Reading Diary B - Aesop's Fables (Jacobs)

Aesop's Fables (Jacobs)

The Man and the Wood
A Man came into a Wood one day with an axe in his hand, and begged all the Trees to give him a small branch which he wanted for a particular purpose. The Trees were good-natured and gave him one of their branches.

What did the Man do but fix it into the axe head, and soon set to work cutting down tree after tree.

Then the Trees saw how foolish they had been in giving their enemy the means of destroying themselves.

Thoughts

What a sad truth. Foolish trees but it's hard to fault them for their kind acts. But I guess a moral could be, always stay on guard, or stranger danger haha. I imagine Lord of the Rings like trees, but those were aggressive. Men carry on this tradition of the destruction of nature till this day. It is a reoccurring fact on this earth. Maybe one day our demise? 

The Trumpeter Taken Prisoner
A Trumpeter, prisoner made,
Hoped his life would be spared when he said
He'd no part in the fight,
But they answered him: "Right,
But what of the music you made?"

Songs may serve a cause as well as swords

Thoughts

I love poetry like this. Such short passages that still make one think and decode them with every selection of word and diction. This is a story of war. There was an earlier tale I read in which I'm sure the trumpeter was executed as he was treated just as if he was a soldier. He was on the battlefield after all. He may have supported the cause. At least a noble death could have fell upon him if he did not reason as to not being a warrior of his land. Those might be medieval thoughts though haha. Is the trumpet a weapon? Are war cries and war songs deadlier than the sword? Perhaps. Inspiration can breath fire into a man. If many men feel the passion an army could win by spirit. Perhaps the trumpet really is more dangerous than the sword.

Sword (trumpeter)
Axe (man & the wood)
Combo

Reading Diary A - Aesop's Fables (Jacobs)

Aesop's Fables (Jacobs)

First thoughts while reading these classical stories were - 1) how curious I was to find out the difference between English (my first 'Reading Diary' Aesop author) and Jacobs (this 'Reading Diary' Aesop author). They are actually quite similar, and I love these little stories just as much. 2) These are easier to read than English haha. 3) They share similar stories, some only slightly manipulated, but it is a good surprise when you find the slight differences. The story I most notably remember from both English and Jacobs was the lion and the three bullock (English) and the four oxen and the lion (Jacobs). You can see the difference in the titles and catch on from there. Still a great story.


The Wolf and the Kid
A Kid was perched up on the top of a house, and looking down saw a Wolf passing under him. Immediately he began to revile and attack his enemy. "Murderer and thief," he cried, "what do you here near honest folks' houses? How dare you make an appearance where your vile deeds are known?"

"Curse away, my young friend," said the Wolf: "It is easy to be brave from a safe distance."

Thoughts

This story made me go towards the wolfs side, as I usually would if a wolf or lion are involved. The kid was all show and no go. We get a lot of those in rugby. My story would have the kid slip off of the roof and have to face the wolf mano a mano haha. We know how that ends. Gulp!

The Lion in Love
A Lion once fell in love with a beautiful maiden and proposed marriage to her parents. The old people did not know what to say. They did not like to give their daughter to the Lion, yet they did not wish to enrage the King of Beasts.

At last the father said: "We feel highly honoured by your Majesty's proposal, but you see our daughter is a tender young thing, and we fear that in the vehemence of your affection you might possibly do her some injury. Might I venture to suggest that your Majesty should have your claws removed, and your teeth extracted, then we would gladly consider your proposal again."

The Lion was so much in love that he had his claws trimmed and his big teeth taken out. But when he came again to the parents of the young girl they simply laughed in his face, and bade him do his worst.

Love can tame the wildest

The Lion in Love (poem)
Though the Lion in love let them draw
All his teeth, and pare down every claw,
He'd no bride for his pains,
For they beat out his brains
Ere he set on his maiden a paw.

Our very means may defeat our ends

Thoughts

A love story with a lion in it. Melted my heart haha. Also kinda made me agree with the Weekends new album and basically say no to love. It's deadly. I really like how there are two versions of the one story, the short story version, and the small poem version. I prefer the "Our means may defeat our ends" moral however. Its just more epic. Love cannot tame the wild. Wild is an instinct. That's why even men are sometimes dogs in the sense of love lust and passion.

Final Thoughts
Wolves and lions are what I most relate to still. They are usually the aggressors, but come with some nobility, honor when honor is deserved, and relentless when survival is at hand. My favorite quote, possibly a note from my wonderful professor Gibbs, is:

"The wolf has no sense of injustice, yet the point of these stories is not so much that the wolf is unjust but rather that it is foolish to expect otherwise from a wolf."

