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@OnlineMythIndia I spend so much time writing for this class, but it is time well spent, #OU4993,#ou3043
Though I have to admit it would be nice if people actually read my storytelling and other posts, but it is Ok I am secure enough to talk to myself, so writing stories that only I will read is something I am cool with.....#livawesome
Tuesday, September 30, 2014
Story Telling Week 7
Scent of a Woman?
“Hey wake up!” the voice said as I felt a palm lightly tap my cheek three times. “Joe, wake up!” it was my brother Lance.
I must have been overheated and passed out. That would explain why I am on the floor. I hate this feeling, it is like a thousand needle pricks all over my body. As I open my eyes the light rushes in and assaults my pupils. I can see my brother Lance standing over me asking me “What happened,” over and over again. It takes me a second for everything to come back to me and then I tell him, “I was getting a drink of water and then I don’t know, I must have passed out or something.”
“Are you ok?”
“Yeah, help me up, oh man I just had the weirdest dream…” he stops me.
“Hey, your wife is in your office.”
I think to myself, “What is he talking about I don’t have a wife?” As my hands brush down my face to remove the grogginess from my body I feel a cold piece of metal graze across my skin. I hold my left hand in front of my face and extend my fingers to see a gold band wrapped around my ring finger. With my thumb I begin to play with the wedding band, it is a familiar and natural feeling, like I playing with it is something I have done for years though I am unable to figure out why I am wearing this ring. I have never been married.
This all feels like a joke that in my mind I agree to play along with for the moment. I feel dizzy again and my brother is quick to sit me down in a chair. My brother tells me he will be right back and leaves me in the room alone. This must be what it feels like to have your brain melt like cheddar between two slices of Texas toast. I close my eyes in hopes of gaining some form of timeout from the abuse my eyes are suffering from the sun. Images of monkeys, bears, and blood begin to flood my mind, and even though I know this is just some weird side effect from passing out, these images feel like memories. Memories of things that haven’t happened yet.
Memories of things that haven’t happened yet. I hear the door to the kitchen open again, it must be Lance coming back to get me, though his footsteps sound lighter on the tile floor as he walks to the sink and turns the water faucet on and off. There is scent that possesses the room that was absent before the door opened, I feel a cold towel against my forehead, what is that scent. I know I have never smelled it before though for some reason it feels extremely familiar. “What is that smell?”
“You know what it is; I have told you the name before. It’s Illusion by Louis Cardin”
I open my eyes and see a woman I have never met before. Her name is Mary. I don’t know why I know her name, but for some reason I just know her name is Mary. The scent intrudes further into my body forcing its way into my lungs. It is not crisp and clean like a scent you would find in nature. It is an intoxicating lust manufactured from synthetic elements; it has an unnatural feeling about it. “Should I kiss your boo boo and make it feel better?”
This all feels like a joke that in my mind I agree to play along with for the moment. I feel dizzy again and my brother is quick to sit me down in a chair. My brother tells me he will be right back and leaves me in the room alone. This must be what it feels like to have your brain melt like cheddar between two slices of Texas toast. I close my eyes in hopes of gaining some form of timeout from the abuse my eyes are suffering from the sun. Images of monkeys, bears, and blood begin to flood my mind, and even though I know this is just some weird side effect from passing out, these images feel like memories. Memories of things that haven’t happened yet.
Memories of things that haven’t happened yet. I hear the door to the kitchen open again, it must be Lance coming back to get me, though his footsteps sound lighter on the tile floor as he walks to the sink and turns the water faucet on and off. There is scent that possesses the room that was absent before the door opened, I feel a cold towel against my forehead, what is that scent. I know I have never smelled it before though for some reason it feels extremely familiar. “What is that smell?”
“You know what it is; I have told you the name before. It’s Illusion by Louis Cardin”
I open my eyes and see a woman I have never met before. Her name is Mary. I don’t know why I know her name, but for some reason I just know her name is Mary. The scent intrudes further into my body forcing its way into my lungs. It is not crisp and clean like a scent you would find in nature. It is an intoxicating lust manufactured from synthetic elements; it has an unnatural feeling about it. “Should I kiss your boo boo and make it feel better?”
“No….no need for that.” I hold my hand up allowing the sunlight to reflect off the gold ban on my left hand. The reflection of the light is insulting to her eyes.
“You sure about that?” She is a beautiful woman. Perfection embodied within her flesh. Her clothes are expensive and they hug her curves perfectly, too perfectly. There is no wrinkle to be found on her skirt or her blouse. The fabric from her blouse hangs off her shoulders the same way it would if it were dressing a mannequin. “I mean there is married and happily married.”
She catches me off guard with her flirtation. She is masterful in her overcoming my objections by diverting my responses. When I tell her that I am married, she asks if I am happy, when I say I am ok she just laughs it off and counters my response with softening of her eyes and a flick of her hair. She is perfect, from the way she smells, her clothes, and the distance between her eyes. She is the canon of beauty....
...yet her lack of imperfections casts a shadow of ugliness over her. I fain dizziness again in hopes of achieving and end to her advances, but I am unsuccessful.
“You’re probably just hungry. How bout I take you to lunch?”
“I’m sorry, but I can’t my wife is waiting in my office for me.”
“Oh, if she is a secure woman she won’t mind if I steal you away from her for a while.”
“You sure about that?” She is a beautiful woman. Perfection embodied within her flesh. Her clothes are expensive and they hug her curves perfectly, too perfectly. There is no wrinkle to be found on her skirt or her blouse. The fabric from her blouse hangs off her shoulders the same way it would if it were dressing a mannequin. “I mean there is married and happily married.”
She catches me off guard with her flirtation. She is masterful in her overcoming my objections by diverting my responses. When I tell her that I am married, she asks if I am happy, when I say I am ok she just laughs it off and counters my response with softening of her eyes and a flick of her hair. She is perfect, from the way she smells, her clothes, and the distance between her eyes. She is the canon of beauty....
...yet her lack of imperfections casts a shadow of ugliness over her. I fain dizziness again in hopes of achieving and end to her advances, but I am unsuccessful.
“You’re probably just hungry. How bout I take you to lunch?”
“I’m sorry, but I can’t my wife is waiting in my office for me.”
“Oh, if she is a secure woman she won’t mind if I steal you away from her for a while.”
“I’m sure she would.”
“Well if it is that big of an issue she can join us, I don’t mind sharing you with her.” She attempts to laugh it off as if it was a joke, but she continues to study my face for a sign that would give her an opening to continue to press on.
“I really just don’t feel good.”
“You heard him Mary, he doesn’t feel good, now leave him alone.” My brother had slipped into the room unnoticed and had been listening to the entire conversation.
“Well if it is that big of an issue she can join us, I don’t mind sharing you with her.” She attempts to laugh it off as if it was a joke, but she continues to study my face for a sign that would give her an opening to continue to press on.
“I really just don’t feel good.”
“You heard him Mary, he doesn’t feel good, now leave him alone.” My brother had slipped into the room unnoticed and had been listening to the entire conversation.
“Shut up Lance he is a big boy. I am sure he doesn’t need you butting in.”
“Hey Mary why don’t you and your fake face, fake designer clothes, and fake personality get out of her and leave him alone.” My brother was more forceful than I would have been.
“Who do you think you are talking to, don’t you know who I am? No one talks to me that way and gets away with it!” There is an uncomfortable silence in the room for a moment then Mary looks at me and her soft features turn to rage as she stands up and storms out of the room.
“Hey calm down Mary. Don’t huff and puff too hard or your blow your nose job off!” Though I feel bad about it, I couldn’t help but laugh at my brother. He asks me if I am feeling better and I tell him that I am as I stand up to walk out of the room and head to my office to finally meet the woman I am married to, but before I open the door.........
Author's Notes
This is a retelling of the temptation of Rama by Ravana'a sister. Obviously I could not have his brother chop off her nose so that is why the comment of about her nose falling off at the end was put in there. I wanted her to be beautiful but also fake in every way from her scent to her looks she is unnatural.
