Week 1 Famous Last Words

There was once a time when I was a fairly talented writer. I used to write stories about monsters and crazy adventures. There was insight, depth, and voice. Unfortunately, my moderately good writing skills have disappeared since I began college.  All of my writing these days consists of logical assessments and arguments; everything is about something serious and only gives the facts. So as much as I try to be creative with my writing, my creativity has left me.

            This week I did try some creative writing on my own. I am not quite sure if it was a success or not, though. I know that for next week I am going to try adding more details to my stories. It is the details that really brings the story to life and give meaning to the story, which is something I seem to have trouble with. You see, I feel as though I am trapped inside of a box – think cardboard – and some influence in my life (society, peers, culture, subconscious, whatever) is telling me that I am not allowed to climb out of the box and into the gargantuan creativity ocean that surrounds it.

            I most certainly read excellent writings by my fellow classmates. It is all about those details and escaping that box. The frequent amounts of detail, and little deviation from the original story, are things that I am definitely going to try and apply to my writings in the future.

            All of my classes have this one crazy connection… they all want me to read a sufficient amount. One of my other professors actually believes his class on emotions (which he has yet to talk about) is going to change the world. If any of us could figure out what he is talking about, and if he could follow one solid train of thought, it might be able to improve upon certain aspects of life.  He also treats his class like it’s the center of the universe and that no other class exists. As if all of his students are only taking his class, and his class alone. Other than my Nutty Professor, all of my other classes are excellent (including this one).

            As much as I would love to tell all of you about my very thrilling personal life (sarcasm intended), I believe that I will keep that a secret… at least or now.  Ta Ta for now!

Sunset
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Week 1 Introduction: It's Jess!!

It seems as though every time I introduce myself to people they quote the theme song from TV show "New Girl," so for all intense in purposes I am Jess.

Well I am now into my senior year at OU and will be graduating May 2015. I am a Communication major and I am from Houston, Texas. What else is there really? I could tell you about my not so great summer internship or what my favorite color is (it’s blue, by the way) or I could tell you more about who I actually am and the things I want to accomplish.

I am a person who likes to make lists, whether it is of the groceries I need, the reading and assignments I have to do, the places I want to eat, or the places I want to see before I kick the bucket (or graduate). So here I have decided to tell you some of my lists.

Travel. It has always been my dream, nay goal, to travel all around the world. I always said that I want to go to at least every continent, and yes that includes Antarctica. But there are so many other countries I want to visit than just one per continent, so here is my list of countries I would like to one day visit: Canada, Peru, Russia, Italy (again), Greece, Spain, England, Germany, Ireland, France, Egypt, Israel, Japan, South Africa, Brazil, Antarctica, Australia, Costa Rica, and New Zealand.

Music. I love almost every type of music out there, all except for screamo. I like my traditional hip-hops and pops, as well as my Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin classics. Queen, Billy Joel, and Led Zeppelin are all great too. I even love classical music by Bach and Beethoven. However, several of my friends say that I have a very unique type of music as well, so here is my list of great bands/artists that are not up there with the rest: High Highs, Youngblood Hawke, Iron and Wine, Marble Sounds, Noah and the Whale, Fiest, Middle East, Freelance Whales, Bahamas, The Lumineers, Great Lake Swimmers, The Perishers, Two Door Cinema Club, The Civil Wars, and The Weepies.

That’s just a little bit about me. I’m funny and smart but I don’t always fit into the conventional box of what one would think based on their first appearance of me. I am who I am, and I is who I is.

Shel Silverstein Poem
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Week 1 Storybook Favorites: Which Grab My Attention

The Storybooks that really grabbed my attention were the ones that gave a modern twist on these stories. They incorporated what real people do or watch in today's world - therapy, diaries, television.

Cases of Petunia Tabernacle. This was the first that really grabbed my attention and made me smile. I actually laughed in class because the idea was so ridiculously hilarious that it was perfect! This storybook is a therapists discussing her cases on her patient's. Now I was reluctant to look at this storybook at first because I was very unsure what it was about because the title was a little obscure. I might have named is "Case Files of" or "Patient's of" or something that made it sound more like she was discussing her patients. The introduction was fantastic and it really explained a lot. It was because of the introduction that I was able to figure out what was meant by the title. I thought the layout was pretty well designed as well. Simple but the pictures and the writing make it stand out.

The Prince Diaries. This idea was great. I liked the idea of doing it from the princes' perspective because every princess story and rom-com is from the perspective of the girl, which gives us girls poor insight into what the guys are actually thinking. The introduction was fantastic. Very well written and gave a lot of information and insight. The design for this storybook was a little dark and boring. They really could have done a lot more with it to make it pop, but it was just dark contrasted colors. I think I would have done a layered formate and have the bottom layer some sort of tree or forrest patter to give it a three dimensional effect.

E! True Hollywood Story: Women of the Bible. This is fantastic! The idea is great because the E! True Hollywood Stories give so much depth and detail and are romanticized and dramatic versions of the persons life. It's a fun twist on the hardships of the women in the Bible that gives it a little bit of humor. The design of the storybook could have a bit more glamour to it though. Hollywood is very glamour and dramatic and I feel as though that's the way the Storybook should be set up as well.


