Famous Last Words: Week 14

Your reading for this week. 
I did not have to do any reading for this week. I actually have not done any reading in a couple of weeks. I was lucky enough to be able to watch the videos. They were so interesting and it definitely helped with the name pronunciations.

Your best writing for this week.
I didn't really do any writing this week. I was able to finish the revisions on my storybook and I am feeling really good about my storybook. I am quite proud of how it turned out. Hopefully everyone is enjoying it but even if they aren't, I still like it. I am really glad that it is finished now too. I feel like I put in a lot of effort for the storybook so it is definitely a relief to see it finally completed.

Screenshot of my storybook. Rama and Sita: Not So Happily Ever After

Other people's writing.
I got to read a couple of storybooks that I had not read yet and I am so glad that I did. All the storybooks are coming out so good and they are all so different. I am enjoying reading as many as I can. I am probably going to be reading some in the next week just because they are so interesting to read.

Your other classes.
My other classes are not going as well as this one is. I am getting so close to the end but I have a couple of partner assignments and my classes are all online so it is very difficult to be able to communicate. I am having to work on everything last minute and it is becoming very stressful. Hopefully everything works out.

Outside of school.
Since it is so close to the end of the semester and  I graduate on the 18th, my life consists of school and that is pretty much it. I manage to set aside some time each day to spend with my kids but other than that, school is keeping me very busy.

Reading

* What readings did you like best?The reading that I liked best was the Ramayana Online: Public Domain Edition. I thought that it flowed really well so that the story wasn't hard to follow at all. I didn't actually have to read it either, I was able to listen to it which definitely helped because at first I was not able to pronounce any of those names! I really enjoyed this reading section though and it was definitely my favorite.
My most favorite "reading" was actually the video, Sita sings the blues. I really enjoyed the movie and it was a nice break from reading about Sita to actually being able to watch it.

* What reading diary strategies were most effective for you?The reading diary strategies that were most effective for me were mainly just jotting down some important parts of the stories and also making a note of anything that I found to be interesting. I would also make comments about what I thought of the particular parts. I found that this made it easier for me to be able to remember the important details of the stories and it also gave me ideas for my storytellings.

* What did you think of the overall balance between reading - writing - commenting in the class assignments?I honestly love how this class is structured. It is the same basic concept almost every week, so I didn't really even have to try too hard to remember what was due and when it was due. I just knew that every week was virtually the same. I loved the idea of doing the readings, then writing, then commenting. It not only let me be creative and retell the stories how I wanted to, but it also let me see how other people thought to change the stories. 

* As you look back from the end of the semester, what advice about the reading do you have for students who will be getting started next semester?
You may want to break the reading up a little more than they already are. Sometimes it gets a little tough to try and do so much reading at one time. Also, when you get your free reading options, really look through the options so that you are sure to read something that you find to be interesting and something that you are able to understand and then enjoy.

Reflections

I loved this class. Before this semester, I knew virtually nothing about the Indian epics. I found this class to be so interesting and I loved learning about all the different gods and goddesses, especially since I knew nothing before.

The main thing that I learned from this class was how to tell a story. It was always fun to be able to rewrite the stories that we read to make them just the way we wanted. There were numerous times that I would just think "I hate that it ended that way" or "I think that should have gone differently" and then I was able to change the things that I didn't like.

I think that this class is so beneficial. I got to learn about something that is completely different than anything that I know. My major is psychology so there doesn't tend to be much room for complete creativity. I'm glad that I decided to take this class.

I have to say that the thing that I am most proud of would be my storybook. I had a lot of fun writing it and I hope that others like it as much as I do. I feel like I worked really hard on it, so its nice that I finally added the last story. I still have one more round of editing the story, and then a final edit for my storybook, but so far I think its going really well.

Smiley faces on the moon. Source: tumblr

Famous Last Words: Week 13

Your reading for this week.
I didn't do a reading but I watched the videos Pattanaik. Week 2 Videos. I watched both parts of the videos and I think they are so interesting. The main things that I learned was what each god and goddess stand for. It also explained what they are known for. I thought it was a really good addition to the reading because it gave me more information about the gods and goddesses than the epics did. I think my reading diary worked out well. I focused on what I found to be the most interesting.

Your best writing for this week.
I did my writing at my house, mostly on my couch. (I love having a laptop). I didn't write anything of interest for this class. I didn't do the storytelling for this week due to lack of writing topic. I just couldn't figure out which story I wanted to retell and how I wanted to do it so I skipped it. I do think that this class is helping me with my writing in other classes. It just gives me more confidence in my writing which helps me in my other classes.