Attributions
Pic 1 : By Johann Carl Loth [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons
Pic 2 : "Wedding rings" by Jeff Belmonte from Cuiabá, Brazil - Flickr. Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons-http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Wedding_rings.jpg#mediaviewer/File:Wedding_rings.jpg
Pic 3 : "Wat phra keaw ramayana fresco" by unknown, photo by "Thaths" - http://www.flickr.com/photos/34816987@N00/1392410389. Licensed under Public domain via Wikimedia Commons
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Wat_phra_keaw_ramayana_fresco.jpg#mediaviewer/File:Wat_phra_keaw_ramayana_fresco.jpg
Pic 4 : "Louis Cardin Illusion" by Ahmer82 - Own work. Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons - http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Louis_Cardin_Illusion.jpg#mediaviewer/File:Louis_Cardin_Illusion.jpg
Pic 5 : By Patrick Doheny (originally posted to Flickr as French Maid) [CC-BY-2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons
Pic 6 : „Mona Lisa detail eyes“. Lizenziert unter Public domain über Wikimedia Commons - http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Mona_Lisa_detail_eyes.jpg#mediaviewer/File:Mona_Lisa_detail_eyes.jpg
“Who do you think you are talking to, don’t you know who I am? No one talks to me that way and gets away with it!” There is an uncomfortable silence in the room for a moment then Mary looks at me and her soft features turn to rage as she stands up and storms out of the room.
“Hey calm down Mary. Don’t huff and puff too hard or your blow your nose job off!” Though I feel bad about it, I couldn’t help but laugh at my brother. He asks me if I am feeling better and I tell him that I am as I stand up to walk out of the room and head to my office to finally meet the woman I am married to, but before I open the door.........
Author's Notes
This is a retelling of the temptation of Rama by Ravana'a sister. Obviously I could not have his brother chop off her nose so that is why the comment of about her nose falling off at the end was put in there. I wanted her to be beautiful but also fake in every way from her scent to her looks she is unnatural.
Attributions
Pic 1 : By Johann Carl Loth [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons
Pic 2 : "Wedding rings" by Jeff Belmonte from Cuiabá, Brazil - Flickr. Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons-http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Wedding_rings.jpg#mediaviewer/File:Wedding_rings.jpg
Pic 3 : "Wat phra keaw ramayana fresco" by unknown, photo by "Thaths" - http://www.flickr.com/photos/34816987@N00/1392410389. Licensed under Public domain via Wikimedia Commons
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Wat_phra_keaw_ramayana_fresco.jpg#mediaviewer/File:Wat_phra_keaw_ramayana_fresco.jpg
Pic 4 : "Louis Cardin Illusion" by Ahmer82 - Own work. Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons - http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Louis_Cardin_Illusion.jpg#mediaviewer/File:Louis_Cardin_Illusion.jpg
Pic 5 : By Patrick Doheny (originally posted to Flickr as French Maid) [CC-BY-2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons
Pic 6 : „Mona Lisa detail eyes“. Lizenziert unter Public domain über Wikimedia Commons - http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Mona_Lisa_detail_eyes.jpg#mediaviewer/File:Mona_Lisa_detail_eyes.jpg
Reading Diary Part B week 7
The warriors ride out on a thousand horses,
Rama takes his sandals off the Elephant
Bharata returns the kingdom to Rama
The animals and five demons are present
Sita is driven to see her mothers
Every is excited waiting to see what Rama would do, the kingdom is rejoicing
Rama is told to rule as far as the world last and as far as the world goes
This is the greatest celebration
Sita sits by a fountain in the palace and the hunchback asks her for her forgiveness
The hunchback is told that it is because of her that Ravana is dead and everyone is free
Everyone gathers around to see Rama Crowned
Lakes of wines, hills of food
Rama will reign for eleven thousand years
Strong and gentle
Twelve years till the end of his rule Sita is pregnant
Sita wants to go on a retreat
Rama gives her his blessing
His ministers tell him that there are whispers of Sita’s infidelity
Rama seeks counsel from his brother
Rama tells his brother to take Sita to the river the next day and leave her there in exile
Dharma law is mentioned and Lakshmana agrees to what his brother asks him to do
Sita asks Lakshmana what is wrong and he tells her that she is being abandoned
Lakshmana questions his brothers motives
Sumantra explains it to Lakshmana
Sumantra tells the story of how Kakayi got her wishes
Dasharatha was wounded in a battle and kakayi nursed him back to health and was promised two boons
Indra restores Dasharatha to complete health
Demons went to Ayodhya searching for protection
Vishista the priest cursed Narayana
Sita accepts her fate
Sumantra and Lakshmana return to Rama
The river goddess speaks to Sita and tells her to let go of life
A hermit comes to her and tells her that she can live with him and his wives
She has twin son and lives with the hermit for twelve years
Valmiki is mentioned by name
Rama gives a celebration
On the first day of the festival the Ramayana is sung
On the last day Rama sees his son’s returning home
He sends for Sita to tell her that he will take her back into her home
Sita returns to Rama
Sita asks to prove her innocence
Rama gives her his permission
She tells mother earth to take her home if she has been true to Rama
From the earth rises a throne and sitting on it is Mother Earth
Mother earth takes Sita and they descend into the earth
Rama smiled
Rama realizes that he will never meet Sita again on earth
Rama rules for another thousand years
Time shows up dressed as a Hermit to see Rama
He tells him it is time for him to die and return to heaven
Lakshmana interrupts the meeting and must die because of it
Rama tells his brother good bye
Lakshmana goes to the river and is at peace and he is ready to die
Lakshmana’s soul is carried to Heaven
Rama is prepared to Die
Bharata tells Rama to take him with him
Laksmi and mother earth walk with Rama
Rama gave hanuman the bracelet he was wearing
Hanuman destroys the bracelet
Vibishina tells hanuman to destroy his flesh so hanuman rips his flesh off
His bones have Rama written on them
Rama heals Hanuman
Hanuman’s character is described in detail
Rama and his followers jump into the river and are taken to Heaven.
Rama takes his sandals off the Elephant
Bharata returns the kingdom to Rama
The animals and five demons are present
Sita is driven to see her mothers
Every is excited waiting to see what Rama would do, the kingdom is rejoicing
Rama is told to rule as far as the world last and as far as the world goes
This is the greatest celebration
Sita sits by a fountain in the palace and the hunchback asks her for her forgiveness
The hunchback is told that it is because of her that Ravana is dead and everyone is free
Everyone gathers around to see Rama Crowned
Lakes of wines, hills of food
Rama will reign for eleven thousand years
Strong and gentle
Twelve years till the end of his rule Sita is pregnant
Sita wants to go on a retreat
Rama gives her his blessing
His ministers tell him that there are whispers of Sita’s infidelity
Rama seeks counsel from his brother
Rama tells his brother to take Sita to the river the next day and leave her there in exile
Dharma law is mentioned and Lakshmana agrees to what his brother asks him to do
Sita asks Lakshmana what is wrong and he tells her that she is being abandoned
Lakshmana questions his brothers motives
Sumantra explains it to Lakshmana
Sumantra tells the story of how Kakayi got her wishes
Dasharatha was wounded in a battle and kakayi nursed him back to health and was promised two boons
Indra restores Dasharatha to complete health
Demons went to Ayodhya searching for protection
Vishista the priest cursed Narayana
Sita accepts her fate
Sumantra and Lakshmana return to Rama
The river goddess speaks to Sita and tells her to let go of life
A hermit comes to her and tells her that she can live with him and his wives
She has twin son and lives with the hermit for twelve years
Valmiki is mentioned by name
Rama gives a celebration
On the first day of the festival the Ramayana is sung
On the last day Rama sees his son’s returning home
He sends for Sita to tell her that he will take her back into her home
Sita returns to Rama
Sita asks to prove her innocence
Rama gives her his permission
She tells mother earth to take her home if she has been true to Rama
From the earth rises a throne and sitting on it is Mother Earth
Mother earth takes Sita and they descend into the earth
Rama smiled
Rama realizes that he will never meet Sita again on earth
Rama rules for another thousand years
Time shows up dressed as a Hermit to see Rama
He tells him it is time for him to die and return to heaven
Lakshmana interrupts the meeting and must die because of it
Rama tells his brother good bye
Lakshmana goes to the river and is at peace and he is ready to die
Lakshmana’s soul is carried to Heaven
Rama is prepared to Die
Bharata tells Rama to take him with him
Laksmi and mother earth walk with Rama
Rama gave hanuman the bracelet he was wearing
Hanuman destroys the bracelet
Vibishina tells hanuman to destroy his flesh so hanuman rips his flesh off
His bones have Rama written on them
Rama heals Hanuman
Hanuman’s character is described in detail
Rama and his followers jump into the river and are taken to Heaven.
Monday, September 29, 2014
Reading Diary Part A week 7
Buck describes Ravana’s dance as something beautiful.
Then Ravana heads out to meet Rama for the battle and meets time.
Time tells him that he is going to hell and will be forgotten.
Ravana calls time the bad one, because he will kill more men for less.
