Mythical Class

Be A Mirror by Gravity Goldberg. Link .  This was a pretty helpful article when it comes to understanding the kind of feedback that people respond to positively. This week's pieces have been a little hit or miss for me, but this one stood out in terms of utility. The material is important, and I agree with the quote that Goldberg includes, that "without feedback, there can be no transformative change." The article talks about the importance of teachers expressing what they see about a student that can be encouraging and constructive. Being specific and focusing on the process are two of the tips that I think would be the most helpful for students. Instead of the end result, regardless of it's "success," there is something to be learned from every process. In terms of change and more specifically, improvement, it is crucial to address the material of the action and how the student got there.  Bring it On! Link .  How to Give Feedback Without Sounding...

I think I would like to use Greek and Roman myths as inspiration to write a series of semi-original origin stories. I think that format could be a great combination of style and literary opportunities, plus a pretty straightforward system. It allows for any number of stories to be written that aren't necessarily contingent on each other, and I could write any number of them. There could also be some stories around general moral teachings, set in the genre's tone. The Moon's Origin. Pixabay .  1 - The Moon. This is a pretty generic origin story that I can write, but it has a lot of possibilities. It would be pretty interesting to incorporate some sort of Etruscan element here. One option would be the religion's explanation surrounding lightning strikes. Sort of a lightening-strike-source that stuck around. 2 - Clouds. Clouds are so striaght forward in origin stories that there are a lot of routes that I can take when it comes to the origin's details. I want...

Fishing Along the Shore. Link .  It was around that time that the arrived at the coast. On a long stretch of shoreline there stood a fisherman who had but one hand. The disciples looked around but saw no one else around that might be helping the man. They sat and watched, astounded that the fisherman had enough strength in only one useful arm to cast such a large net. The man kept one arm, the hindered one, behind his back in a sling, while he used the other to set his net against the tide. Each time a collection of light waves would come, the man would slowly walk around the waist-deep water to each of his anchors, unclipping and pulling in the net. It was midday and the sun was high. Because of this, most of the fish had gone away to deeper water and the man’s catch was slim. Still, he continued to slowly make his way around each to each anchor. The disciples watched for a long time and were stunned. They sat cross-legged in the warm sand resting, and among them no words were...

Jesus in the City. Wiki Commons. Jesus  I finished up the Book of Mark this evening and continued my enjoyment of such a masterfully written text. Jesus' transformation is highlighted in the second half after the (appropriately named) Transfiguration. The miracles become a little bolder, along with the encouragement of the receivers to spread the word. Not only does the dialogue become more externally driven, but the message is clear that "this is not the Messiah you were expecting." This further clarification is hinted at the retelling of the miracle of Bethsheda. There, it takes Jesus two attempts to restore sight to a blind man. His eyesight is completely fixed the second time and his vision goes from blurry to crystal clear. This pretty incredibly foreshadows the clarified picture of Jesus that is about to take place in the text. Jesus' messege becomes a little more drastic, now telling people to toss aside their worldly possessions and follow him. When they h...

Seedsower and The Seeds. Wiki Commons   There is a LOT playing into this first half of the Book of Mark. It is one of the Gospels, and as such gives the reader an introduction to Jesus Christ. More than that, however, is the intention behind the text. The book of Mark is one that is written in a way that aims to satisfy the desires of pious Jews that believed Jesus to be the prophecized Messiah. The best way to hone down a thesis of the Book of Mark can be concentrated into a two-part exclamation: First, that Jesus is the Messiah, and two, that he is not the one that is expected. That is, he is not going to rule the Jews as was previously hoped/expected, but suffer under the weight of duty. All of this made widely evident in these first 8 chapters. I was very stoked to pour over this first half with a refreshed mind, so that I could pay closer attention to the textual evidence and how the writing can express such complex notions. Right off the bat, when the Spirit descen...