Wikipedia Trail: From Ashwatthama's Gem to the Sudarshana Chakra

For one of my stories in my storybook, I will likely be writing about Ashwatthama's gem. Here is the link to the article on Ashwatthama. The article mentions that "Ashvatthama is born with a gem on his forehead which gives him power over all living beings lower than humans; it protects him from hunger, thirst, and fatigue."

(Ashvatthama uses Narayanastra, from Wikipedia.)

That led me to this article on Krishna, because Krishna cursed him after he had to surrender his gem. Krishna is the eighth avatar of Vishnu in Hinduism. He is the god of compassion, tenderness, and love.

I noticed that Krishna had a few weapons, so I clicked the link for the Kaumodaki. This is Krishna's mace, and it is known as one of the oldest and strongest weapons. Vishnu is often depicted holding the Kaumodaki, along with three other objects, which led me to...

...This article on the Sudarshana Chakra. This weapon is another of the four things Vishnu holds. It's a spinning weapon and has been featured quite a bit in Indian mythology!

Week 4 Lab: Research for First Story

Firstly, here are some images I've come across that I will probably want to use at some point:

(Borgin and Burkes shelf by Harshlight from Wikimedia Commons)

(Borgin and Burkes image by Jared on Flickr)

Also, if I search "borgin & burkes" (instead of using "and" use "&") I end up getting way more results for some reason??? I'll have to keep that in mind. 

For one of my stories, I'll be writing about an astra. I'm not completely sure which one yet, so here is a list of potential astras:

• Brahmastra - Brahma's weapon. Can destroy the world and never misses a mark. Extreme mental concentration is required to use it, and it's not supposed to be used in combat and was a last-resort weapon.
• Trishula - Shiva's weapon. According to Wikipedia, "When looked upon as a weapon of Shiva, the trishula is said to destroy the three worlds: the physical world, the world of the forefathers, and the world of the mind. The three worlds are supposed to be destroyed by Shiva into a single non-dual plane of existence, that is bliss alone."
• Gandiva - An invincible bow created by Brahma. 
• Pashupatastra - Most destructive weapon of Shiva. Extremely destructive and powerful. Summons monsters. 
• Narayanastra - Creates a shower of arrows and discs. 

There are so many interesting ones! I think what I might end up doing is I'll mention a few in the story, but have the customer only be intrigued by one. 

Storybook Plan: Borgin and Burkes

Through my storybook project, I hope to give readers an experience that makes them feel like they are in Knockturn Alley. So that means feelings of unpleasantness and spookiness. My stories will probably be in the third person, and each will emphasize a specific Indian myth object that a character finds in Borgin and Burkes. The storytelling style I will be using is kind of like an anthology, although the overall topic/location will be the same.

I'm still not sure if I'm going to use the actual Indian characters who originally had the object, or if I'm going to adjust them to be Harry Potter characters that we already know about.

As mentioned in my previous project post, here are the three stories I am planning to write:

1. Cintamani Stone: For this one, I'm thinking Lucius Malfoy will enter the shop seeking out an object that can aid Voldemort in gaining strength. Borgin would explain the history behind the stone, who sold it to the shop, and how it has been used over the past few centuries. I think it'd be fun to mention Nicholas Flamel in there somewhere. Maybe he studied it to learn how to make his philosopher's stone? 
• Potential sources:
• Here is the wikipedia article about the stone.
• This article on alchemy and Rasayana seems really helpful!
• Here is information about Nicholas Flamel.
2. An astra (probably the Brahmastra?): The idea for this one is that Bellatrix (or some Death Eater) comes into the shop seeking a weapon that could help Voldemort (this would be near the end of the series). She would see the astra and harass Borgin about it. Borgin would be weary in explaining it because it's so destructive, but eventually he would tell her the history of it. 
• Potential sources:
• Pages 120-123 of my copy of Narayan's Ramayana mentions some astras (the Maya, Brahmastra, and Garuda) and provides some good background information on them. 
• Here is the wikipedia article about the Brahmastra.
• This is a helpful list of astras. 
3. Ashwatthama's gem: My basic idea for this one is that Tom Riddle will be working at Borgin and Burkes when he sees the gem. He'll ask Burke about it in the same way he was trying to learn about horcruxes from Slughorn (so Tom will be slightly manipulative and will try not to seem too eager). Burke will then explain what he knows about the story behind the gem and how it got to the shop. (Maybe Grindelwald was using it but then gave it to someone who sold it to the shop?? I'm not completely sure yet.)
• Potential sources:
• Here is the wikipedia article about Ashwatthama. 
• The Mahabharata

Microfiction: Jatayu and Ravana's Error

Story 1 - Jatayu

More than an eagle: a hero.