Ravana seems to know he is going to die.
He seems somewhat heroic because he says he is willing to die for love.
Ravana leaves lanka through the fifth gate
The Gate of illusion
He hits the ground and sees Rama facing him on foot. Ravana is in a Chariot.
All the animals goto Rama but he tells him to go away.
Partly a warrior and partly a king.
A chariot comes down to Rama from Heaven drawn by 10 silver horses
Matali gives Rama Indra’s celestial car.
Ravana shot a million arrows at Rama
Rama shoots all the arrows from the sky
Rama shoots Ravana’s head off of his body but they grow back
Rama almost knocks Ravana off his chariot
Ravana attacks Rama with his mace
Rama throws a spear and breaks Ravana’s flag pole
Matali steps in the way of Ravana’s mace to save Rama
Rama revives Matali
Rama fights Ravana on foot
Rama uses the arrow given by him by augustia
Ravana takes the form of Indra and fools Rama into not shooting his arrow
Matali told him it was false and told him to shoot his arrow
Rama shoots his arrow and it goes through Ravana and at dawn Ravana dies
After Ravana is dead Shuka gives Rama a stone letter from Ravana
Ravana seems to be grateful to die at Rama’s hand
He says that he never hurt Sita and only took her to get Rama to come to Lanka so that Rama could kill him and tells him the war is over and to welcome back Sita
He sends Hanuman to Sita to tell her that they had won the war.
He finds Sita alone under the gold tree dressed as a princess.
Sita asks how Rama is and Hunaman tells her to come by and find out.
Everyone bows to her, vibishina looks in the sky to see two chariots and petals in the sky
The fire Lord leads Sita to Rama
The fire lord calls him Narayana
Rama asks why he calls him a great god
The fire lord tells him he has forgotten
Indra appears and tells him who he is and asks him why he is acting like he doesn’t know that he is Narayana and then tells Sita that they all serve you.
Vabishima takes hunaman to a treasure your cut out of the heart stone cut out of a great mountain and gives him a book that will bring back all the dead animals
Rama tells him he must be home or his brother will die and asks if there is a faster way home.
Rama uses Pushpaka to return home
Everyone climbs in the chariot with Rama
The sea is freed as a gift
Famous Last Words Week 6
I know I am supposed to be writing a poem and I have one that I will post next week, but for now I wanna tell you about something today that broke my heart and made me smile all in the same moment.
For some reason today when I woke up I just knew it was going to be a great day. I don't know why but I just felt like today was going to be a great day. I work as a server, and today was a Sunday shift, which most weeks is the worst shift because of the volume of business. Dealing with the public has its ups and downs, and for some reason Sundays are usually downs. I don't know what it is, but church brings out the evil in people it seems. I don't know why, whenever I go to church I feel amazing afterwards, but for some reason when the church crowd hits the doors and get sat down to eat their manners seem to disappear. I'm used to being treated like a servant because let's face it that is what I am, but some of the things I see on Sundays takes it too far. The complaining about this and that just makes me wanna tell people to shut up and stay home. The way people talk to me makes me think that they don't realize that I get paid 2.13 an hour and that I am a pretty big guy that is more than capable of finding another job. It just seems like on Sunday Guests will treat you and speak to you in ways they would not do if you were in some other public setting. Today however was different, people were amazing to me and truly having the Guests that I had today is the reason why I love doing what I do. Work went by in a flash.
When I got home I turned on the t.v. and watched my Niners win, so that is always a huge uplifting feeling for me. After the game I went out to our sun room/deck to sit down and watch my brother's daughters play in the backyard. Holly, my brothers wife was putting the shish ka bobs on the grill and my brother was on the lawnmower mowing the lawn. I looked over and watched Emma running.
Emma was diagnosed with a rare sarcoma ( I hope that is how it is spelled) on her first birthday. It was a very hard time in our lives. I have been with Emma since the day she was born. My Brother and his wife had just moved back to Oklahoma from Texas so he could open up a new store. He worked long hours and his wife did too. On the day Emma was born I was sitting outside the delivery room and my brother walked out and we hugged each other and shared some tears. It was an amazing moment. Holding Emma for the first time was a feeling I had only experienced once before when my son was born. My brother and I are twins and to say that we are close doesn't really do our relationship justice.
So much of our younger years were spent fighting over stupid things. I look back now and think, "man I wish I had those years back" because one thing a new life reminds you of is an old life. I love my brother more than I can express, I just think he is a great man, in every sense of the word "GREAT." He works hard, he is a great dad, amazing husband, and my biggest fan. When I have any kind of success he is the first one to call me tell me that he is proud of me, but what really makes me feel good is when other people talk to me about the things he says about me. My brother is always bragging on me. I hope everyone of you has someone in your corner that is always showering people you don't know with positive and proud words about you. It is a great feeling to have.
Like I said when Emma was born my brother was working long hours and Holly was back at work soon after we brought Emma home. I was the owner of a bar at the time so most days I wouldn't get home till the early mornings. Most days when Holly went to work I would be the one to take care of Emma. I would just place her little body on my chest why I lied on the couch and feel her little heartbeat against mine. I'd kiss her forehead and whisper "I love you" to her while she would just sleep on my chest. I loved being there with, even though I was exhausted, I wouldn't have had it any other way.
So when Emma was diagnosed I felt the pain of a father along with my brother. I was scared, I had only gotten a year with babygirl and I'm sorry, but I'm greedy and wanted many more years. Babygirl went through surgery after surgery and so many Chemo treatments before she was able to ring the bell at the OU Medical Center. One of the surgeries that she had to have was the removal of her thigh muscle.
Today as I watched her running around in the yard I noticed how much she limped and it broke my heart. My heart was broken because my babygirl would forever be scared and different. Whether your a parent or an uncle the one thing you never want is for your loved one to be different from the "Normal" kids because kids can be cruel. I started thinking about her as she played with her pom pom that she got from her cheerleader camp and realized that it was a real possibility that she wouldn't be able to be a cheerleader. Then I started thinking about all the limitations she would have and I choked back tears, even now as I type this post and I start to think about it I am choking back tears. Life is hard enough without having to grow up different. "It's just not fair" I thought to myself. Then I stopped looking at her run around and starting listening to her.
She was laughing. I looked at her face and she had a big smile. My babygirl wasn't upset about the things she wouldn't be able to do. She never even thought about it. She is just happy as can be. I hear her yell at her dad, so he turns off the mower and she crawls in his lap and tells him she loves him. Then Josh turned the mower back on and started mowing with her driving. She laughed even louder. I was filled with so much pride because I knew right then that she was going to be an amazing, strong, beautiful, and unique woman. My niece is not "different", she is "UNIQUE," and that is something every parent hopes their child is, unique.
Then I looked at Babygirl's little sister B&E (I call her that because she is always breaking into my room to steal my guitar picks, it stands for Breaking and Entering) and B&E was laughing and have a good time. I looked at my brother and look of joy he had on his face while driving his daughter around, and saw Holly look at him and smile as she watched him play with the girls, and I thought to myself that I really do have an amazing life.
There are so many things that happen in a day that can bring you down. People will say and do things that will anger you or hurt your feelings, but when that happens I hope that all of you have something unique in your life that you can think about that makes you realize how Awesome your life is and that the little annoying things in your day that you have to deal with are just that; Little. I am so blessed to have a life that is Unique.
For some reason today when I woke up I just knew it was going to be a great day. I don't know why but I just felt like today was going to be a great day. I work as a server, and today was a Sunday shift, which most weeks is the worst shift because of the volume of business. Dealing with the public has its ups and downs, and for some reason Sundays are usually downs. I don't know what it is, but church brings out the evil in people it seems. I don't know why, whenever I go to church I feel amazing afterwards, but for some reason when the church crowd hits the doors and get sat down to eat their manners seem to disappear. I'm used to being treated like a servant because let's face it that is what I am, but some of the things I see on Sundays takes it too far. The complaining about this and that just makes me wanna tell people to shut up and stay home. The way people talk to me makes me think that they don't realize that I get paid 2.13 an hour and that I am a pretty big guy that is more than capable of finding another job. It just seems like on Sunday Guests will treat you and speak to you in ways they would not do if you were in some other public setting. Today however was different, people were amazing to me and truly having the Guests that I had today is the reason why I love doing what I do. Work went by in a flash.
When I got home I turned on the t.v. and watched my Niners win, so that is always a huge uplifting feeling for me. After the game I went out to our sun room/deck to sit down and watch my brother's daughters play in the backyard. Holly, my brothers wife was putting the shish ka bobs on the grill and my brother was on the lawnmower mowing the lawn. I looked over and watched Emma running.
