Epics of India

Figure 1:  Mandela Effect  Vimeo I have read the story of the patient bull before, and this version is very different from the version I prefer, although I can still tell that they are the same "story" particularly from several identical lines that both stories share. In the version that I read in my childhood, the fairy is replaced with an owl, and the bull lets the monkey mess with him to build his own patience. I feel like retelling that version that I learned as a child. Although, I could be misremembering.  Twenty Jataka Tales  Inayat

Figure 1:  Bad Dog  Pixabay I enjoyed the story of the guilty dogs. I'm surprised that I actually like the plot so much, I usually find the plots of most stories to be recycled, but this one actually felt original. Ironic, considering where it comes from. I already have the characters that I want to use ready, so I'll use them. I can also use this as an opportunity to describe something that I've always wanted to try writing, 4 dimensional geometry.  Twenty Jataka Tales  Inayat

Figure 1:   LQR Diagram  ReasearchGate This article generally confirms what I know about sleep. Sleep is necessary for proper function in all regards, and the statistics essentially confirm this. I don't really have much to add other than knowing that sleep is needed doesn't help me fall asleep. I still lay in bed thinking about LQR control algorithms, a particularly difficult engineering project that kept me awake constantly last semester. Moral of the story kids, making a quad-copter do sick stunts on its own is not worth perpetual insomnia.  An Underappreciated Key to College Success: Sleep

Figure 1:  Stress Element  Wikimedia I was quite surprised by how much I agreed with the idea that art is a useful way to deal with stress. I've done it a few times, one of my story images was written while waiting for epoxy to cure during an incredibly stressful. Another time was immediately at the start of spring break, I took up violin again and found it to be quite cathartic. I'm actually quite surprised how much I agreed with the article. Make Good Art

The mobile canvas app is relatively usable on a smartphone. At the very least, it is more functional than the mobile D2L app. I think that the mobile canvas app is more useful than the desktop one to be honest, particularly because its so much easier to view grades, which appear on the dashboard. Navigation is very similar to desktop navigation, but the buttons are resized well for phone use. I have honestly never had a problem with this app. Overall, get this app. Its really useful.

Figure 1:  Duryodhana Fights Bhima Wikimedia The section of this reading that I found most interesting was the war. No surprise there, all of my stories have been about conflict and fighting. I particularly like how he starts by describing it with a battle that everyone is familiar with, the siege of Troy in the Illiad. Perhaps I will have an old warrior recounting his fight in this story. There is another story I want to tell. The reason that all of my stories are combat and humor based is because they are essentially practice pieces for a novel I want to write that is very humor and combat focused. However, there is another element to this novel; characters that I call the scarring ones, manifestations of evil and hatred in the world and in ourselves. Duryodhana would make a perfect subject for the template of a scarring one. I especially feel like he doesn't do enough fighting in the Mahabharata, so this would be my way of giving him something to do. Pandava Brothers ...

Figure 1:  Tamil Woman Wikimedia Less technologically advanced ancient Tamil may have been the basis for the monkeys in the Ramayana according to Gould. I want to start by focusing on the writing style. This book is written like a history account, and if there was anything that I would want to take away it would be that. Perhaps I'll try writing an "ancient history" for some present characters. That could certainly be interesting. Aside from this, the most interesting thing was the characterization of Bhima as destructive and cruel. This makes the general conflict much more understandable and realistic. However, I do wish some of the supernatural elements of the story were eliminated like in the Divine Archer, which was apologetically written from the perspective of a non Hindu individual, and had his own thoughts and perspective on the story. If anything, this story makes me miss that story. Pandava Brothers by Monro

Figure 1:  Aircraft Carrier  Wikipedia There was a remote village, next to a dark forest, where a terrible serpent once lived. 2 days walk east of that village was a riverside village, a terrible village where friendship did not exist. Everyone hated everyone else. No one worked together and everyone died alone. Arson was a daily occurrence, respect was nonexistent, and love was a foreign idea. A great lion passed through the town, and having walked for two straight days, sat down and began to fall asleep next to a teenage girl named Asax. “Geez, you don’t have to keep badgering me over this. I heard you the first time.” “Rawr?” “Look, I know I don’t have any friends, and I treat everyone I know like crap, but its fine ok? I can function fine on my own. Who even needs friends? They’re just a bother. I’m… I’m not lonely. It’s not a big deal ok? Well… maybe things would be easier if I had friends. And maybe I do want friends. But it’s not a big deal ok?...

Figure 1: Jataka Tales  Imgur The hawk and the osprey is a nice story about working together and the importance of bonds and relationships. I think that I would like to rewrite this section in more detail with entirely different characters, but keep the overall structure. Actually, I might just rewrite this section in the style of my first story.                                                                                                                                                                     Bibliography  Overview. Shedlock. Eastern Stories a...

Figure 1:  Jataka Tales  Imgur                                                                                               I would like to rewrite the story of the dreamer in the woods. I would like to reuse my character Jaka, and pair him with a divine being I designed named Mad Rock Ocean. Jaka is a little bit crazy and weird, but Rock Ocean is full on insane, and having them talk about philosophy and morals while Rock gives Jaka stupid gifts sounds amusing. However, I might hold off on that, since I've been using Jaka a lot recently.                                                          ...

Figure 1:  Jataka Tales  Wikimedia I’ve already adapted this story, but reading it gives me some other things to think about. The main difference in this story is that it has a heavier focus on dialogue, and the lion features even more prominently than before. He is also the incarnation of what is essentially a god. Perhaps I should refocus my writing efforts on dialogue.                                                                                                                                                                     Bibliography  Ove...

