Storybook Favorites

The first storybook I read was Japanese Samurai Tales, a book about swordsmanship, spirit, death, and of course the almighty samurai. It was written in letter form making it feel very special. There weren't much details about the actual fighting but there was a poetic feel to the stories that lined together through letters. It covered four samurais (Yagyu Tajima no Kami, Miyamoto Musashi, Sasaki Kojiro, Hattori Hanzo), each important to Japanese history and culture. I enjoy samurais as they are considered perhaps the most skillful warriors of all time.

The second storybook was Mythology's Most Wanted, one highlighting Egypt's Set (God of chaos, confusion and storms), Loki (Norse god of trickery and wrong doing), and Medusa (Greek monster, a female with snakes for hair). Monster are of interest to me. Mix mythology and monsters and we have a match, no tinder. I'm a real boy if you can't tell, action, violence, swords, and monsters interest me like a little skipper playing with army men. I am also a designer so thus far I have not been too impressed with the physical look or feel of the pages. I have learned through my studies and design experience that clean, readable design lets the content take front stage. I plane to have a fairly simple layout like my blog, and black type on white background, because white type on black backgrounds are a little harder to read. Besides that small critique, I enjoyed the storybook and its content.

The third storybook I read was The Monsters of the Twelve Labors, which was about, you guessed it, the monster Hercules fought in his daunting twelve labors. One particular section intrigued me the most in this storybook - the Lernean Hydra part. The author broke the story up into three sections, the search, the clash, the victory. He goes into great detail about how Herc defeats the Hydra by cauterizing its wounds before more heads sprung up out of the many decapitated necks. I love descriptive writing of action and the Hydra in the below pic is dope.

Hydra

UnTextbook Story Exploration

Unit: Aesop (All)
I enjoy short stories of moral, and just about every kid grows up with these types of stories that teach valuable lessons using animals and the personification of them. I like how these stories are usually more serious than those like Disney or Pixar, and hardly sugar coat death or wrong doing to in order to stay true to life teach real life lessons. I also wanted to be a zoologist at a young age (but I strongly dislike biology haha) so my interest of animals is strong.

Unit: Blackfoot
Native American tales are rich with true North American culture. They are similar to Aesop's fables but with a native homage. I also just think the name Blackfoot is dope and I have Native American blood mixed in with all of my other genetic goodness.

Unit: Arabian Nights
Along with Native blood I have a Saudi Arabian background as my grandfather is originally from the Middle East. I also want to compare and contrast the original writing of Aladdin to its Disney remake. 

Unit: Nursery Rhymes
Who doesn't like rhymes?! I mean most of America listens to hip-hop or rap and this is where it all started haha.

Unit: Ovid I

Classical mythology is perhaps what I am most interested in. I love the classical Greek and roman cultures, particularly their mythology and ties to warfare. The image below reflects the chaos, divinity, and classical antiquity I have come to enjoy by one of the most interesting times in history. Ares and Apollo are my two favorite gods as Ares is God of War and violence - with my entrenchment into a culture of competition he is the one I would pray to if I lived in that time. The Aries is also my horoscope sign (aka a ram). While Apollo is the archer, and God of Light.

(Phaethon by Gustave Moreau)

Michael Al-Jiboori - aka DarkSkinnedDrake - Introduction

The young man. The myth. The soon to be legend.. Ha I wish, hopefully. I'm ridiculous. I'm chill. Sooner born and bred. I'm from Tulsa Oklahoma. My Snapchat name is DarkSkinnedDrake. I'm a jokester at heart. But I'm also an athlete, designer, and big brother. Family, rugby, and design are my passions, my life. I am a graphic designer majoring in Visual Communications here at THE University of Oklahoma. I'm proud to be from this state despite others thinking that all we have are buffalo and the Oklahoma City Thunder. I'm also a mutt (puppy emoji) meaning I am mixed. My mother is Arabian and German. My father is African American and Cherokee. I am all! I love it. I feel culturally blessed and interesting. Plus I can act light skinned and dark skinned haha. All of my little brothers are light skinned, I am the only one that came out dark but its ok I compare that to being the male lion of a pride with the dark mane, as they are the alpha. I love my little brothers though, and my little feisty princess of a baby sister. Rugby has been a big part of my life recently. I was captain for 4 years for the University of Oklahoma. All-American honors. Notoriety throughout the American rugby world. D1 player of the week. And have also played for the likes of Dallas, Denver, and most recently New York City. All have been great times with great competition. I live for competition, and I live for good vibes and chill times.

