Wednesday, September 4

Today is Wednesday of Week 3. Here is a link to the Week 3 assignments. I hope you are enjoying this week's reading!

Class Procedures and Reminders

Read like a writer. Remember that your reading notes are meant to help you when you tell a story inspired by this week's reading. So, you need to read all the pages, but don't try to take notes on everything. Instead, keep the focus on the specific story/episode(s) that you would like to tell in your own way. More tips here. As you get more practice writing stories, you'll be able to see just what kinds of notes you find most helpful.

Introductions. I think I have commented on all the Indian Epics Introductions (so if I missed you, send me a note to let me know!), and I'm commenting now on the Myth-Folklore posts. I hope to get to all of those this week, and if I don't finish this week, I'll finish next week for sure. It is fun getting to meet everybody! (And if you are curious, there are 90 students total: 30 in Indian Epics, 60 in Myth-Folklore.)

Project Stack. I've replied to all the assignments turned in before 11AM on Sunday, and today I'll be working on assignments turned in on Sunday afternoon and later on Sunday. While you are waiting on comments back from me, you can check the stack to make sure I received your assignment.

The following items are for fun and exploration:

Blog Stream. Here's something fun: Abby had a Labor Day road trip adventure all the way up to Black Hills National Forest in South Dakota... beautiful! More pictures at the blog post.

Twitter Stream. From the Twitter stream, I wanted to share this very cool announcement: Jeff Provine, Oklahoma ghost expert, will be leading two ghost tours of downtown Norman this Saturday, September 7, one at 8PM and one at 10PM. Details at the OU Daily.

Storybooks. And in honor of OU's ghosts, here's a Storybook about OU's Haunted Halls. It includes a choose-your-own-adventure story made with Twine: Tragedy in Cate Center.

Indian Epics Today. Today's Ramayana character is Vishvamitra, the wise man (rishi) who becomes Rama's teacher. More about Vishvamitra. Here you see him urging Rama and his brother to fight the rakshasi named Thataka.

Story of the Day. Today's "why" story is an eerie Cherokee legend of love and magic: Why The Mole Lives Underground.

Myth-Folklore Video. For those of you reading about Greece and Rome in Myth-Folklore this week, here's a Crash Course video: Pantheons of the Ancient Mediterranean.

Proverbs. And here's a proverb from the Roman poet Ovid: If Jupiter hurled his thunderbolt as often as men sinned, he would soon be out of thunderbolts. 

Writing. And for those of you who might be writing your Week 3 Story today, here's some writing advice from Gary Provost:

Mindset Cats. Today's mindset cat enjoys the act of creation: I made a new thing!

Writing Video. This video is useful to ponder if you find yourself struggling with the maximum word count when you write a story: The power of creative constraints.

Event on Campus. It's the Study Abroad Fair today... with snocones! Comes by the South Oval between 11AM and 2PM to learn more. Details.

September 4: Mary Renault. Today, September 4, marks the birthday of the English novelist Mary Renault who was born in 1904 and died in 1983. Renault wrote novels based on ancient Greek myths and history, including a trilogy of novels about Alexander the Great. The middle novel of that Alexander trilogy — The Persian Boy — is my own personal favorite of her novels. The novel is narrated by Bagoas, the Persian boy whom Alexander took as his lover. Renault was one of the first historical novelists to write openly about homosexual love in ancient Greece, and the story she tells in The Persian Boy is intense, dramatic, and unforgettable. Highly recommended!

Check out the Twitter stream for information and fun stuff during the day, or click here for past announcements.