Back up and Review!

My favorite imagine in a previous stream of our class was the one where my picture was posted. I always wanted my picture to be on there - even if it was just a blog post but it was a selfie of me! I loved that and thought it was so fun, especially because it just happened to be such an encouraging post from me.

 (picture previously used on announcement

 thread!) 

One of the videos I chose to watch were the Christmas songs. I am getting into the spirit and I am ready for it! 

Deskercise!

 (me rolling my neck)

Since my friends and I have had a conversation about being adjusted for the last two hours -I have finally decided to put this to the test.

The one that I liked the best was the shoulder roll. I really liked this because it popped my shoulder which I didn't know could pop. it is easy and can be done anywhere - guess that's why i really like this article.

I didn't like the open chest stretch because I am really unflexible and it isn't fun.

Week 15 - My Final Famous Last Words!

This is it y'all. It is THURSDAY! I have one more final and one more paper and I am done for this semester. It is completely bittersweet. I loved this class so the fact that it is over makes me really sad. I wish I could take it over and over again for credit hours just for fun.

This class has taught me a lot about myself and how it is completely possible for me to be a writer. I just have to sit down and start typing. Of course, practice makes perfect and that's what this class was able to do for me. I have thoroughly enjoyed the readings from the Untextbook ( which was also fantastic) but also reading other stories that I didn't think I would be able to! This way of getting ideas and finding out my creativity is still intact in my olden age of 20 is mindblowing.

Laura if you read this - THANK YOU. You have been an incredible professor (more like ally). You have been encouraging, kind and a helper. If I ever write a book, I am coming to you first to help me edit and be my partner.

To everyone in this class - I loved your stories. Never lose your creativity and talent.

And to me, you are better than you think. Never lose your spark.

 ( from my webcam) 

My plans are for this week to eat a bunch of delicious food ( I am looking at you, FROZEN ORANGE CHICKEN FROM WALMART), play my new expansion packs on Sims 4 (GET FAMOUS!!!!!!!!!!), and watch all of Ugly Betty and maybe Friends too since I have never seen that. Signing out for one of the last times - Goodbye Mythology and Folklore! 

Week 15: Extra Credit Reading: Russian

The Dead Mother..... Sounds sad but okay..... okay wow morbid... weird flex but ok

This pope isn't very forgiving! A pot of gold in a grave? Weird.

I don't know if I like these Russian tales very much.

The Bad Wife is funny! I don't know if it was supposed to be but I found it hilarious.

Ah the Water Snake! A snake trying to marry a young naked girl. Interesting. The mother killed the snake! But what if she loved Osip! I am not sure that I understood the ending... interesting.

Friday is incredibly short. Sucks.

But Wednesday is so long? I hate Hump Day.

Russian Flag







BIB:his story is part of the Russian Folktales unit. Story source: Russian Fairy Tales by W. R. S. Ralston (1887).

Famous Last Words: I AM SO COLD

Hello anybody and everybody reading this! It is a Sunday afternoon and I am freezing. I am tired. I have four finals this week. I want to drink spiked hot chocolate and watch Christmas movies. Please send help and maybe a bottle of peppermint vodka for my hot chocolate. Maybe 100 boxes of macaroni and cheer so I have a healthy diet of noodles and cheese so I can get a healthy diet going on this week.

This week is dead week, but I am not sure that my professors know what that means since I will only have one final on the actual finals week. That final is on Friday at 1:30 so I can't even go home early. I am trapped at school with almost nothing to do except cry, study, test, and repeat. My goal is to stay hydrated, live at the library, try to drink more than coffee, find a way to have tasty coffee without 100 pounds of sugar and survive. I am planning on making a mental health schedule. Just small things throughout the week that personally make me feel good so I don't get too discouraged. Things like facemasks, getting my nails done, watching a movie, playing games with my boyfriend. I plan on doing simple things that may not take a lot of time, but it will make me happy and feel better about myself.

