Week 4 Famous Last Words

This week I decided to use my new study habits, and it worked. Instead of procrastinating, I have actually been getting my work done and on time too. Getting things done before hand is awesome! I love being able to say that I am ahead in my classes. It gives me free time to do things like look for a job for after graduation. 

Looking for a job for after graduation is a new kind of torture if you are not pre-med, an engineer, or have not been interning a lot. Many of the jobs you are over qualified for and the other jobs you need to have had at least 2 years of experience. Oh, and did I mention that these are “Entry Level” positions? Exactly! Then you apply for a bunch of jobs because you might as well look at several different options. Well, the majority of those do not want to hire you, about 3 will want you, and the rest will tell you to call them after you graduate, because you are not already freaking out enough about finding a job. My favorite is when you send them your resume, with your graduation date mind you, and they call you and want to set up and interview for the next day, well of course you can’t because you have class and that person on the other end of the phone has the nerve to act shocked. It’s enough to kill a person sometimes.

So there you are standing on the edge of a cliff about to graduate, and you have some person telling you, “Oh… Well, why don’t you call us back in May after you graduate and we can set up an interview.” Now you just want to jump off that cliff, which is taunting you at that point.  As you can tell, I am just a little frustrated about the whole situation. And this is why people go to the gym…

So here’s to all of those college students getting ready to graduate, standing on the edge of a cliff just trying to find a bridge to the other side. Good luck! May the odds ever be in your favor!

Tequila Shots (Source) 

Week 4 Storytelling: Presidential Debate

“I can’t do this anymore,” Stacy thought as she sat in her seventh period class. “I’m about to graduate and I don’t really know what all is going on at this school anymore. Maybe it is time to give up being Student Body President? I have always wanted to see Beth take over the position; I mean she is my best friend. That could be cool, right? I’ll see what everyone else thinks at the meeting tonight.”

The bell rang. Stacy stood up grabbing her backpack and walked out the door, headed for the student council classroom. She walked in the room and it was empty.

Empty Classroom (Source)

Walking to the front of the room, Stacy thought, “I’ll just sit in the president’s chair until everyone arrives.” She looked at her watch, “the meeting isn’t for another ten minutes. I’m sure everyone is just grabbing a snack.”

Sitting in her chair, Stacy watch as each student council member walked in one-by-one and plopped down in one of the chairs facing the front of her room. Finally the last member walked in the room and the meeting was read to begin.

“Hello everyone,” Stacy began. “I want to thank all of you for coming to our weekly meeting. I actually have something very important I would like to discuss with you today. As you all know I am a senior and am about to graduate, so I need someone else to take over as president. Before I graduate I would very much like to see Beth take over my position as president, if you will approve of that. Please, tell me what you think of Beth. All of your opinions will probably be much different then mine since I am her best friend.”

All of the student council members cheered. They said, “Make her president now! Of everyone involved in stu-co Beth is the best! Make her president after school tomorrow!”

Stacy suddenly became angry and roared, “Quiet! You are not even going to think about it first? Even while I am still the president, you wish to replace me?”

Shocked, and slightly ashamed, the student council members talked briefly amongst one another. Then Tyler, the football captain, stood up to speak for everyone.

“Look Stacy,” Tyler began, “Let Beth become president. We know you, we have seen you teach her all the skills needed to be president; we want you to see your best friend be president. Give away your duties and rest without any worries. You are about to graduate, so you should be resting and enjoying the little bit of time you have left here. You know this school would be great with Beth as its leader. We love Beth. We can tell that she is a competent leader and will do great things.

Stacy said, “Well, don’t let my fondness for my best friend deceive all of you.”

“We won’t!” said Tyler. “Do what you want Stacy, but make sure that it is what you truly want for yourself. Beth will be an excellent president and will bring changes to this crap hole of a high school. Why ask for anything else? With Beth as our president what can go wrong? She knows everyone in this school and she would gladly go out of her way to help anyone. She takes special interest in others and asks nothing in return.”

