Week 12 Tech Tip : Weather Widget

This week for my technology tip, I added a weather widget to my side bar! I have seen other students do it on their blogs and I wanted to add one to mine as well. Here is the link to the instructions if anyone is interested in adding a weather widget to their blog! It is super easy!

http://onlinecourselady.pbworks.com/w/page/34993067/weatherunderground

Reading Diary : Alice in Wonderland

Reading Diary A  : Alice in Wonderland 
Source: Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll (1865).

I love Alice in Wonderland and I love that I get to read the actual stories by Lewis Carroll! I have only seen Disney movie and loved getting to read the stories that the movie was based off of.

I love the curiosity Alice has in the beginning in Down the Rabbit-Hole  section. When she was falling down the hole, I felt like it was almost in slow motion because she had so much time to think about so many different things. I also enjoy how strange the story is ; Alice follows a rabbit down a hole and falls, but doesn't get hurt, and ends up in a room full of different sizes of doors. The creativity and bizarreness of these stories is awesome. I'm glad Alice checked the drink to see if it was poison or not. That would be an interesting plot twist if it was poison and the story ended right then and there. How strange that a drink could make you grow smaller and a piece of cake could make you grow to the height of a skyscraper!
Aha! The lovely hookah smoking caterpillar! I wonder what Lewis Carroll's inspiration was to create a talking, hookah smoking caterpillar in the chapter, Advice from a Caterpillar? Maybe Lewis Carroll was trying to imply that Alice was high as well, entering this weird and strange world? I also didn't know that Alice didn't know how to speak correctly anymore! It makes so much more sense now! The caterpillar is so blunt, I love it!
I vaguely remember this story, Pepper and Pig, from one the adapted movies of Alice in Wonderland. It was interesting to read! This story is crazy and has a lot of stimulus going on! I wonder why this part was left out in the Disney version? Maybe because it seems a little violent with the Duchess throwing her baby around and singing a song about how she beats him when he sneezes!
I also didn't the Cheshire Cat was a girl! I always thought it was a boy cat! I also like how the Cheshire Cat talks about how everyone in this world is mad, because everything about Lewis Carroll's stories are queer! Just like Alice said, "She was used to queer things happening."

Alice

Learning Challenges : Health/Happiness Tip

Running = natural stress reliever 

I think blog post, I am going to share one of my health/happiness tips - exercising daily. I know it might seem vague and stupid but I promise it can benefit you more than you think! I work out daily but sometimes when I am very stressed or upset, I will go on a nice slow jog with my favorite music to clear my mind. If I had a bad night the night before, I look forward to my workout in the morning to give me endorphins, help me feel better, and to start the day of with a fresh start and new mindset. Not only does working out help you physique and fitness, it is a natural "feel good" remedy and also a stress reliever. I notice that if I don't work out for a day or two, my anxiety is worse than normal. Working out everyday helps relieve my anxiety and helps keep me motivated to do everything in my life to the best of my ability. 

Week 11 Storytelling : This Little Piggy

"Alright, everyone settle down now," said Judge Bacon while pounding his gavel.

The pigs in the courtroom were arguing and oinking uncontrollably. It was mad chaos. A misdemeanor had been committed in the Oink City and Judge Bacon was determined to get to the bottom of it.

"Yesterday at 3 o'clock, there was a speed chase through Oink City. Someone was speeding down the street in a John Deere tractor, going way over the speed limit. Unfortunately, the cops were unable to seize the traffic violator. In order to keep this town safe, we must find the perpetrator in order to prevent our pig citizens from being run over and turning into bacon strips." 

"With that being said, will the first victim take the stand?" said Judge Bacon. Porky walked up to the stand.

"Where were you yesterday afternoon at 3 o'clock?" asked Judge Bacon.

"I was at the m-m-m-m-m-market. I was out of corn meal and had to feed my little p-p-p-piglets and my wife, Miss Piggy," said Porky.

"Can I see Miss Piggy on the stand, please?" asked Judge Bacon.

Miss Piggy waddled up to the stand. "Yesterday I was at home all day. A parent had to stay at home with the children while the other went to the store. We were out of corn meal and the kids were starving. You can ask all my baby piggies, I was at home with them while Porky went to the market."

Judge Bacon dismissed Miss Piggy from the stand. He then summoned Hamilton to the stand.

"Hamilton, tell me about your day yesterday."

"Well, I woke up around noon because the night before I was at the Farmhouse with some friends," explained Hamilton. (The Farmhouse was the most popular night club and bar in Oink City.)

"And obviously I woke up starving so I went to the Greenhouse, my favorite restaurant, to get some grub."

"Grub?" asked Judge Bacon.

"Yeah, you know like vegetables, grass, and maybe chicken strips."

The jury gasped. It was unheard of for pigs to eat meat. It just wasn't right and didn't make sense. The pigs from Oink City were allies with animals from other towns such as Mooville and Chicktown.

