Spring 2018 Indian Epics

Clock watching is one of my least favorite habits, yet I find myself guilty more often than I care to admit. A compulsive need to verify that I still have time, even when there are no deadlines, assignments, or critical events occurring. In fact, there are occasions when the number of times I've checked the clock has probably reduced the amount of time I have available by a significant amount (at least 5%).  The article " Why Time Management is Ruining Our Lives " speaks at length regarding the decrease in life quality when efficiency and production are maximized, and I am forced to agree with the author in multiple areas. Managing time is important, and that fact is not disputed. But the inundation of emails, alerts, notifications, and advertisements which are experienced daily can result in a drowning feeling of insufficiency, and this I strive to avoid. This was a great article which helped me realize which things I ought not to do when planning out this semes...

Did you know that in 2013 the internet was ruled to be an "essential" part of life in a German federal court? We use it for virtually everything, after all, but I scoffed at this ruling initially. Later, about two years down the line, I realized with the looming net neutrality argument that that ruling made good sense. It's an interesting story, and you can read more about the German ruling here . In 2016, Canada made the same decision , but expanded the argument to include high-speed broadband internet access. I was at first surprised to discover most of the course takes place outside of Canvas, the undoubtedly expensive learning management software used by our university, but upon considering the type and nature of this open-source classroom, the limitations in Canvas become apparent. However, the real reason provided (that we will never use Canvas again following graduation) makes even better sense. When I was about 13 years old, my technology skills were fair...

This could be one of my favorite classes of all time. I was rather intimidated at first by the daunting process of creating a blog, but the organization and step-wise introduction to each part of the process simplified everything. I really like the option of choosing when to complete assignments based on my schedule, and the blog-based approach to teaching is actually delightful.  I enjoy writing, but I am very rusty. Microbiology majors don't get much free composition practice this late in the game (senior year), and I am anticipating that both the storytelling and project assignments will provide me with a welcome respite from the biochemistry and heavy science workload I've had the last year.  I am somewhat in awe of the level of organization provided for this course. There is a vast amount of material perfectly organized and explained in as much or as little detail as I require. Should I ever choose to keep a blog outside of class, this is one of the best possib...

The difficulty of adapting to a growth mindset for adult students lies primarily in the adjustment of expectations for one's education. I first encountered the growth mindset concept about two years prior, halfway through my undergraduate degree. My entire focus at that time was simple: Make the A. This is a normal feeling for any student, but most especially those who plan to attend a medical or dental school for post-graduate education. The issue with the A mentality is that more effort and time is spent worrying over grades than actually learning. I've seen entire class periods in lab courses go by with students arguing over a two point assignment rather than using the time set aside for actually learning and connecting with the material and concepts presented. This was me, in semesters past. I realized at some point that I was no longer really learning. I would cram for tests, maximize my grades, and retain in cases almost nothing a few weeks after. This is not why I cho...

"Live with a man 40 years. Share his house, his meals. Speak on every subject. Then tie him up, and hold him over the volcano's edge. And on that day, you will finally meet the man." -Joss Whedon I never realized what an awful person I was until I found myself at five minutes til class searching for a parking space the day of an exam. Being a somewhat punctual person, I made a point of arriving on campus with a planned excess of about twenty minutes prior to class each day I commuted to the Norman campus at the University of Oklahoma. This habit was fairly well established by the time midterm examinations rolled around my first semester. I felt comfortable and secure with my route, a drive of about fifty minutes from the north side of Oklahoma City. My exits were firmly conditioned, and I could drive it easily without having to constantly remind myself to pay attention to the road. I have always struggled with using a GPS navigator or software; the robot voice interr...

How to Acquire Divine Wisdom: The Journey of Jack This storybook grabbed my attention in two ways; a descriptive title and minimal, dark design paves the way for focus upon the dialogue and story. The introduction opens with the main character, Jack, waking from an accidental nap during an all-night meditation session, and the colors and mood of the site design complement a story told at night. I am relatively unfamiliar with the characters and events portrayed, but that did not stop me from reading more.  Image.PR: India's Highest Ranked PR Firm This was such a fun storybook! Retelling these classics using a PR firm as the central basis of the story-line is delightful. The homepage of the storybook is so realistic, I was unsure at first if the link I choose was actually a storybook. I enjoyed the style and the approach; I have yet to become familiar with the characters in detail but I am eager to read more. This was a great foot-in-the-door to the revered epics with a mod...

When I think about my absolute favorite places, I am forced to admit that I cannot choose only one. My favorite place to relax is vastly different from my favorite place I've visited, so I present them both. Bookshelf at Half Price Books Dee Coetzee, 2011. Web Source: Flickr The used bookstore replaced the library as my all-time favorite place approximately 15 years ago; I discovered that the library had a limited and fixed inventory, while the used bookstore rotated through an ever-changing supply of books, journals, articles, and even antiques. This was and is my favorite place to relax and browse at leisure.  (Image information: Sun Observatory, Chacchoben, Mexico; personal photo, January 2018) I recently returned from a trip to (among other places) Costa Maya, Mexico. While I was unable to fulfill my lifelong dreams of "becoming" Indiana Jones, I was able to visit several ruins of impressive age and history. The Chacchoben ruins, painstakingly r...