Tech Tip: Canvas Profile

I changed my display name in Canvas because I do not go by my first name. I chose the picture I did for my avatar because it is one of the only professional pictures of myself that I have.

Tech Tip: Canvas Mobile App

I downloaded the Canvas app on my iPhone. It looks like it will be really useful for the rest of this semester as well as for next semester. Instead of having to go to Safari and logging into Canvas every time, I will now be able to easily check my grades.

Reading Notes: Beowulf, Part B

(Stories of Beowulf Slave Stealing Golden Cup: Wikimedia Commons)

I like how the story sets up Grendel’s first appearance. It’s so ominous and eerie which makes me want to know what happens even more. I also didn’t know that Grendel could cast spells which is a nice surprise because it makes him an even bigger threat for Beowulf.

It must have been terrifying for Beowulf watching Grendel eat one of his friends. The spell made it to where Beowulf was kind of frozen which couldn’t have made matters any better.

I like how the epic fight between Beowulf and Grendel was in silence and had no witnesses. It would be funny if Beowulf declared he had Grendel’s arm, but the others didn’t believe him or something.

I knew that the king and queen praising Beowulf was going to jinx everything. Nothing ever goes well when characters celebrate too early.

It’s good to see that Unferth had a change of heart and gives Beowulf his sword.

Beowulf has to be one of the bravest people alive to go into that lake alone. I like much respect everyone has for him because normally they would try to stop a person from doing this.

I love how the Beowulf had to basically get lucky in order to beat Grendel’s mother. I was expecting Beowulf to just somehow find strength and defeat her, but the tiniest moment of relaxation from his mother gave Beowulf an opening.

I don’t like how the Danes left because they lost hope of seeing Beowulf again. I would’ve been a little mad about that if I were Beowulf.

It is fitting that Beowulf became king. I don’t think anyone else deserves it more than him.

I like how even though Beowulf almost died he still wants to have another adventure like that.

I honesty expected Beowulf to be like okay guys I can do this on my own don’t worry. I thought it would be similar to when he fought Grendel’s mother.

Never mind, he does go alone. It’s interesting how Beowulf knows that this will be his last adventure. It’s sad at the same time.

I just realized that all of their swords have names. I think I could make this a humorous aspect in my retelling.

It’s actually really sad how Beowulf dies. His men deserted him, but he forgave them before he died. Beowulf might be my favorite character from all the readings so far. 

Bibliography: The Story of Beowulf by Strafford Riggs, with illustrations by Henry Pitz (1933).

Reading Notes: Beowulf, Part A

(Siegfried, the hero of the North, and Beowulf, the hero of the Anglo-Saxons (1909): Wikimedia Commons)

I already like this story from the first paragraph. It makes me picture the Spartans from the movie 300.

I like how the warriors have a soft side to them. I feel like a lot of the time we don’t see both sides, but only see their serious side. It makes them more human in my eyes.

The comradery and family vibe everyone gives off is pretty great to see. You can tell how close they all are to each other.

It’s interesting how the race between Beowulf and Breca lasted five days. I can’t even imagine how tough that would have been.

I feel like this is the first time I have read a story where the main character wanted war. It’s kind of funny how Beowulf is sad how he can’t test his strength properly.

The Wanderer’s song is a really pivotal part of the story. I’m assuming this song makes Beowulf want to go defeat Grendel and test his strength. If I retell this part I will need to incorporate something like the Wanderer’ song.

I could possibly make the moment where Beowulf announces he’s going to defeat Grendel a humorous one since it’s kind of awkward how he does this and the reaction of the everyone else in the room.

I like how they made such a big deal when Beowulf was leaving. However, if I retell this part I might make it to where it’s like a really short farewell ceremony or not have one at all to be funny.

I’m surprised that none of the sea monsters attacked their ship. I would think that maybe some sort of conflict would happen.

For some reason I wish the Guardian of the Beach would have messed with Beowulf. Like maybe telling him he has to pay a certain fee or solve a riddle, but then telling him that he’s just messing around.

I like how desolate and ominous the forest is. It really sets the scene and I could picture it. It’s like something from a zombie apocalypse type movie.

It’s sad how the Danes can’t enjoy the banquet since they haven’t had anything to celebrate in twelve years.

I’m really curious to see Beowulf’s reaction to Unferth calling him out. I would be pretty mad if I were Beowulf because this guy is trying to embarrass him in front of everybody. 

I love Beowulf's response. It really puts Unferth in his place which is great because he is a very unlikable character.

Bibliography: The Story of Beowulf by Strafford Riggs, with illustrations by Henry Pitz (1933).

Reading Notes: King Arthur, Part B

(Statue of Excalibur, Kingston Maurward: Wikimedia Commons)

I like how the knight knows he’s not the best but basically says “Screw it” and puts the shield on anyways.

I wonder why the mysterious knight had to hurt him in order to get the shield from him. He proved his point, but I feel like he could have done it a different way.

I feel bad for Lancelot. I don’t know much about him, but he seems like a good guy. I like how he realizes the errors of his ways though.

I am not a fan of the part with Sir Percivale. There isn’t really anything exciting and I found myself bored the whole time. I won’t be retelling this part of the story.

It’s interesting how Lancelot keeps getting reminded how he is pretty much not fit to seek holy things. Once again, I feel bad for him, but he needs to start changing his ways.

 I like the mysterious aspect that this story includes with the random voices, visions, and other weird occurrences. I could try to incorporate this into my own retelling.

Sir Bors is a nice contrast to the other knights because he is cleansed of his sins and is trying to change his ways. I feel like he will definitely make it to the end.

I think it’s weird how Galahad doesn’t ask any questions, but blindly follows this random woman. I would like these guys to be a little harder to persuade. It seems like he heard her say the word adventure and he didn’t care what else came after it.

I like how some of the knights get reunited. It is nice to see them with so much joy when seeing each other for the first time in a while.

It’s sad how the voice tells Galahad and Lancelot that they will never see each other again. This is probably especially hard for Lancelot since Galahad is his son.

Although I like the dramatic and intense ending, I didn’t really like part B as a whole. Part A was a lot better in my opinion so I will probably choose to retell something from that section. 