(Ravana fights Jatayu)

Story 2 - Ravana's Error

As the Brahma-astra soared towards his heart, Ravana realized the error of his ways. His invincible strength was nothing compared to the perseverance of man.

________

Author's Note:

The first story is about Jatayu, who died trying to save Sita. Even though he had very little chance of defeating Ravana and surviving, he still made a brave attempt and deserved to be honored because of it. I felt like his heroics could be summarized in six words. The simplicity of it makes it feel even more powerful. My story is kind of corny but I think it at least summarizes Jatayu's situation fairly well.

The second story is a two-sentence story about the second before Rama's astra killed Ravana. The Ramayana says so much about how humans learn to play their strengths in spite of weaknesses. Humans refuse to give in, and they do what they can to help those in need. I feel like in his last second of life, Ravana might have realized his mistake in doubting humans.

Bibliography: The Ramayana: A Shortened Modern Prose Version of the Indian Epic. By Kamban and R. K. Narayan.

Image information: Image source: Ravana fights Jatayu, abducts Sita;illustration by K. Venkatappa
in Myths of the Hindus & Buddhists (1914).

Week 4 Reading Notes: Narayan's Ramayana, Part D

• Sita wants to commit suicide because of her situation, but Hanuman finds her, gives her Rama's ring, and helps saves her. But then Ravana's son captures Hanuman, and Ravana sets Hanuman's tail on fire. 
• Even when Ravana is reminded that he is not protected against humans, he still refuses to listen to those who tell him he is in danger because he feels he is invincible. 
• Rama builds a bridge to Lanka so that his armies can get across the water. 
• Ravana tries to trick Sita into thinking he cut off Rama's head but Sita realizes it's a trick.
• The Maya and Brahma-astras are used. 
• Rama uses the Brahma-astra and sends it to Ravana's heart. Ravana dies. 
• Rama tests Sita to see if she is pure and wasn't touched by Ravana.
• Rama returns to Ayodhya after exile. 

________

Bibliography: The Ramayana: A Shortened Modern Prose Version of the Indian Epic. By Kamban and R. K. Narayan.

Image Information: Building the bridge to Lanka from the Philadelaphia Art Museum

Week 4 Reading Notes: Narayan's Ramayana, Part C

• There's a curse that makes it so that if Ravana touches a woman without her consent, he'll die. Because of this, he picks up the ground from under Sita and takes her with him that way. 
• Ravana's fatal flaw shows again when he says to Sita, "You think too highly of Rama, but I don’t. I do not care to fight him because it’s beneath our dignity to confront a mere human being." I love that Sita responds to this with a bit of sarcasm and sass--she says, "Ah, yes, your class are ashamed to contend with humans, but you may covet and treacherously attack a helpless woman" which is really just on point. 
• Jatayu bravely tries to stop Ravana but ends up being killed. 
• I found Rama's actions so interesting in chapter 5 with the golden deer. The book mentions this: Rama is an ideal person who is heroic and usually fairly wise. But in this one case, he acted too quickly and let his guard down, which has now led to an entire tragic event. 
• They meet Sampathi, who is Jatayu's brother. 

________

Bibliography: The Ramayana: A Shortened Modern Prose Version of the Indian Epic. By Kamban and R. K. Narayan.

Image Information: Ravana slaughtering Jatayu the vulture, from Wikimedia Commons

Biography: The Story of Yumi

This is my dog, Yumi.

If you've been on my blog before, you've probably seen her. I'm kind of obsessed with her. She's the love of my life and has made the hard things in life a tiny bit easier for me to deal with. Yet, if you would've seen me a few weeks after getting her, you wouldn't have thought any of that could be true. So here's the story of the stupidest, best, most impulsive, and positively life-changing decision I ever made.