Your other classes.
My other classes are going quite well. It is getting close to finals time so I am getting a little overwhelmed, especially since I am graduating in a couple weeks. I am finding I am so close to the finish line but so many things to do beforehand. Finals, papers, group presentation, etc. So many things left to do!

Outside of school.
It was Thanksgiving this week! I got to eat at my family's house and then I went Christmas shopping after with my sisters and mother. It was a good week overall. I'm just a little slow moving with the school stuff. Just ready for the holidays! I love Thanksgiving.

Turkey. Source: Cafepress

Tech Tip: Pinterest Research

For this week's tech tip, Pinterest Search and Pin Pages, I searched for more pins to add to my pinterest. Since it has been icy for the past couple of days, I have had to find activities to entertain my children. So I began by searching Children. This gave me many options so I clicked on activities. This also gave me many options so I chose indoor. This showed me exactly the items that I was looking for.

There are so many indoor activities for children to do to keep them entertained on days like these.


Kids Activities Blog

 

This blog had so many cool things for kids to do. I will definitely keep these in mind for the next rainy day.

Reading Feedback: Pattanaik. Week 1 Videos

Reading Review- Pattanaik. Week 2 Videos.

How and why did you choose your reading selection? Are you happy with the choice?
I chose these videos because I had already watched the week 1 videos and wanted to hear the rest of it.

What part of the reading made the biggest impression on you and why?

I just really enjoyed watching these. In the readings for class, I only got a small sense of the gods and goddesses and I liked how this went into more detail about what they represent and what the different pictures of them mean.

 

Was there anything in the reading you did not understand? Did you do any research on your own to find answers to your questions?

I felt like I was able to understand everything in the video. It did a good job of explaining everything.

 

Did the reading come with a Reading Guide? If so, was the Reading Guide helpful? If there was not a Reading Guide, would it help to have one?

The reading guide for these were very helpful. It let me focus on the video and helped me to be able to find the information that I needed for the reading diaries.

 

How much time did you spend on the reading? (The goal is for the A/B together to take about 3 hours; it's the equivalent of going to class.)

I spend a little over an hour with the videos.

 

What specific format did you use? (Some options are available in multiple formats, e.g. print book or audio book.)

I used my laptop to view the videos.

 

Vishnu. Source: Wikipedia

 

Week 13 Reading Diary B: Pattanaik. Week 2 Videos

For this week, I decided to watch Pattanaik. Week 2 Videos. Here are the things that I found to be interesting in these videos.

Vishnu's Secret Part 2:

"If Ram is about laws and appropriate conduct, Krishna is about love and affection. While Ram focuses on discipline and the head, Krishna focuses more on affection and the heart."
I feel like a lot of these are talking about the gods that are opposites of each other. Just as Shiva is the opposite of Vishnu, Ram and Krishna are the opposite of each other too. I notice that a lot with these epics. A god will represent something but there always seems to be another god that represents the opposite. It is as if everything in life has a purpose and a god that represents it.

Brahma's Secret Part 1:

"...creation happens for a reason, and Brahma forgets that reason, which is why he is declared unworthy of worship."'
I think that it is sad that even though Brahma is considered responsible for creation, that he is deemed unworthy anyways. It appears that he has no idea who he is and keeps chasing different parts.

"As a human being one is blessed with the ability to reflect on existence and think about its meaning. This reflection leads to self-discovery."
I found this quote to be quite interesting. I never thought that human's curiosity would be considered a blessing, but I guess it does make sense.

Brahma's Secret Part 2:

One image shows Vishnu rescuing an elephant. The elephant represents man who believes that the purpose of life is to gain fame, wealth and power. Vishnu is rescuing man from this incorrect way of thinking and from the pain and misery that this thinking causes.

Screenshot that I took from the video. It shows Vishnu rescuing an elephant from an alligator.

Week 13 Reading Diary A: Pattanaik. Week 2 Videos

For this week, I decided to watch Pattanaik. Week 2 Videos. Here are the things that I found to be interesting in these videos.

Devi's Secret: Desire and Destiny Create Life:

I felt bad for the goddess Kanyakumari. She was supposed to marry Shiva but the rooster crowed and caused Shiva to mistake the time and he returned home. She was so upset. I can't imagine being all prepared for your wedding day, only to have the groom not show up. That would be devastating! I find it so interesting, though, that the different colors of the sea and sands in India are multicolored because of her.

