Tech Tip: Design Templates

For this tech tip I did the blogger design templates. I was surprised by the amount of control I had over my blog layout. My first change was changing the theme to one called Awesome Inc. I liked the darker, more sleek look. I also made the right sidebar smaller. I also changed the font to one I liked better.

Reading Notes Pattanaik's Calendar Art: Part B

For this reading I am continuing the 7 secrets of Hindu Calendar Art videos. This video focuses on Narayan. It goes into the Hindu belief of rebirth and how this is not present in other cultures. This belief is closely related to Narayan. One thing I found interested was how he lays on a ocean of milk, which represents possibility. Narayan is required for the existence of Narayan, who operates outside of time. This goes into a more philosophical argument of whether anything cab exist if their is no observer to observe its existence. Once again these videos are really philosophical and confusing. I am not finding much material here for a story. I will probably go back to prior reading and use an idea that I have not already used. It is interesting to learn about figures such as Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth. Who is also portrayed as a cosmic cow. Narayan is her keeper. He is also known as Vishnu, due to his role as the protester of the world. Later in the video the Hindu concept of souls is disused. This explained with Vishnu. One story is the story of Hiranakashipu and his son Prahalad. Hiranakashipu believes he is a god because he is immortal from all dangers in the natural world. In response the gods send a hybrid from outside the natural world to kill him. In this story are more little riddle loopholes, like last readings. He cant be killed on, above, or below the ground. Somehow being on the creatures lap is a loophole for that.

Statue of Narayan
Wikimedia Image

Devdutt Pattanaik's Seven Secrets from Hindu Calendar Art.

YouTube playlist

Reading Notes Pattanaik's Calendar Art: Part A

For this weeks reading I did another video series. It comes from a series of videos. This first one is about Ganesh and details how Hinduism and Ganesh relate. Near the beginning their is a good story. In this one Ganesh and his brother decide to race around the world three times. Ganesh never moves and his brother quickly races around the world. Just before his brother wins he gets up and runs around their parents. Then he says he won. He said "you went around the world, but I went around my world". This was used as an example between the objective and subjective, the rational and the emotional. I thought this was really cheesy and could be used to make a funny story. This would be easy to replicate in a modern setting and the ending could be replaced with another silly cop out. This was followed by an interesting discussion of the parallel thinking that exists in Hinduism. How two opposites can be true at once. Divinity is formless but we require forms to comprehend it. I thought this video did a really good job at explaining how the gods can be gods but not The God, and the relationship between everything. However, the more I watched the more confused I became. The video also did a lot explaining the complex relationships between the different gods. I think it would be neat to make a story attempting to personify these complex relationships. I could see them working in an office together or going to school together. I think this would be a good setting to flesh out their personalities and relationships with each other.

Statue of Ganesh
Wikimedia Image

Devdutt Pattanaik's Seven Secrets from Hindu Calendar Art.
YouTube playlist

Week 13 Story: The Magic in the Sky

     Despite the planes roaring overhead, and the cheer of the large crowd, Bheem found himself falling asleep during the airshow. He decided he would slip of behind the nearby hangar and take a nap. This way he would be well rested before the night flying. The large basket of a hot balloon would be the perfect place to take a nap. Quickly Bheem drifted to sleep.

      Suddenly Bheem was awakened by a violent shaking and a loud shriek. All around him he could only see sky. The ground was not even visible below, only crowds. Bheem realized his friend must have turned on the hot air balloon. He would not have long to curse his friends because he saw where the shrike was coming from, giant birds were attacking his balloon. Thinking quickly Bheen created a slingshot out of his belt. Thankfully he had a lot of change in his pocket and began shooting it at the birds. A mighty battle took place, the birds diving and clawing at Bheem, but they were no match for his quarters and dimes. Bheem killed many of the birds and the last few flew of to escape their prey turned tormentor.
 
      Bheem was safe for the moment but he was still climbing higher and higher into the sky. Soon all he could see was clouds all around him. Some of the clouds even seemed to look like buildings rising above a distant cloud city. As he continued to arise Bheen gasped in amazement as he arose before a mighty sky palace. Suddenly his balloon stopped as if he was on solid groud. Timidly Bheem began to test the clouds around him and discovered they would support his weight. As he approached the palace he was approached by the a giant and magnificent golden bird.

"Behold I am Vasuki, King of the sky, It is good to see you Bheem" siad the bird.

"How do you know my name?", asked Bheem.

"We are relatives Bheem, it is time for you to reach your full potential, take this bottled air, it will give you the strength of a thousand eagles."