Emma was diagnosed with a rare sarcoma ( I hope that is how it is spelled) on her first birthday. It was a very hard time in our lives. I have been with Emma since the day she was born. My Brother and his wife had just moved back to Oklahoma from Texas so he could open up a new store. He worked long hours and his wife did too. On the day Emma was born I was sitting outside the delivery room and my brother walked out and we hugged each other and shared some tears. It was an amazing moment. Holding Emma for the first time was a feeling I had only experienced once before when my son was born. My brother and I are twins and to say that we are close doesn't really do our relationship justice.
So much of our younger years were spent fighting over stupid things. I look back now and think, "man I wish I had those years back" because one thing a new life reminds you of is an old life. I love my brother more than I can express, I just think he is a great man, in every sense of the word "GREAT." He works hard, he is a great dad, amazing husband, and my biggest fan. When I have any kind of success he is the first one to call me tell me that he is proud of me, but what really makes me feel good is when other people talk to me about the things he says about me. My brother is always bragging on me. I hope everyone of you has someone in your corner that is always showering people you don't know with positive and proud words about you. It is a great feeling to have.
Like I said when Emma was born my brother was working long hours and Holly was back at work soon after we brought Emma home. I was the owner of a bar at the time so most days I wouldn't get home till the early mornings. Most days when Holly went to work I would be the one to take care of Emma. I would just place her little body on my chest why I lied on the couch and feel her little heartbeat against mine. I'd kiss her forehead and whisper "I love you" to her while she would just sleep on my chest. I loved being there with, even though I was exhausted, I wouldn't have had it any other way.
So when Emma was diagnosed I felt the pain of a father along with my brother. I was scared, I had only gotten a year with babygirl and I'm sorry, but I'm greedy and wanted many more years. Babygirl went through surgery after surgery and so many Chemo treatments before she was able to ring the bell at the OU Medical Center. One of the surgeries that she had to have was the removal of her thigh muscle.
Today as I watched her running around in the yard I noticed how much she limped and it broke my heart. My heart was broken because my babygirl would forever be scared and different. Whether your a parent or an uncle the one thing you never want is for your loved one to be different from the "Normal" kids because kids can be cruel. I started thinking about her as she played with her pom pom that she got from her cheerleader camp and realized that it was a real possibility that she wouldn't be able to be a cheerleader. Then I started thinking about all the limitations she would have and I choked back tears, even now as I type this post and I start to think about it I am choking back tears. Life is hard enough without having to grow up different. "It's just not fair" I thought to myself. Then I stopped looking at her run around and starting listening to her.
She was laughing. I looked at her face and she had a big smile. My babygirl wasn't upset about the things she wouldn't be able to do. She never even thought about it. She is just happy as can be. I hear her yell at her dad, so he turns off the mower and she crawls in his lap and tells him she loves him. Then Josh turned the mower back on and started mowing with her driving. She laughed even louder. I was filled with so much pride because I knew right then that she was going to be an amazing, strong, beautiful, and unique woman. My niece is not "different", she is "UNIQUE," and that is something every parent hopes their child is, unique.
Then I looked at Babygirl's little sister B&E (I call her that because she is always breaking into my room to steal my guitar picks, it stands for Breaking and Entering) and B&E was laughing and have a good time. I looked at my brother and look of joy he had on his face while driving his daughter around, and saw Holly look at him and smile as she watched him play with the girls, and I thought to myself that I really do have an amazing life.
There are so many things that happen in a day that can bring you down. People will say and do things that will anger you or hurt your feelings, but when that happens I hope that all of you have something unique in your life that you can think about that makes you realize how Awesome your life is and that the little annoying things in your day that you have to deal with are just that; Little. I am so blessed to have a life that is Unique.
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| "LOVE sculpture NY" by Hu Totya - Own work. Licensed under Public domain via Wikimedia Commons - http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:LOVE_sculpture_NY.JPG#mediaviewer/File:LOVE_sculpture_NY.JPG |
YouTube Tech Tip
Here is one of my favorite songs of all time because it really helped me when my niece was going through Chemo Treatments.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nhh4phuNty0
Thursday, September 25, 2014
Story Telling Week 6
Me, Myself, and I Drank the Water
By Dimcioassie (Own work) [CC-BY-SA-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons
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| Personal Pic from September 2013 |
“Listen I don’t care if you Daddy did own the last dealership you worked at, here you two are just a couple of Green Peas. If you don’t sell a car on your first day then you don’t have a job on your second day. Do you understand what I am sayig, and since your daddy exiled you from his car lot this is the only place you can go, so I suggest you get out there on point and take some Ups”
The birds there they go again, what are they saying, I think I can understand them, I know I need to listen to them.
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| Picture of a crow by minicooper93402 websource Flickr.com |
“We know who you are, we will serve you well, one of us now and the other later, the water, the water, the impala, the zoo, the mall, we know who you are and we will serve you well”
Where at they goin? Wait what did you mean? Come back here! Don’t leave you stupid birds! Oh there I am by that car that just pulled in, is that who I think it is, oh my god it is, it’s Sara Thompson. Look at her, she looks exactly the same. Nothing about her is different, still so stunning, I can barely catch my breath from looking at her.
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| Created By Prairie Kittin Persephone, Goddess of Spring Created for Marcus Ranum Challenge #70License https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/2.0/ |
What am I doing, is she here to buy a car? Who is with her, is that her dad? This is different than I remember, I did not sell her a car today, I didn’t talk to anyone, I came to work, went to my office got a drink of water and passed out. Come on let’s go to my office and check the calendar, yeah see it is the same day. Oh here I come, look I have the same clothes on but my face is different. See look I just tripped and fell against the wall and knocked the picture off the wall, but that isn’t how I remember it happening. Wait I think I understand now, come with me to the kitchen I have an idea.
Here look, I am gonna try to open this fridge, see it works. The water, yeah if I can pour them out I can stop the universes from being destroyed. I don’t know why, but for some reason after I drank this water everything changed, it’s like it set off a chain of events that rippled through the universes, but if I can stop it from happening, well just trust me everything will work out fine, yeah I understand it now.
I can’t touch the water, this is weird, I mean I can touch other things but I can’t touch the water, it’s like reaching for a ghost. Wait I have an idea, hand me that sticky note, I must not have been the first one of us to figure this out. Ok here put that note on the water. There that should do it, unless it was me that wrote do not drink to myself before, but maybe this me will listen.
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| By Nemo/31098 pixabay.com no attribution required |
Here I come, no, no, no stupid stay away from the water, don’t drink it. Oh I hate this part, wait, why am I feeling like this again. I can feel it, I hate this part, it’s different than before, like all of us are being pulled into one, oh the room it’s spinning, I can feel myself falling this is going to hurt……..
Authors Notes:
Okay, this part of the story is not going to make much sense, actually even less sense than the rest of the story, yes this is still a retelling of the Ramayana, and if you pay attention at the beginning you will catch on that this is part that Rama has been exiled into the wilderness, though as I have said this is a retelling so one key part, the marriage of Rama and Sita is a bit out of sequence. This is an important part of the story because at this point in the story some of the things that made no sense will begin to be answered, this is really a two part storytelling post, so next week post will pick up where this one left off and the story will be told in a more linear fashion, along with a change in voice, so far this story has been told in third person storytelling, and that will continue but it will be a little different.
Wednesday, September 24, 2014
Reading Diary B
The army marches toward Lanka.
The ocean god tells Rama he will help him, and a monkey throws stones into the water because he has the ability to makes things float.
Ravana is in his meeting before the war with Rama.
While all others agree, his brother tells him to return Sita back to Rama.
Vibrissa tells him that Rama will kill him, and this angers Ravana even more.
Vibishina gives him a third plea to return Sita, and Ravana tells him to get out, so Vibishina leaves with four of his loyal Knights.
Vibishina sees Hanuman and asks for Rama’s forgiveness and Hanuman tells him that he will support him.
Vibishina tells Rama that he will help him but can not fight against his brother or his people.
Sugreeva thinks Vibishina is a spy and Hanuman tells Rama that Vibishina saved his life and Rama says that Vibishina is welcome, and this is an example that not all Rakshana are not evil.
The opening battle begins, with the youngest warriors fighting Rama’s army first. They are defeated and then Ravana sends out the veterans.
The animals trick Ravana’s army into thinking that they are retreating to get them to come closer and then separate them from the rest of the army.