Bibliography: King Arthur: Tales of the Round Table by Andrew Lang, illustrated by H. J. Ford (1902).

Reading Notes: King Arthur, Part A

(King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table: Wikimedia Commons)

I like the idea of having basically a competition to see who can be the King. I could have fun with this simple concept and modernize it.

The fact that Arthur nonchalantly takes the sword out of the stone is great. He didn’t even know the implications of what he was doing. It also shows Arthur’s character when he doesn’t like how his father and brother kneeled before him. He seems like a humble person.

The scene where Merlin tells Arthur his future is really interesting. He says it so confidently that you don’t doubt him. Now I am wondering how it will happen since Arthur knows his fate and might try to change.

I didn’t know how much Merlin helped Arthur. I’m familiar with this story, but I thought Merlin was just a wizard and he’s basically acting like Arthur’s guardian angel.

I really like the part where Merlin tells Arthur he has to ask the Lady of the Lake nicely for the sword. It’s seriously like Merlin is his dad who is looking out for Arthur.

I like the origin story of how Arthur got the Round Table. I didn’t know the background of the Round Table before this. I also like the part where he makes Tor a knight. Tor wanting to be a knight reminds me of the movie A Knight’s Tale which I could retell.

I feel really bad for Merlin because he loves this woman, but she uses him and makes fun of him. It’s strange to me how he doesn’t have the willpower to say no to her though. It’s messed up how Vivien uses the magic that Merlin taught her to bury him.

I think Morgan le Fay goes overreacts by trying to kill Arthur. I understand that he killed the man she loved, but it’s still her brother and he was protecting their kingdom. I like how the Lady of the Lake saves him from the enchanted mantle.

I wish it would have been explained how the squire actually got stabbed. Was it a dream or did those events actually happen in reality?

I’m curious as to why Arthur couldn’t just stop the knights from leaving. I would think that he has more power over them then to just let them leave and neglect their duties. 

Bibliography: King Arthur: Tales of the Round Table by Andrew Lang, illustrated by H. J. Ford (1902).

Tech Tip: Weather Widget

Hey everyone, I've added a weather widget to my blog. If you would like to do the same, follow this link for instructions http://onlinecourselady.pbworks.com/w/page/34993067/weatherunderground

Week 11 Story: 30 for 30: The Iron Stomach

Updated Version: https://sites.google.com/view/davidrportfolio/30-for-30-the-iron-stomach

(ESPN Logos: Wikimedia Commons)

What if I told you that the greatest competitive eater got his start in middle school? That he has no fun while eating, but does it for the thrill of winning? That he is actually a fictional character from the movie Matilda? This is the story of Bruce "The Iron Stomach" Bogtrotter.

(Matilda (1996) - Bruce vs. Chocolate Cake Scene (4/10) | Movieclips)

"My name is Bruce Bogtrotter, and I'm the number one ranked competitive eater in the world. I hold the record for basically every food out there: hot dogs, Twinkies, honey butter chicken biscuits. If it can be eaten, I will eat the most of it in record time without a doubt. It all started when I was like 12 years old. We had this crazy principal named Ms. Trunchbull. She was absolutely nuts. In hindsight, the police should have definitely been involved from all the acts of child abuse she committed against us. Many of us had to go to therapy... Anyways, she made me eat an entire chocolate cake in front of the whole school. This cake was massive, and at the time I was really self-conscious about my weight. The only thing that got me through it was the whole school started cheering me on. They were all like 'Bruce! Bruce! Bruce!' and their cheers gave me a rush of adrenaline. I felt like death when I finished, but after eating that cake I was a hero in school. All the girls wanted me. Well, they wanted to see me eat, but whatever it's the same thing you know? It was from then on that I decided to commit my life to competitive eating. To be honest, I don't even like it, but I love the competition. It's something that I'm good at and the rush after a win makes everything worth it. But like any other sport, it starts taking a toll on your body."

If I were to ask you what the most dangerous sport is you would probably guess football or some other contact sport, right? Well you would be wrong if you answered that. Competitive eaters have the highest mortality rate out of all sports. Bruce has seen many of his dear friends be taken away too soon by the sport they love. He's even cheated death a couple of times himself.

"After my 10th heart attack I took a step back and had to reevaluate my life. The one thing I am good at in life is literally going to kill me if I don't stop. There were many sleepless nights, I was a shell of my former self, and my stoke tank was at an all-time low. So I asked myself, 'What would Paul Walker do?' I knew the answer. Paul Walker wouldn't give up. Even after losing his first race to Dominic he still got with his sister. If that's not inspiring then I don't know what is. So a couple hours after I was released from the hospital I started training for the Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest which is hosted every Fourth of July."

It's Fourth of July at the Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest. Number one versus number two. Bruce Bogtrotter versus Joey Chestnut. The stage is set and the crowd is growing restless.

"Joey and I are neck and neck near the end of the contest. There's maybe thirty seconds left and I'm pushing myself to my limit. I felt like I was about to pass out from the pain, but then the image of Paul Walker came into my head and everything went black. When I came to I was holding up the championship belt and everyone was going wild. Joey told me he was going to retire. He was the only other eater that could even come close to me. I realized at this moment it was time to pass the torch onto the next generation. I left my mark on the competitive eating scene. I knew Paul Walker would be proud of me."

Author's Note: The origin folk tale this story is based on is called “Atdlarneq, The Great Glutton.” In this story, Atdlarneq is a great seal hunter who always manages to catch multiple seals every time he goes out to hunt. Then one day while he’s out hunting, he sees a house with a lot of women. He decides to go to the house and the women treat him well. Then Atdlarneq finds out that the master of the house is coming home soon so he decides to hide. When the master comes home Atdlarneq reveals himself and the master treats him well too. However, the master makes Atdlarneq eat a lot of food or else he will beat him up basically. Atdlarneq ends up nearly dying from overeating and decides to never go South again. For my retelling, I chose to tell it kind of how ESPN does their 30 for 30 series. I also incorporated a character from the movie “Matilda” into it who was forced to eat a huge chocolate cake in front of his whole school as a punishment. I thought of this movie scene immediately when I read about how Atdlarneq was forced to keep eating. Once again, I added some aspects from the San Clemente City Council Meeting about the Paul Walker statue. It’s a callback to one of my previous stories and I thought it would add some more humor to students who had read that story earlier this semester.