      Bheem took the bottle and inhaled the sweet aroma. Instantly he felt energized and powerful. He knew it was time for him to become the leader he was destined to be.




Authors note: I based my story on a video series from the Mahabhartha. In the original Beem is tied up and thrown in the ocean. He escapes his bondage, fights off sea snakes, and sinks to an underwater kingdom. He meets Vasuki, the snake ruler of the underwater kingdom, who gives him a magic potion. I decided to do the opposite with my story. Upwards instead of downwards.

Bheem meeting Vasuki
flickr image

Blogspot link to video Playlist

Epified: Mahabharata

Reading Notes Epified: Mahabharata Part D

Part D continues with the epified YouTube series. I am really liking these videos. One thing I have noticed is that the videos are not very related. There is not much relation between the different episodes. This makes it a little difficult to keep the stories strait. Part 28 Karna's Humiliation was a really interesting chapter. This episode had a lot of big names present who had gathered for the courtship of Draupadi. among those present was the King of Anga. He was a skilled and powerful man but also came from a less than noble birth. This led to him being humiliated in front of everyone by being declared unworthy and had no business being in the presence of real kings. His eyes showed how angry he was. This would foreshadow future war and destruction. I think there is a good story here about the humiliation and the foreshadowing of future conflict. Another interesting episode is episode 33 Arjuns Exile. This detail the arrangement between the five Pandvarian brothers and Draupadi. Each brother takes turns having her as a wife, breaking this leads to 12 years of exile. One day Arjun must fetch his weapons from the bedchamber to go fight thieves. Unfortunately it his not his turn and thus cannot enter. Despite hearing them together, he enters, gets his weapons, and goes to fight. Upon return he decides to go in to exile despite many telling him it is okay. I really liked how ridiculous this story sounds, especially by todays standards. I am not sure how this could be turned into my own story but it has a lot of potential as something. I was also surprised by how willing he was to honor this arrangement. I would also like to focus on Arjun's sense of honor in a potential story. He was willing to face exile in order to help someone.

Angry like the King

Pixabay Image

Epified Mahabarthana

Video Playlist

Reading Notes Epified: Mahabharata Part C

For this weeks reading I am continuing with the epified Mahabharata YouTube series. I really like this series. It is a quick and entertaining way to get the details of the stories. The live drawing is also really interesting to watch. One episode that interested me was 21 Drupad humiliates Drona. This tells a story of two friends who are training together. Due to this friendship Drupad promises his friend half his kingdom when he becomes king. Years later Drona has fallen oh hard times and goes to see his old friend, confident he will keep this old promise. Instead he finds that his friend has changed and is drunk with power. In the next episode we also see a king acting poorly. In this one he wants to kill the Pandava's. These brothers were very popular and may one day threaten his rule. He decides to build an entire castle out of flammable materials. he even placed their beds in the highest flammable areas. He then invited the brothers to a spectacular feast in their honor. After the banquet they would go to sleep and be burned alive. This plan would keep the people from hating him if it remained a secret, unfortunately the plan would be discovered. Both of these, as well as others in this section have a lot of story potential. I like all the angles for an evil king and the betrayal. I also like the story of two friends who pledge to each other. one becomes rich, one becomes poor. Te rich one then turns their back on the poor who pledges revenge. I think this would be a story that could easily be replicated in a modern setting. It also leaves a lot of opportunity to change details.

Palace Fire

Wikimedia palace fire

Epified: Mahabharata videos

YouTube playlist link

Reading Notes Epified: Mahabharata Part B

For part B I am continuing to watch the Epified Mahabharata videos. I really enjoy the simple quick presentation of the content. Part 9 continues where 8 left off. kunti is preparing to be married but has a dark secret. When she was younger she accidentally summoned Suryadev, the sun god to her room. After being embraced by the god and enveloped in his light, she is left with a child. A beautiful child clad in armor, destined for greatness. Because she was unmarried she decided to but the child in a basket and cast him off down the river. I think this has a lot of potential to be a story. One thing that surprises me with these stories is the similarities they have with a lot of the stories in the bible. Another interesting part was ep 14-The Magic Potion. Bheem is pushed into a body of water, asleep, and tied up. As he sinks he begins to be bitten by poisonous snakes. Instead of dying he breaks free and kills the snakes. He finds himself in another realm and meets Vasuki, the snake king and a relative. Vasuki gives him a magic potion that gave him super powers-strength of a 100 elephants. Bheem swims off and decides to become all he can be. This has a lot of good elements for a quest story. Him escaping and defeating attackers. Meeting a weird king. The magic potion. I can see taking this story the exact opposite direction. Instead of tied up and thrown in water to sink, my hero will tied to balloons to float away in the sky. Instead of sea serpents it will be giant birds. I will replace the underwater kingdom with a sky/cloud kingdom with a giant bird creature ruler.