"As a bride, she is love; as a warrior, she is power"
This quote about Durga is awesome. It shows that she doesn't have to fit into one category but that she is able to be both love and power.

Vishnu's Secret: Detached Engagement Brings Order:

The differences of Vishnu and Shiva are described in great detail. It appears that in most aspects, they are complete opposite. Shiva stays still with eyes closed while Vishnu is shown with eyes open and looks as though he is participating in the world. Shiva is shown in darkness while Vishnu is shown in light.

Screenshot taken by me showing Shiva and Vishnu side by side.

Famous Last Words: Week 12

Your reading for this week.
For my reading diaries this week, I watched week 1 of the video that was emailed to us, Pattanaik. Week 1 Videos . I watched both parts for this week and I really enjoyed it. I learned so much about the gods and goddesses that I didn't know before. It helped me to understand more about the Indian epics. I am happy with my reading diary strategy. I mainly write what stuck out the most to me and parts that I liked. There were many quotes that I really enjoyed from this reading, so I put some of those in my blog post.

Your best writing for this week.
I was actually not that fond of my writing for this week. I just felt like I couldn't get the words right and so I am a little disappointed in it. I tried something different with my storytelling post and I am still not too confident that it turned out okay.

Other people's writing.
I can't think of the specific people's writing that I liked but I do love how everyone in the class seems to have a unique style of writing. Its really cool to see all the different ways that people can change the same story. I think everyone's writing is improving so much as we are ending this class and its cool to see how far everyone has come since you can read their very first story and then compare it to now.

Your other classes.
My other classes are going pretty good. The main connections that I am finding are that the more that I write in this class, the more my writing is improving in my other classes. The feedback is so helpful to let me know where my weaknesses and strengths are and this helps me with my other classes.

Outside of school.
I feel like there is not much of my life that exists outside of school right now. With the semester only having a few weeks left, I am noticing that school is taking up a huge portion of my time.

Clock for those of us who are always late. Source: Etsy

Week 12 Storytelling: The Elephant Head Child

Pam was lonely. She had wanted a child for so long but her husband, Steven, never wanted children. She begged and begged for him to have a baby with her but his answer was always the same.

"I think that I was made to be a mother," Pam told Steven. She knew what his answer would be but she needed to continue to try.

"You know that I don't want children, Pam," Steven answered her. "We have discussed this before. The answer is still no."

Devastated, Pam decided to take a walk. She continued to walk until she came across a baby. She couldn't believe it. This was finally her chance to become a mother. She didn't need Steven's permission.

She cradled the baby into her arms and walked him home. She was relieved when she saw that Steven's car wasn't in the driveway. She took the baby inside and rocked him to sleep.

Steven walked in on Pam in the rocking chair.

"What are you doing, honey?" He asked. He walked calmly to where Pam was sitting. He looked into her arms and realized that she was rocking a baby doll.

"I'm rocking our new baby." Pam replied, with a smile on her face.

Steven was so confused. What was Pam thinking? Did she seriously think that this joke would make him want to have a real baby. Angrily, he grabbed the doll from Pam and threw it across the room. Pam screamed when she saw the doll's head pop right off of the body. She began to cry hysterically.

It was at that moment that Steven realized just how sick his wife actually was. She genuinely thought that the baby was real and he knew that he needed to find a way to fix it. He grabbed his wife and walked her to the bedroom.

"I'm so sorry, Pam." he said. "I will fix the baby. I promise you that he is fine."

Pam laid down and closed her eyes. She knew that her baby was going to be okay. Steven would make sure of it. He was going to be such a good daddy.

Steven looked at the head of the doll. He had thrown it so hard that the head was unsalvageable. He went to the garage and found a stuffed elephant. He took the head of the elephant and attached it to the doll.

He laid the doll next to Pam. He would let her take care of the doll and he would continue to take care of her, no matter how sick she was. He could pretend that the doll was a baby. He would do it if it meant that Pam would be happy.