Bibliography: Eskimo Folk-Tales by Knud Rasmussen with illustrations by native Eskimo artists (1921).

Reading Notes: Eskimo Folk Tales, Part B

(Inuit Man 1906: Wikimedia Commons)

Papik
It’s interesting how Ailaq’s mom kills herself to avenge his death. I feel as though she could have gotten back at Papik some other way.
Papik dies in such a gruesome way, but I could see it coming.
I like how this is like a ghost story one would tell kids to make them not kill others.

Patussorssuaq
The theme of both of these stories has been envy. I could incorporate envy into my own retelling if I choose to retell this story.
He kills his uncle pretty early in the story which surprised me.
I wish the story explained how he ended up with his uncle’s wife. It just happened without any explanation and then she dies.
Another theme is murderers being punished for their deeds.

The Wife
It’s crazy to me how one person could start a war between tribes. It reminds me of Helen from The Iliad.
She suffers a pretty terrible death because of the war she started by lying. I could try to think of a way to incorporate this into a retelling.

The Eagle

It’s funny how the brothers suggested the sisters marrying an eagle and a whale because they get swept away by them. I could see the brothers freaking out after this happens.

This story ends abruptly and I am not sure what the point of it was.

Atdlarneq

The fact that he had to keep eating reminded me of a scene from the movie Matilda where one of the kids has to eat a whole chocolate cake as punishment. I will probably retell this story with that movie 

as my inspiration.

Angangujuk

I don’t like how angry his father gets at the mother for losing him. I understand that he’s your son, but you shouldn’t threaten to kill your wife. I don’t really know the point of this story either.

Atarssuaq

I like how the son avenges his father’s death. Overall, I liked the story because of how amazing the son is at diving, but I do not think I will be retelling this story. 

Tungujuluk

I honestly did not like this story because it didn’t really tie the loose ends. Saunikoq tried to kill Tungujuluk’s son but he never even found out. I wanted there to be some intense battle, but instead Tungujuluk basically just played a prank on him.

Kanagssuaq

This story has a really nice ending because the favor is paid back, but I didn’t really like the story as a whole. I do not think I will be retelling this story. 

Bibliography: Eskimo Folk-Tales by Knud Rasmussen with illustrations by native Eskimo artists (1921).

Reading Notes: Eskimo Folk Tales, Part A

(Eskimo boy named Menadblook: University of Washington, Flickr)

The Coming of Men
I really like the opening paragraph. It sets the mood for the rest of the story.
This is an interesting twist on the creation of Earth and mankind. I like how it references Adam and Eve but doesn’t go into detail behind the specifics.
There are many biblical references which surprises me.
This story is like an extremely simplified version of the biblical creation story, but with a lot of different changes of course.
I don’t think I will retell this because I wouldn’t enjoy creating my own creation story.

Nukunguasik
The plot of this story is interesting to me since a Tupilak is kind of like a voodoo doll but different. I could think of different ways to retell this.
I wonder why the middle brother wanted to make a Tupilak to kill Nukunguasik. I could give a background story as to why this was the case in my retelling.

The Woman
This was a really touching story. I thought the bear might get killed after that one guy said he wanted to kill it.
This is a classic plot where someone has an animal that they can’t keep so they have to let it go. I could definitely find a way to retell this in my own style.

Qalanganguase
The first paragraph already makes me feel bad for Qalang. He has no more family which can be extremely tough on a kid. Also, he can’t walk which makes him dependent on other people at least in this situation.
This story kind of reminds me of the movie The Sixth Sense. I could retell it like that since it would fit my writing style.

Isigaligarssik
The wording kind of makes them becoming man and wife weird because it refers to her as a little girl.
I am confused as to why the wizard took his wife. Also, I am confused why he didn’t stop the wizard from taking his wife.
I didn’t really like this story so I won’t be retelling it.

The Insects
I like the comedy at the beginning of this story when it says how all of these stories start with a wifeless man.
I don’t like his wife is just basically a gold digger. I kind of wish he didn’t pick any of the girls that avoided him before he started becoming a good hunter.
Overall, it was an interesting story, but I do not think I will be retelling it.

Makite
I think it is interesting how important it is to be a good hunter in this culture. It makes sense to me, but it would suck to be a bad hunter if you wanted a wife.
Makite is an impulsive, aggressive character which could be good for a retelling.
I don’t know if I understand the point of this story. I like the scene between Makite and the lone-dweller, but the ending was lacking for me.

Atungait

This story was extremely weird to me especially when he forcefully kisses the woman at the end. I’m not going to retell this story.

The Giant Dog

This is such a bizarre story, but I love it. The giant killer dog is so interesting to me. I could see myself retelling this story for sure. 

Bibliography: Eskimo Folk-Tales by Knud Rasmussen with illustrations by native Eskimo artists (1921).

Reading Notes: Native American Hero Tales, Part B

(Native American in Ink: wsilver, Flickr)

The story starts out extremely strong and gruesome. It was definitely unexpected. Now I am really interested to see how this goes.

The boy’s name is kind of funny since he was actually thrown behind the curtain of the tipi. I could use a similar concept in my retelling.

I think it’s interesting and sad how the father doesn’t know that the boys are his sons.

I’m confused as to how the boys resurrected their dead mother. It’s not explained, so if I retell this part I will go into more detail.

It’s funny that the father keeps telling the boys not to do certain things because as a reader I know that they will always do the opposite of what he says.

I feel like the story comes to an abrupt ending. I will have an ending that has more closure for the reader if I retell this part of the story.

Wemicus seems like an over protective dad that shows up to the door with a shotgun in his hands to intimidate his daughter’s boyfriends.

I’m wondering if Wemicus’s daughter ever tried to warn any of her previous husbands.

I don’t like how repetitive the story is. As the reader, I know that the man is going to outsmart Wemicus every time. Some of it is comical, but it is too predictable.

I don’t like how the boy lied to the Walrus. It is understandable why he lied to the Walrus, but he should’ve been honest with him. It’s sad that the Walrus died, but then realizing it was conjured up by the mother makes it kind of a happier moment since it saved her son’s life.

