Mythology Reading Evaluation

I was all about Aesop's fables. Those short stories and poetry are my favorite. Especially the haiku. But I especially love how Aesop's fables are like Disney before Disney, and have many morals and settings and animals and randomness that is just great. Makoma was cool to read as well, as Americans aren't really taught a lot about African stories. We of course know all the classic stories like Beowulf, Alice in Wonderland, The Odyssey, Arabian Nights (Aladdin), or Hercules, but our educational institutions seem to rob us of the knowledge of African, Native Americans, and Asia just to name a couple major few.

I thought there was kind of an excessive amount of commenting when it went to 7 per weekend, but more particularly with the 150 words. 60 is very doable though. But it does force the student to think more critically so keep the structure the way it is!

Reflections

I have greatly enjoyed this class, online mythology, at the University of Oklahoma, curated by the lovely Laura Gibbs. Honestly, reading is not a thing I enjoy, unless snippets, poetry, short facts, or short stories. I love that type of reading but anything past three pages and I usually get disinterested. Its a intellectual/creative romanticism thing with poetry I think haha. With this class however, there are so many options in each week-by-week unit that I did not have to read long things that I would hate. I had the choice. The freedom of this class within the system is probably the best thing about it tied with the push for creative writing and imagination. It's a beautiful class.

My project kept me interested the whole semester. I really got the chance to dive in to a subject matter I liked and wanted to do. That is how you keep a student engaged, by letting them have the freedom to express their passions or interest, while still staying inside the instructors class structure. My project was about warriors, and the class's set up went great with it, as each week or two weeks we would study stories or mythology from a different culture from around the world and throughout history. This lent itself for a wide variety of characters, influences, and styles. A nursing pool for creativity and idea. It gave my stories and warriors vastly different influential elements to pull from, making each one versatile and unique.

Reading and commenting on others student's projects was a good thing. It kind of gently forced you to learn more and interact, but while not knowing you were doing these things. It's good learning about other students and seeing how they express themselves. It was also cool to keep up with a writing blog with such content in the end. Something we could show people after we were done. A collection or diary of our writings.

I am most proud of how crazy, creative, violent, and descriptive I have become with my writings. Sometimes I jam too much into sentences, but I think this has kinda become my style and people have appreciated it. Even with critiques people still praise my unique diction and style. I am a fragment writer. I try to be poetic and dramatic. I jump from tenses and from slang to proper english. I am an abstract writer. I also love detail. Overkill detail. I always intend to paint a graphic picture with my words. So I am proud of blossoming as a unique creative writer with a distinct, yet versatile style. 

Reading Diary B - British // Alice

British Stories

Author's Notes

So a lot of great classical stories hail from Europe. King Arthur, Robin Hood, and especially Alice in Wonderland (at one point competing with Lion King for the spot as my favorite childhood Disney movie). I just loved the adventure of Alice more  than Robin Hood or King Arthur. And maybe because the depictions of the other two in their movies, Disney or live action, doesn't compare to the dope trippy randomness of Alice's many encounters and adventure.

My portfolio being about warriors it made me think of an combo Alice in Wonderland warrior comprised of the many characters and traits of them all into a mega Alice warrior haha. The random thoughts of Michael's crazy head, oh my haha. Just for a quick example: like a little blonde girls with blue eyes, many arms like the caterpillar, extra quickness from the white rabbit - almost like being faster than normal time and a giant clock shield, invisibility from the cheshire cat - along with purple and lavender horizontal war-paint streaks on her face, extra great hearing and from the crazy march hare, berserk rage ability from the crazy mad hatter, a crown and heart tipped spear from the queen of hearts, and super strength from the twins tweedledee and tweedledum haha. What a crazy character.