Figure 1: Jataka Tales  Wikipedia I decided to read the Jataka tales, since they give me more flexibility with regards to the stories that I can tell. This story at heart is about an employee who demands fair treatment, which results in him performing a great feat. A serviceable enough story I suppose, but I would like to make some modifications. Firstly, the Brahmin has to hold an idiot ball. For this to work, I need to get rid of that somehow. I’d also like to give everyone character, although I’m not sure what. I think I’ll make the bull more accommodating, the brahmin reluctant in his politeness, and the squire an idiot. I do enjoy writing idiots.                                                                                             ...

Figure 1: Coyote  Wikipedia Far away, by a remote village, next to a dark forest, where a terrible serpent once lived, there was a large oak door. The door burst open as Jaka dragged a dragon carcass into his house. He began to swiftly butcher the carcass, cutting off the head, removing the guts, and not cutting the child sitting on the tail.  Why was there a child sitting on the tail of Jaka's meal? Jaka picked up the child and set him on the counter and then chopped the tail into stakes. He then moved the child and put away his butcher's knife and took out his filleting knife. Soon, the slivers of dragon's meat was frying in a stew of spices, cream, and vegetables. While the food cooked, Jaka began sharpening his legendary lion claw sword and asked the child. "Have you ever killed a dragon?" "no..." "Well why not? I killed my first dragon by the time I was your age." "I don't want to fight a dragon, cou...

Figure 1: Quail  Wikimedia The quail and the falcon seems an adaptable story for me. I plan to rewrite the characters to be more distinct, but I don't really have anything in mind. Maybe I'll just try to make the story amusing. The Giant Crab, and Other Tales from Old India  by W.H.D Rouse

Figure 1:  Crab  National Park Service The giant crab seems like an adaptable story for me. I just want to make more things fight each other, mostly as practice for the novel that I want to write, which has lots of fighting in it. I don't think I've had a serious non-human fight yet, this might be fun.  I'll use Jaka again, I like him. The Giant Crab, and Other Tales from Old India  by W.H.D Rouse

Figure 1:  Jaka Battles Meindas Personal File Far away, by a remote village, next to a dark forest, where a terrible serpent once lived, a dragon circled overhead. An eagle and snake chimera the length of a house, its mouth dripped of venom; a true dragon. The dragon rears back in fury, just in time for Jaka to bury the blade of his sword into the roof of its mouth, killing it. It had been 15 years since Jaka Singh had met the great lion and slain the serpent in the woods. In that time, he had grown tall and broad-shouldered. His head was ringed with a dark mane of hair. He was clothed in a scale and padded armor, and a lion pelt was tied around his waist. In hand was his legendary sword, forged from the claw of the great lion. Villagers come to marvel at his latest victory, and naturally he removes his shirt and flexes for the crowd. After all, how can justice exist when the people could not admire his battle forged body? This time, only one rock was cast at...

Figure 1:  A Lion and a Wolf  Max Pixel If I had to write a different story, I think that I would like to write a variant of "The Foolhardy Wolf" using lion boy again. I would prefer to write using lion boy, specifically because he is my character, and I am much more comfortable messing with his character than using an established character. I'd also like him to be more of a mentor to the wolf, rather than sending him to die. I also really like that sword. I'll have Jaka Singh coach the wolf character in the slaying of monsters and dragons. I think I'll make the wolf more serious and focused while writing Jaka as a big ham. More Jataka Tales  by Ellen C. Babbit

Figure 1:  Depiction of a Battle  Wikimedia I think I would like to write a story about how the monkey saves his troop. Specifically, I want to reuse the lion boy from my first story. I think that casting him in the role of a leader would be a nice form of progression for his character.  I also want an opportunity to use his unique claw sword again. I'll mention that he has been killing dragons during the time that he has been growing up, and open with that before an enemy kingdom comes to conqueror his small village for its mangoes. Obviously, I'll make the king a cannibal and a fruit obsessed madman. Lion boy (Jaka Singh) will then evacuate his village, before doing battle with the enemy army and defeating much of them. He will then tell them to run, lest they suffer the fate of a penny-wise monkey. He will tell them not to try to get so little, causing them to back off. More Jataka Tales  by Ellen C. Babbit

Figure 1:  Bow and Arrow  Pixabay "It’s not too late to turn back. You can let go of your anger." said Arjuna, bow in hand. "Silence Arjuna, the Pandus are spoiled and this is my day of retribution!" says Karna, sneering and pointing his finger into Arjuna's face. Karna growls to Arjuna "I will rain down every punishment upon you that I can imagine. I will make you pay for everything that you've done to me.". And with that statement, Karna leaps at Arjuna bow drawn and arrow nocked. Arjuna hunches down, lowering his weight and shifting his left foot back, ready to dodge the impending attack. Karna looses his arrow, but Arjuna lunges right and Karna's arrow goes whistling past his ear.  Arjuna and Karna simultaneously nock their bows and strafe each other. Karna, mad with bloodlust shoots first, but Arjuna dodges again and shoots his own arrow at Karna. Karna narrowly ducks the attack and runs, weaving between trees, rocks, and other ...

Figure 1:  Karna Fights Arjuna  Flickr Wilson's realistic style makes for some interesting combat. I think I'll try to emulate that. I think I'll try rewriting Arjuna and Karna's battle in this manner. I'd also like for Karna's character to be relevant to the battle, making it clear how bitter and resentful he is. Maybe I should model his personality after Elliot Rodger. I'd like to focus the writing at describing the basic events in an intelligible and detailed manner. After learning to do this competently, I think I'll try more stylized writing. I don't think I've done an archer battle ye. I've done a gun battle, but not an archer battle. That sounds like something fun to attempt The Indian Story Book: The Five Tall Sons of Pandu  Richard Wilson