Google Timer Tech Tip

I think that a timer would be something that would really help me out with my time management skills. I am so happy that I now know that Google has a timer to use. I like to take study breaks by getting on Facebook or Tumblr, and I always tell myself I will resume studying at a certain time, but I never do. With a timer, I feel like it would be way easier for me to actually do that.

Normally for time management, I make a schedule for myself. I tell myself that I will start homework at a certain time and give myself an estimate of time that it will take me to work on it. I then plan all of my homework and give myself study breaks in the length of TV show times, so in my breaks I will watch an episode of a show to help me relax and take my mind off of school for a while.

Because I am such a busy person I actually feel like I am mostly good at time management, because without it I would never get anything done.

Famous Last Words for Week 10

This week was pretty busy for me. On Monday I worked all morning, and then went home and did homework and studied for an exam.

On Tuesday I had an exam in Japanese, which I rocked. Which was funny, because I thought I did really bad on it. I then came home and did homework practically all night.

On Wednesday I had homework and a quiz to study for. Which, of course got interrupted by the severe weather we had. So, my roommates and I went to the National Weather Center to hang out until it was over. I got a really pretty picture of a storm cloud, though.

On Thursday I had a really big quiz that I rocked, and then all evening I worked on a group project until about midnight. We still have so much to do on it that it makes me dizzy just thinking about it. Ugh. I meant to do my classwork for this class that night as well, but I ran out of time and had to cram it all into today.

I worked all day Friday and Saturday, which is an exhausting thing to do. Waiting tables for twelve hours a day is not a fun task in the slightest.

Today (Sunday) I went to the Medieval Faire with some friends. It was so much fun, and the weather was more than perfect for it. I am pretty sure that I got a small sunburn, though. Oops. I ate a giant turkey leg, and got some of their fabulous cream soda. I also bought a flower crown to bring out my inner flower child.

This week is going to be nauseatingly busy for me. I have nationals for speech next weekend in Portland, Oregon. I leave Thursday morning, so I have to make sure to do all of my homework in advance by Wednesday night. I have about six days of classwork that I have to do in four days. So, wish me luck on that part.

Personal Photo of a storm cloud; taken March 2015.

Week 10 Storytelling: Hunter's (Not Quite) Delight

I had always had a passion for hunting. The game of sneaking through the forest and searching for animals had always been a thrilling exercise for me. However, because of the busy life I lived, I often times could not actually fulfill my desire to hunt.

However, one night, I got my chance. Everyone was sleeping, and I did not have anything that I needed to do in the morning. Well… anything important, that is. So, I decided to sneak off and find a plump thrush or hare in the woods. I’d had a bad feeling about it, you know, the kind that you get before something out of your control happens. But, I pushed it off. I was a warrior, so whatever happened to me would most likely be something I could fight off anyways.

I had my bow in hand, and I was deep in the woods. Hearing something to my left, I attempted to pinpoint it. However, whatever it was, it was gone before I could find it. Crouching down further, I closed my eyes and tried to hone my senses—my warrior senses—hoping that I could find something that was near to me. I could not return to my bed tonight without getting a kill; that would just be embarrassing, after all.

Hearing a river that was not too far off, I crept towards it. I expected that I would be able to find an animal there, quenching their thirst under the clear sky of the night. And there I saw buck, beautiful and marvelous, so I quickly grabbed an arrow from my quiver and I took a shot. But, some loud noise in the bushes behind the magnificent creature scared it off.

With a groan, I stepped closer to the water. Rats, what was so big in those woods that it was able to scare off my prey? Then, I heard a noise again. And the being did in fact sound rather large. It was also coming out of the woods, close to me. I don’t know what came over me then. It could have been fear, maybe panic. Whatever it was, I’m not sure. But what I do know, is that I panicked for a moment before pulling out another arrow and shooting in the direction of that noise.

I heard something drop to the ground, and went to find what it was, but a voice stopped me. Some old man was yelling in the woods.

“My cow! Oh, my poor cow, who could do such a thing to my blessed cow?”

Realizing I had made a mistake—a very bad mistake—I ran deeper into the woods to where the man was. Before me was a hermit, kneeling next to a cow that was bleeding out. He was visibly upset, and turned to give me one of the most horrifying looks of anger that I have received even to this day. I opened my mouth to apologize, but he cut me off before I could say anything.