Alice In Wonderland

Week 6 Storytelling - Yamato M12

Yamato M12
based off of the Japanese legends of
Yamato the Great Samurai


Author's Foreword:

Yamato is a great Samurai warrior legend, compared

to the prestige of say, Hercules. There are actually a lot of similarities between the two, both being very

different styles of warriors however. They both undergo their respective labors, with both having slain great dragons, beast boars, and sirens. Yamato is the greatest samurai in Japanese legend. Here is my rendition of this legendary warrior:

Black steel and titanium shine
His metal be his life now
His four swords had always been metal
Four feet of hardened Japanese steel
But now most his body metal
His heart half metal
None know what his face appears anymore
For he bore a tech helmet full of circular sensors
More technology and metal than human anymore
He still retain his legendary skill
The skill with the samurai sword
His acute quickness that win him continuous life
And deadly blow after deadly blow to his enemy
Now he was heightened with hydraulic systems
Armor of metal and sensors
Weapons of a new age with weapons of the old
Mechanized for undeniable victory
A reminiscence of his old armor still vaguely there
Layered metal pads over his thighs and shoulders
A fierce scowl over the bottom half of his face
His demonic samurai mask
His second favorite piece behind his katanas
The mask set like a samurai gas mask
Like the jowls of snarling wolf
A scary beastly look
His enemies think him roaring with a still face
Raising the skin of the victims he rushed
The cheeks and canines of a dark lion
They know not if he be man animal or demon
They only know he be their death
A swoosh of black on black steel
A swift blunt gash of deep invisible cuts
Too fast for the human eye
At least too fast to react for most
Only the greatest warriors would last minutes
Built for effectiveness in combat
Homage to the traditional
The new Yamato would be more legendary
More unique
More savage than the old
His brain now mostly technology
His programming be elegant swift force
For a new glory
If one could call it so
A new breed of samurai
A new breed of warrior
Metal and man combined
Technology and human interwoven
All black everything
Black steel and blood
Beauty in the samurai code
For there now not be one in this upgrade
Yamato M12

Author's Notes:
I was heavily inspired by Yamato and his labors and it rekindled my love for the samurai. I have liked this warrior most (with only challenge from Spartans since the eve of the beautiful movie 300). I tried a purely descriptive, non-narrative style to write my 'story' for Yamato. I just really wanted to describe a dope warrior that could become my own, derived from the Japanese legends of Yamato the great samurai.

The honor and strict profession of a samurai is so respectable to me. They even kill themselves as a warrior's code if they are defeated fairly in battle showing no pain or fear. They fight for honor. I compete for glory. There is a crossover between those I am sure. At least that is what I tell myself haha. The Samurai way of life inspires me.

I used his original name but added M12 to indicate a version upgrade of sorts. M because of my name Michael, and 12 because it's my rugby jersey and favorite number. I did not want him to be merely mortal anymore, but a mechanized half human, mostly robotic samurai warrior. Being only human is a drag. So why not? I actually spent a good two hours some change trying to find the right photos. I am picky. I use photos to show the viewer a glimpse of what I think, and though never exact and always somewhat abstract, and for the most part the idea comes across vividly I think. I try to make words and the imagery one in the same. They feed off one another. And hopefully my assembled thumbnails of detail and idea show you somewhat of a Yamato I envision and describe.

The sources I used to compose a mood board for my ideal
Yamato M12 Tech-Weapon Samurai Beast!

Daiichi Picture by Hasan Bajramovic hbajramovic
Samurai Armor Wallpaper High Quality Resolution #xc50 ~ EasyOffer.net
Sweyda, Typography, type, custom lettering, hand lettering, vector, vector illustration, action sports |
Samurai Stock II by PhelanDavion on DeviantArt
M/R] Angelic Sentinels: F&S | OOC
MaqNox — #dope #swag #fashion #style #adidas #y3...

Reading Diary A - British // Beowulf

Beowulf

Author's Notes

We all know the story of Beowulf, at least most of us. This is to me probably the most legendary legend ever, that's right, I used legend twice in one sentence. I reference Hercules a lot, but mostly cause of his popularity, thank to Disney, but Beowulf is the legend of all legends (that's right, said it again) in its most purist form if you ask me. It doesn't sugar coat or censor, it certainly boosts and over exaggerates, and the warrior's feats are epic = all qualities a legend must have. It also has beautiful, descriptive imagery and writing to go along with the action packed tasks. The writer Strafford Riggs lays out an almost movie like script in such detailed passages of writing that I hope to even halfway emulate. Here is my favorite passage in which Beowulf and Grendel go savage on one another:

"Beowulf, the lord of Geatsland had fastened both mighty hands upon the monster's arm and, with a sudden twist that forced a groan of agony from Grendel's lips, leaped behind him, forcing the imprisoned arm high up Grendel's back, and the beast fell prone on the floor.

