I feel like it took me a while to get into the swing of things. Now sitting here at week 15 I can say I finally got it. Of course it is over now though... *sigh* Oh well. Some weeks, I couldn't be paid to write. I did it but very unwillingly. Then there were some weeks I had to make myself stop writing. I have some stories that I really like. I have been thinking of taking a couple of them and making them longer. I want them to be full stories with complex characters. It might be something I do over Christmas break. I usually read but writing my own doesn't sound too bad.
At first I thought a blog would be dreadful. I wanted nothing to do with it. When I look back at it now, I'm somewhat glad that I did it. It is a new skill and something different. I actually did some work for this class driving in the car and waiting in the airport. I liked how easy it was.
This class made me use my creativity. Taking math and science classes hinders my creative side from coming out. It makes me, someone who spends 90% of her time day dreaming, needs a creative outlet. I liked reading other people's work. It allowed me to change mine and make it better.
I really liked the constructive criticism that was given on each of my portfolio stories. Even when I would read my own stories there were still things I wouldn't catch. I tried to use the critiques in my future writings but once again they escaped me.
Monday, December 7, 2015
FInal Last Words: Week 15
I'm beyond excited to say that I will be in Miami Florida for the playoff game! I can't wait to spend my New Years where it is warm. I hate being cold. Like seriously, I hate it.
I just got back from Chi-Town. My wonderful boyfriend surprised me with the trip. We flew out Friday. He took me on a tour of his home town before showing me the city. We caught the train from his hometown to the city and it was all fun from there. I went to the Willis Tower were we stood on a glass platform over the city.
After that we headed the most beautiful Macy's I have ever seen in my life. I could've lived there if he wasn't pulling me through the store. Obviously had to go see the Bean. Next we went to a german market place that is very popular. Alex hailed a cab and we were off to the Lincoln Park Zoo to see the animals and the Christmas lights. My day is still not over. His parents picked us up from the zoo to take us to the Greek town in Chicago. We ate delicious Greek food. Finally we ended our day with a tour of the city in the car. His parents made sure I had a wonderful time, which I did.
It is safe to say that I have an amazing boyfriend. He spent the entire trip making sure that I saw everything and that I was happy. He went over and beyond what he should have. He hates when I do things for him but then he does that!
The trip had to end but I think I have a new favorite place!
I just got back from Chi-Town. My wonderful boyfriend surprised me with the trip. We flew out Friday. He took me on a tour of his home town before showing me the city. We caught the train from his hometown to the city and it was all fun from there. I went to the Willis Tower were we stood on a glass platform over the city.
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| The SkyDeck from the top of the Willis Tower. Source: Personal Photo |
After that we headed the most beautiful Macy's I have ever seen in my life. I could've lived there if he wasn't pulling me through the store. Obviously had to go see the Bean. Next we went to a german market place that is very popular. Alex hailed a cab and we were off to the Lincoln Park Zoo to see the animals and the Christmas lights. My day is still not over. His parents picked us up from the zoo to take us to the Greek town in Chicago. We ate delicious Greek food. Finally we ended our day with a tour of the city in the car. His parents made sure I had a wonderful time, which I did.
It is safe to say that I have an amazing boyfriend. He spent the entire trip making sure that I saw everything and that I was happy. He went over and beyond what he should have. He hates when I do things for him but then he does that!
The trip had to end but I think I have a new favorite place!
Wednesday, December 2, 2015
Extra Reaidng Week 14: Brothers Grimm
The Elves
A shoemaker was so very poor. He was only able to make one more pair of shoes with the leather that he had left. He began on the shoes one night and left them to be finished in the morning after he was well rested. When he awoke, his shoes had been finished. They were absolutely perfect as if he had made them himself. A customer had stopped in the store and demanded he buy the shoes for more than what they would have been priced.