Ganesha. Source: Tumblr

Author's note: I based this story off of the birth of Ganesha from the video Ganesha's Secret. In the video, it describes how Ganesha was born. Parvati scrubbed a paste off of her body and used it to make a doll. She breathed life into the doll and it became her child, Vinayaka. Shiva, Parvati's husband, did not know that the boy was the child that Parvati created and he beheads the boy. After seeing how devastated Parvati was about the boy's death, Shiva attached an elephant head to the boy's body to bring him back to life. The boy with the elephant head was renamed Ganesha. I wanted to change the story to be a bit more modern and more realistic. Since it wouldn't be realistic for the elephant head boy to be real, I had Pam have a psychotic break and think that the doll that she found was a baby. I also wanted her husband to be supportive of this fact after he realizes that she thinks the doll is real so he fixes it and decides that he is going to let his wife continue to care for this doll as if it was a real child.

Reading Feedback: Pattanaik. Week 1 Videos

Reading review- Pattanaik. Week 1 Videos

How and why did you choose your reading selection? Are you happy with the choice?
I chose the videos because they were emailed to us and I really enjoy watching the videos. I feel like it gives me a break where I can just relax and watch.
What part of the reading made the biggest impression on you and why?
I think that the explanations of what the different gods and goddesses represent made the biggest impression. It is much more complex than I realized.

Was there anything in the reading you did not understand? Did you do any research on your own to find answers to your questions?
I feel like the videos were explained very well.

Did the reading come with a Reading Guide? If so, was the Reading Guide helpful? If there was not a Reading Guide, would it help to have one?
There was a reading guide for the videos that took notes over the video. This helped me because I could really pay attention to the videos and I could look at the notes to see the different quotes. This helped me to better structure my reading diaries.

How much time did you spend on the reading? (The goal is for the A/B together to take about 3 hours; it's the equivalent of going to class.)
Each portion of the videos was about an hour long so the total thing took me around 2 hours.

Screenshot of Shiva from the videos.

Week 12 Reading Diary B: Pattanaik. Week 1 Videos

For this week, I watched the videos that were emailed to us as the options for this week, Pattanaik. Week 1 Videos .

Ardhanari's Secret: God is Stillness Within, Goddess is Movement Around:

"The Upanishads, ancient Hindu scriptures dating to 500 BCE, constantly refer to these two truths: a truth which changes and a truth which does not change."

This quote caught my attention. It uses the examples of in movement, we seek stillness and in sound we seek silence. I think this is so true. We have the truth and then we have the truth that we wish to seek. I think this is so cool.

Ash represents permanence and snow represents is water that is still. These represent the unchanging truth. These are what are used in many of the paintings to represents this.

Shiva's Secret: Withdrawal Leads to Destruction:

Part 1
Shiva is the destroyer and our understanding would have us believe that all of this happens out of anger. Shiva is represented in the images as calm. The problem lies in our understanding. I have noticed that our understanding has a lot to do with the misinterpretation in the epics. We think of something as one thing when it can also represent something else.

Screenshot of Shiva from the video

Shiva destroys things by closing his eyes. He doesn't become an observer. I think this is so interesting. I love the contract

 

Part 2

 

Screenshot of Shiva carrying Sati's dead body.

 

 

Sati's death lead Shiva to destroy out of anger. This photo above shows how Shiva reacts to Sati's death which is unusual for him because he normally doesn't react to external stimulus.

The goddess causes Shiva to open his eyes. This just made me think of the fact that the gods can't exist with out the goddesses. They are the two sides that have to be present in order for things to happen. This reiterates what was said in the earlier videos.

Tech Tip: Pinterest Board

For this week's tech tip, I decided to make a Pinterest board for this class. I already have a Pinterest account so I am pretty familiar with how it works. I really enjoy Pinterest. There are so many different things that you can look at and it is also a great way to save websites and other things that you find interesting.

You can find my Pinterest board HERE.

Screenshot of my Pinterest Board. Pretty bare so far but I'll get there.

Week 12 Reading Diary A: Pattanaik. Week 1 Videos

For this week, I watched the videos that were emailed to us as the options for this week, Pattanaik. Week 1 Videos


Ganesha's Secret: People See God Differently:

The first thing that stuck out to me in this video was  the race between Ganesha and Karikeya. Kartikeya just went around their parents and said

 "You went around the world. I went around my world. Tell me, which world matters more?"

I think that this is an amazing perspective that I never would have thought of. They both traveled around what they believed to be the world, even though they both had a different conclusion of what that meant.

Another part of the video that caught my attention was the image at the end that showed Shiva holding Ganesha. After learning that Shiva, a hermit, didn't want children but his wife did, it is interesting to see the image of him holding a child. He was the one who originally killed the child that his wife created and then replaced the head because his wife was upset. This makes the picture stick out so much because it looks like they have a connection.