The bridge builder fights Prahasta
Nala kills Prahasta
The army returns in shame to lanka, Nala is wounded.
Kumbhakarna is woken up by Ravana and it takes an army of people to wake him, when he is finally awake he is hungry and feasts on food then goes to Ravana. Kumbhakarma tells Ravana to return Sita, and again it is another ignored warning. When Ravana refuses Kumbhakarma goes out to face Rama and is defeated.
Before Kumbhakarma agrees to fight Rama he reminds Ravana that he is not immune to animals and that he can be killed.
Ravana is filled with rage and sadness at the death of his brother.
He then says that he no longer fights Rama for Sita and instead not he must avenge is brother.
Indrajit then appears and tells his father that he will defeat Rama, he then starts a smokeless fire.
Indrajit climbs in his chariot with the arrows he won from Indra.
Indrajit kills sugreeva with an axe, prince angada with 33 arrows, Nala with an iron hook, the bear king with 10 diamond tipped arrows, Hanuman with a magical sword, Lakshmana and Rama with arrows, and injures Vibishina with a spear.
Indrajit then returns to Lanka, and sends a message to Ravana that Rama is dead.
Vibishina brings all of them back to life.
The Bear kings explains that as long as Hanuman is alive the army can not die.
Hanuman is sent on a journey to get medicinal plants from the Hamalaya Hill.
The plants saw Hanuman coming and went back into the ground so Hanuman took the entire mountain back to the battlefield. The plants heat up and when Hanuman arrives to the battlefield the scent alone revives Rama’s army, and Hanuman return to hill back where he got it.
Hanuman is a hero.
Ravana asks his son for help again and Indrajit tells him that Rama will win this battle. Indrajit tells his father that everything is just an illusion, then creates a image of Sita and pretends to kill her. All the monkeys cry. Vibishina appears beside the bear king, Hanuman, and Lakshmana and tells them that this is just an illusion. To prove it he disfigures his own face but shows them it was just magic. He then tells them that he will make Indrajit’s Chariot visible.
Once Indrajit is revealed Lakshmana attacks Indrajit as he is making an offering. Indrajit then challenges him to battle and Lakshmana kills Indrajit.
Ravana is saddened by the death of his son and decides to go out and meet Rama in combat.
The ocean god tells Rama he will help him, and a monkey throws stones into the water because he has the ability to makes things float.
Ravana is in his meeting before the war with Rama.
While all others agree, his brother tells him to return Sita back to Rama.
Vibrissa tells him that Rama will kill him, and this angers Ravana even more.
Vibishina gives him a third plea to return Sita, and Ravana tells him to get out, so Vibishina leaves with four of his loyal Knights.
Vibishina sees Hanuman and asks for Rama’s forgiveness and Hanuman tells him that he will support him.
Vibishina tells Rama that he will help him but can not fight against his brother or his people.
Sugreeva thinks Vibishina is a spy and Hanuman tells Rama that Vibishina saved his life and Rama says that Vibishina is welcome, and this is an example that not all Rakshana are not evil.
The opening battle begins, with the youngest warriors fighting Rama’s army first. They are defeated and then Ravana sends out the veterans.
The animals trick Ravana’s army into thinking that they are retreating to get them to come closer and then separate them from the rest of the army.
The bridge builder fights Prahasta
Nala kills Prahasta
The army returns in shame to lanka, Nala is wounded.
Kumbhakarna is woken up by Ravana and it takes an army of people to wake him, when he is finally awake he is hungry and feasts on food then goes to Ravana. Kumbhakarma tells Ravana to return Sita, and again it is another ignored warning. When Ravana refuses Kumbhakarma goes out to face Rama and is defeated.
Before Kumbhakarma agrees to fight Rama he reminds Ravana that he is not immune to animals and that he can be killed.
Ravana is filled with rage and sadness at the death of his brother.
He then says that he no longer fights Rama for Sita and instead not he must avenge is brother.
Indrajit then appears and tells his father that he will defeat Rama, he then starts a smokeless fire.
Indrajit climbs in his chariot with the arrows he won from Indra.
Indrajit kills sugreeva with an axe, prince angada with 33 arrows, Nala with an iron hook, the bear king with 10 diamond tipped arrows, Hanuman with a magical sword, Lakshmana and Rama with arrows, and injures Vibishina with a spear.
Indrajit then returns to Lanka, and sends a message to Ravana that Rama is dead.
Vibishina brings all of them back to life.
The Bear kings explains that as long as Hanuman is alive the army can not die.
Hanuman is sent on a journey to get medicinal plants from the Hamalaya Hill.
The plants saw Hanuman coming and went back into the ground so Hanuman took the entire mountain back to the battlefield. The plants heat up and when Hanuman arrives to the battlefield the scent alone revives Rama’s army, and Hanuman return to hill back where he got it.
Hanuman is a hero.
Ravana asks his son for help again and Indrajit tells him that Rama will win this battle. Indrajit tells his father that everything is just an illusion, then creates a image of Sita and pretends to kill her. All the monkeys cry. Vibishina appears beside the bear king, Hanuman, and Lakshmana and tells them that this is just an illusion. To prove it he disfigures his own face but shows them it was just magic. He then tells them that he will make Indrajit’s Chariot visible.
Once Indrajit is revealed Lakshmana attacks Indrajit as he is making an offering. Indrajit then challenges him to battle and Lakshmana kills Indrajit.
Ravana is saddened by the death of his son and decides to go out and meet Rama in combat.
Tuesday, September 23, 2014
Reading Diary A
The vulture was going to eat the monkeys until he overheard Hunaman telling the story of Sita and the bravery of Jataya. The Monkeys wanted to die until Simpati told them that Sita was in Lanka.
Simpati saw Ravana flying to Lanka with Sita.
The monkeys get Simpati some food and while he eat he grows new feathers.
The monkeys go to the shore and Hunuman is exposed as the son of the wind. Hunuman jumps across the ocean.
The city has four gates facing four direction, golden walls, elephants under the gates and demon bowman guarding it.
Hunuman takes the form of a silver cat and puts rama’s ring around his neck.
At midnight hunuman began to search for Sita.
In the center of the city Hunuman jumps over the wall and searches the palace grounds. He sees the ariel chariot ravana stole from his brother.
Hunaman think sita is dead because he can not find her, then the wind leads him to her.
Ravana goes to sita and falls to her feet and begs for her love. He offers her his riches.
Sita places a blade of grass between them and refuses Ravana.
Ravana grows angry and one of his wives leads her away.
The demons question her and she tells them to shut up, the demons begin to come towards her and appear to be ready to kill her, but Trijata intervenes and tells them that Rama will conquer them soon.
Hunaman does not know how he can get Sita to trust him, so he whispers to him and tells her about Rama and the golden deer and then tells her that he is Hunaman. He tells her that Rama and the monkeys are friends. She asks him how and he asks her if she remembers dropping the jewelry on two monkeys and tells her that was him and his king Sugreeva.
Sita tells Hunaman that at the end of a year Ravana will kill her.
After leaving Sita Hunaman trashes Ravana’s palace, throws bricks through window. Hunaman turns back into a monkey and grows. Hunuman beats thousands of guards to death with an iron bar fence.
Hunuman destroys a temple.
Jumbumali is killed.
Ravana has his son Indrajit capture Hunuman.
At first Indrajit looks small and unimposing but quickly changes his form and shoots and arrow with Shiva’s noose and captures Hunuman and then Indrajit goes back to meditation.
Hunaman tells Ravana to give Sita back to Rama, but Ravana refuses and orders for Vabishana to kill Hunuman. Vabishana refuses so Ravana orders Hunuman’s tail to be set on fire.
Trijata tells Sita what is happening and she prays for no harm to come to Hunuman.
Hunuman breaks free and begins to set Lanka on fire.
Indrajit talks to the god of fire and Indrajit is able to put the fires out.
Hunuman puts his tail out in a spring of fire but is scared that he may have harmed Sita so he returns to the Asoka grove to find her unharmed.
Sita gives Hunuman the pearl her father gave her on her wedding day so that Sita has remained true and is still alive.
Hunuman then leaves Lanka to return to the other monkeys.
The monkeys then return to Rama to tell him where Sita is, and Hunuman gives Rama the pearl.
Simpati saw Ravana flying to Lanka with Sita.
The monkeys get Simpati some food and while he eat he grows new feathers.
The monkeys go to the shore and Hunuman is exposed as the son of the wind. Hunuman jumps across the ocean.
The city has four gates facing four direction, golden walls, elephants under the gates and demon bowman guarding it.
Hunuman takes the form of a silver cat and puts rama’s ring around his neck.