The amount of money that he received allowed him to buy enough leather to make 2 more pairs of shoes. He began making the shoes like the first and went to sleep to finish them in the morning. Like the first time the shoes were finished. This time a costumer came and paid him enough money to buy enough leather to make four pairs of shoes. This process continued everyday until he was wealthy and self supporting man.
When it was time for Christmas the man and the wife decided to stay awake at night and see who is finishing his shoes. His wife lit a candle at his work space. At midnight, two tiny naked men ran out and began working so quickly the shoemaker watched in amazement. As soon as they were done they ran out of the house quickly. The man and his wife were so grateful for their little men that they decided to show their appreciation by making the little men clothes of their own.
The shoemaker and his wife stayed up at night to see what the little men would do with their gifts. At first the little men were confused why there were tiny clothes but then became excited. They danced, sang and put on their new clothes. They never returned after that night but the shoemaker continued to keep making shoes and remained wealthy.
A shoemaker was so very poor. He was only able to make one more pair of shoes with the leather that he had left. He began on the shoes one night and left them to be finished in the morning after he was well rested. When he awoke, his shoes had been finished. They were absolutely perfect as if he had made them himself. A customer had stopped in the store and demanded he buy the shoes for more than what they would have been priced.
The amount of money that he received allowed him to buy enough leather to make 2 more pairs of shoes. He began making the shoes like the first and went to sleep to finish them in the morning. Like the first time the shoes were finished. This time a costumer came and paid him enough money to buy enough leather to make four pairs of shoes. This process continued everyday until he was wealthy and self supporting man.
When it was time for Christmas the man and the wife decided to stay awake at night and see who is finishing his shoes. His wife lit a candle at his work space. At midnight, two tiny naked men ran out and began working so quickly the shoemaker watched in amazement. As soon as they were done they ran out of the house quickly. The man and his wife were so grateful for their little men that they decided to show their appreciation by making the little men clothes of their own.
The shoemaker and his wife stayed up at night to see what the little men would do with their gifts. At first the little men were confused why there were tiny clothes but then became excited. They danced, sang and put on their new clothes. They never returned after that night but the shoemaker continued to keep making shoes and remained wealthy.
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| A pair of leather shoes. Source. |
Storytelling Week 14: A Jealous Queen
I am a queen of a country
I am a wife of the king and man I love.
Most importantly, I am the mother of my son the prince.
There is no greater love than the love I have for my son. I will do anything for him no matter the cost. I have killed many people who are a threat to him. He of course doesn't know why they died. He is too kind hearted and would resent me. I just want to protect him and his ascent to the throne. I am the only woman in his life. Which is how I want it stay for a little longer.
I woke up the next to find my son to eat breakfast with like I do every morning. The dining was empty except for our servants. They informed me that my son has set off on a journey to find a princess to marry. I'm enraged with the news. I search for the king to find out if he approved of this.
I wait for months for my sons return. Nothing can make me happy until, I hear the castle door open and my son walks in looking as sad as I look.
"My son!" the queens exclaims. The queen is immediately concerned for her son's sadness.
"I never found a princess mother." her son says. "She can't just be any princess, she has to be a true princess."
I am ecstatic my son journey was failed. I'll keep him busy with other things we can do together, the queen thinks.
My son and I are constantly going on trips and bonding when one day, a storm came. The entire castle was boarded up. As the door was being boarded there a was a knock. The king ran to the door worried who could be there in this outrageous storm.
Behind the door was princess. The poor girl was soaked from head to toe. The prince jumped up and showed her the best hospitality.
This can't be happening, the queen thinks. I can't trust some girl that claims to be a princess that shows up on my door step for my son. I can already see the look of love in my sons eye. I can feel my heart breaking. I must do something. I'll have to prove that she is a true princess. I will not allow my son another woman in his life is she is a fraud!
I slip away from my family as they sit around getting to know the mystery princess. Princesses have to be very sensitive. It's an important part of being a princess. I think I will put a pea under her mattress but I will put 20 more mattresses on top of it. Surely she won't feel that.
The next morning at breakfast, I notice the princesses appearance. She looks awful.
