beautiful sun and collect anything he could that was blue, for that was the color of the rushing river. His favorite thing to do, by far, was to climb the tallest tree he could find, a complete change from being stuck on the ground.

However, since a new stone-cutter was made, one must go.

---

In the nearest town, there lived a stone-cutter. He was a quiet and thoughtful man who rose with the sun and breathed in the summer. He could always be found with a warming smile on his face. He loved to watch the birds and strum his guitar. Though he seemed a happy man, he was truly sad.

One day while going out to cut stone, he looked to the sun and sighed. “Oh how I wish I were the sun. I tire of days spent alone, bending over stones. I want to shine above the earth and smile down on everyone to bring them warmth.”

Suddenly, the stone the stone-cutter was chipping at started to change. As the stone turned into a stone-cutter himself, the first stone-cutter felt himself growing warmer and warmer. Soon, he realized he was looking down on the earth from far away.

The stone-cutter had turned into the sun, as he had also wished. He rejoiced when he saw he could now smile down on the earth to bring people warmth.

However, since a new sun was made, the other must go.

---

The sun had been the sun for almost longer than it could remember. Once, the sun had been a boy who lived on earth. One day he had wished to be the sun, and his wish was granted. The sun was not upset by this, but it had grown tired of millennium after millennium of constantly pouring warmth over the earth and its inhabitants.

From the sky, the sun could see that beyond the reaches of its light, there lived a darkness that was speckled with smaller lights. Not knowing what these smaller lights could be, the sun always wished to see them closer. “Oh how I wish I were something else. I tire of this constant brightness and heat. I want to rest and be with the mysterious smaller lights.”

On this particular day, when the sun made its wish, changes where happening down below on the earth. A boy transformed into a stone, a stone transformed into a stone-cutter, and a stone-cutter was transforming into the sun.

Here, the magic set forth by the wise man paused. For if there was to be a new sun, what would the sun become? The wise man pondered, and using his wisdom made a decision.

The sun felt itself moving closer to the earth and becoming smaller. When its transformation had finished, it had become the moon. Never before had this earth known a moon, or night time for that matter. The sun had always been in the sky, bringing warmth and light.

However, now there was a beautiful moon, able to rise after the sun to provide light at night and sit among the stars.

And so the boy had become a stone, the stone had become a stone-cutter, the stone-cutter had become the sun, and the sun had become the moon. They had all received their wish, and all the world and sky was happier for it.

 

(Moon by rkarkowski on pixabay)

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Author's note: I took the story of the man in the moon and changed it up a bit. In the original story, there is a blacksmith who complains that he is always hot in his work so he would rather be a stone. A wise man changes him into a stone, but then he complains the heat from the sun is too hot, so he would rather be the sun. The wise man changes him into the sun, but the man complains he is still to hot and wishes to be the moon. The wise man changes him into the moon, but the man still complains that being the moon is worst of all and asks to be changed back into a blacksmith. The wise man refuses and the man stays as the moon. 

I wanted to re-imagine this story because I wanted the meaning of it to change. I did not want it to just be one character who complains over and over again, instead I wanted multiple characters with a similar desire to be something else, and when they get it they are thankful.

Bibliography. "The Man in the Moon" from Laos Folk-Lore by Katherine Neville Fleeson.

Reading Notes: Myth-Folklore Anthology

The Indian Who Wrestled a Ghost by Katherine Berry Judson (1913)

(Campfire Flames by Sam Howzit)

I liked this story a lot. I enjoyed the length, the narrative format, and how there was a little lesson at the end about always believing ghosts. There were times at the beginning that I wondered where the story was going, but because it was relatively short, I didn't have to wonder for long.

Pygmalion translated by Tony Kline (2000)

(Pygmalion priant Vénus d'animer sa statue, Jean-Baptiste Regnault)

I, like many others, have heard the story of Pygmalion before. I chose to include it here because out of this week's readings, I like the storytelling style here the best. I like how there was a lot of details that helped create a more vivid and complete image in my mind. The way things were worded made the whole tone of the story seem very soft, like I knew there would be a happy ending just from word choice alone. 

Aesop's Fables: The Lion by Joseph Jacobs (1894)

(Lion and the Statue by Crane)

I liked this little anthology of lion-related fables a lot. One of my favorite things about them is that, despite being all very short, they convey very clear lessons that are stated at the end of each fable. My personal favorite was The Lion and the Statue. 

