Ann's Blog

(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 critica...

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...

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)