A castle in the sky

Pixabay link

Blogspot link to video Playlist

Epified: Mahabharata

Reading Notes Epified: Mahabharata Part A

For my reading this week I did the Mahabharata series of YouTube. This is a series of short videos that narrate while an artist draws. I did another series like this a few week ago and liked it a lot. I was interested in this reading immediately. The first story is about the king Shantu and his wife the river goddesss Ganga. Ganga married him under the stipulation that Shantu could never question her decisions. This is put to the test when she has his child. She kills the child immediately. She does this for their first 7 children. Before she kills child number 8 Shantu questions her. Shantu explains that she had to give birth to the 8 Vazus. Celestial spirits cursed to live as mortals. Ganga agreed to kill them at birth to release them from the curse. Because Shantu questioned her Ganga left with the 8th child. This story reminded me of a lot of fantasy style writings like lord of the rings. I can see using this material in a lot of different types of stories. Some ideas I have is telling a story with animals. I also could see this story working in a sci fi setting. A Post apocalypse world where live births are very rare. I will need to think of why the first few will need to be killed. I also think having someone who does ridiculous things, but can not be questioned would be another story direction. Maybe have a boss or military leader who does increasingly crazy things. In the end it is revealed to be for an important purpose. A Nazi life regime where questioning your commander is death. One underling finally cant take it anymore and has to question his orders. A lot of the other stories did not have a lot of striking details for me to latch onto. The last story the Blind Bride was also interesting. A blind king must marry. A suitable candidate is found but her family does not want her to mark a blind man. She knew she was destined to marry a blind man so she decided to blindfold herself for life. Another story detail is the kings younger brother actually has most of the power.

Ganga leaving with child 8

wikimedia image

Blogspot link to video Playlist

Epified: Mahabharata

Reading Notes: Inayat. Twenty Jataka Tales Part B

For todays reading I read the second part of Inayat's Twenty Jaka Tales. These stories continued in the trend of the others. They usually have a lesson and theme to them. This theme is usally taought through animals. One story I liked was The Quarrelsome Quails. This story tells of how the birds must always work together. As long as they work together they will always be able to escape the net. The bird king tells them that if they fight and do not work together they will die. This eventually happens and two birds begin to fight. The king and those who heeded his warning left. The fighting birds were captured as well as those around them. The message being to stand strong and work together. This story is short and impactful. This leaves a lot of room open to create my own unique story. I can writa story about a group of people that must wor together to survive. When they stop working together, this leads to their demise. I could see this story taking place in a modern, desperate survival situation. Another story i enjoyed was "The end of the world". This story tells the story of a small mouse that has a piece of fruit fall on his head. The mouse panicks and sets of a chain reaction of all the animals panicking over nothing. I like the message of rationale thought an not getting caught up things.

The sky is falling
flickr image

Title: Twenty Jataka Tales
Author: Noor Inayat (Khan)

Reading Guide

Reading Notes: Inayat. Twenty Jataka Tales Part A

For my reading I read the first part of Twenty Jataka Tales by Noor Inayat. I really enjoyed these short stories. What I liked most about them is the theme and message that they carried. One popular message was that of a leader being willing to sacrifice their selves for their people. Also that a leader should lead through love and compassion. In the first story the monkey king says to rule your people through love because they are your children. I think this message of self sacrifice and leadership would be easy to turn into my own story. This is a theme that is present in a ton of literature and media today as well. I liked the first story, The Monkey Bridge. A monkey tribe wants to keep their delicious fruit secret. It must never float down the river to be discovered by man. When this happens the king comes to take all the fruit and kill all the monkeys. The monkey leader sacrifices himself by using his body as a bridge to allow his people to escape. This kills him, but he has a minute to share why he sacrificed himself for his people to the human king. I also liked the story Banyan. In this story two kingdoms of deer are herded and captured in the human kings yard. every day one of them is killed for food. In order to prevent further harm and pain they decide to send one deer a day as a sacrifice. One day a young mother is chosen, the first deer king says she must do her duty, the second king goes in her place. The human king is so moved by this act of co0mpassion he frees all the animals. Important to note the leaders were special golden deers that were never to be killed. 

Majestic Golden Deer

Wikimedia deer link

Title: Twenty Jataka Tales
Author: Noor Inayat (Khan)

Reading Guide