Looking At Reading Options

As I'm sure my choices for this blog post will soon show, I am a sucker for classic European stories. Stories that have been told time and time again over generations are some of the most fun to learn about because I get to look at all of the different versions of a single story and get a more complete understanding of them. However, that's not to say I don't love finding new stories to read. For this blog post, I chose the reading unit of the Brothers Grimm (Ashliman) and the stories of Robin Hood and the Twelve Dancing Princesses. 

Brothers Grimm (Ashliman)

(The Seven Ravens by Herman Vogel on Wikimedia)

I'm looking forward to this reading unit because, while I have read some of the more famous Brothers Grimm stories, I have not heard of most of the ones in this unit. I picked one to read before hand, so I read "The Seven Ravens" and I enjoyed it. I'm looking forward to reading more new stories in this unit. 

Robin Hood

(Statue of Robin Hood and Little John in Sherwood Forest (9465) on Wikimedia)

The Disney animated movie Robin Hood (1973) has been one of my favorite movies since childhood. At some point, I did realize that yes, Disney modified the story to be suitable for children, and no, Robin Hood was not actually a fox. However, I still love the story of Robin Hood and when I saw it in the European stories list, I got excited. I think I'll enjoy the longer version of the story more because I love knowing details and more back ground information. Also, I have read the first three or so stories from it already, and I like how there is a Youtube video singing the story on some of them. 

The Twelve Dancing Princesses

(Dancing Princesses page 328 on Wikimedia)

I'm really looking forward to reading this story because I have read a version of it before in early high school in the form of a Y.A. novel called Entwined by Heather Dixon. In Y.A. fashion, it focuses more on mystery and romance, but from what I remember, I enjoyed it. I do want to read the original story, though, so I will actually know what happens in it. 

Time Strategies: Battling My Procrastination Problem with Spoons

Scheduling

Even though I have only been working on this class for a little over a week, I have already re-planned my schedule. I realized that I tend to do more work on this class while I am actually at work (don't worry, I only do it when there is downtime and I am allowed to!). Reworking my schedule has given me a more clear idea of when I will be realistically working on my stories so I can be more prepared.

Speaking of scheduling, I think the way this course is structured and how we approach scheduling is fantastic. I love how we are encouraged to work ahead; it makes it so you don't have to worry about Canvas deadlines and you can really work on your own schedule. I wish more classes worked this way.

Time Strategies

Going into this assignment, I was thinking "Oh no...". This is absolutely because I am a huge procrastinator. I have some of the worst time management skills you have ever seen. Most of this is due to the (re: sarcastic) wonderful mindset that is the snowball effect. My therapist walked me through the snowball effect I go through, most often when I am faced with writing a paper. I start with the small thought of "I feel so nervous about this, what if I don't do well?" which spirals and spirals until I hit "I might as well not even try, I'm going to flunk out and be homeless and then die." That's extreme, and I know that, but ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ anxiety, am I right? However, I picked three articles to read that I thought would offer some insight into my procrastination problem.

The Important Habit of Just Starting by Jory Mackay was a great read for me. One of my biggest problems is definitely when I just don't start my projects. I get so overwhelmed at the idea of messing up, that I don't even want to try. Mackay lays out some strategies for how to get over that hump. I really like the idea of the "just start" mindset over the "must finish." Starting may be daunting, but when you haven't started, it's much easier than finishing.

How to Beat Procrastination by Caroline Webb was the second article I read. Her points lined up well with Mackay's article, and it was nice that they sort of built off of each other for me. Her tips about visualizing and pre-committing publicly seem like really helpful ways to overcome mental roadblocks.

I also read and enjoyed Increase Your Creative Output With 14 Time Management Tips Just for Creatives by Amanda Oliver. Although some of her numbers were off in her list, he tips about managing energy and working when you work best are things I am going to try to incorporate into my life. Managing energy is something I've thought of before with regards to the Spoon Theory by Christine Miserandino. Miserandino's theory she came up with puts energy in terms of spoons and a quantifiable way to look at how much energy someone has throughout the day, and how people spend energy/spoons on tasks and need to recharge before they can do more. Her theory is more specifically for people living with chronic illness, but the ideas of learning how to spend not just your time but your energy well are ideas that can help in multiple situations.

(Assorted Spoons by Lynn Greyling on publicdomainpictures.net)

Technology Thoughts

While reading through the Technology Tools, some things were familiar like blogging, some website publishing, bookmarking, and image editing. Other than that, I don't have much experience with things like graphics creation or all of the different website platforms when publishing. I'm looking forward to digging into the different publishing sites to find out what different things they can do and which one will be best suited to me for my project. I'm also looking forward to playing around with more image editing/creating software. I think those are fun. :) 

(Keyboard by Pixies on pixabay.com)

Thinking on Future Assignments

Looking at the future assignments and the layout of things to do each week, I'm feeling pretty excited. I think what I'm most looking forward to it probably flexing the old writing muscles and writing all of the different stories from week to week. When I was browsing other student's  blogs at the beginning, I read some posts that were super interesting and I can't wait to try my hand at writing some.