“Are those the reasons you want her as president?” asked Stacy.

“The one reason,” replied Tyler, “is that if Beth says something to me I can believe it.”

Tyler sat down in his seat. All of the student council members looked around at one another, nodding their heads in agreement with Tyler’s speech. Stacy looked at the members and smiled.

Sally suddenly stood up and exclaimed, “Let’s make Beth our president tomorrow afternoon and have a cookie party!”

Stacy sat in her chair at the front of the classroom. Smiling, she knew that these were her last few weeks in high school and she wanted to cherish every moment.

 “Everyone!” began Stacy. “I am very happy at this moment. I am glad to see that I am a great influence on you. Let us begin the preparations to instate Beth as the next student council president!”

_________________________

Author's Note. In this story, King Dasaratha begins to realize that he is of old age and realizes that he wants nothing more than to see his son Rama become king. Dasaratha calls an assembly of the Kosala Council – which is composed of lesser kings, governors, noblemen, heroes, wise men, and Kosala judges – to hear their opinion's on making Rama king. Dasaratha tells them that he is old and wants to make Rama king, the assembly cheers in excitement and Dasaratha becomes angry at this fact, thinking that they just want to replace him and get rid of him. After a brief moment between those assembled, Sumantra the charioteer stands up to speak for everyone. He tells the King that they know Rama will be an excellent king and that he was groomed for the job. He then expresses that the king should rest in his old age and enjoy watching his son take the throne. After a little bit of back and forth, Dasaratha finally realizes that the assembly came to the decision all on their own and without the King just telling them so. Dasaratha is pleased and the preparations for Rama to become king begin.

Making the story modern created a more realistic perspective. While there were instances where I used imbedded quotes so as to make the original story more transparent, I did change the names. Stacy was Dasaratha, Beth was Rama, Tyler was Sumantra, and Sally was Vasishtha. Having Beth be Stacy’s best friend added a similar element to Dasaratha and Rama’s father-son relationship, demonstrating their closeness as well as their high regard for one another. Using a high school student council, while still political, was as similar to a monarchy as I could imagine. This retelling is very much my own perspective and experience of student council while I was in high school. I was never the president, but I was in the background and was able to see how it worked more as a monarchy and popularity contest than a democracy. Being student council president is also a very difficult job for a high school student, so reflecting the aspect of the story where Rama was groomed and trained to be King was something I felt was important to include in my retelling. 

Bibliography. Buck, William (1976). Ramayana: King Rama's Way. 

Week 4 Reading Diary B: Ayodhya Throne

p. 60-62
Dasaratha wants to see his son, Rama, become king. He assembles the Kosala Council and tells them that he is very old and wishes to see Rama become king. They cheer is agreement. Dasaratha becomes upset by this, believing that they think of his as a lesser king and they do not like him. Sumantra, the charioteer, tells the king that they love him but Rama was born to be king and he is amazingly great. The king then goes back to his original thoughts of being old and wanting to retire and rest and see his son become a great king.

Dasaratha and his sons (Source)

Week 4 Reading Diary A: Sauti Begins

p. 3

Sauti begins telling the story. While the storyteller has told many stories in the past, Saunaka demands a new story.

p.6

Rama is apparently going to have to get rid of Sita because his people do not approve of her. She must be saved since Rama is a great King.

P.7 

Valmiki's curse on the bird-hunter. Bird hunter ran but was dead anyway because of the curse. 

p. 9

Sita has Rama's twin sons, Kusa and Lava. Valmiki wrote Ramayana and taught it to the boys.

p. 13

Brahma says, "Think before and not after you act."

p.17 

Lakshmana is Rama's brother but also his company. Basically Rama's second self. We also see that Rama is the only man born knowing his own heart. Rama is a great and powerful king. 

P. 29

Why does Brahma want Ravana alive?

p. 48

Taste This Water. Rama and his brother are on their journey. Viswamitra taught the mantras of power and more power.

pg 59

Explains how it is the ending of Rama's youth and how his adulthood will begin

Sita and Rama (Source)