Ann's Blog

Cupid and Psyche , by Tony Kline.  A Translation of: Apuleius's  Golden Ass. (Image Information, Cupid and Psyche,  Wikipedia ) Plot Notes: Venus is angered and on the hunt for Psyche. Psyche goes to Juno and Ceres for help but they turn her away. Venus catches Psyche and tortures her and makes her complete four tasks. First, she must sort grains. Secondly, she must shear wool from sheep with golden fleeces. Thirdly, she must collect a vial of water from the River Styx. She completes all of these tasks with help from animals. Her final task is to go to the underworld and ask Proserpina for some of her beauty. She gets the jar of beauty and must return it to Venus but is tempted by curiosity and opens it. She falls into a deep sleep but Cupid rescues her. Cupid then goes to Jupiter and begs for help. Jupiter agrees and they have a wedding. Psyche becomes immortal and has a daughter.  Other notes:  Psyche is helped by ants, a green reed, and Jupit

Cupid and Psyche , by Tony Kline.  A Translation of:  Apuleius's  Golden Ass.  (Image Information, Cupid and Psyche, Wikipedia ) Notes on Plot: The story is about a girl, Psyche, whose beauty rivals that of Venus. Venus becomes jealous and enraged when mortals start to praise and worship Psyche instead of her. She invokes her son, Cupid, to get revenge for her. Psyche's worried father goes to an oracle and receives a prophecy that bears bad news for Psyche. It tells them to take Psyche to the top of a mountain and leave her there. They do so and wind spirits carry Psyche to a place of riches. Psyche is cared for by invisible servants and at night is accompanied by an invisible man. Psyche gets used to her situation but begs her husband to let her sisters visit. He agrees but warns her not to tell them that he is invisible. They visit and become jealous. She tells them about her situation and they use the information to plot against her. They convince her to

(Image Information: Feedback, Pixabay ) The two articles I chose to read for this assignment are Make Good Art and Seven Ways to Crush Self-Doubt in Creative Work . Make Good Art contained a video of Neil Gaiman giving an inspiring speech that I enjoyed. I will gladly take advice from Neil Gaiman any day since he such a great, creative, and successful writer.  Seven Ways to Crush Self-Doubt was reassuring because it noted that everyone suffers from self-doubt. It contained useful tips and advice for overcoming self-doubt. It also talked about having a growth mindset. This will be useful when receiving feedback because it will allow the person receiving fe edback to absorb the advice without losing confidence in their ability.  I enjoy giving and receiving feedback because I think it is a lesson for both people involved. It encourages us to closely review pieces of work, either our own or that of a stranger , and it lets us practice reading with a critical eye. Receiving fe

I am interested in writing about many different topics, but for this assignment, I have narrowed it down to four. The topics I have chosen are Cats, Fairy Tales, Greek Mythology, and Goddesses.  (Image Information: Fairy Tales, Wikipedia Commons ) Cats : I would really like to write about cats because I love the idea of deities related to cats. Bast is awesome, and I would like to learn more about other cat deities. I have always been interested in stories about cats, and I like writing my own stories about cats too. I think this would be a great choice for me because I would enjoy the topic and because I would be introduced to more cat material that I could use for future writing. Fairy Tales : I love fairy tales and am interested in reading and writing about them. I like fairy tale princesses a lot, but I chose the broader topic in case I want to write about something else. I am a fan of the Grimm Brothers and Hans Christian Anderson, but I wouldn't necessarily be writi

There was once an old widow named Penelope, who lived on the top of a mountain. This old woman had three sons, Patroclus, Perseus, and Pygmalion.  Now, these sons were grown, and two of them had married and moved away. Pygmalion was the only one who remained. After a while, Pygmalion built himself a house by his mother's, for he could not stand his mother pestering him to marry. Pygmalion was an unusual man. He was very self-concerned; he didn't notice much that did not directly affect him. He viewed most people as beneath him and had no interest in interacting with anyone. All he ever did was work. His mother worried about him. She knew he would never find someone to love him, for who would love a man who cared only for himself? And he was neither rich nor handsome. He was destined to be a lonely hermit for his whole life. Penelope knew she would never find a girl willing to marry him, but she was desperate for him to have a partner, for she knew she would not live forever, an

I am taking notes on the story of Pygmalion . I am following one of the notetaking strategies from the blog.  I liked this story because it captured my interest more than the others and I can imagine lots of possibilities for its continuation.  Plot Notes: Pygmalion does not trust women so he creates his own out of ivory. He falls in love with his creation, makes a sacrifice to the gods, and prays to them for a favor. The Goddess Aphrodite hears his prayers and grants his wish that the ivory girl may come to life. They married and had a son.  My Thoughts On the Story: I feel bad for the women but I am used to women being treated badly in stories. However, it would be cool to continue the story and give her a happy ending.   I wonder though if Pygmalion remains in love with the woman once she is real. The reason he created her in the first place is that he was "offended by the failings that nature gave the female heart." So I am curious if once this woman turned human

Week 2 Reading Overview (Image Information: Fairy Tales, Wikipedia ) Choose from CLASSICAL and/or BIBLICAL units for Weeks 3 and 4. Week 3: Cupid and Psyche Week 4: Metamorphoses (Books 5-7) Choose from MIDDLE EASTERN and/or INDIAN units for Weeks 5 and 6. Week 5: Twenty-Two Goblins Week 6: Ancient Egyptian Myths and Stories Choose from ASIAN and/or AFRICAN units for Weeks 7 and 9. [Week 8 is review week.] Week 7: Japanese Mythology Week 9: Japanese Fairy Tales (Ozaki) Choose from NATIVE AMERICAN units for Weeks 10 and 11. Week 10: American Indian Fairy Tales Week 11: Native American Hero Tales Choose from BRITISH and/or CELTIC units for Weeks 12 and 13. Week 12: More English Fairy Tales Week 13: Beowulf Choose from EUROPEAN units for Weeks 14 and 15. Week 14: Hans Christian Andersen Week 15: Grimm (LibriVox)