 I'm also really looking forward to the project aspect. I love the idea of a larger piece of work that I'll be constantly working on and improving over the semester. Usually, I'm horrible when it comes to procrastination, but looking at this course's layout, I feel more calm than I normally do when I think about my classes.

As far as extra credit goes, I think I'll get a lot of use out of reading other people's Tech Tips. I consider myself all right with technology, but I know there are people out there (and in this class) who are more tech savvy than I am, and I love learning new little tips and tricks about using computers. As for extra credit I think I'll do, I'm drawn to famous last words. I personally find it beneficial to take a backwards look at the week and make notes on what went well and why, and what I could do better next week.

(Open Book by Ciao Resende on pexels.com)

My Take on Growth Mindset

Before now, I have heard the term "growth mindset" a few times, but I never knew what it meant. After watching Dr. Dweck's videos, I definitely know what it is now, and I have mixed feelings about it. On one hand, I think a growth mindset has the potential to be an incredibly positive and encouraging way to help students, and people in general, learn in a way that they don't feel stifled. However, thinking of today's society, I also know it would take a massive overhaul of how we think, grade, and judge others to achieve such a thing.

(Growth by Nick Youngson)

The "not yet" way of grading does not imply that a student has failed, but still has the opportunity and capability to pass something. I think that's immensely better than a "no" or F as far as self-esteem goes. A definite "no" or "failed" is like a forceful period at the end of a sentence, no more room for change. In an ideal world, everyone would be able to switch over to the growth mindset overnight and I think we would see people flourish. Unfortunately, I think it will take a long time for everyone, or even most people, to agree that a growth mindset is better than a fixed one.

Introduction to a Mess

Hey y'all!

My name is Oliver Luckett and I use he/him/his pronouns. I am a junior in the Women's and Gender Studies department! Here on campus I am involved with the Gender + Equality center as the LGBTQ + Health Programs Intern, as well as a peer educator for Sexperts and D8ME, and a member of the LGBTQ Program Advisory Board. I am also involved with Camp Crimson and will be an Orientation Guide this summer!

Moving on from academics, you might have noticed I say y'all (a lot). That's because I was born and raised in central Mississippi right about....here:

(USA Mississippi from wikimedia; edited by Oliver Luckett)

I lived in the same small, back-woods town until I was 16. My dad and his family still live there, and I go back to visit occasionally. In fact, that's what I did over the break! I absolutely adore my dad, he is the biggest goofball anyone will ever meet. He lives in Mississippi with with wife and their granddaughter. 

(Great Weather for a Baseball Game by Valerie Luckett)

Some Frequently Asked Questions about Mississippi:

• Is it hot there? Sometimes, mostly it is just always extremely humid. 
• Did you go down to the beach often? No, Mississippi beaches are brown and gross. 
• What is there to do there? Not much around my small town, really. 

I always say Mississippi isn't really a destination for most people, unless they have family there. Some of you might have used HWY 49 to cut through to go to somewhere more exciting like Florida (which, if you did, you cut right through the middle of my hometown!). However, there are a few things to do in Mississippi. My favorites include visiting the Vicksburg Military Museum, swimming at Merit Creek, and driving through the delta. 

(Illinois State Memorial at the Vicksburg Military Museum nps photo)

(Merit Creek taken by Toni Greganti)

(Blues Trail in the Delta taken by Oliver Luckett)

On December 31, 2013, my mom, younger sister, and I moved to Moore, Oklahoma. We live withing 5 minutes of my grandparents and my aunt and uncle (and their kids), we since being here we have all become very close. It's not uncommon for the...nine of us to hang out during the week, and every Sunday is family dinner. Here's a fun picture of most of us getting ready to do a Color Me Rad Run together (I'm dead center with sunglasses on my head in case you were wondering):

(Ready for Color Me Rad by Charlotte Greganti)

And just for fun, here is a picture of most of us after the run (note my cousin Mollie's unimpressed face at the bottom):

(After the Run by Toni Greganti)

Don't we just look like we love each other a lot? They're all definitely a hoot and a half, but I have to say my heart will always belong to my cousins, Mollie (4) and Joey (1). 