"How did you sleep?" I ask the princess.
"Horribly, there was something under my mattress." the princess responds.
It was at that moment the queen's heart broke for she knew her son was going to marry that princess. She is a true princess.
Author's Note:
I decided to rewrite the Princess and the Pea but from the queen's point of view. I just wanted this story to have a main character. I thought it needed something more. I thought a jealous mother would be a good reason. She wants to get rid of the princess but not just because she doesn't know her status but because she doesn't want another woman in her son's life. I was somewhat inspired to write this one based off of a show that I have been watching called Reign. It is about a mother and queen who doesn't want her son to marry a certain queen. I think a mother's love can be extreme. I haven't done a rewrite in awhile and really enjoyed it!
Bibliography:
Fairy Tales and Stories by Hans Christian Andersen, translated by H. P. Paull (1872).
I am a wife of the king and man I love.
Most importantly, I am the mother of my son the prince.
There is no greater love than the love I have for my son. I will do anything for him no matter the cost. I have killed many people who are a threat to him. He of course doesn't know why they died. He is too kind hearted and would resent me. I just want to protect him and his ascent to the throne. I am the only woman in his life. Which is how I want it stay for a little longer.
I woke up the next to find my son to eat breakfast with like I do every morning. The dining was empty except for our servants. They informed me that my son has set off on a journey to find a princess to marry. I'm enraged with the news. I search for the king to find out if he approved of this.
I wait for months for my sons return. Nothing can make me happy until, I hear the castle door open and my son walks in looking as sad as I look.
"My son!" the queens exclaims. The queen is immediately concerned for her son's sadness.
"I never found a princess mother." her son says. "She can't just be any princess, she has to be a true princess."
I am ecstatic my son journey was failed. I'll keep him busy with other things we can do together, the queen thinks.
My son and I are constantly going on trips and bonding when one day, a storm came. The entire castle was boarded up. As the door was being boarded there a was a knock. The king ran to the door worried who could be there in this outrageous storm.
Behind the door was princess. The poor girl was soaked from head to toe. The prince jumped up and showed her the best hospitality.
This can't be happening, the queen thinks. I can't trust some girl that claims to be a princess that shows up on my door step for my son. I can already see the look of love in my sons eye. I can feel my heart breaking. I must do something. I'll have to prove that she is a true princess. I will not allow my son another woman in his life is she is a fraud!
I slip away from my family as they sit around getting to know the mystery princess. Princesses have to be very sensitive. It's an important part of being a princess. I think I will put a pea under her mattress but I will put 20 more mattresses on top of it. Surely she won't feel that.
The next morning at breakfast, I notice the princesses appearance. She looks awful.
"How did you sleep?" I ask the princess.
"Horribly, there was something under my mattress." the princess responds.
It was at that moment the queen's heart broke for she knew her son was going to marry that princess. She is a true princess.
 |
| The Princess and the Pea. Source. |
Author's Note:
I decided to rewrite the Princess and the Pea but from the queen's point of view. I just wanted this story to have a main character. I thought it needed something more. I thought a jealous mother would be a good reason. She wants to get rid of the princess but not just because she doesn't know her status but because she doesn't want another woman in her son's life. I was somewhat inspired to write this one based off of a show that I have been watching called Reign. It is about a mother and queen who doesn't want her son to marry a certain queen. I think a mother's love can be extreme. I haven't done a rewrite in awhile and really enjoyed it!
Bibliography:
Fairy Tales and Stories by Hans Christian Andersen, translated by H. P. Paull (1872).
Tuesday, December 1, 2015
Reading Diary B: Russian Folktales
The Coffin Lid
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| A coffin. Source |
- Moujik= a Russian peasant.
- On the job delivering pots
- Rode through a graveyard
- Stopped in graveyard to feed horse and sleep
- Couldn't sleep for an unknown reason
- A grave open with a corpse holding a coffin lid
- The corpse took the lid and laid it in the church
- The moujik took the lid when the corpse left
- As moujik was about to leave the corpse appeared
- The corpse begged for the door
- The moujik wouldn't give it back until the corpse admitted to what he had been doing when he left.
