Google Timer Tech Tip

I do not really have any time management tricks when I am doing work. I just try to take a few breaks when I am studying or doing work every few hours or so. However, I do not have a timer for that. This is my first time using the Google Timer until now and I find it very handy! I think I will start incorporating this!

Week 2 (Storytelling): Venus and Psyche

In the meadows of Nysa, one of the goddess’s favorite sacred havens, Venus walks through throngs of flowers to celebrate the new spring. Sunshine illuminates the vast meadows and reflects from the waters that it is almost blinding. However, it is not a sight you want to close your eyes from. Countless blossoms bloom in the new sunshine, creatures emerge from their winter slumber, and chatter fills the air with liveliness. Venus watches as her servants enjoy the relaxing day. Some are picking flowers, while some sit, sharing secrets, and others are playing a…….scream? Everyone looks at the source of the noise. One young servant dressed in blue clothes looks pale and is as frozen as if Medusa had stunned her.

Venus hurries to her. “What is it, my child?”

She turns to look in the same direction and sees it. Not an it, a her. A young maiden in her later teens emerges from behind the tree.

“What is this nonsense? What name do you go by, young maiden? Why do you trespass here?”

“I am known as Psyche, the youngest princess of a king, not far from here. I did not mean to cause harm. I just wanted to gander with my own eyes the beauty of this place,” says the pretty young maiden.

“These lands are blessed, as decreed by the father of all gods himself. No mortal is allowed to walk on the soft soil or lay his or her eyes on the lush greenery. Begone,” sneered one servant.

“Yes, no servants are permitted to come here, especially not a vile-looking creature as yourself, human,” laughed another. All the servants followed.

However, this young maiden was not a vile-looking creature. She was actually a very beautiful girl, an uncommon beauty. She had light brown hair done up in an unruly braid that hung down on her shoulders. Her pale and delicate skin greatly contrasted with her strong facial features, deep-set eyes, a tall nose, high cheekbones, and a pointed chin. Her most attractive feature was her eyes. They shined light brown in the sunlight, but in the shade they looked green around the edges. They were the most unique set of eyes the goddess had ever laid her eyes on.  She had to have them.

“Tell me, Psyche, why do your eyes change as they do? They are a wonder that I have not seen before and I am the fairest of all creatures in Heaven and Earth. Tell me, Psyche.”

 “I am sorry, great Venus, I do not know why. I am the only of my family and our kingdom that can do such.”

“I see. You do know where you are standing is sacred ground? The air you are breathing is revered? The sight you are seeing is blessed? Your kind is not welcomed here.”

“Yes, I do know. Please spare my life! I did not wish to do harm! I just wanted to see your splendor with my own eyes. You are the queen of all that is exquisite,” begged Psyche.

“Do not be afraid, young and naïve Psyche. I will not take your life away. However, I cannot allow you to leave unpunished from trespassing. Since you yearned so much to see this safe haven, I shall make sure this that last thing you see.”

With that, the goddess’s servants held poor and struggling Psyche down, while one pulled out her eyes. Psyche cried with all her lungs with the worse pain.

“My eyes! How can I see now? Please Venus, give me back my sight!”
“They are mine now. Hush, young one. Stay calm. I will not give back your eyes, but I will make you my servant. I will grant you immortality and your status will no longer be a mere mortal."

(Psyche Before The Throne Of Venus; 

photo by Henrietta Rae; source:ArtScroll)

Author's Note  - In the original plot of Cupid and Psyche, Venus is jealous of Psyche because humans used to praise her more than they praised Venus. If you do not already know, when Venus is envious of someone, she goes on a rampage. There is a lot more to the story, but at some point, Venus is torturing poor Psyche. When I first wrote this story, I tried to come up with a storyline that went with the original storyline of Venus and Psyche. However, I came at a dead end and ran out of things to write so I looked at storytelling from my peers and realized that some people took a completely different take from the original plot. So I redid my whole storyline to what it is now. Obviously, this is completely different from the original storyline so this is not a retelling of the story. Rather, I use the characters, their personalities, and some of the basic ideas from the original story and made a completely new storyline. I ended up liking this version of my storytelling a lot more than what I had before even though it is a bit gruesome. I tried to imitate the typical flamboyant and descriptive language Roman stories are written in. I'm not sure if I did it justice, but I gave it a shot.

Book: The Golden Ass
Author:ApuleiusYear
Published: 2013
Web Source: Poetry in Translation

Google Search-by-Image Tech Tip

(Incarnation of Vishnu as a Fish)

Here is the picture I chose for the Tech Tip, it is the Incarnation of Vishnu as a Fish. To read more about it, you can go to the Wikipedia page about Matsya.