It doesn’t make sense why the father would conjure two blind old women instead of ones that could at least see. It’s a plot hole that I don’t like.

The son drawing a circle in the ground and being safe reminds me of an episode of Spongebob where the exact same thing happens. 

I like how they decide who’s going to marry the chief’s daughter by having a shoot off. I could make this a more modern story and have them do some other type of event.

I feel bad for Dirty-Boy because he’s the rightful winner, but since people don’t like him they have another competition.

I like the younger daughter because she respects her father’s wishes and doesn’t care what other people think about her.

I like how the story ended because the younger daughter deserved it. It’s a good lesson to be learned about not judging a book by its cover. I do not know if I will retell this story, but I enjoyed it more than some of the others.

Bibliography: Tales of the North American Indians by Stith Thompson (1929).

Reading Notes: Native American Hero Tales, Part A

(Dreamcatcher: Wikimedia Commons)

I like the absurdity of the name “Unnatural Uncle.” I might give one of my characters a bizarre name as well.

It’s strange how the other family members just let Uncle kill the kids if they’re boys. They even lie to him about the next born child being a girl instead of trying to stop him. It’s a weird situation.

This is one of the weirdest plots I have read this semester. I don’t see why they would dress the boy as a girl rather than just stop the Uncle. It’s like the plot of weird comedy/horror movie.

In my retelling, I would have the boy plan something ahead of time to stop the Uncle instead of blindly doing everything the Uncle tells him to do when chopping wood.

It is kind of comical how the Uncle keeps getting outsmarted by the nephew. It’s like the Roadrunner and Wily Coyote. I still wish someone would just stop the Uncle though.

The Eagle people came out of nowhere, but I like it. It’s a weird twist for a weird story. I enjoyed the ending because the Uncle got what he deserved.

I feel bad for Grouse because you know he has a good heart since he doesn’t complain.

It’s kind of confusing why the people in the village would kill the Blue Jay and his friends if he were to lose the climbing match to the squirrel. It is an interesting image to picture though.

I like how Blue Jay is finding ways to win these challenges even though I don’t know why these challenges are happening.

I like how the Blue Jay and his friends learned a lesson at the end, but I don’t think I will be retelling this story. I was not a fan of the repetitive challenges. 

It was kind of weird how the story immediately says the granddaughter is a virgin. It just doesn’t make sense to me why this would be brought up.

I’m confused as to where the baby came from and why they just took care of him without asking any questions.

Overall, I was not a fan of Dug-From-Ground. The plot didn’t really make sense to me and I just didn’t like it. I will not be retelling this part.

I love the plot of huge animals fighting humanity. I can see myself having fun with this one.

I am curious as to why the other animals are helping him kill the Elk. I think a good plot twist would to have the animals deceive him instead.

Although the giant Eagles are killing humans, I felt kind of bad for the eaglets because they essentially help kill their parents. I like how they also don’t get killed though.

I might choose to retell this story. I might add some twists and humor into it though.

Bibliography: Tales of the North American Indians by Stith Thompson (1929).

Week 9 Story: The Unwanted Avenger

(The Avengers movie art: marvelousRoland, Flickr)

Avenger’s Mansion, 890 Fifth Avenue, Manhattan, New York City

Captain America in front of the Avengers

“Alright everyone, this emergency meeting has been called to address the recent destruction caused by the big, hairy guy who can transform into anything. We don’t know much about him or if he’s good or evil, but we need to figure out what to do about him. Does anyone have any suggestions?”

Hulk raises his hand

“Yes Hulk?”

“SMASH!”

“Hulk, we’ve been over this, you can’t keep suggesting that at every meeting. It’s getting old. Any other suggestions?”

Doctor Strange stands up

“I’ll bargain with him. I would rather him be on our side than fighting against us.”

Doctor Strange travels to Gold’s Gym

“Surely he’ll be here. He wears tank tops all the time and it looks like he only works out his glamour muscles. Oh wait, I think that’s him flexing in the mirror.”

Doctor strange approaches Su Wu Kung

“I have come here to tell you that Captain America and the rest of the Avengers have invited to come to our headquarters for the possibility of becoming one of us.”

Sun Wu Kung answers

“Really? I’ve always wanted to be an Avenger! My name is Sun Wu Kung. First, let me finish taking a picture for Instagram before we go.”

Sun Wu Kung arrives at headquarters where all the Avengers are waiting for him

“Wow this place is awesome! When’s our first mission? Also, I’m going to need to have code names for all of you if I’m going to lead you guys into battle.”

Iron Man speaks up

“Actually, Captain America called dibs on leading the next mission. But I think we need someone to be in charge of getting snacks for everyone.”

Sun Wu Kung seems unfazed

“Sure! That sounds like a pretty important job. I’ll make sure no one goes on the mission with an empty stomach.”

The next day

Thor is speaking to Black Widow

“I’m glad that guy thinks he’s actually an Avenger by getting us snacks. It’s a good thing he doesn’t know that we’re just pretending to be his friends. He’s too arrogant. Like even more arrogant than Iron Man.”

Sun Wu Kung overhears this conversation

“I see how it. I don’t need those guys. I can save the world all by myself. They’ll be really sorry whenever I’m taking all the glory away from them.”

Sun Wu Kung leaves headquarters and goes back to Gold’s Gym where he is surrounded by his friends

“Bro it’s total BS. Those guys don’t know what they’re doing. I am so much stronger than all of them combined. Just looks at my traps! From now on, all of you call me the Ultimate Avenger. I like the sound of that.”

Back at Avenger’s HQ. Captain America addressed the group

“Okay, we may have screwed up. That guy is too unpredictable for us to not know where he is at all times. Hulk, today’s your lucky day, let’s go get him.”

The Avengers get riled up. Doctor Strange stands up again

“Hold on guys. Everyone just calm down. I heard that all he wants to be called is the Ultimate Avenger, so let’s just give him that title and everything will be settled. I’ll go bargain with him again since it’s kind of my thing.”

Doctor Strange goes to the nearest tanning salon

“This guy is seriously the worst. Of course I would find him here. Just act cool and pretend that you like him.”