Now came the final struggle, and sweat poured from Beowulf, while from Grendel there oozed a slimy sap that smelled like vinegar and sickened Beowulf. But he clung to the monster's arm, and slowly, slowly, he felt its great muscles and sinews give way, and as his foot found Grendel's neck, he prayed to all the gods for help and called upon his father Ecgtheow for strength to sustain him in this desperate effort.

And the mighty arm of Grendel gave way in the terrible hands of Beowulf, and, with a piercing shriek that shook the gilded rafters of Heorot, Grendel stumbled forward, leaving in Beowulf's hands the gory arm."

Detailed. Written well. Exciting. Epic. Legendary. Beowulf. Beautiful.

Beowulf

Week 10 Storytelling - Spirit

Spirit

He peered over the misty mountains of the Northwest coast. The thick vapor was his stealth. The days stayed like this by his doing as he prayed to the Thunder God for this gloom as it would eventually be to his advantage in the death to come. The Thunder God looked favorably upon him, as he granted this cloudy coverage.

Spirit waited. Perched on the mountain. Waiting for death to come. It was cold. He could see his breath. These were his surroundings. His forest. He thrived in these conditions. He was a shadow. A hawk. A warrior of the Northwest. A solemn individual that never spoke. Only listened. Listened to the forest. To the trees. To the wolves. To the hawks. To the invaders. He was bred to be a warrior. The last of his slaughtered tribe. Now he wander the Northwest looking to conquer those who had done this blasphemy so many years ago.

Spirit the Pacific Northwest Warrior

He would have to live with that pain forever, as he was immortal. The only way he could die was in battle. The glorious way. These parameters set upon him by the Thunder God. With this immortality came abilities. Spirit abilities. Hawk vision, and pearl white eyes to show. Like bolts of lightning were trapped in his eyes. The strength and cunning of 10 normal men. And inhuman movement like he was gliding when he fought. His attire all black. The only things not were his white-shot eyes and his face. The entirety of his face from his forehead to his neck were teal. Pacific Native War paint. Though he craved stealth he still wanted his adversary to have a clear target for his face. A challenge to all. A notion of confidence, and a visually poetic hue of a war cry. Wolf fur and Feathers surrounded his traps like a scarf. He carried a great spear, two body lengths long, adorned with feathers, painted all black. Three teal bands were painted closer to the sharpened orca-vertebrae tip. He carried a torso sized shield carved from a great orcas skull. It was carved into a giant stylized hawk painted all black, in the style the Pacific Northwest Natives were known for. His last piece was his carved hawk helmet that cover his head from the forehead to the back of his skull. This too was painted black and magnificently war torn from battle.

Finally he saw gleams of spark and orange light in the heavy mist from atop his mountain. He perched days waiting for this. For he would finally come face-to-face with his tribes murderers. This time he would be death-bringer. Like a raven atop the reapers shoulder. A teal-faced black sea-hawk ready to stretch out his talons and rip the life from those who have scarred him. The lights were coming towards him but were too far out to see him. Spirit  closed his eyes. Everything went slow. He took in a breath, cold air coming from his lungs. He opened his eyes... and charged the lights from the downward slant of the mountain to the misty field his enemies walked.

A spear whizzed through the air, cutting, through the dew of the mist. Slink! Right through the face of the first double-horned helmet. Roars followed and a rush towards where the spear came from. Spirit ran at them with a silent ferocious intent. Everything went slow again. He could see them, they could not see him, but they were charging, stomping, ready to kill for their leader had just been pierced through the face with a long spear... Vikings... Their thundering roars spit at the unseen silent assassin, and his teal face and white-lighting eyes. Was Spirit ready for a glorious death or we he leave battered with revenge and honor for his fallen tribe. The oppositions still running at one another. Charging in an elegant war-ready scene. Everything goes black...

