Reading Notes: Ovid's Metamorphoses, Part A

Io

I've always been interested in the story of Io; I think it's very sad that such a thing had to happen to her. I think it'd be easy to retell the story and go more into her thoughts. I could describe her emotions-- how afraid she is, how dreadful the situation is, and how she feels whenever she returns to human form. It wouldn't be too difficult doing so and I think her perspective would be refreshing, since it doesn't go into a lot of detail about how she feels. It'd really be a rollercoaster of emotions, honestly!

Phaethon

This story always made me sad because the father's oath is what brought the downfall of his son. He never had bad intentions. I also think it would be cool to describe his father's feelings. From meeting his son to being happy enough to grant him anything, and then seeing the panic seep in when he realizes that he should not have said those words. Finally, it would end with how regretful he was and how sorrowful the death of his son would be.

I have always been fond of the whole "__ flew too close to the sun" line, as well! I also love the personification of the sun and earth.

Phaethon. Source. 

Bibliography. Ovid's Metamorphoses by Tony Kline.

Tech Tip: Uploading Files on SoundCloud

I have been using SoundCloud for quite awhile now, but never uploaded any tracks. It's actually very easy!

1. Register/log in here.

2. Have the tracks you want to upload ready (they must be saved to your computer already).

3. Upload tracks.
I haven't used this feature yet, but you can go ahead and record yourself! So if you're interested in making a cover or singing an original song, go for it! If not, select "choose a file to upload"
This will open up another window; access and select the file you want to upload, then click okay.

4. Processing.
The music file has to process beforehand, but while you do that, you can fill in the other info! You can add a picture if you want, title the track properly and add artist info. After that, just hit save to finish uploading it.

If you're uploading, I believe you can only upload about 300 minutes worth of music before you have to upgrade accounts.

Reading Notes: Blackfeet Indian Stories, Part B

Bobcat and Birch Tree

The story did not go the way I expected; I thought the bobcat was going to kill the man. I thought he was going to get some punishment of sorts for tricking the prairie dogs. A story from their perspective would be interesting; I'd like to know why they weren't cautious of him or how they managed to do the trick with the fire.

The Red-Eyed Duck

I'm glad the old man got punished this time, though it was not an extreme punishment. I think it would be really interesting to have a story involving red eyes-- maybe a curse or something. I can try to figure out something that resembles the man's trick.

Kut-O-Yis, The Blood Boy

I am really curious about the son-in-law's character development. Why did he turn so selfish and mean? Was he tired of helping others? The story was really entertaining and I'm perplexed by the birth of the hero. "Blood Boy" sounds really intriguing and I think it'd be cool to be able to take that title and turn it into a story.

Prairie Dog. Source.

Bibliography. "Blackfeet Indian Stories" by Grinnell.

Wikipedia Trails: From Octavia to Nero

1. Octavia. Octavia was the sibling of Augustus, a Roman Emperor. She was seen in a positive light due to her loyalty and admired by many. Her second husband eventually committed suicide, so she was the only one who took care of their children. She had five children-- three with her first husband, two with her second husband.

2. Augustus. Augustus was the first Roman Emperor. He accomplished a lot: bringing peace to his people, reformed taxation, rebuilt the city, and much more. Although it is said that he died of natural causes, there are some people who believe his wife poisoned him, though it has never been confirmed.

3. Livia. Livia was both Augustus's wife and adviser. She was seen as faithful and dignified, although she was later seen as one who craved power. She is often seen in popular culture with lots of variation in her personality.

4. Nero. Nero was also a Roman Emperor. While Augustus was seen in a good way, people thought Nero to be corrupt. It is also possible that he started a war. Some sources view him positively while others view him negatively. 

The Fire of Rome by Hubert Robert. Source.

Reading Notes: Blackfeet Indian Stories, Part A

The Wolf Dog

Once again, I'm always baffled whenever family members or loved ones kill each other without a second thought. For this story, I think it'd be cool if I wrote about a wife who never cared for her husband and never loved him. She only married him for her own benefit and when he tries to teach her a lesson, she tries to kill him. It'd be a modern twist.

The Camp of Ghosts

I was hoping this story would have a happy ending. That, or I thought the wife would disappear because he would open his eyes. I could write a story about how the wife wants to come back, but she knows her husband would open his eyes and lose her all over again, which would bring more pain to him. 

How the Thunder Pipe Came

I love the personification of Thunder, but I wonder why he would steal women. I could go into detail about this in a story and possibly provide a reason/motive for this behavior. 

The Theft from the Sun

I liked this story! This is why you never steal from people. I think I could change the characters up but still keep the theme of the story. I do like the personification of the sun, but I'm not sure what someone could steal from the sun in a realistic story.

The Great Sun by wolf-minori. Source.

Bibliography. "Blackfeet Indian Stories" by Grinnell.