 photo credit Alex Foster NYC teammate

for my personal use

Week 1 Storytelling - A Lion Amongst Bulls

Three Bullocks & A Lion

an Aesop fable

The original story:

A Lion had been watching three Bullocks feeding in an open field. He had tried to attack them several times, but they had kept together, and helped each other to drive him off. The Lion had little hope of eating them, for he was no match for three strong Bullocks with their sharp horns and hoofs. But he could not keep away from that field, for it is hard to resist watching a good meal, even when there is little chance of getting it.

Then one day the Bullocks had a quarrel, and when the hungry Lion came to look at them and lick his chops as he was accustomed to do, he found them in separate corners of the field, as far away from one another as they could get.

It was now an easy matter for the Lion to attack them one at a time, and this he proceeded to do with the greatest satisfaction and relish.

In unity is strength.

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A Lion Amongst Bulls

A rendition of the Three Bullocks & A Lion:

The king of beast lay flat on a grassland, stalking a group of three male bulls. This stalking beast was a golden big cat, and the most ferocious of animals, none other than the majestic lion. The bulls were just as majestic but did not have the kill-or-be-killed, take everything, leave nothing mentality the lion had earned throughout the test of survival that is life - though burly with chiseled thigh muscles, hulkish traps, and equipped with three to four foot long horns on either side of their heads. The bulls were powerful, but they weren't as hungry as the lion as all they had to do to survive was graze on a gold pasture. This burned laziness, and a docile mentality into their hearts and minds as they were not prepared for what they were about to face in the great lion who was just as chiseled, just as burly, but with a desire to conquer and eat to survive, and survive to win the game of life for as long as he could. He was no docile creature, he was a beast of speed, power, intensity, and intelligence, well-rounded, covering all areas of a creature deserving to win life.

The lion rushed the three bulls.. The youngest split from the other two in a hectic dash, showing his immaturity and stupidity. The lion picked him off as easily as a domestic cat does a mouse. One down. The second bull bum rushed the lion with what he thought was sheer power and rage, and just as quickly the lion side stepped that bull showing his grace and agility, all while maneuvering his deathly blow to that bull. Two down. The third bull, and the worthiest of the three starred into the lions eyes. This was a true showdown. A clash of beast. The lion shrunk his shoulders engaging in an offensive stance, ready to charge or pounce. The bull motioned its classic hoof through dirt gesture. They both shot out of stance ready to lay waste to what they held on to dearest..

Be the most bad ass.

Lion Stalking

_______________________________

Author's Notes

My story is based off of an Aesop fable named Three Bullocks & A Lion found in Aesop for Children, by (anonymous), illustrated by Milo Winter (1919). I used the same characters as the original story but added much greater detail. What drew me to this story was that lions are by far my favorite creature. The simple moral and style of the original fable was strength in unity, while the moral in mine is of more colorful description, aggressive in nature and one of survival and relentless mentality. The strong survive. I swear I am a lion reincarnate haha. 

Tulsa: My City // My Most Favoritest Place

"918 to my city, I get it I get it" - to reference a quote/verse in rapper/singer Drake's song 305 To My City in which he sings about his area code and city. Tulsa is my city and I am very loyal to it and Oklahoma. I am proud of each, despite others thinking that this is a flat land where buffalo still roam. Tulsa was the oil capitol of the world at one point in time, and is unbiasedly the best city in Oklahoma. It is my favorite because its my birthplace and holder of many of my memories. I just wish it was the Tulsa Thunder, just saying.

Tulsa Skyline (photo by vladxp on flickr)