Doctor Strange approaches Sun Wu Kung again

“Hey man, sorry about what happened the other day. The other Avengers and I have talked about it and we want you back. We even thought of a new name for you: The Ultimate Avenger.”

Sun Wu Kung pretends to not be excited

“Okay, I guess I’ll come back to you guys since you seem pretty desperate.”

Avenger’s HQ. The Avengers are throwing a birthday party for Hawkeye. They all welcome Sun Wu Kung back. He addresses the group

“I’m back! Doctor Strange over here told me how much you all missed me and I felt bad. You’re going to be seeing me a lot from here on out.”

The Avengers fake smile and pretend that they don’t hate Sun Wu Kung. Everyone continues celebrating. Sun Wu Kung wanders through HQ by himself

“Man, I wonder where the bathroom is. This room looks about right. Wait, no, this is the kitchen.”

Sun Wu Kung notices Hawkeye’s birthday cake

“They won’t notice if I just take a little bit of frosting.”

Sun Wu Kung tastes the cake and decides to eat all of it

“Oh shoot. I need to get out of here before Hawkeye gets pissed at me.”

Sun Wu Kung sneaks out the back door. The Avengers see the remains of the eaten cake and realize it was Sun Wu Kung. Captain America calls another emergency meeting

“That’s the last straw. We need to get rid of this guy. He made Hawkeye cry! Who wants to do it?”

Ant-Man immediately jumps up

“Don’t worry, I’ve got this.”

Ant-Man sneaks into Sun Wu Kung’s house and starts walking around on him. Sun Wu Kung becomes annoyed because he can’t get him to stop. This goes on for days. Sun Wu Kung goes to Avengers HQ

“Please get this guy off of me! I’ll do anything!”

Iron Man approaches him

“We will help you on two conditions: First, stop being a jerk. Second, go by the name of the Unwanted Avenger.”

Sun Wu Kung is still noticeably irritated by Ant-Man

“Okay deal!”

And that is the origin story of how Sun Wu Kung became apart of the Avengers and played minor roles in the fifteen movies Marvel decided the make under The Avengers name

Author's Note: This story is based off “The Monkey King” unit. In this unit, we meet a stone monkey who was born out of stone and was the ruler of the apes. His only goal was to become immortal. He eventually trains under someone to learn how to transform his body and become immortal. The monkey king is extremely arrogant and makes a lot of enemies by his actions. The Lord of the Heavens and other spirits get complaints of the trouble he is causing so they decide to make him one of them to appease him. The monkey king gets made at all of them whenever he finds out that they gave him a job with no respect or dignity. He leaves and the Lord of the Heavens decides to send warriors to defeat him. However, the Evening Star vouches for him and says that they can’t beat and instead should appease him by giving him the title of Great Saint. They do this, but then the monkey king drinks all the wine and peaches that was supposed to be for a banquet for important spirits. The Lord of the Heavens and the other spirits have had enough and they eventually have Buddha try to stop him. Buddha successfully stops him and the monkey king starts behaving. The main difference in my story is that I replaced the spirits with the Avengers. Also, instead of Buddha easily beating the monkey king, I have Ant-Man annoy him until he gives up. 

Bibliography: "The Ape Sun Wu Kung" in The Chinese Fairy Book, ed. by R. Wilhelm and translated by Frederick H. Martens (1921).

Reading Notes: The Monkey King, Part B

(80 ft Buddha Statue: Wikimedia Commons)

I like how the Evening Star came to Sun Wu’s defense because he knew that maybe the immortality just got his head.

It’s kind of funny how cocky Sun Wu is without even realizing it.

I am starting to dislike Sun Wu because of his arrogance. I want the protagonist in my retelling to be much more likeable and less cocky.

The fight between Sun Wu and Notscha would probably have looked amazing and bizarre. I couldn’t even imagine witnessing something like that where both fighters transform into three headed, six armed, gods.

I like how the Evening Star proposes to just give Sun Wu the empty title because he knows he doesn’t want to be disrespected which is why he lashed out in the first place.

I think Sun Wu is too obsessed with becoming immortal. I could change the obsession in my retelling to make it something more realistic or achievable.

Sun Wu is honestly selfish and I do not really like him. Once again, my character will be much more likable.

Whenever the apes asked Sun Wu to go back to get more wine I thought that he was maybe going to get caught in the act. This could be something I incorporate in my own story.

I feel as though the Lord of the Heavens should have more power. I don’t like how it seems that Sun Wu can do whatever he wants since the Lord of the Heavens should be able to beat him.

Whenever Sun Wu turned into Yang and then Yang confronted him in his temple I thought that there was going to be a classic scene from a movie where someone has to decide who the real Yang is.

 It’s crazy how literally nothing can kill Sun Wu. He is one of the most resilient characters I have ever read about which is admirable.

I find it fitting that Buddha was the one to defeat Sun Wu and he did it without violence. I will keep this aspect in my retelling.

Overall, I was not a fan of Sun Wu as a character. There are instances where an unlikable character can become likable as the story progresses, but this wasn’t one of them. 

Bibliography: "The Ape Sun Wu Kung" in The Chinese Fairy Book, ed. by R. Wilhelm and translated by Frederick H. Martens (1921).

Reading Notes: The Monkey King, Part A

(Donkey Kong Country Returns: SobControllers, Flickr)

I think it’s interesting how the ape was born out of stone. It’s a unique origin story kind of like origin stories for super heroes and how they got their powers.

It’s funny how the stone ape immediately accepted the challenge of going through the waterfall. He didn’t hesitate at all and I want to incorporate that courage into one of my characters for my version.

I find it interesting how the stone ape wanted to become immortal and had the presence of mind to be afraid of death.

I don’t really understand why the stone ape had to be violent with the fisherman. I feel as thought this act makes him less likable.

I think it’s funny how blunt the stone ape is. I will try to keep this humor in my retelling.

The training of Sun Wu Kung reminded me of the Karate Kid and other movies like that.

I like how Sun Wu Kung was able to decipher the secret message his master was telling him. It shows how intelligent he is which makes him a more complex character.