Narayan's Secret: What Dies Is Always Reborn:

The Hindus believe in rebirth. I think this is quite fascinating. It removes the sense of urgency in this life that other religions feel. I think the picture below is a great example of this belief. A person, according to the Hindus religion, does not have to be defined by one life because they live numerous ones. I find this so interesting.



Screenshot taken by me which shows the many lives that Hindus believe people live.

 

"Does our world exist when we are in a deep slumber?"
Obviously the actual world continues to exist for us. Our sleep does not affect time but this is an interesting question that I feel ties into the first video of what we consider to be 'our world'. If our world consists of other people, then it would still exist when we are sleeping. If we consider our world to be solely us, then it would not exist while we are sleeping. I found this quote to be quite fascinating to me.

Week 11 Reading Diary A: Dharma. Ramayana Week 1 Reading A

For this weeks reading, I read Week 1, Reading A of Dharma. Ramayana, I found the prologue to be of the most interest to me.

Prologue- What made this story so interesting to read was all the background information that it gave about Ravana. In the other epic, all we knew was that Ravana had been cursed so that he could not rape any woman. This prologue actually went into detail about how he came to have that curse. He attacked his nephew's wife and so his nephew put that curse on him because it was the only revenge that he could get against such a powerful rakshasa. I really enjoyed how it focused so much on Ravana. The other epics only told pieces of Ravana's story and this went into great detail. I was able to understand why Ravana was able to obtain such powers. It also showed that he had only wanted immunity from gods and didn't worry about humans because he was so cocky. This was the reason why he was undefeatable to the gods but a human was able to defeat him. It was so interesting to get that much background into his story.

Ravana mask.

Google Timer Tech Tip

I have never really thought about using a timer for task management. I think that it is a great idea though. I remember hearing that our attention spans are only good for about 30 minutes per subject and then you are supposed to take a break and then work on another subject. I think that the time would be perfect for this. I usually time myself but even just looking at the clock takes my concentration away from what I am doing. This timer would be a very helpful tool when it comes to task management.

I am taking a large course load so I usually have numerous subjects to work on and study everyday. I think that using the timer could help me to stay on task and really focus for a set amount of time. I really like the idea of a timer.

Quote. Source: sliptalk

Week 10 Storytelling: Sita Still Sings the Blues

Sita sat silently and looked out the window. She didn't know how long she had been here but she knew that it had been a while. She missed Rama so much and she knew that he would be coming to save her. Ravana had been begging her to be with him but she knew that she couldn't do that to Rama. It was Rama that she loved and Rama was the only one that she would be with.

Something outside of the window caught Sita's eye. Upon further examination, Sita could see that somebody was approaching the palace. It was Rama! She knew that he would be there to save her. She watched as Rama fought all the rakshasas and defeated Ravana. She couldn't have been happier.

After she saw that it was safe, she opened the doors of the palace and ran. She wanted so desperately to be in Rama's arms.

"Rama, my love!" Sita yelled as she approached him.

The look in Rama's eyes made her stop. She hesitated to go any closer.

"Rama? What's wrong?" Sita asked.

"I have done my part and saved you. I can't, however, bring you back to be my wife. You have been unfaithful. You have dwelled with another man. I can't bring you back to the kingdom. What would everyone say about me if I were to accept you back after this?" Rama replied, rather harshly.

Sita looked at him with tears in her eyes. She couldn't believe what he just said. Why would he go through all this trouble for her when he didn't want to be with her anymore.

"You know me. You know that I would never be unfaithful to you! I have always been pure and I have remained that way. Ravana wanted me but I refused!" Sita screamed back at him.

Rama made no reply. Sita realized that even though she loved him, she was not going to let anyone treat her this way. She knew the truth and so did Rama.

"I have always loved you Rama. Deep down, you know the truth and you are going to regret this. I have nothing to prove to you so goodbye Rama." Sita replied calmly. She knew that she loved him but her loving him wasn't enough. Rama didn't love her anymore. If he did, he would not treat her this way.

Sita turned from Rama and began to walk away. She didn't know where she was going, but she knew that she had to figure it out. She was all alone but it would be better to be alone than to be with someone who didn't trust her.

Sita continued on. She wanted to turn around and look at Rama one last time but she knew that if she did, she would change her mind. She would beg him to take her back.

"It's better this way," she told herself, hoping that if she says it enough times, that she will believe it.