At midnight hunuman began to search for Sita.
In the center of the city Hunuman jumps over the wall and searches the palace grounds. He sees the ariel chariot ravana stole from his brother.
Hunaman think sita is dead because he can not find her, then the wind leads him to her.
Ravana goes to sita and falls to her feet and begs for her love. He offers her his riches.
Sita places a blade of grass between them and refuses Ravana.
Ravana grows angry and one of his wives leads her away.
The demons question her and she tells them to shut up, the demons begin to come towards her and appear to be ready to kill her, but Trijata intervenes and tells them that Rama will conquer them soon.
Hunaman does not know how he can get Sita to trust him, so he whispers to him and tells her about Rama and the golden deer and then tells her that he is Hunaman. He tells her that Rama and the monkeys are friends. She asks him how and he asks her if she remembers dropping the jewelry on two monkeys and tells her that was him and his king Sugreeva.
Sita tells Hunaman that at the end of a year Ravana will kill her.
After leaving Sita Hunaman trashes Ravana’s palace, throws bricks through window. Hunaman turns back into a monkey and grows. Hunuman beats thousands of guards to death with an iron bar fence.
Hunuman destroys a temple.
Jumbumali is killed.
Ravana has his son Indrajit capture Hunuman.
At first Indrajit looks small and unimposing but quickly changes his form and shoots and arrow with Shiva’s noose and captures Hunuman and then Indrajit goes back to meditation.
Hunaman tells Ravana to give Sita back to Rama, but Ravana refuses and orders for Vabishana to kill Hunuman. Vabishana refuses so Ravana orders Hunuman’s tail to be set on fire.
Trijata tells Sita what is happening and she prays for no harm to come to Hunuman.
Hunuman breaks free and begins to set Lanka on fire.
Indrajit talks to the god of fire and Indrajit is able to put the fires out.
Hunuman puts his tail out in a spring of fire but is scared that he may have harmed Sita so he returns to the Asoka grove to find her unharmed.
Sita gives Hunuman the pearl her father gave her on her wedding day so that Sita has remained true and is still alive.
Hunuman then leaves Lanka to return to the other monkeys.
The monkeys then return to Rama to tell him where Sita is, and Hunuman gives Rama the pearl.
Thursday, September 18, 2014
Story Telling Week 5
Daniel Sits Down
I remember now, I remember what the preacher was saying. Let’s go back to that moment, see there I am again, wait was it raining last time, well anyway that doesn’t matter right now, listen to the preacher this is important,
“…and Daniel was a very godly man, and he was placed in this pit because that is what happened to them in those days, they were chastised and beaten and spit on by the people all because they believed. Now I know most of you know that the lions wouldn’t eat Daniel, but have you ever heard the real reason why Daniel was safe? Didn’t think so, well there is a story that most preachers don’t tell, but the next time you meet a non believer and they throw your belief’s into your face and ask them for proof remember this story.
See brothers and sisters, when Daniel was thrown into the pit with the lions he was not alone. He was with his brother and another believer, and old man. Daniel was prepared to die, but he was afraid, not for his life but for the life of his brother and friend, and the crowd roared with their blood thirsty screams and chants. So loud that it shook the ground beneath Daniels feet. They screamed ‘Christian’ over and over again because that is what they called us. It was a dirty term, almost like some of the four letter words that people use today to describe one another. The lions paced behind their cage waiting for the doors to be opened to the pit so they could indulge in their meal. Their large teeth stained red from Christian blood. Daniels looked around and saw the people and felt the ground and smelled the breath of the lions and new his time was at hand. He fell to his knees and began to pray. When the lions were released they charged towards Daniel and the crowd's roars became even louder, so loud in fact that the foundation of the stands began to crack from the vibrations. Still Daniel just remained still in his prayer on his knees unmoved by everything. The lions charged closer until they were with in leaping distance. One lion leaped towards Daniel with his paws extended and claws still full of the flesh of former Christians aimed at the throat of Daniel. His blood stained teeth grew farther apart as his large jaws opened ready to devour Daniel whole. Closer he came until he was almost on top of Daniel, still Daniel did not move, though the lion did, yes the lion was thrown 300 feet into the sky and traveled so far that he when he landed he was no longer in the pit. The other lions stopped bewildered by what just happened, the crowd grew silent, still Daniel did not move, he just continued to pray. The brother of the lion began to circle Daniel, and soon this lion charged to make a meal out of this helpless pray, and this lion was struck dead. From the back of the pack of lions came a heart stopping roar, not the type of roar that is meant to scare, but rather the roar of a mother that has just lost two of her cubs. Still Daniel did not move. The mother cat came forward, she could here one of her cubs off in the distance crying in pain, while her eyes gazed upon the motionless body of her dead cub.
Did you know that lions can cry? Well they can, because from her eyes tears began to flow down the face of the mother cub, so many tears of pain that a puddle began to form on the ground. The crowd remained silent and looked on with horror at what this Christian had done to the poor lions. Their hearts broke for the momma lion and soon they began to grow hungry for vengeance and began to yell for the mother lion to strike down this Christian. The momma lion’s tears of loss soon turned into tears of rage and she too tried to attack Daniel only to fail and join her lifeless cub. The crowd became silent, the lions stared at Daniel in bewilderment, and then Daniel finally moved. He stood up, and the lions sat down, he walked to them and placed his hands on their head in mercy and began to pet them as one would pet a puppy. The crowd sat in silence as Daniel and his friends and family walked out of the pit and onto the street to freedom.
Do you know why this happened brothers and sisters? It was because Daniel had faith. That’s right he had faith, not just in God but in God’s plan for his life. In life we run into problems when we do not follow our path, and we try to avoid the things that God has planned for us. Daniel was a great man, but the greatest thing he ever did was surrender. He was facing his death and he accepted that if this is his time to die then it is his time. Living your life like this is freeing. So the next time that someone walks up and tells you to give them proof you just look them in the eye, remember Daniel and tell them…”
Oh so that is what the preacher was saying, I couldn’t remember, seems like useless information for what is going on but for some reason I know it will come in handy later. Sorry to make you sit through that but I know I needed to remember it. We need to get back to the dealership something is about to happen that changes every thing. I need you to see it and to witness it so that you can stop Joshua Peavey from destroying the universes.
Author's Notes
This is a retelling of Thataka and her son's battle with Rama. I changed quite a bit of the story and I know that Rama kills Thataka first and then her son's seek revenge but the main thing I think was important was to keep with the spirit of the story about destiny. So yes I took some artistic license but I believe I told this part of my story so that as a whole the reader can look at it and say I recognize that part of the story as Thataka and her son's. Also most of you have commented on the all over nature of my stories and to that I would like to offer an explanation. Every story is part of a larger whole, this is not just a retelling of individual stories I am telling from this weeks reading but rather this is a complete rethink and retelling of the Ramayana so a lot of it won't make sense to read as an individual entry, it is important to read each storytelling post so that you don't feel like you are just thrown into the story with out any background to what is happening. I hope this clears up any of the confusion.
Bibliography
Narayan, R. K. The Ramayana. New Delhi: Vision, 1987. Print.
Attribution
"Daniel-In-The-Den-Of-Lions FrancoisVerdier" by François Verdier - http://www.1st-art-gallery.com/Francois-Verdier/Daniel-In-The-Den-Of-Lions.html. Licensed under Public domain via Wikimedia Commons - http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Daniel-In-The-Den-Of-Lions_FrancoisVerdier.jpg#mediaviewer/File:Daniel-In-The-Den-Of-Lions_FrancoisVerdier.jpg
Wednesday, September 17, 2014
Reading Diary 5
The battle is different, everyone dies in this version, everyone dies, oh wait it was just a vision.
The Rakshaha are given more power in this version, they are not just overpowered like in the other version.
Again it is hunaman that is a key figure in this portion of the story.
The bear believes that if he dies the army dies.
Dharma is talked about.
Lakshmana's single battle is told in this version in greater detail.
In this version I wouldn't describe Ravana as evil so much as misguided.
Ravana and the old man is a story that I don't remember in the last version I read.
Suka is another character that is more detailed in this version.
Ravana's letter changes this story, and brings to the forefront the back story of Rama and reincarnation. Ravana becomes a very sympathetic character at this point.
Rama seems to accept Sita instantly in this version but there could be more.
Hunaman and Bharata, i did not know must have missed it in both versions but Rama had to return before Bharata killed himself.
When Rama returns he is greeted by Bharata which is described like a scene from the bible. the story or jesus washing the beggars feet.