Author's Note
Spirit is inspired from the stories, style and culture of Pacific Northwest Native Americans. I tried another style of writing. Pretty traditional for me, but in my head more like a movie as I started to get to the end of it. I like this kinda, slo-mo, abstract, visual, screenplay, war-scene of Spirit and the Vikings. I tired to keep the story pretty mysterious. I went back and fourth with contemplations of making the last sentence "The Vikings would meet Valhalla... " and taking out the previous word "Viking" to only reveal that Spirit's opposition was in fact, Vikings only at the end in the last sentence. I'm still contemplating it. I like the abstractness of the story. It will be harder to follow than any of my others but that is conceptual as Spirit is the most mysterious of my warriors thus far. I am also still contemplating his name and trying to think of something better.

The picture was a great source of inspiration. It was intact the primary source of my story. I find that my best stories come from visuals. My mind goes off and sparks up stories from what I see as I am a very visual person. Hints me being a graphic designer and all. New found creative writer as well maybe haha. The visual style of Pacific Northwest Native art was also a major inspiration. Their color motifs, and abstracted depictions of animals, specifically the hawk, bear, and orca, are just amazing and fresh. They definitely have one of the more unique style of any culture. These types of animals and the specific style is seen all together on their famous totem poles. Teal, crimson, white and black, and wood grain are their primary colors, and heavy black abstract line work tie it all together for a very unique style. Spirit was definitely a fun one to make, and I hope the conceptual thoughts of mine come through to the reader.

___
Image sources:
warrior - http://www.spiritwrestler.com/catalog/index.php?artists_id=281
style/print - 12X12 Giclée Print Northwest Native by NorthwestNativeGifts

Reading Diary B - British North America Native Stories

British North America

The Burning of the World

Once all the world was burned. Only a man and his mother and his sister were saved. Before the fire there were many people on earth. Then the young man fell out with his father, and they became enemies. The young man had heard that all the world was to be burned, but his father did not believe it.

Now the young man made a bow and arrows. He shot one arrow to the west, and one to the east, and one to the north, and one to the south. The places where the arrows fell were the four corners of a bit of ground which would not burn. The young man told everybody who wanted to be saved from the fire to come onto that square of land. Many did not believe the world would be burned, so they would not come.

After a while the fire came. They could hear it. They were encamped by the side of a big lake. By and by all the birds and animals came running to that bit of ground marked out by the arrows. The old man had quarreled with his son, so he would not come.

The fire was very hot. All the water boiled because it was so hot. After a while the fire was put out, and the water had settled down. Everything had to be started over again.

Now there were many animals on this patch of ground, and the man named some of them and told them what to do.

He put Beaver in the water, but Rabbit wanted to live in the water. The man said, "No."

Then Rabbit jumped into the water and the man had to pull him out. He said to Rabbit, "Your legs are too long. Even if you do eat willow like Beaver, you don't go about in the water properly."

Squirrel wanted to be Bear. He did all he could to be Bear. He argued and chattered a great deal about it. The man said, "Oh, you're too noisy. You wouldn't be a good Bear." He said also, "If you are Bear, you are so noisy that when people come again, they will kill too many of you. A bear must keep quiet. He has many enemies."

Then Squirrel began to weep. He wept until his eyes were white. Even today Squirrel has eyes bright and swollen from weeping.

The man made Bear then, because he was nice and wise and quiet.

Somebody wanted to be Caribou—nobody remembers just who wanted that.

Then Deer was made, and made so swift that he could outrun all pursuers.

After the man had finished making all the animals, he put a mark on them, so people would know what they were. Then the man had to give all the people new names. His mother he called Robin, because she was friendly. His sister he called Golden-winged Woodpecker, because she was beautiful. He called himself Blackbird because he would only come every spring.

Author's Note

Interesting story. My favorite part was squirrel wanting to be bear. It made me laugh a little at the thought. Now I could have shown an image of the world burning. And trust me I wanted to, it was temping (some people just want to see the world burn) but comedy beat intensity today and a colorful picture of a bear and a squirrel was chosen instead as that is my favorite part of the whole story haha.

Bear & Squirrel