I like how the Master played dumb after Sun Wu Kung came to see him. In my retelling I could have the Master take it even further and make Sun Wu Kung feel as though he really messed up.

It’s amazing how Sun Wu Kung now has the ability to fly. This story keeps reminding me of like a Marvel story where it shows how a super hero gets their powers.

The story took a dramatic turn that I was not expecting. The Master was unnecessarily mean to Sun Wu Kung and I feel bad for him because he had to leave.

The fight between the Devil King and Sun Wu Kung is kind of like a big bully that tries to beat up a smaller kid, but the bully doesn’t know that the smaller kid is a black belt in karate.

I feel as though all of this power is going to Sun Wu Kung’s head. At first, he wanted to just be immortal, but now he’s trying to have the strongest army in the world basically.

I don’t like how rude Sun Wu Kung is being to the Dragon King. He is using his power to intimidate others and get them to do things they don’t want to do.

Even in his dreams Sun Wu Kung was in control which is pretty cool. I am a little confused on how he made the apes immortal if he was only dreaming though. 

Bibliography: "The Ape Sun Wu Kung" in The Chinese Fairy Book, ed. by R. Wilhelm and translated by Frederick H. Martens (1921).

Week 8 Progress

(Motivation, quote, sea: Hoopoe Quotes, Pexels)

Overall, I am happy with the progress I have made in this class so far. I haven't missed an assignment and I am right on track. I don't really have a weekly routine. Sometimes my weekly schedule looks different so I don't always do the assignments on the same day. I would say retelling stories is hands down my favorite assignment. It lets me create stories that I think are funny and that other people would like. Currently, I am not doing any of the extra credit assignments.


For the second half of the semester, I want to start doing the extra credit assignments so I can finish the class earlier and not have to stress as much. Also, I want to get ahead on my work instead of doing the assignments the day they are due. It hasn't been a huge problem, but I know I would enjoy the class more if I was ahead and not worried all the time about deadlines. I want to try make longer stories for the second half of the semester. I might even possibly try to write a more serious story because all the ones I have written so far have been more comical.

Week 8 Comments and Feedback

(cheezburger)

Overall, I would say the comments and feedback I have been receiving are high quality. I can tell that people are reading my stories and enjoying them. There are a lot of comments that are saying they appreciate the details in my stories that help them visualize what I am trying to convey. These comments are the most helpful because it showed me that I need to continue to add these details in order to engage readers and help the immersion process that goes into reading creative stories. 

I would say that the comments and feedback that I am giving to other students are high quality as well. I let them know which parts I thoroughly enjoyed or made me laugh. I also tell them how adding more details to help explain some aspects of the story can clear up any confusion for readers. I'm incorporating my advice into my own writings by adding more details into my stories. Some of my earlier stories have minor plot holes which can be easily fixed to enhance the story.

I feel as though I have been getting to know people based on their introduction posts, stories, and design of their projects. The introduction posts are the most helpful because a lot of people included details that help others understand them better. The stories let me understand peoples' sense of humor which is nice to find out. The design of their projects also lets me know a little more of their personality. I am satisfied with my introduction post and my blog because I feel like people can see my sense of humor in my stories. 

I possibly would want to go more in depth with my feedback. I think that I could add more to help people with their stories and projects. Right now, I don't think I want to make any changes to my blog since I am content with it.

I chose that image because the encouragement from the feedback I have been getting is allowing me to be more creative with the choices I make. At first, I did not know how my first story would be received, but now I feel more confident in my writing. 

Week 8 Reading and Writing

(The Fast and the Furious, Vin Diesel and Paul Walker: BagoGames, Flickr)

I feel as though the reading and writing assignments are helping me be more creative in my own writing as well as other areas of my life. My favorite reading has been The Iliad because it was a story I already knew and loved from the movie Troy. Being able to see the story from a written perspective was a cool experience for me. It also gave me numerous options for my retelling because there are so many good parts of the story that can be altered for new versions. My reading notes have been helping me mostly by basically deciding which part of the story I'm going to retell. While I'm writing the notes, I realize that a certain part would be perfect for my writing style and I choose it to retell. So far, I am happy with how my portfolio is turning out. It flows smoothly and the color schemes I am using work nicely for it. I think my story, "You Never Had Me", has been my biggest accomplishment in my writing because it was the first time in a long time that I actually had fun writing something. This story was extremely fun tow write and I feel like it turned out pretty good.

I chose the image of Paul Walker and Vin Diesel because it is a reminded of my story, "You Never Had Me." This was by far the most fun I have had with writing so I wanted to include this image again.

In the future of this class, I think I would want to make my stories a little longer. I feel like I would get more out of this because some of my stories are ended abruptly or have potential to keep going. I will try to make my future stories longer if I believe it will make them better overall. 

Week 7 Story: Step Brothers 2

(Will Ferrell 2012: Wikimedia Commons)

UPDATED VERSION ON MY PORTFOLIO: STEP BROTHERS 2

On this episode of VH1’s Behind the Music, we look at the fall and rise of one of the most influential bands in history: Prestige Worldwide. To understand what happened between this legendary duo, we must first go back and look at how it all started.

The lead singer, Brennan Huff, came from humble beginnings. Growing up without a father was tough for Brennan, some will say it was even harder on Brennan’s older brother Derek though. After their parent’s divorce, there was a divide created between Brennan and Derek which stemmed from Derek being jealous of Brennan’s amazing singing voice. However, being the older brother, Derek would discourage Brennan from singing and ruined his self-esteem. It took Brennan his whole life to muster up the courage to perform in front of a live audience, and at the young age of 43 he showed the world his talents with his album The Brennan Huff Experiment.

If you were to ask anyone who the best drummer in the world is, it would be hard to find someone who didn’t say Dale Doback. While his father was busy with his medical practice, young Dale would be furiously beating on his drum set and perfecting his craft. Since Dale had no siblings, he grew attached to his drums because they were the only thing that could make him happy. This attachment caused him to be very territorial with his equipment and has even shown aggression. Dale’s first big break came when Nickelback’s drummer got the flu before a concert and Dale told them he could play the drums. Dale’s success was almost overshadowed when he punched the lead singer of Nickelback, Chad Kroeger, in the face after he attempted to pick up Dale’s drumstick which he had dropped. Although Dale never got to work with Nickelback again, he made a name for himself and the rest is history.