Time Management Strategies (Image Information: Time, Pixabay ) I am a very busy person. I am enrolled in 18 hours of class and I work 20-30 hours a week. Because of my busy schedule, I have had to become a very organized person. In the past year and a half, I have learned a lot about time management strategies and have found ones that work for me. I am still learning what works best and I am constantly trying new things and improving my plans. Some strategies I utilize are: taking timed breaks, studying in distraction-free places, studying alone, taking notes on my reading assignments, and reading things out loud. I also use whiteboards, calendars, colored pens, highlighters, tons of notebooks, and a planner. I love making lists! Lists are a way for me to instantly minimize my stress because I can lay out all of my tasks in front of me. I read  The Psychology of Checklists: Why Setting Small Goals Motivates Us to Accomplish Bigger Things , and I completely agree with it. Sett

As a young adult, I am supposed to know my way around a computer. However, I have always felt like I don't know enough. I am familiar with the most popular social media sites, I am good at finding things on Google or Youtube, and I know how to navigate my iPhone. Despite knowing these basic skills, I still feel like I am supposed to know more about computer technology and tools. Thus, I am excited to learn more about these things throughout this semester.  (Image Information: Woman typing, Pixabay .) I found this lesson very helpful. I am excited to start using these different tools and sites. I've obviously heard of some of the sites before, like Google Docs, but the tools are unfamiliar to me. This semester I'd like to brush up on my technology skills in general, but there is not one particular tool I want to use. I think this class will be a great place for me to practice!

So far, this class seems really cool. I am a huge fan of laid-back class structures that allow students to help create their own schedules or lessons. I honestly think I learn more, work harder, and have more fun in classes with more relaxed schedules. I am really excited about the assignments in this class. I enjoy writing but I feel like I never have the time. This class will give me a reason to regularly write. As well, reading is one of my favorite hobbies, and that is yet another thing I feel like I don't have much time for since starting college. I am eager to do the readings for this class! This is my first online class at OU, but not my first time ever taking an online class. I think online classes are great, and I am already enjoying this course. All of the extra credit options sound fun, so I plan on trying them out.  (Image  Information: Girl Reading;   Pixabay )

( Cat Meme : Cheezburger ) Carol Dweck's growth mindset theory is a positive teaching method that has been proven to have good results. It focuses on changing the mindsets of students so that they are no longer satisfied by receiving good grades but feel the need to constantly be challenged. This removes the constant need for validation that many people have. It is an interesting theory, one that I had not heard much of before this lesson. I read one of the articles that does not agree with the theory and I see the authors point. The theory is pretty vague and for many classrooms, it may not work perfectly. I also see how it could lower children's self-esteem and make them feel like they don't have the potential for success.  I definitely think I was raised to have a fixed mindset because my family cares a lot about grades. However, after learning about Carol Dweck, I will now be more aware of that mindset. I suspect this will have a positive effect on me. If I ma

(Image Information: Cat Selfie) My name is Ann Marie.  Here are some facts about me: I am 19 and currently pursuing a dual degree in Linguistics and French at OU.  I love books, and consider myself a crazy cat lady.  I am passionate about women's rights and LGBTQ rights.  I work as a server in a restaurant, and though my job is mentally taxing, it can also be fun.   (Image Information: Books , 2010) Some of my favorite authors are J.K. Rowling (duh), Jane Austen, the Bronte Sisters, Cassandra Clare, and Rick Riordan. I've been especially into Rick Riordan lately! This summer, I decided to reread the Percy Jackson series. From there I could not stop. I have since read and reread every YA book he has out, and I am also following his Rick Riordan Presents imprint series, in which he reads and edits YA mythology books by other authors, and then adds them to the Rick Riordan Presents collection, allowing new or relatively unknown authors to be put in the spo

Zeus's Ex-Lovers Okay, I've got to admit, I may be a little biased. I love Greek mythology! I also happen to be a feminist. Zeus's Ex-Lovers is a retelling of Zeus's affair with Aphrodite. However, in this version, the author gives it a feminist take by changing the classic Hera-curses-innocent-mistress scenario by having Hera team up with "the other woman" aka "Aphrodite" and taking her anger out on Zeus. The Women of Hercules The Women of Hercules is a retelling of the legend of the great hero Hercules. This version is unique because it is told from the point of view of three significant women in Hercules' life. One thing I noticed that I think the author did particularly well was the creation of the setting. This storybook is set up to make the reader feel like they are watching (or reading the transcript of) a talk show. The author uses details in the setting to build this atmosphere. Some such details are the cues for the host and t

I chose to write about Barnes and Noble because I always have a pleasant experience when I go. Every time I enter a Barnes and Noble, I am immediately imbued with a feeling of serenity. It is the most soothing place I can think of, other than my home. Sometimes when you're really stressed, you need to get out of the house. When this happens to me, I always choose to visit Barnes and Noble. The inescapable scent of books and the warm feeling of being surrounded by literature makes a great distraction from real life.  ( Barnes and Noble Wikipedia Commons) I grew up going to Barnes and Noble with my book-loving mother. Our whole family would go together and I would always get to pick out a new book to read. It was kind of like a special occasion. Now, when I go to Barnes and Noble, I am reminded of some of my most cherished childhood memories.

Hello! This is a test post for my new blog. I'm trying out different functions of Blogger.