Going through all of the Storybooks was a lot to digest but really got my brain turning. So here are my ideas for what I am thinking for my Storybook: pen pal, Aesob zoo, Reality TV series account from some of the characters (like the video logs people make on MTV shows), reality Tv show log from each person every few days, account from a friend or family member, stalkers perspective,

Week 1 Un-Textbook: My Choices

These were all the choices that stood out most to me as I went through the Un-Textbook list. Weeks 11-14 are the largest groups I have chosen from. They are filled with the storied I have heard as a child.

Gospel of Mark.
The book of Mark has always been a good once since it covers many of the stages of Jesus' life. Since Mark was one of Jesus' followers, it gives an in depth approach to Jesus' life

Bible Women.
I rather like this one because it is about all of the strong women in the bible. The women who were not necessarily perfect but stood up for what they believed in,  even if there was a possibility of horrible consequences.  

Brer Rabbit
These were stories I heard growing up. It is also a Disney movie that is banned in the US called Song of the South. It is a great story with a great lesson in the end. 
Marriage Tales
This might be the tales I am most excited about. Coming from a large family, women sitting around talking about their marriages and the dumb things that happen is very common. Then they tell me for a warning. I already enjoy these. 
Grimm (Ashliman), Grimm (Crane), Grimm (Hunt)
I am going to group all of the Grimm stories together because they are just that great. As much as I love the Disney version of all these stories, I think the Brother's Grimm version give a more gruesome and grotesque take on life. 
Russian Folktales
I once read a book that was Russian fairy tale by Orson Scott Card and it was fantastic. These seem to be very very similar. 




This is a list of all the groupings that I am wanting to read. I have included it in this list because there were too many that caught my eye that I could not choose a few. I have also included it for my use, so I can refer to it later.

Weeks 2 and 3

Gospel of Mark. 

Bible Women.

Jewish Fairy Tales

Weeks 4 and 5

Ancient Egypt

Turkish Fairy Tales

Arabian Nights

Persian Fairy Tales

Indian Fairy Tales

Weeks 6 and 7

Chinese Fairy Tales

Nigerian Folktales

Brer Rabbit

More Brer Rabbit

Weeks 9 and 10

Marriage Tales

Tejas Stories

Eskimo Folktales

Weeks 11 and 12

Nursery Rhymes

More English Fairy Tales

More Celtic Fairy Tales

Welsh Tales (Emerson)

Weeks 13 and 14

Grimm (Ashliman)

Grimm (Crane)

Grimm (Hunt)

Fairy Tales 1 (Lang)

Italian Fairy Tales

Russian Folktales

Week 1 Storytelling: The Princess and the Pathway

The Princess and the Pathway

There once was a Princess who never left her castle. When she was very young her father, the King, told her that she should never leave the castle and made sure that she never did. Although she questioned the Kings warnings, the Princess never need to leave the castle because her father always provided her with toys, candy, and entertainment. She had everything her heart desired, except for seeing what lied beyond the castles walls.

One day, as she was prancing around the castle, she heard a noise coming from outside one of the windows and realized that it was children giggling. The Princess, intrigued by the overwhelming laughter, decided to climb out the window and onto a nearby breach so as to see what was causing all the giggling. As the Princess crawled along the tree branch she saw a group of children her age huddled in a circle, but she still could not see what had caused such loud laughter. So she decided to climb down the tree to the ground below so as to get a better look.

Now the Princess realized that she was outside of the castle walls and became wide eyed by this when she finally reached the ground. As she began to walk over toward the group, the children suddenly became aware of her nearing presence and gazed at the Princess in awe.

“Oh Wow!” exclaimed one of the children, “the Princess!”

“She’s the prettiest girl in all the land!” said another.

“But of course I ---“ began the Princess.

But because of her fixation the Princess was unaware she was standing in the middle of a pathway where a fast moving merchant in a cart was headed toward her. She was quickly hit by the cart, causing her to suffer a sever head injury and never to be the same Princess again.

Young/Adult Disney Princess
by jesuslover22 

Author's Note.

"The Tortoise and the Ducks" is about a Tortoise who wants to see all the world like all of the other animals but is not able to because his house in on his back and because he is slow and cannot move far. He told two Ducks about his problems and the Ducks told him that they could show him the world if he held onto a stick with his mouth while they held onto either end with theirs. They warned him that he should not move his mouth, but when he was complimented by a Crow the Tortoises vanity got the best of him and he opened his mouth causing him to fall to his death.

Bibliography.
Story: "The Tortoise and the Ducks"
Author: Aesop
Book: The Aesop for Children, with pictures by Milo Winter
Year Published: 2006
Web Source: The Project Gutenberg EBook 

Week 1: Oh the Places... My Favorite Places

A favorite place is generally somewhere that has meaning to you. It calls you, pulls you in. It is because of this very reason that I have chosen two locations.

New Orleans, Louisiana. While the majority of people think of loose morals, partying, and football, New Orleans brings a whole other meaning to me. Nola (as the locals call it) is my second home. It's the center of all my family gatherings, and why shouldn't it be? Nola is gorgeous! It's the place of a million stories and a million places to see.

New Orleans French Quarter Architecture
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You could live in New Orleans all your life and still never see everything. But the food is definitely a can't miss if you do go to visit. 

The Gumbo Shop
Menu

Texas. While my home is Houston, I am 100% Texan. My family has been living in Texas for centuries and I am blessed to be the fifth generation of that lineage. Texas has it all! From the plains in Dallas, to the marshes in Houston, down to the beaches in South Padre, the mountains in Alpine, and the deserts in Big Bend. There's nothing else like this great state, why else would so many people put their nationality as Texan on their census?

Texas State Flag
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