Brennan and Dale were both aware of each other’s musical talents, but they had never met or had the desire to collaborate on anything. This changed when Brennan’s mother and Dale’s father matched each other on Tinder. In two short weeks after the first message, they were saying “I do.” Adam Sandler was supposed to be the wedding singer, but he had a family emergency at the last minute. This is where the music industry changed forever. Brennan and Dale decided to play some songs for the wedding because they didn’t want anything to go wrong on their parents’ special day. They played an improvised song, but that song ended up as the number single in the world for six months straight.

Tune in next week to see where it all went downhill for Prestige Worldwide.  

Author's Note: The original story that this retelling is based on is from the Japanese Mythology unit. More specially, the section, The Fortunate Fish-Hook, is the source material behind this retelling. In this story, we meet two brothers who are descendants of Japanese gods. One of the brothers is a talented hunter who was famous for killing all kinds of animals. The other brother is a talented fisherman who was famous for being able to catch anything in the sea. One day, the brothers decide to switch roles and swap the tools they use. The hunter gave his bow and arrows to his brother while the fisherman gave him his magic fish-hook. The hunter ends up losing the magic fish-hook, and the fisherman gets really upset with him. My version replaces the brothers with characters from the movie Stepbrothers. I show how one of them is a talented singer, while the other is a talented drummer. I go more in depth on the talents the brothers have. Also, I make them step brothers instead of blood brothers. I am also planning on continuing this story in my portfolio and showing how one of the brothers attempts to switch roles like in the original, but the other brother is very against it.

Bibliography: Japanese Mythology by E. W. Champney and F. Champney (1917).

Reading Notes: Japanese Mythology, Part B

(Yamato Takeru at 16: Wikimedia Commons)

It’s interesting how Yamato got bored of his wife because he didn’t have to save her from trouble or anything. This kind of reminded me of Mario and Peach and I could maybe retell this story and incorporate those video game characters.

It’s crazy how fast Yamato was willing to risk his life for Benten. He didn’t even hesitate when she told him he would have to face death to win her love. I could incorporate this immense love that Yamato has for her in my version.

I feel bad for Tacibana because she has no idea that Yamato is trying to leave her for someone else.

The part where Yamato’s horse gets impaled by the boar and looks up at him while dying is extremely emotional. I will most likely not include this part since my stories tend to be lighter.

Tacibana nearly sacrificing herself for Yamato is touching, but heart-breaking because she loves him so much and still does not know the truth. This scene with all the fire is very memorable.

I feel as though Tacibana knows what Yamato is up to deep down, but she doesn’t want to admit it and confront. The situation she is in is honestly really sad.

It is fitting that Yamato loses the Sacred Sword after leaving Tacibana to pursue Benten.

I don’t really like how easy it was for Yamato to kill the Magic Deer.

It’s nice how Yamato came to his senses and realizes that Tacibana is his true love.

Once again, I don’t like how easy it was for Yamato to win against the dragon.

Tacibana is probably one of the most selfless and forgiving characters in any story I have read. Even though she knew Yamato cheated on her, she was still willing to sacrifice herself for him.

It is like a horror movie when Amaterasu comes down and kills the Emperor because she is angry.

Honestly, the last three sections really didn’t interest and weren’t all that memorable in my opinion. I will most likely retell other parts of this unit.  

Bibliography: Japanese Mythology by E. W. Champney and F. Champney (1917).

Reading Notes: Japanese Mythology, Part A

(The Great Wave at Kanagawa, Carved by Hokusai: Wikipedia)

I think it’s interesting the way this story told its version of the creation of the world essentially.

It is funny how Izanagi and Izanami introduced themselves to each other twice since Izanagi wanted to be the one that said hi first.

So far, this is an interesting story of creation.

Izanagi leading Amaterasu to the summit of the mountain is kind of like The Lion King.

I love the contrast between Amaterasu and Susa-no-wo.

It is messed up how Izanami was turned on by her own children. However, it is interesting how she gave birth to the God of Fire and then the God of Water to stop the God of Fire from doing harm.

The scene where Izanagi is trying to rescue Izanami is sad because basically both of them know that he can’t save her, but he loves her so much that he is willing to risk his life for her.

I am curious as to why Susa-no-wo attacked Amaterasu because it doesn’t really explain why. I will be clearer in my retelling.

I like how Susa-no-wo used alcohol to defeat the dragon. Also, it is interesting how he did this to get a wife.

I found it kind of funny how Ninigi got to have both daughters of Oho-yama, but told Princess Long-as-the-Rocks to just go back home.

I like the characters of Ho-wori and Ho-deri a lot so I might just retell their part of the story.

It is awesome how they got all the fish out of the sea to question them if they had seen the fish hook.

Overall, the wording, even when read out loud, is making it hard for me to read this story. In my retelling, I will write to where it flows more smoothly so that the reader can enjoy it better. 

Bibliography: Japanese Mythology by E. W. Champney and F. Champney (1917).

Week 6 Story: Survivor Season 36: Castaway

(Survivor Bermuda Logo: Wikimedia Commons)

“Welcome back to Survivor Season 36. I am your host, Captain Jack Sparrow, and we are down to our final three contestants. We have been through several challenges and only the strongest have survived. First, we have Jack Dawson, a starving artist from Wisconsin who was one of the survivors of the infamous Titanic wreck. Next, we have Chuck “Wilson” Noland, a systems manager and high school volleyball coach from Memphis, Tennessee. Last, but not least, we have Sindbad, a sailor from Baghdad, Iraq. For all of you new viewers joining us this week, let me run over how the show works. It is the same rules as previous seasons of Survivor, but with a twist. Instead of voting contestants off of the island, the contestant with the most votes against them are left stranded on whichever island we are currently on. Tonight, we will find out who will make it to the finale and who will be left stranded.”

Camera zooms in on Chuck and Jack privately discussing their votes for tonight

“I don’t know Jack, Sindbad is a nice guy and he’s my friend. I feel bad teaming up against him like this behind his back.”