The hunch back asks Sita for forgiveness. Still this part seems to go away from karma or Dharma because the hunch back is told that his betrayal of Rama was good because it freed the men and gods from Ravana. So the hunchback's actions were not negative?
The people are the ones that questions Sita and make Rama doubt her. So it s at this point that she is shunned. In the last versions he was shunned before this so once again same story but different ways of telling the story. Rama orders her to be abandoned.....I think the other version made more sense but once again Dharma is brought up.
The Rakshaha are given more power in this version, they are not just overpowered like in the other version.
Again it is hunaman that is a key figure in this portion of the story.
The bear believes that if he dies the army dies.
Dharma is talked about.
Lakshmana's single battle is told in this version in greater detail.
In this version I wouldn't describe Ravana as evil so much as misguided.
Ravana and the old man is a story that I don't remember in the last version I read.
Suka is another character that is more detailed in this version.
Ravana's letter changes this story, and brings to the forefront the back story of Rama and reincarnation. Ravana becomes a very sympathetic character at this point.
Rama seems to accept Sita instantly in this version but there could be more.
Hunaman and Bharata, i did not know must have missed it in both versions but Rama had to return before Bharata killed himself.
When Rama returns he is greeted by Bharata which is described like a scene from the bible. the story or jesus washing the beggars feet.
The hunch back asks Sita for forgiveness. Still this part seems to go away from karma or Dharma because the hunch back is told that his betrayal of Rama was good because it freed the men and gods from Ravana. So the hunchback's actions were not negative?
The people are the ones that questions Sita and make Rama doubt her. So it s at this point that she is shunned. In the last versions he was shunned before this so once again same story but different ways of telling the story. Rama orders her to be abandoned.....I think the other version made more sense but once again Dharma is brought up.
Tuesday, September 16, 2014
Reading Diary A
Hunaman is a huge figure in this version of the story. In the previous version he played a major role also but in this version there he is even bigger.
The Search for Sita in this story is more in depth than the last story which I think is not needed. In this version Buck expands on the entire search, but I like the previous version better because the story is better served if Buck had focused only on Hunaman, instead of the rest of the search.
In both versions the monkeys spend time with the lady before Hunaman travels across the lake. I am not sure what this is supposed to represent, and not sure why this is here. I think both versions could have left this part out.
In this version Hunaman Jumps across the body of water, in the previous version he grew and stepped across the version, doesn't make that much of a difference but it is another way that Buck distinguishes his version. Seems to be room for a lot of interpretation in this story.
Sita in captivity is much the same as the last version, but one difference is that Sita only has one year to live.
The description of the city as Hunaman travels through it searching for Sita really brings the city alive.
Buck does a good job of giving us the inner thoughts of the characters which adds elements to this version that were glossed over in the first version and example of this is when Hunaman finds Sita. He whispers to her to get her attention. The story gives his inner thoughts which explains why he is whispering to her. In this version of the story characters actions seem thought out, and there is an awareness of the consequences of their actions, in the previous version it seemed like the characters just did things and then the consequences happened.
Another example of this is when Hunaman is captured and has his tail set on fire. He travels through the city and sets fire to it. In the previous version he just set fire to it and went across the water, but in this version he looks at the damage he had done and begins to realize that he may have hurt Sita and before he leaves goes to check on her, still if he has the power to grow and she trusts him and he is able to escape then why doesn't he just grab her on his way out and take her back to Rama. It would avoid the entire war. I doubt that Ravana would follow because by this point it is mainly pride that keeps him from returning her.
The Search for Sita in this story is more in depth than the last story which I think is not needed. In this version Buck expands on the entire search, but I like the previous version better because the story is better served if Buck had focused only on Hunaman, instead of the rest of the search.
In both versions the monkeys spend time with the lady before Hunaman travels across the lake. I am not sure what this is supposed to represent, and not sure why this is here. I think both versions could have left this part out.
In this version Hunaman Jumps across the body of water, in the previous version he grew and stepped across the version, doesn't make that much of a difference but it is another way that Buck distinguishes his version. Seems to be room for a lot of interpretation in this story.
Sita in captivity is much the same as the last version, but one difference is that Sita only has one year to live.
The description of the city as Hunaman travels through it searching for Sita really brings the city alive.
Buck does a good job of giving us the inner thoughts of the characters which adds elements to this version that were glossed over in the first version and example of this is when Hunaman finds Sita. He whispers to her to get her attention. The story gives his inner thoughts which explains why he is whispering to her. In this version of the story characters actions seem thought out, and there is an awareness of the consequences of their actions, in the previous version it seemed like the characters just did things and then the consequences happened.
Another example of this is when Hunaman is captured and has his tail set on fire. He travels through the city and sets fire to it. In the previous version he just set fire to it and went across the water, but in this version he looks at the damage he had done and begins to realize that he may have hurt Sita and before he leaves goes to check on her, still if he has the power to grow and she trusts him and he is able to escape then why doesn't he just grab her on his way out and take her back to Rama. It would avoid the entire war. I doubt that Ravana would follow because by this point it is mainly pride that keeps him from returning her.
Friday, September 12, 2014
Wednesday, September 10, 2014
Famous Last Words Week 5
Beautiful Young Lady
 |
You beautiful young lady,
Why do they advertise to you this image of attraction to sell you,
The lipstick,
The jewelry,
The fashionable clothes that make up the foundation of what they want you to believe will bring you popularity, beauty, and womanhood,
That foundation that sits on sand and pebbles resting on the grave of true womanly strength,
Their image of beauty is a,
Lie,
Lie,
Lie,
That they want you to believe so that they can sell you the fantasy through products,
And yet by millions you,
Lie,
Lie,
Lie,
Down on the operating table to augment what god has created,
Hoping to attain that dream of beauty that man has created,
Younger and younger each year you try to reach that false image of what it means to be beautiful,
I say don’t do it,
Because I think you are beautiful,
Do you hear me,
I say you are beautiful and I have never seen you,
Faithfully still I say you are beautiful because that is how you were born,
It is not you that needs to be changed, but rather it is our society that needs to be placed on the operating table,
Forced to augment itself to become beautiful again,
Because it is not your makeup,
Your mini skirts,
Your high heels,
The size of your breasts,
Or how willing you are to allow yourself to be objectified that makes you beautiful,
That is just what they want you to believe,
That is a perversion they sell you in hopes of getting you to prostitute your soul for their financial gain,
Trust my words young woman,
Your beauty lies in the person you were born to be,
Your beauty lies in the life you can create,
Your beauty lies in the hopes and dreams you created for yourself and not the dreams they sold to you,
Because your Prada purse is full, yet you feel empty,
Real beauty is not a name brand it is a name,
It’s your name,
And there is no need to buy what you already have…..
Author's Notes
I hate that young women are shown at a young age images of the "Ideal woman." I think young women are shown images of beauty that are an impossible fantasy. These images are altered to make these women look the way they do. This put women at a very young age under a huge amount of stress to try to achieve this image and I think that advertisers should stop flooding young women on a constant basis. I have three young nieces and I am appalled at the goals set for them by advertisers. Kids should be allowed to be kids and given time to develop their identities so that they can decide what they want in life. I am not saying that wanting these clothes,jewelery,makeup,and ect. is a bad thing. It is ok for a woman to want those things. It is not ok for women to be pressured to feel that they need those things or else they are somehow less of a human being than other women or worse yet somehow ugly because they don't have them.
Picture attribution
"MICHALSKY StyleNite SS13 Stage" by LakeviewEN - Own work. Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons - http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:MICHALSKY_StyleNite_SS13_Stage.jpg#mediaviewer/File:MICHALSKY_StyleNite_SS13_Stage.jpg
Lie,
That they want you to believe so that they can sell you the fantasy through products,
And yet by millions you,
Lie,
Lie,
Lie,
Down on the operating table to augment what god has created,
Hoping to attain that dream of beauty that man has created,
Younger and younger each year you try to reach that false image of what it means to be beautiful,
I say don’t do it,
Because I think you are beautiful,
Do you hear me,
I say you are beautiful and I have never seen you,
Faithfully still I say you are beautiful because that is how you were born,
It is not you that needs to be changed, but rather it is our society that needs to be placed on the operating table,
Forced to augment itself to become beautiful again,
Because it is not your makeup,
Your mini skirts,
Your high heels,
The size of your breasts,
Or how willing you are to allow yourself to be objectified that makes you beautiful,
That is just what they want you to believe,
That is a perversion they sell you in hopes of getting you to prostitute your soul for their financial gain,
Trust my words young woman,
Your beauty lies in the person you were born to be,
Your beauty lies in the life you can create,
Your beauty lies in the hopes and dreams you created for yourself and not the dreams they sold to you,
Because your Prada purse is full, yet you feel empty,
Real beauty is not a name brand it is a name,
It’s your name,
And there is no need to buy what you already have…..