"Yeah, you can even look at my receipt if you want," said Hamilton.

"Next!" said Judge Bacon. Ollie, a younger pig, walked up to the stand nervously.

"Ollie, where were you yesterday at 3 o'clock?"

"Well... I didn't eat any meat. I didn't have any," said Ollie.

"You didn't have any?" said Judge Bacon. 

"No, Judge Bacon."

"So what were you doing?"

"I told you, I wasn't eating meat." 

Judge Bacon, frustrated from the trial, let out a big sigh. "Alright, can I please have the final victim to the stand."

Pinky strolled up to the stand. 

"Pinky, tell me what you were up to yesterday afternoon."

"Well, I was out at the Farmhouse the night before enjoying a nice pigtini and dancing the night away. I accidentally drank too many pigtinis and ended up falling asleep. When I woke up yesterday afternoon, I still felt happy from the pigtinis so I just squealed and couldn't find my way home."

"You were lost?" asked Judge Bacon.

"Yes! I was so confused where I was. So I just said 'wee, wee, wee' until I was able to find my way home." Pinky was not the smartest pig in the barn.

"How did you get home?"

"I just hopped on the big green tractor sitting outside of the Farmhouse!"

"Thank you, Pinky, that is all," said Judge Bacon.

The jury gathered together to make their decision and gave Judge Bacon the verdict. Judge Bacon banged his gavel.

Knock, knock, knock! 

"The jury has reached a verdict," announced Judge Bacon. 

"The court finds Pinky guilty of a traffic violation She is sentenced to two weeks in the barn. Court adjourned."

I decided to use a video instead of an image this week because this commercial is hilarious, it is one of my favorite Geico advertisements, and it relates to the story. Enjoy! 

Author's Note:
I based this story off of the Nursery Rhyme This Little Piggy. The rhyme is below.

THIS pig went to market;

This pig stayed at home;

This pig had a bit of meat,

And this pig had none;

This pig said, "Wee, wee, wee!

I can't find my way home."

I retold the original nursery rhyme as a courtroom drama. Each piggy in my story represents one of the pigs from the nursery rhyme. Porky is the pig that went to the market, Miss Piggy is the pig who stayed at home, Hamilton is the big who had a bit of meat, Ollie was the pig who had none, and Pinky was the pig who said, "Wee, wee ,wee" and couldn't find her way home. I decided to make the story more animal-like and gave my story different  "piglike" characteristics. For example, the judge's name was named Judge Bacon (since pigs are bacon) and all of the pigs lived in Oink City. Also, I thought it was comical to rename an adult alcoholic beverage an "pigtini" instead of calling it martini or another real beverage name.I put links to resources that talk about each character and the famous shows and movies that they originated from! I thought it would be cool to bring them all into one story! I had a lot of fun recreating this nursery rhyme into a story and hope everyone enjoys it!  


Story source: The Nursery Rhyme Book edited by Andrew Lang and illustrated by L. Leslie Brooke (1897).

Week 11 Reading Diary continued: Nursery Rhythms

I chose to read stories the British unit, Nursery Rhythms.  I read some stories by Andrew Lang before and thought these short and fun nursery rhythms would be enjoyable to do and plus I also wanted to switch up the style of readings for this week!

Wednesday Reading Diary 
Since there were many different nursery rhythms in each story / section/ chapter ( whatever you want to call it), I decided I to pick my favorite one out of each.

Jingles - I liked the jingle Hey Diddle Diddle in this section. I remember this rhythm from when I was a kid. I think it would be fun to retell. Plus, I really like the picture which depicts the entire rhythm. 
Love and Matrimony - Jack and Jill was my favorite in this section. I liked the rhyming in this rhythm and interestingly, Jack and Jill are referred to King Louis XVI - Jack -who was beheaded (lost his crown) followed by his Queen Marie Antoinette - Jill - (who came tumbling after).
Natural History Part 1 -  I think this rhythm would be fun to re tell in a story!

THERE was a little boy went into a barn,

And lay down on some hay;

An owl came out and flew about,

And the little boy ran away.

Natural History Part 2 -  I love how the hen is carrying for this man! It makes me think of a nurse or a companion for an old person!

I HAD a little hen, the prettiest ever seen;

She washed me the dishes, and kept the house clean;

She went to the mill to fetch me some flour;

She brought it home in less than an hour;

She baked me my bread, she brew'd me my ale;

She sat by the fire, and told many a fine tale.

Accumulative Stories -  I like how all of these stories/ rhythms keep adding onto the story! Especially "This is the House that Built Jack". A new line is added each time, which the previous ones underneath. It reminds me of the 12 days of Christmas song!

Relics - My favorite was rain rain go away. I feel like this rhythm could be retold as a little kid who is stuck inside and all he wants to do is go outside and play. 