(Amalia "Mollie" and Joseph "Joey" Greganti by Amanda Greganti)

Another extremely important family member is my dog, Jack. He is a mix of corgi and German Shepard and lord knows what else. His doctor calls him a "fat old man" and he is possibly the sweetest dog you could ever hope to meet, in my opinion. 

(Jack with his Baby by Toni Greganti)

So that's family life! Knowing about the people that surround me is a huge step in understand who I am as a person. Another way to get to know me is my interests! My biggest interests/hobbies are drawing, watching Netflix, reading, playing the Sims, collecting things, listening to podcasts, and playing dungeons and dragons (nerd alert). As of writing this post (Jan 12 at ... eh 10am ish) here are my currents:

• Netflix/Hulu Shows: The Crown, The Great British Baking Show, Steven Universe
• Reading: Blue Lily, Lily Blue by Maggie Stiefvater
• Collecting: Glass jars, polyhedral dice
• Podcasts: The Adventure Zone, My Brother My Brother and Me, Sawbones (I highly recommend all of these)

I love, love, love talking and will gladly talk to almost anyone about almost anything. If any of this stuff interests you and you want to talk about it, or if you just want someone to listen to you talk about your interests, I'm your guy! 

Heroes and Mermaids and Queens, Oh, My Storybook Favorites!

Hero Visa Pending

by Elizabeth Harper

(Hotel Foyer Design from 3dhousedownload.com)

The afterlife, for some, is a terrifying thought. The rest of your immortal soul's life spent either in lavish comfort or in some fiery pit you-know-where. Or, perhaps, some third option? In "Hero Visa Pending," Elizabeth Harper writes from the point-of-view of Kyle, a man who is living in the underworld under Hades' rule. Kyle was originally a working in the "pits," but for the week Harper writes about, has taken on the roll of Hades' receptionist. The four short stories in this storybook follow Kyle through some less than ideal situations, and I had a blast reading them. Since elementary school I have always gone out of my way to learn about mythologies, specifically Greek myths, so hearing a story about a Greek god was familiar. What I like about these stories were that they were in a setting I've never seen before when in regards in Greek myths. It was something new and funny. I was drawn in by the introduction where one meets Kyle and I knew I has to keep reading after finding out the setting. Overall, I liked how one story played into the next and the overall set up of the storybook was very clean, easy to navigate, and nice to look at. This was by far my favorite storybook of the ones I read. 

The Differentiation Between 

by Amanda

(Humpback Whale Tail by 12019 on Pixabay)

My second storybook choice is "The Differentiation Between" which follows two twin sisters from a coastal town as they turn seventeen. In this community, seventeen signifies a change that happens between a person and the ocean. One either becomes a mermaid: sweet, jovial, and kind, or a siren: evil, murderous, and cold. Twin sisters Laeli and Mirren escape their hometown to try to avoid their change, but meet it head on anyway. I liked this story because of the idea of a sort of choice happening that can lead one to either become a mermaid or a siren. It was an interesting story to read, and I'ma sucker for sibling relationships. Some of the writing could have been a litter more clear, but the story line was intriguing. 

Queen of the Underworld

by Jennifer Nygren

(Persephone by Dante Gabriel Rossetti found on wikimedia)

Another story about Persephone! The pattern here is Greek mythology holds a special place in my heart, and Persephone is right up at the top of my favorites list. This story is much more focused on Persephone, unlike the first storybook, which I enjoyed! "Queen of the Underworld" told the stories of Psyche (another favorite of mine), Orpheus, and Pirithous and Thesus, kings of Lapiths and Athens respectively. I enjoyed the first two stories and the introduction because they showed Persephone as having a role in what happens in the underworld instead of just being a captive. I didn't enjoy the last story too much because of content, but it was written well. 

My Favorite Place

I had to take a minute to decide on my favorite place. My first thought was one of the caves I have visited in my life, or maybe down by the beach, but I ultimately chose New Orleans as my current favorite place. When I was growing up in central Mississippi, New Orleans was only 3 hours away, making it a fantastic and, relatively, convenient place to take a day trip. Even as early as 4 years old, I fell in love with the colorful, musical city.
                                             

(New Orleans Skyline by Antrell Williams on flickr)

Even though I moved to Oklahoma in 2013, my love affair with the vibrant city continues. Now that I'm older and going to New Orleans is more of an ordeal, I have learned to really appreciate everything the city has to offer. My favorite experiences have been visiting different museums like the WWII museum, Audubon Butterfly Garden & Insectarium, and the Audubon Aquarium of the Americas. Whether I get to visit the city for a day or a week, I am sure to love every second of fun, food, and scenery.