Sita from Sita Sings the Blues

Author's note: After watching Sita Sings the Blues, I realized that Sita allows Rama to treat her horribly and she keeps taking him back. The majority of the movie shows Sita begging Rama to not leave her. I focused mostly on the part where Rama sees Sita after she has been kidnapped. In the original story, Rama tells Sita that he can't be with her anymore because she has been in the house of another man. He knows that it wasn't by choice but it didn't matter because people will still talk. Sita then begs Rama to stay with her and she even proves her purity by fire. Rama is able to take her back now that she has proven her purity. I think that Sita should have had more self-worth and not let Rama treat her so badly. That is why I changed the story to show Sita being able to stick up for herself. I know that Sita loves Rama still and that is why she is still upset. I wanted her to show that even though she loves Rama, it was best to let him go in the best interest of herself. I wanted Sita to care what happens to herself.
Bibliography: Sita Sings the Blues by Nina Paley

Reading Diary B: Sita Sings the Blues Part B

For this reading diary, I finished the second part of Sita Sings the Blues.

What I realized finally was the connections between Nina and this movie. She is the writer so I'm guessing that was a rundown of the events that led her to create Sita Sings the Blues. I was really racking my brain trying to figure out the connection. It didn't even occur to me to pay attention to the name but anyways, this part focused on after Rama takes Sita back and then finishes with Sita returning to mother earth.

I found this movie to be quite entertaining. It had such different types of animation that it actually seems as if there are numerous different stories that are just pieced together but I did find it enjoyable. I still hate that Sita let Rama treat her so badly and yet she still praised him and showed her love to him until she departed. I would have left him at the beginning. She should have had to prove anything to him and yet she kept debating on whether or not she would kill herself over him. He was so not worth it.

I think this movie told the story quite well. It focused on the details that went with Sita's songs and I like seeing things more from her perspective.

Opening scene in Sita Sings the Blues. Source: breathedreamgo

Reading Diary A: Sita Sings the Blues Part A

For this reading diary, I decided to watch the part A of Sita Sings the Blues. I was a bit hesitant to watch this because it looked a little chaotic but I am really glad that I did. The first part tells the story of Rama and Sita up to the point of Rama finding Sita after she has been kidnapped. It is also intertwined with the story of Nina and Dave. I am not quite sure how that story fits in with this movie but I guess I will find out in part B.

I have to say that I love how this movie is turning out. I was very confused at the beginning because I wasn't quite sure what was going on but the more I watched it, the more I understood what was happening. I love the narrators. It feel like I could just be sitting in a room listening to three people trying to tell a story. I like how they argue about some parts and mess up a couple other ones. I think that it helps remind us that these stories have been told over and over again which is why some of them know different versions.

As much as I love to read, I am enjoying the small break from having to concentrate so hard. I can just relax and watch a little movie. As a matter of fact, I am about to start part B... I'll update back on Reading Diary B when I finish.

Sita Sings the Blues. Source: Amazon

Week 9: Famous Last Words

My readings for this week: I did not manage to do any reading for this week. I had made big plans on how I was going to get a head and then found myself running out of time for everything this week. It was one of those weeks that made me wish that I had done more last week. I also wanted to get ahead using this weekend but lucky me, I got sick... and not only did I get sick but my one year old and my five year old also got sick... and then my husband got sick. Lets just say that it wasn't the best weekend to get a head of schedule.

Your best writing for this week: Although I did not do any writing in this class during the weekly assignments, I did do some work for my storybook. I really feel as though it is going really good. I found that my new story was a bit harder to write this week, mainly because the story of Sita's kidnapping occurs over numerous stories. I had to narrow it down some to figure out what I was going to focus on and I feel like it turned out pretty good. I'll see how well I did when the comments start coming in though.

My other classes: I have been doing pretty good in my other classes. I am currently taking 15 credit hours in order to graduate in December so I stay fairly busy with school. There are not really any connections between my other classes and this class.

Outside of school: Besides getting sick, I have been prepping for Halloween. My son is going to be a transformer and my daughter is going to be a fairy. We already had to miss one Halloween event that happened yesterday due to everybody being sick but they are looking forward to the upcoming week. Which is another reason that I wanted to get a head start.

I had big plans for this week and let myself get off track but I am ready to keep going and hopefully get myself on a schedule like I had planned to do already! We will see how the next week goes because I would consider this week to be a big FAIL! I do feel like I am getting things together though.

 

A cool looking pumpkin because its almost Halloween. Source: www.brit.co