RAIN, rain, go away;

Come again another day;

Little Arthur wants to play.

Jack and Jill

Source: The Nursery Rhyme Book edited by Andrew Lang and illustrated by L. Leslie Brooke (1897).

Week 11 Reading Diary : Nursery Rhythms

I chose to read stories the British unit, Nursery Rhythms.  I read some stories by Andrew Lang before and thought these short and fun nursery rhythms would be enjoyable to do and plus I also wanted to switch up the style of readings for this week!

Tuesday Reading Diary 
Since there were many different nursery rhythms in each story / section/ chapter ( whatever you want to call it), I decided I to pick my favorite one out of each.

Tales-  I liked the nursery rhyme of Solomon Grundy because it laid out his life story basically in 8 lines. Although, I wish he didn't die.

Proverbs -  "MARCH winds and April showers, Bring forth May flowers" So true! Maybe some tornados if you're in Oklahoma! 

Songs, Part 1 -  I liked the song London Bridge is Falling Down in this section! I went to the wikipedia page and researched more about the meaning behind the song. The rhythm is actually used in a children's game. The song/ games resembles the bridge that was fracturing and was hard to repair. However, there are alternative theories to the real meaning behind the rhythm such as the Viking Attacks Theory and the Children Sacrifice Theory. Very interesting! 

Songs, Part 2 - This section was my favorite because I recognized some of the famous nursery rhymes from my childhood such as Three Blind Mice and Hot Cross Buns, which I could play very well on the recorder when I was 9. 

Riddles -  I love how there are answers to each riddle included in the reading! My favorite riddle is- 

  I HAVE a little sister, they call her Peep, Peep;

She wades the waters deep, deep, deep;

She climbs the mountains high, high, high;

Poor little creature she has but one eye. 

The answer is a star which I personally think was a stretch but very creative! 

Paradoxes - I liked the following rhythm because I would definitely have a drink if all the trees were bread and cheese! 

IF all the world was apple-pie,

And all the sea was ink,

And all the trees were bread and cheese,

What should we have for drink?

Charms and Lullabies  - Rock-a-bye Baby was definitely a familiar lullaby and definitely and interesting one! I looked up some possible meanings behind the lullaby on the wikepdia page. One being a representation of how mothers gently rock their babies (as in tree tops) and lay them down to go to sleep. Another  suggests that it resembles native-american mothers who actually rocked their babies in cribs made out of tree branches, allowing the wind to slowly sway them to sleep.

Games - So I recognized Jack Be Nimble right away. I again did some more research and found out that it if was used as a sport to test your luck. You had good luck if you cleared the flame. Also, in Don Mclean's song, American Pie, there is a verse that includes the nursery rhyme :

Jack be nimble,

Jack be quick

Jack Flash sat on a candlestick

'Cause fire's the devil's only friend.  

I'm assuming that the last line refers to landing on the flame and receiving bad luck, which is why the devil is also referenced to in the song. It is funny because when I was little, my cousins and I loved this song and could sing it by heart and still can! Here is a link to the song - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BGJqo_bkAuM

Jack Be Nimble

Source: The Nursery Rhyme Book edited by Andrew Lang and illustrated by L. Leslie Brooke (1897).

Week 10 : Famous Last Words

As Week 10 comes to an end, I couldn’t be more thankful, proud, and exhausted. On Wednesday this past week, I flew to Houston to the Final Four with the OU Spirit Program. I was so excited to be chosen to cheer at the final basketball tournament this year. When we arrived in Houston, we attended many appearances for alumni, participated in photoshoots and commercials for new stations such as CBS, and practiced for for the game. We waited anxiously for the OU men’s basketball team to play on Saturday night. Finally, when the day came, we sent the team off on their bus to the NRG stadium in Downtown Houston. When we arrived at the NRG stadium, the arena was packed and I was taken back when I realized I would be cheering at the largest event in collegiate athletics. It was absolutely breathtaking and so surreal to be at the Final Four in the middle of all the action. Unfortunately, the outcome of the game didn’t turnout the way we wanted. The Sooners had an incredible season and I am so proud of everything the team has accomplished these past few years! Coach Kruger is an absolute class act in times of adversity and his players resemble this characteristic as well. I am so thankful for the opportunity to cheer on the best basketball team in the nation on the biggest stage. As I return to Norman this afternoon, I am feeling a mix of emotions. I feel sad because of the bitter loss and the way the season ended but also I feel happy and content for the trip to Houston with my teammates was one to remember. I can’t wait to see the OU men’s basketball team continue to grow next year. Although it is sad to see the senior starters - Buddy, Spangler, Cousins, Woodard, leave this year, I know they will achieve great things in the future and I know Coach Kruger will continue his legacy with the new team next season.

BOOMER SOONER! 

Final Four 2016, (Personal Photo taken April 2016)