What I have to comment about this amazing quote is - The men who strive for glory many times are perceived as the villain. But they do not mind. They relish this instance. But are they really the villain, or are you too weak to recognize the hunger to succeed. Thank you.

Wolf

Topics

Topic: Lion stories from different cultures
Comments: I love lions. I feel I relate to them most of any animal in just about all of their characteristics. The lion is my native American spirit animal haha though they are only in Africa and Asia. Maybe that could be the story.. How I am like a lion in every way except physically being a lion haha. I also want to understand more of the dynamic of how different cultures revered or feared lions. Maybe even throwing in some real stories compared to myths.
Possible Stories: Ghost and the Darkness are two real lions that practically terrorized an African railroad project taking many lives. Lion king could be considered a lion story. And Aesop fables include lions. 
Sample Stories: The Aesop fable "A lion and three bullocks" is just one example of a lion fable. Reading like Cultural depictions of lions could be helpful in the many forms lions take in the history of stories.

Topic: Stories in short poetry form // The art of minimalist poetry
Comments: I really enjoy the Aesop stories and Japanese poetry called Haiku's. I love the power such minimal stories and poetry hold. They almost always bare morals and are just so interesting. Haiku's are particularly beautiful.
Possible Stories: This topic is broad but maybe a more narrow topic like warriors, lions, beauty, honor, war, I don't know, something, could be selected but using these minimal poetry or forms of storytelling.
Sample Stories: Here is a bank of Haiku's with many traditional Haiku's from the old masters and a sprinkle of the new.

Topic: Creatures and Monsters of tale and myth: The rare, unique, and unheard ones
Comments: Monsters. Rawr. But really I just wanted to explore imaginary creatures that most of the world does not know about. I want to find and spotlight the unpopular ones. 
Possible Stories: More exploration necessary. But I do not want to highlight classical monster like werewolves, Medusa, or hydra, but the ones I have yet to find. Help wanted.

Topic: Warriors from different cultures
Comments: I wish I was a gladiator in a past life. Maybe I was. Reincarnation is a bitch haha. The honor of the sword and shield is the realest. Honor glory and competition.
Possible Stories: The feats of warriors, real and fake, are well documented. I would like to find less heard of ones. Compare and contrast the warriors of different cultures.
Sample Stories: The Odyssey and the Iliad and the specific story of the great warrior Achilles in the battle of Troy is the most classic of examples.

Dope Warrior 

Extra Reading Diary - Aesop's Fables (English)

Aesop's Fables (English)

First thoughts while reading these classical stories were - 1) Again, stories like "An Agreement between the Wolves and the Dogs" were blurry in meaning because of the old time style of writing. 2) Aesop fabled dogs are either very greedy or stupid haha. Thought dog was mans best friend. 

An Agreement between the Wolves and the Dogs
The Wolves found themselves in a great Straight once how to deal with the Dogs, they could do well enough with 'em one by one they saw, but were still worsted and over-born by Numbers. They took the Matter into Debate, and came at last to this conclusion: That unless they could make a Party among them, and by a Parcel of Fair Words and Pretences, engage them in a Confederacy against their Masters and Themselves, there was no good to be done in the matter.

Upon this, they sent out their Spies among the Dogs, with Instructions to go to those among them that were nearest their own Make, Size and Colour, and to reason the matter with them, after this or the like manner. "Why should not we that are all of a Colour, and in a manner all of a Kind, be all of a Party too, and all of an Interest? You'll say perhaps, that your Masters, and your Fellows may take it Ill, and pick a Quarrel with ye. Well, and what will they be able to make on't then, against You and us together? If it comes to that once, 'twill be but One Push for all, and the Work is done."

This Discourse wrought as well as Heart could wish; for a great many of the Wolf-Colour'd-Dogs cry'd out, "Well mov'd upon't," and so went over to the other side.

And what came on't at last, but that after the Dogs had Deserted, the Wolves Worry'd one Part of their Enemies by the help of the Curs that went over to them; and they were then strong enough to destroy the Revolters themselves.

A House divided against it self cannot stand.

Thoughts

Very hard to understand because of the old fashioned style of writing and diction but for the most part even before reading the moral of the story I understood it by piecing together most of it prior. I was proud of that, and I like how I pictured an army of wolves and dogs taking what they wanted as a great pack of wild and free canines.

The Dog in the Manger
A Mastiff in a stable lay,
Couch'd on a manger full of hay.

When any thing drew near to eat,
He quickly forc'd it to retreat.