“Chuck, it’s him or one of us. We have to stick together and vote for him. He’s already rich from his long run on Jeopardy!, it’s our time to shine.”

Sindbad is facing the camera for an interview

“I honestly don’t know who I’m voting for tonight. I have grown to like both of them throughout this experience. Chuck is a great guy, but he does tend to talk about volleyball way too much. Especially how superior Wilson volleyballs are to other brands. Jack is cool too, but he did almost lose our team the challenge in week two when we realized he wasn’t a strong swimmer. This is definitely going to be a tough decision.”

Camera is on Captain Jack Sparrow in the middle of the beach

“Who’s going to get stranded tonight and miss out on the chance to win one million dollars? Find out after these short messages.”

Commercial break

Author's Note: The original story that is the basic of this retelling is Sindbad's Second Voyage. In this voyage, the sailor Sindbad goes to various islands with a group of merchants. However, one day they end up on a nice island where Sindbad decides to relax and go to sleep. He wakes up and realizes that the ship has left and he is stranded on the island alone. Sindbad now has to find a way to get back home. Later on, Sindbad meets up with the ship that left him and finds out that is was an accident. I changed this story and turned in into the reality TV show Survivor. I included Jack Dawson from the movie Titanic, Chuck Noland from the movie Castaway, Captain Jack Sparrow from the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise. This retelling changes the way Sindbad was left on the island since it is now a competition on who will be left stranded. 

Bibliography: Sindbad: Second Voyage by Andrew Lang and illustrated by H. J. Ford (1898). 

Reading Notes: The Voyages of Sindbad, Part B

(Sindbad Plots Against the Giant by Maxfield Parrish: Wikimedia Commons)

I like how Sindbad just decides to build his own ship and travel even though he has gone through so many terrible experiences already.

Whenever their ship gets destroyed by the Rocs, I think it would be funny to see everyone freaking while Sindbad is calmly floating with his driftwood because he has been through this scenario plenty of times.

It was extremely weird reading the part about the old man that forces Sindbad to carry him around. However, it is actually a pretty funny scene which I could use in my retelling.

My favorite part so far of this entire unit is when they throw rocks at the monkeys because they know they will get mad and start throwing coconuts at them. I can just picture this happening and someone next to Sindbad saying, “Watch this,” as he throws the rocks at the monkeys.

Whenever Sindbad the crew get shipwrecked this time I would like to change it to where he is like on a phone or something while the captain and everyone else is freaking out. They see Sindbad on his phone playing a game or something and he just looks up and says that he’s bored and he’s been through more exciting adventures.

It would be funny if the people of Serendib prank Sindbad once they realize he’s harmless. They hear him speaking in Arabic to himself and they decide to pretend like they’re savages or something to scare him. They let this prank go on for awhile and then reward Sindbad with treasure for being a good sport.

It seems as though Sindbad really does not want to go back to see. I’ll change it to where he secretly does and puts up kind of a fight against the Caliph’s wishes. However, he’s secretly excited about going on another adventure.

Everything seems to go fine at first during the first few days. I would like to see Sindbad just constantly looking over his shoulder or something just waiting for something bad to happen since he’s so used to it now.

In my retelling, Sindbad will be relieved when he sees the pirates because it wouldn’t be a voyage for him without something terribly wrong happening. Sindbad will be like, “Oh no, pirates,” but say it in a tone to where you can tell he’s not scared.

I found it interesting how the elephants decided not to kill Sindbad. In fact, they showed him where an abundance of ivory was even though he had killed so many elephants.

Sindbad’s whole story kind of made me think of the movie “Groundhog Day” because he’s sort of reliving the same day over and over again, but with different adventures. I could possibly incorporate something like that into my version of the story. 

Bibliography: The Voyages of Sindbad by by Andrew Lang, illustrated by H. J. Ford (1898).

Reading Notes: The Voyages of Sindbad, Part A

(Sinbad's third voyage. Encounter with a man-eating giant: Wikipedia)

It is interesting to me how Sindbad was able to see that he was managing his money poorly because I feel like a lot of people do not realize that until it is way too late.

It’s crazy how everyone mistook a whale as an island. I think I could retell this part to have someone question the legitimacy of the island before a huge group of them get on it.

Sindbad being stranded in the ocean and luckily getting on shore to an island reminds me of the movie “Castaway.” I will probably have Tom Hanks as the main character in my retelling.

I think it would be funny if Sindbad had to something outrageous or tell a secret that was only between him and the captain before the captain believed it was him.

I like how Sindbad ended up better off getting thrown off the whale and landing on that island. In my retelling, I will talk more about the stuff that he bought when he got home and will include expensive items that are just unnecessary.

When Sindbad said he was bored, I imagined him doing really mundane activities and I found it comical for some reason because of his earlier story.

It would be funny if the merchants Sindbad was traveling with were pranking him when he thought they had left him. They are hiding and watching him freak out, but then he gets a ride from that huge bird and they realize that they made a terrible mistake.

The snakes around the diamonds made me think of Indiana Jones because of his travels and his fear of snakes. I could incorporate some aspects of those movies into my version of this story.

The way the merchants got diamonds by throwing meat so that the birds would get it is so bizarre, but I love every part of it.

Sindbad seems really calm when the bird is coming to pick him up. I will change this and have him thinking or saying stuff that will show how scared he is.

Once again, I love how he came out rich by going through some terrible events.

Although they were savages, I don’t like how easily the dwarfs took control over Sindbad and his fellow travelers. I think it would be better if the dwarfs thought they were stronger, but Sindbad and the rest of the crew easily handled them.

I will retell it as if Sindbad and the rest meant to land on the island with the giant on it without having any clue what was on the island.

It would be funny if Sindbad was like, “Don’t worry guys, I read this in the Odyssey,” and devised a plan like Odysseus to escape the giants.

It’s hilarious how he met up with the crew of his second voyage which had left him stranded. It would be funny if Sindbad had acknowledged that this had happened to him before.

This part took an unexpected turn and I did not think Sindbad was going to kill people for their provisions. I will probably try to retell this in a lighter way.

Bibliography: The Voyages of Sindbad by by Andrew Lang, illustrated by H. J. Ford (1898).