Author's Notes
I hate that young women are shown at a young age images of the "Ideal woman." I think young women are shown images of beauty that are an impossible fantasy. These images are altered to make these women look the way they do. This put women at a very young age under a huge amount of stress to try to achieve this image and I think that advertisers should stop flooding young women on a constant basis. I have three young nieces and I am appalled at the goals set for them by advertisers. Kids should be allowed to be kids and given time to develop their identities so that they can decide what they want in life. I am not saying that wanting these clothes,jewelery,makeup,and ect. is a bad thing. It is ok for a woman to want those things. It is not ok for women to be pressured to feel that they need those things or else they are somehow less of a human being than other women or worse yet somehow ugly because they don't have them.
Picture attribution
"MICHALSKY StyleNite SS13 Stage" by LakeviewEN - Own work. Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons - http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:MICHALSKY_StyleNite_SS13_Stage.jpg#mediaviewer/File:MICHALSKY_StyleNite_SS13_Stage.jpg
Story telling Week 4
The Tabernacle, Sara Thompson, and The Bible
The preacher came to my house and demanded that I go to the church camp. My dad, but wait I never had a dad, but that is not important, my dad was a bible thumper who never questioned the preacher. I had never gone to church much, I never saw the need for it, in fact one of my other brothers would have been better suited to go to church camp but he wanted me to go, was saying something about my souls and saving them from something or another. It never made much sense until…..well now, but I’ll get to that, anyway my brother Lance and I went to this church camp in the southern part of Oklahoma.
I don’t remember it being this hot, and I remember having longer hair. Things are like that now, all the things I remember are different, it is like I am watching everything happen all over again and the things are the same but different. Well not everything, take Sara for example. Here I’ll show you, see there I am in the Tabernacle,
I should be wearing shorts and a tank top but I’m not, yet she is the same. Look at her, so beautiful. Long onyx hair, with olive skin and emerald eyes sitting in the choir behind the preacher. Even now as I watch it I can’t hear what he is saying, because somewhere between thou shalt not steal and thou shalt not lie she has me captivated. Oh wait yeah, hey look here it is the moment when she melted me in this heat. See look any moment now she is going to take her left hand and move her hair behind her ears, look up and make eye contact with me and smile. This is my favorite part of this memory, I swear I’d gladly devour a barrel of apples if she was Eve. Look at me, it is like looking at the moon in the night sky and suddenly realizing there are stars.
See the moment passes, no matter how many times I come to this moment time keeps moving forward. This is my fifth time here and every time it is the same, well not exactly the same, I look different each time but basically it is the same. I never saw her again the rest of the week, just that one time in the Tabernacle.
It is not just that one night in the Tabernacle I remember, it is other things from week. And what was the preacher saying?
Author Notes :
This is still part of a larger story but this is my take on the Sita and Rama seeing eachother for the first time.
Narayan, R. K. A Shortened Modern Prose Version of the Indian Epic. London: Penguin Classics, 2006.
Picture Attributions
Picture 1
By Amandajm (Own work) [CC-BY-SA-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0) or GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html)], via Wikimedia Commons
Picture 2
"Harvard University Academic Hoods" by Joe Hall - http://www.flickr.com/photos/joebeone/537546224/. Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons - http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Harvard_University_Academic_Hoods.jpg#mediaviewer/File:Harvard_University_Academic_Hoods.jpg
Picture 3
"SPACInterior" by UpstateNYer - Own work. Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons - http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:SPACInterior.jpg#mediaviewer/File:SPACInterior.jpg
Picture 4
Created By Prairie Kittin Persephone, Goddess of Spring Created for Marcus Ranum Challenge #70
License https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/2.0/
Reading Diary B
This story in Exile seems to be less in depth than the other version
The encounter with Ravana sister seems to be the same except in the other version she seems to try harder
As with the first version Rama kills all of Kara’s army, but in this version he cuts off Ravana’s sisters ear
The story of Ravana kidnapping sita seems pretty much the same, though the golden deer in this story differs because the deer feels it to be an honor and I did not get that impression from the last version
Does Ravana actually touch Sita in this version, I know in the last version he could not touch a woman with out her consent or else he will die, but it appears in this version that curse is not present.
The Hansel and Gretel type of trail in this version is more profound, and the monkey’s seemed to be as described as actual monkeys and not a hybrid as in the other version
The story of Vali and his brother is the same in this story
Vali’s wife seems to be more concerned about his battle in this story
In the last version, when Rama killed Vali it seemed almost cowardly and the author seemed to explain that away so that Rama could keep his virtue intact but in this version it just seems like an assassination and the last version did a better job describing the battle between Vali and his brother in this version I’m not even sure if there was a battle
Ravana so far is playing a bigger role in this story than he did in the previous version, he could almost be as big of a figure in this story as Rama.
The encounter with Ravana sister seems to be the same except in the other version she seems to try harder
As with the first version Rama kills all of Kara’s army, but in this version he cuts off Ravana’s sisters ear
The story of Ravana kidnapping sita seems pretty much the same, though the golden deer in this story differs because the deer feels it to be an honor and I did not get that impression from the last version
Does Ravana actually touch Sita in this version, I know in the last version he could not touch a woman with out her consent or else he will die, but it appears in this version that curse is not present.
The Hansel and Gretel type of trail in this version is more profound, and the monkey’s seemed to be as described as actual monkeys and not a hybrid as in the other version
The story of Vali and his brother is the same in this story
Vali’s wife seems to be more concerned about his battle in this story
In the last version, when Rama killed Vali it seemed almost cowardly and the author seemed to explain that away so that Rama could keep his virtue intact but in this version it just seems like an assassination and the last version did a better job describing the battle between Vali and his brother in this version I’m not even sure if there was a battle
Ravana so far is playing a bigger role in this story than he did in the previous version, he could almost be as big of a figure in this story as Rama.
Tuesday, September 9, 2014
Reading Diary A
This starts out different than the last version we read. There is a lot more background on the gods and the description is more in depth.
So they are calling him Rama in heaven, I thought that was his human name.
A lot more Ravana in this version, this is good because it shows that the gods were scared of him and why Rama took human form. The backstory to this version is really improtant.
On earth the events seem to fall into place with the last version. Rama's father sends him with the sage.
Some of the dialouge at the point is exactly the same.
What happened to the Mother Demon and her two son's.
There is a lot more of the back and forth in the story telling, it is almost as if Rama is kind of a secondary character because the story seems to be more concerned with the exploits of others. Obviously Rama is not a secondary character but it reminds me of the stories of Arthur because though Arthur's presence is felt he is very sparringly used.
The Sita and Rama love story is told better in this version, even the story of Rama breaking the bow is clearer, in the last version they kept mentioning rama breaking the bow but when I first read it i did not get that image, I had to read it a number of times. In this version the bow breaking came across the first read.
This version of the kings choosing a successor is basically the same. Though it seems like there is less outcry for Rama when he leaves, by that I mean that the guards try to stop him but it is just because they are commanded to do so. Still much more information than the other version.
I think this version is more of a novel and the other version is more of an attempt to carry on the Oral story telling tradition.
So they are calling him Rama in heaven, I thought that was his human name.
A lot more Ravana in this version, this is good because it shows that the gods were scared of him and why Rama took human form. The backstory to this version is really improtant.
On earth the events seem to fall into place with the last version. Rama's father sends him with the sage.
Some of the dialouge at the point is exactly the same.
What happened to the Mother Demon and her two son's.
There is a lot more of the back and forth in the story telling, it is almost as if Rama is kind of a secondary character because the story seems to be more concerned with the exploits of others. Obviously Rama is not a secondary character but it reminds me of the stories of Arthur because though Arthur's presence is felt he is very sparringly used.
The Sita and Rama love story is told better in this version, even the story of Rama breaking the bow is clearer, in the last version they kept mentioning rama breaking the bow but when I first read it i did not get that image, I had to read it a number of times. In this version the bow breaking came across the first read.
This version of the kings choosing a successor is basically the same. Though it seems like there is less outcry for Rama when he leaves, by that I mean that the guards try to stop him but it is just because they are commanded to do so. Still much more information than the other version.
I think this version is more of a novel and the other version is more of an attempt to carry on the Oral story telling tradition.
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