In conclusion, I am struggling this week but I will make it. It won't be fun but I can do it. The less I dread it, the easier it will be to get through. One day at a time - one test a day! I can do this - I just have to believe in myself.

Finals this week:

( Me pretending I am okay) 

• Public Relations Research Final (online anytime)
• ASL part 1 Monday
• ASL part 2 Wednesday
• Sociology of Religion Thursday
• Finish Mythology THIS WEEK!!!

Week 13: Growth Mindset

I read 25 Simple Ways to Develop a Growth Mindset. It was a really nice read - even if I think I have read it before. It is a nice refresher. One that really stood out to me was facing new opportunities as challenges. This is a better way of looking at life. New opportunities are awesome but they scare me SO much. I like the normal but change has really never been a bad thing.

Another one I knew about but haven't really done it is accepting failure as a growing oppurtunity. I have had a lot of failing this semester to remind myself about it makes me feel a lot better about my life.

One thing I am curious to explore is to stop seeking approval. I crave attention so not needing it might be a new change for me.

(cheezburger)

Week 14: Tech Tips: Canvas Profile

This week I updated my Canvas profile. It was really easy. I had done the picture before but now I have gone through with adding my bio, major, links, and anything else I found important for the cause. More people look at your profile than it seems so it is always good to be professional.

My headshot was the obvious choice for a picture since it is the most professional one that I have. I also added a link to my professional website with writing and photography samples with my resume.

Week 13: Extra Credit Reading

I love weird, mystical names. Acrasia might be one soon! I really loved that name so I am seeing what I can do to use that name in my next story... Perilous adventures, oh my! Can I use this story as my storytelling week? That would be cool! I like that this wasn't completely fake, it had real places. That is cool!


Knights fighting for love! I love love.

Castle Joyous... I am smiling at the name. A beautiful story with "gold and glittery" details... A story made for a princess!

Magic Mirror.... What does that remind me of? ;)

A little disappointed by the lack of pictures.... 

















BIB:This story is part of the Fairie Queen: Britomart unit. Story source: Stories from the Faerie Queene by Mary Macleod, with drawings by A. G. Walker (1916).

 My face when reading fairytales. 

Week 13: Tech Tips- dashboard

For Tech Tips this week I was able to add a To-Do list on my Canvas. I think that is going to start being really helpful for me to be there and not just the calendar. I like that when things are turned in online that it automatically goes away.

Most of my professors use a picture but I like to do color overlays anyway to help me decipher what is going on in the calendar. I think that is a really convenient tool.

Another convenient tool is being able to rename your class name. Changing it from numbers to an actual title makes things a lot clearer and less confusing when you are in a hurry!

Week 12 Tech Tips: The Canvas Mobile App

Here I am to report on my experience on the Canvas MObile App.

It has saved my life. I wake up in the morning and check Canvas and quite a few times have caught myself rushing up to finish some last minute homework. The calendar on the app has recently been very helpful for me since all your homework goes on to the calendar by myself. I really like that feature! Especially when due dates are always changing - it has been really fun for me.

The app has been so useful, I cannot believe there are people who don't use it. They do not know what they are missing out on!

Famous Last Words: Week 12

Here I am again, waiting until the last minute to finish my work... I had a really quick weekend of sleeping all day every day and just didn't have time to do homework like I should have. I am a little disappointed in myself but I was recovering from a stomach bug all week so here is the weekend to be better!

Today it is cold and snowing, I was extremely tired but I have still made it to all my classes today! I am really proud of myself for going. It has been a pretty good day even though I had to take a test. I only have two classes left and I am looking forward to the time I can eat. I really am enjoying my American Sign Language class this week. It has been fun and hopefully will only get better.

This week I will go to all my classes. I am speaking it into existence so I can fix my sleep schedule and really get things done. I know I am so tired right now, I wish a nap was in the books for me.

Here is to being better this week!  Also maybe eating better, working out, getting enough sleep, seeing my family and going to a therapy appointment.