An Ox then cried, "Detested creature,
How vile is thy malignant nature,
Which will not others let enjoy
That which thou never canst employ!"

Thoughts

The dog's an asshole. This makes the dog seem more like a wild, war-torn wolf or even better, Cujo. I've seen a greedy dog act like this, the growl is vicious, and the slobber slinging from their jowls and gleaning off their sharp canines strikes fear into most even if for half a second. A spark of primal survival and vicious mentality gleams in the eye of a hungry selfish dog when it does not have right manner and love in its heart (I'm a poet, no big deal).

Final Thoughts
Aesop's fables gave canines a bad rep. So did Cujo haha. But I'm definitely a dog lover. Pups and huge dogs. I also don't believe any dog is truly bad, especially pit bulls, its just all about how the pup is trained and how much quality love it gets. Wolves were my favorite animal until I switched to lions in middle school, they are very similar though in their pack/pride mentality and social structure. To quote the famous words of the prestigious Little, Wayne - "He's a beast, he's a dog, he's a motherfucking problem. OK, you're a goon but what's a goon to a goblin?"

Cujo - Scary I know. Forgive me ladies.

I'm more of a puppy man myself.

Reading Diary A - Aesop's Fables (English)

Aesop's Fables (English)

First thoughts while reading these classical stories were - 1) I had no idea Aesop fables had reference to Greek and Roman gods! This type of mythology is just about my most favorite of all. I just figured Aesop's fables were all about nature and classic animals like wolves, hares, and tortoise (apparently that is the singular and plural version - learn something new everyday). But no! Aesop's fables also include Greek Mythology! Dooooope. 2) Second thought was, WOW, some of these are confusing because they were written in such and old, and poetic manner. 3) Aesop (Esop) was an Athenian - so him writing about classical gods is a given, further reinforcing my first thought.


An Ape and her Two BratsThere was an Ape that had Twins. She doted upon one of them, and did not much care for t'other. She took a sudden Fright once, and in a Hurry whips up her Darling under her Arm, and carries the Other a Pick-a-pack upon her Shoulders.

In this haste and maze, down she comes, and beats out her Favourite's Brains against a Stone; but that which she had at her Back came off safe and sound.

Thoughts

I was surprised by this story most. Not only in the outcome but the explicit imagery compared to most of the fables, especially in the line "beats out her favorites brains against a stone" - so tragic. And she shouldn't have favorites. Rude.

A Boar and a Fox
As a Boar was whetting his Teeth against a Tree, up comes a Fox to him.

"Pray, what do you mean by That?" says he, "for I see no occasion for't."

"Well," says the Boar, "but I do; for when I come once to be set upon, 'twill be too late for me to be Whetting when I should be Fighting."

No Man, or State can be safe in Peace, that is no always in readiness to encounter an Enemy in Case of War.

Thoughts

I love morals like this. I was a warrior in a past life. Sport and competition are small scale is wars in the world of present. You're welcome.

Final Thoughts
The stories about Apollo, Lions, and conflict are my favorite. There were a couple that left me wanting to draw epic images for the stories, but sometimes stories are better left allowing the reading to create their own. We all have unique visions, stories are where they come to life.

Lion v Boar

Week 1 Curation

Folders and bookmarks have been A1 since day 1. They are a necessity to any college student for personal and educational curation and organizational reasons (I sometimes like stringing long words together to make me seem smarter). Personally I prefer when the sites are organized in a grid in favicon form as I am very visual and I love icons and logos as I am a designer. A list of words is just less attractive to moi.

Folder. I'm a minimalist.

Growth Mindset

The concept of Growth Mindset is almost like a Buddhist, zen, spiritual learning aura one should try and practice to become a better learner and ultimately a better person. Some parts are easy said, harder done. Some of it seems cliche, while some of it seems totally logically and like what our teachers and parents have preached to us. Practice makes perfect. Versatility and an openness to new ideas and different ways of thinking all expand the mind and further ones being. I feel like a monk typing this haha. One thought I had while listening to and reading Carol Dwek's teachings and the continuous use of the word "mindset" was how it related to difficult times in sports and the hours of practice, being coached, and preparation to be great. My former football coach would always say "live like a champion." It was our creed, our motto. Being an athlete my mentality has been molded by my many practices, experiences, hard lessons, and the moments that sculpt the competitor to grow and overcome the exhaustion, failures, and other obstacles. Learning is an obstacle at first, and we get better at it by continual exposure, preparation, and training of this ultimate skill. I think the most important things to take away from Growth Mindset are - practice, versatility, mentality, and positive belief.

 

(its all in your mentality)