“I curse you!” He cried. “One day, while you are in the middle of a moment very critical to your life, the earth will open up and swallow one of the wheels of your chariot.”

Taken aback, I tried to apologize, offer him a new cow, money, anything. However, he accepted none of it. I did in fact feel quite bad about the idea, but nothing I did would console or please the man. So, I walked away and returned to my bed, now cursed and regretful. Maybe I should have listened to my gut feeling, and stayed in my bed tonight.

Image Information: A Cow; Web Source: Wikimedia Commons.

Author's Note:

I love reading stories about Karma, and if you’ve read my Storybook then you know I also like telling them. So, when I read in The Mahabharata about how Karna was cursed by a hermit, I wanted to tell it. In the epic, Karna goes out hunting and accidentally shoots a cow, so the owner of the cow whom was a hermit grows so angry that he lays a curse on Karna for killing his beloved cow. I know that cows are sacred in India, so killing a cow would lead to much more negative Karma than just from the old man.

I wanted to tell the story in a first-person narrative so that we could see why Karna was out hunting in the first place. I also wanted to show why he accidentally killed the cow, and that it was in fact an accident. It reminded me of another Storytelling I did from The Ramayana.

Bibliography:

• Story Based Off Of Narayan, R. K. (1978). The Mahabharata.
• Image Retrieved from Wikimedia Commons

Week 10 Reading Diary B: The War and the End

• Last section of The Mahabharata, let’s do this!
• So Yudhistira wants peace instead of fighting the war, he doesn’t want blood to spill because he believes that it will only create an endless cycle of hate and war. Not everyone agrees with him though, especially Draupadi, who is still angry about being humiliated and undefended by her husbands (pages 133-136).
• Krishna attempts to make peace with Dhritarashtra on behalf of the Pandavas, telling him to cast aside Duryodhana, who at the same time wants to take Krishna captive (pages 136-140).
• Poor Arjuna felt discouraged about fighting his cousins, but luckily Krishna was there to give him the words he needed to fight (pages 147-148).
• I am glad that Narayan omits a lot of the information in the epic, I know that I definitely would not want to read page after page about the war, or philosophy.
• Duryodhana doesn’t give up his tricks, and tries to kidnap Yudhistira in an attempt to win the war. This however does not work, but does lead to the death of Arjuna’s son (pages 156-158).
• Duryodhana is advised one last time to make peace with his cousins, but of course refuses to do so. Of course, his pride and the evil within him lead to his death in this way (pages 163-166).
• I love reading stories of Karma, like how Karna could not advance towards Arjuna’s chariot because of a past deed (page 170).
• I did not realize that Bhishma would survive for so long on his bed of arrows, however it was nice that Yudhistira sat next to him as he died and spoke to him and learned from him at the urging of Krishna (pages 177-178).

Image Information: Yudhistira and Krishna; Web Source: Wikimedia Commons.

Week 10 Reading Diary A: A War is Coming

• Since we had a week off of school, it took me a while to remember what was happening, and I had to refresh myself on the story so far.
• I love that every time Duryodhana  tried yet again to make a fool of the Pandavas, only to have to be saved by them afterwards (pages 85-86).
• Yudhistira had to go through the pain of seeing all of his brother dead on the ground from ignoring the cries od Yama, only to become the hero by answering all of his hard questions, that’s admirable (pages 87-92).
• And then when talking of entering King Virata’s service, he says that he will play dice with him all day, oh, his brother did not like that statement! (Page 93)
• Poor Draupadi, who was assaulted by the Queen’s brother. The plight with him, and his death only brought them to Duryodhana’s eye (pages 96-99).
• Uh-oh, and Duryodhana wants to use the death to his advantage so that he may attack their kingdom (pages 99-102).
• Wow, Uttara is such a fake. What must have been going through Arjuna’s mind while he drove the man’s chariot into battle? Especially when he ran away (pages 103-105). At least he came back.
• Duryodhana is so cunning, tricking King Salya into enjoying his treats so that he wil lead his army, but Yudhistira is just as cunning to have him whisper discouragements to Karna in battle (pages 117-119).
• Poor Dhritarashtra just never knows what to do when it comes to the war between his sons and nephews.

Image Information: Prince Uttara and the Cows; Web Source: Wikimedia Commons.