To end this, here is a list of my goals:
1.) Sleep better and longer
2.) Wake up at the same time every day this week (DO NOT OVERSLEEP)
3.) Eat a vegetable every day
4.) Stop drinking wine - it makes you sick
5.) Get caught up and AHEAD on Mythology - it is fun!
6.) Try to do a lot of extra credit, you need it girl...
7.) Maybe try to finish the class next week? That would be fun.
8.) Enjoy yourself. Only one year left of college!

 (of me, by me doing work this week) 

Reading B (Extra Credit) Week 10

For this week I was really interested in the readings but just happened to be busier than I expected - so I was pretty excited when I realized I could make up a reading for extra credit.

Reading The Boy Who Snared the Sun was really fun for me. The small details were fun and I really enjoyed the names like Morning Glory and Eagle Feather. I thought it was really nice reading what they would tell their children. It was an easy read! I enjoyed that.

How The Summer Came was a good read. I enjoyed that it was the same characters.  Another thing I enjoyed was how they watched the stars and what it meant to them. I liked that a lot.  I love talking about the stars and what they mean so it was fun for me. I also liked when the animals were included.

The Fairy Bride was cute. I have not read stories like these enough so every time I do they make me happy. Talking about how they are dreamers and frolick by themselves. I enjoyed that there was a poem she sang in the story. I don't like to write poems that are very long so I think a short one would be perfect for me.

(Illustrated by John Rae (1921) 

BIB: Story source: American Indian Fairy Tales by W.T. Larned, with illustrations by John Rae (1921). 

Famous Last Words: BE BETTER

Last week I said I would make it to all of my 9:30 classes..... I made approximately 0. I really wasn't doing well this week but I am hoping for a better start this week. I am hoping that my new found motivation and weekend of rest will help me for this trying week.

This week I am trying a new thing where I set goals for myself.

Goals:

• Go to class (especially ASL) 
• Finish all homework in a TIMELY manner
• Be productive this week - no sleeping all day again
• Try to go to the gym at least once
• eat healthier 
• Practice ASL every day! 
• Get on a sleep schedule - up everyday by 9 and in bed at 11:30 

I think with these new goals, I will be successful. I love to complete goals so maybe setting some for myself is the way I need to go about getting them done. I know I can be successful if I just try hard enough I can do it. 

This past week has been really trying for me. My depression was flared - I slept all day everyday and I had no motivation. I want this week to be better so I am starting off by going to be early and limiting my screen time. Starting tomorrow instead of playing on my phone before bed I will start reading or listening to a podcast. I used to love reading for fun but now I just do not have the time. I am hoping this is a better week and reading will make me happy again. 

If you read this - thanks for keeping up with me. I am always open to talk about anything and everything. 

(https://memesbams.com/funny-motivational-memes/) 

Growth Mindset: Learning to Have One

25 Simple Ways to Develop a Growth Mindset

There were many things to learn in this article, but one thing that was confirmed for me was trying a different method. The article talked about how it wasn't a one size fits all type of learning so if something doesn't work for you, it can work for someone else. It just means to try your best and acknowledge your imperfections and learn from them!

Something I am going to start doing is replacing the word failing with learning. Making it a 'better luck next time' instead of an 'I just failed out of college.' I think I really beat myself up about it and that is not something I should do anymore. I want to change my words so I have a more positive outlook on life.

I am now curious about research for brain plasticity. I want to know more about my body so maybe the place to start is my brain so I can learn more about it.

(curiosity cat) 

Tech Tips: Canvas Calendar

I am a junior at the University of Oklahoma. I only had one class on D2L so I have really been using Canvas for about two years now. I can count on one hand the number of times I have opened that calendar because I have always preferred my actual planner.

My time management isn't always the best but I really liked the idea of the calendar and how it can cross things off for you. I think from now on I am going to be relying on it more. I think I am willing to learn how to use google calendar and I am looking into it more. The more organization the better!