Week 12 (Essay): King Arthur Review

(King Arthur on BBC Wales)

This week I read the King Arthur unit. This unit is about the life and quests of King Arthur and his companions including Merlin the magician and his Queen Guinevere. Before reading this, I had a general idea of what the unit was about, but I had never actually read it. Nonetheless, I did enjoy reading this unit. My favorite stories are The Drawing of the Sword and The Passing of Merlin. The Drawing of the Sword is a very appropriate first story because it is the beginning of the unit and the beginning of Arthur’s life as king. As for The Passing of Merlin, even though this is a very sad story, I found it interesting how the great and powerful Merlin met his demise because of a maiden. It is strange how people can be blinded by beauty so easily. My least favorite stories were the Questing Beast and the Coming of the Holy Graal. I understand that this is where Merlin and Arthur meet, but I felt like this section could have been mentioned in a note. As for The Coming of the Holy Graal, I also do not think this story was necessary to add. I could not figure out how it added to the overall effect of the story. This could also had just been a note rather than a story. It was just so-so.

I found that each story had an appropriate amount of notes. I enjoyed how there were additional Wikipedia links where students could read more on certain stories. I certainly took advantage of that and it was very convenient!

I also found that the overview gave a good description of the unit. I did not have any certain expectations coming into this story because I originally was going to read Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. I do not think anything really surprised me while I was reading the unit either.

Week 12 (Storytelling): Arthur as King

A long time ago when there was no king to maintain order in Britain, the country was broken and a mess. Laws were constantly broken. Countless Knights ran amuck in order to seize the crown for himself. Finally, the great and powerful magician, Merlin, stepped forward and discussed with the Archbishop and the lords and gentleman of Britain of who should rule the throne. All the men agreed to meet in Britain on Christmas Day.

When these great men met together in Britain, they saw a great stone bearing a sword. Engraved on the stone were the words, "Whoso pulleth out this sword is by right of birth King of England". Intrigued, all the knights, lords, and gentlemen attempted to pull out the sword with the hopes of receiving the kingdom. However, all failed without even shaking the sword from its base. The Archbishop declared for two Knights, noble and true, to stand guard on this mysterious sword.

Weeks went by and no one was successful at drawing the sword. On New Year’s Day, a tournament was held for all Knights across the land. Two contestants were the brave Sir Ector and his valiant son, Sir Kay. Along with them was the young Arthur whom was about the same age as Sir Kay. However, unbeknownst to himself is not of their blood and kin. Regardless, Sir Ector treated Arthur like one of his own.

As the three of them traveled to the tournament, Sir Kay realized that he had unbuckled his sword last night and had forgotten it at home. Sir Kay asked Arthur to bring it to him because he could not enter the tournament without it. So, Arthur rode back home to fetch his brother’s sword. Unfortunately, he could not enter the home because everyone had left to watch the tournament. Arthur did not want to disappoint his brother, whom he looked up to dearly, so he remembered the sword stuck in the rock. Arthur quickly rode to that sword, but he did not see any of the knights around it. Ignoring that, he grabbed the handle and gently pulled. The sword came out easily.

Just as this happened, the Archbishop was leaving the Great Church to head to the tournament. He saw Arthur pull the sword out of the stone. However, before he could approach the boy, Arthur was already hurrying to the tournament to meet his brother. The Archbishop was amazed and scurried to the tournament as fast as he could. Once the Archbishop entered the arena, he saw Arthur in the middle of the field as he was handing his brother the sword. The Archbishop hurried to the scene. All spectators stopped and watched him. The Archbishop walked to Arthur and told the audience, "Here is your new King!"

Author's Note - This story is originally from Drawing of the Sword from the King Arthur unit. I really liked this unit and I found it very interesting. I chose to retell this story because I believe that it is one many have heard of, but have not actually read. For my rendition, I did not change much from the actual story except for the ending. In the end, the Archbishop does not actually see Arthur pull out the sword at first and all the details that followed that. However, I felt that my ending gave the original a bit more drama. It also adds a bit of a cliff hanger.

King Arthur: Tales of the Round Table by Andrew Lang and illustrated by H. J. Ford (1902).

Week 12 (Reading Diary): King Arthur

King Arthur
I was originally going to read Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, but I changed my mind last minute to read this unit since it related better with the unit I read last week.

Drawing of the Sword - What a perfect beginning story for this unit! I liked it a lot. I had already knew a general idea of the story, but this was my first time actually reading and I was not disappointed. It was a great story to start out with.

Sword Excalibur - I have always heard of this term and of the Lady of the Lake, but I never brought myself to research it a bit. Now I finally know! This unit is a lot more interesting then I was expecting.

Passing of Merlin - Yikes! What a harsh break up! Poor guy got tricked by the one he loved even though he knew it was going to happen to him anyway.

Sir Lancelot's Vision  - This story was kind of confusing to follow, but I think I still understood it for the most part. I enjoyed it. After reading the note for this, I decided to read through some of the wikipedia pages. I found it very interesting!

End of Arthur - This story was actually difficult to follow. I wish the notes expanded a bit more about Sir Mordred and his plot to kill Arthur. It is fitting for the last story to be the demise of Arthur since this is the King Arthur unit. Not only that, it showed the end of Lancelot and Guenevere.

Google Language

I changed my google interface to my family's native language, Vietnamese!