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