(Yumi at around 5 months attempting to eat a small branch for whatever reason.)

I'm not a decisive person. I don't just do things--I need days, weeks, years to make a decision. But in June of 2018, all of that somehow went out the window. I was casually watching a YouTube video (the first bad decision--never listen to social media influencers) of a girl who had recently adopted a dog. She said it was the best thing she had ever done, despite the terrors that come with being a dog owner. For some reason, that was it for me. I had been wanting a dog for a long time, but I figured I was too young to get one (I was and still am). I couldn't be tied down by an animal that would depend on me every second of the day. I needed to study, work, and socialize.

And yet, I immediately scoured the Internet and quickly found a dog that stole my heart. My mom half-heartedly tried to stop me, but I convinced her. Nobody in my life stopped me (I'm still not sure why--they definitely should have), so I figured everything would be fine. By the end of the week, she was mine.

(The day I got her. Her haircut made her look like a hedgehog.)

In the first week, she had fleas and worms. Lots of them. I think this is where her hatred of baths stems from. I probably used half a bottle of Dawn dish soap to get rid of as many fleas as I could see underneath her extremely thick and curly hair. I was hysterical. (My sister says all she remembers from that day is me screaming and crying an unreasonable amount.) She also loved attention and was attached to me immediately. I couldn't get anything done, and my only moments of quiet were when my mom would watch her for me so I could sleep or shower. I could not believe what I had gotten myself into. Don't get me wrong, she wasn't a bad dog--she was house-trained in under two weeks, she only ever chewed up one thing (my phone charger wire), and she was a fluffy ball of happiness. Still, the crate training (she hated the crate with a passion), her stubborn attitude, and the realization that I no longer could be selfish with my time were the two things that really hit me hard.

(She'll eat anything. Here she found a "wite-out" bottle at the dog park and definitely tried to eat it. She never grew out of that puppy phase... I'm still constantly trying to stop her from swallowing random objects.)

It took almost a year for me to accept that she was mine and this was my new life. Things got easier after that, and my heart started swelling with love every time she would cuddle up against me or when she learned a new trick. Now we are the best of friends and even though she drives me crazy sometimes, I love her with my whole heart. Our favorite things to do are taking trips to Lowe's to practice training and going to the dog park so she can sniff everything. She's smart when she wants to be, silly constantly, and is sometimes the only thing that can make me smile. She is also obsessed with my little brother and has helped teach him how to be gentle and kind to animals.

Should I have gotten a dog at the age of 21? Definitely not. I don't recommend it. In fact, I strongly discourage it. But Yumi has helped me realize that I need to take responsibility for my actions and decisions and make the most of them. She's helped me focus on the positive and not take life too seriously. She reminds me not to worry so much about the bad parts of life. Even if she limits my life socially quite often, and even if I lose sleep sometimes because she gets sick or refuses to sleep herself, I love her and I've finally figured out how to allow the good to outweigh the bad. I only hope I am returning the favor often enough by giving her the dog equivalent of this--lots of treats and attention.

_________

Author's Note: I saw some pet prompts on the biographical writing prompts page and I knew I wanted to write about Yumi. She's basically all I talk about anyways, so why not write her origin story? It turned into something more than just a story about her and made me realize how much she really means to me. The length is longer than I expected, but still counts as a microfiction. I think any longer would have been too much and any shorter would have been lacking in necessary emotion and detail. 

Image information: All images are personal images of Yumi, taken by me from 2018-2020. 

Tech Tip: Typing Test

I feel like my typing speed in constantly changing, depending on how much time I've been spending typing. Last time I did a test, my speed was around 90 WPM. This time it was 116.33 WPM:

Results from keyhero.com typing test

This test was so short, though, that I decided to take another one. Here are the results from that:

Results from typingtest.com typing test

So I got 99 WPM with that one. I think I prefer the test from typingtest.com because it allows me to customize the test. I chose to do the one minute test where you type sentences (as opposed to words or just letters). 

Typing is really important, especially for those of us in online courses. I'm lucky enough to have started typing games in second grade, so I learned the skill from an early age. Not being able to type quickly can be frustrating because it takes so much longer to finish assignments.