- The corpse admits to killing people in the village
- The corpse was wrapped in a shroud.
- The moujik wanted to bring the people back to life
- To bring them back to life he need some of the corpse's shroud.
- He would also need to burn coals with the shroud in a pot and shut the door
- The smoke would revive their lives
- The corpse took his lid and retuned back to the grave as the sun was beginning to rise
- The entire coffin lid wasn't covered when the grave closed up
- During the day the moujik went to the village to bring the boys back to life
- The village arrested the moujik under suspicion of him killing the boys
- The moujik explained what happened and what grave to go to
- The villagers put a stake through the heart of the corpse to ensure he never rise again
- The moujik was rewarded greatly and no longer poor
Monday, November 30, 2015
Reading Diary A: Hans Christian Andersen
The Princess and the Pea
A Prince needed a Princess. The Princess couldn't be just any princess she had to be a true Princess. He scoured the land in search of her until he gave up and returned home sad. When the Prince had lost all hope, a huge storm hit the castle. During the storm there was a knock on the castle door. The knock came from a real Princess. The poor girl was completely soaked from head to toe.
The Queen did not like the thought of the Princess being there. The Queen went to the bedroom and stuck a pea under the mattress. She put twenty more mattresses on top of that one. The Princess had slept terribly. She woke up covered in bruises from sleeping on something so hard.
It was that moment, that everyone knew she was a real Princess. Only Princesses would be sensitive enough to feel something so small though so many mattresses. The Prince married the Princess. They put the pea on display in a museum.
A Prince needed a Princess. The Princess couldn't be just any princess she had to be a true Princess. He scoured the land in search of her until he gave up and returned home sad. When the Prince had lost all hope, a huge storm hit the castle. During the storm there was a knock on the castle door. The knock came from a real Princess. The poor girl was completely soaked from head to toe.
The Queen did not like the thought of the Princess being there. The Queen went to the bedroom and stuck a pea under the mattress. She put twenty more mattresses on top of that one. The Princess had slept terribly. She woke up covered in bruises from sleeping on something so hard.
It was that moment, that everyone knew she was a real Princess. Only Princesses would be sensitive enough to feel something so small though so many mattresses. The Prince married the Princess. They put the pea on display in a museum.
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| Peas in a pod. Source. |
Thursday, November 19, 2015
Extra Reading: Russian Folktales
Two Dead Corpses
A soldier was able to go home on leave. He went home to pray to the holy spirits and in remembrance of his parents. It was dark on his way home as he walked past a graveyard. Suddenly someone was running behind him scream that "he can't escape." The person running was actually a corpse. The soldier jump and saw a church. He made his way to the church for help.
The church was empty except for the corpse in the middle of it. The soldier decided to hide in the corner and wait. As he sat there, the first corpse ran into the church. The second woke up when the first one entered. The first one told the second that he was going to eat the solider that he had chased into the church. The two corpses argued about who would get to eat him. They fought until the sun came up. When the light had shone in the church the two corpses fell to the ground dead. The soldier praised God that he was able to escape with his life.
A soldier was able to go home on leave. He went home to pray to the holy spirits and in remembrance of his parents. It was dark on his way home as he walked past a graveyard. Suddenly someone was running behind him scream that "he can't escape." The person running was actually a corpse. The soldier jump and saw a church. He made his way to the church for help.
The church was empty except for the corpse in the middle of it. The soldier decided to hide in the corner and wait. As he sat there, the first corpse ran into the church. The second woke up when the first one entered. The first one told the second that he was going to eat the solider that he had chased into the church. The two corpses argued about who would get to eat him. They fought until the sun came up. When the light had shone in the church the two corpses fell to the ground dead. The soldier praised God that he was able to escape with his life.
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| A small church I imagined for this story. Source |
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