Feedback Strategies

A feedback loop in an electrical circuit. source: Wikimedia

How to Craft Constructive Feedback:  I think the two questions it suggests reviewers pose when giving feedback of "What stood out for you?" and "Was there anything you wanted more of?" are good ways to highlight what you liked about someones work and bridge criticisms into positives where it could be stronger. 

Be a Mirror: This article has some helpful points on how to think about feedback in a different more constructive light when looking at others' work.  Being specific in your critiques can remove ambiguity and help someone make specific changes to improve their work.  Focusing on what someone is doing with their work and not what you as a reviewer thinks they should be doing is also a helpful way to look at things so the person can improve what they are doing and not focus on what they could be doing.

I have experience in other classes giving feedback and I think that experience will help me give better feedback in this class.

Topic Research

I think that an origin story for Indra combined with a battle to see who is the strongest thunder god is a cool concept and one that would be cool to incorporate thunder gods from other mythologies.  I think it would be cool to do a story about a battle with both Thor and Zeus over thunder god superiority.  Thor and Zeus could have a truce for the right to be gods of thunder, but it all gets thrown out of wack when Indra comes into the picture.

It could start with Indra's birth and rise as a God of thunder and storms though some of his exploits and battles.  He gains notoriety as a rising thunder god and attracts attention from Thor and Zeus in far away lands.

 Thor could have a build up where he is bragging about his exploits and all of the battles he has won and how Indra has no right to claim to be a god of thunder. Indra defeats Thor in a close battle to earn his respect.

A picture of thor that could be used for his introduction into the story and tie into stories he brags about. source: Wikipedia

Zeus will be the only one standing in the way of Indra once he defeats Thor.  He could send a message to Indra saying he wants a truce once he hears of Thor's defeat, but once Indra arrives Zeus would ambush him.  Despite this Indra would almost defeat him until Zeus calls his brothers Poseidon and Hades to help and they turn the tides.  Meanwhile, Thor hears of Zeus' deceit and comes to Indras aid when he is almost defeated and together they win the battle.

Week 3 Story: Rama the CoD God

A picture of Rama, Sita, and Lakshmana because I couldn't find any free use material that related directly to this story.  Source: Wikimedia

It was an average day for forest life.   A few obstacles here and there, but nothing Rama could not handle.  He was very powerful and could best tasks even the most stout men had trouble with with relative ease.  He had become even stronger than when he had first been exiled many years ago by his father Dasharatha.  He lead his life in exile with his wife and his brother tackling whatever challenges came their way, but it was he who carried a majority of the workload, for he was much stronger than his brother.  One day a beautiful woman appeared before Rama and spoke to him.  

She said, "Rama you're a pretty good looking fellow, you should let me eat you wife and brother so we can live together forever."

Rama taken aback by her request laughs in her face seeing her for the evil hag she really is.  This woman was Shurpanakha, a shapeshifting Rakshasa who's true form was more hideous than one could imagine.  Shurpanakha can't handle rejection so in a fit of rage she attacks Rama's wife.  Rama's brother quickly counters her attack driving her back into the forest.  Humiliated and ashamed she returns to her brother Khara to plea for help.  Khara is outraged by the perceived assault on his innocent sister, so he makes plans to challenge Rama to one on one combat.  

A few days later Rama is out and about in the forest when he comes upon Khara sitting in a clearing waiting for him to arrive.  Rama asks what Khara is doing and what he wants.  Khara angrily shouts about Rama's assault on his siter Shurpanakha and that he was challenging Rama to a duel.

Rama agrees to the duel and asks, "what are the terms of this battle and where do we fight it?'

Khara replied simply, "that's easy, 1v1 me Rust bro"

Rama was shocked at the challenge.  He had bested many beasts physically but he hadn't played video-games or Call of Duty on his xbox in a long time.  He wasn't even sure if he remembered the controls.  But, never wanting to back down from a challenge, he accepted Khara's terms. He sat down next to Khara in front of the TV and xbox setup Khara had somehow gotten to work in a forest without electrical power for miles.  Rama had many weapons to choose from, but he went with the one he had the most experience with, the sniper rifle.  While Khara, being a little disrespectful and really wanting to win, chose a shotgun, which was preferable on a small map like Rust.  The game started and all of Rama's past experience came back to him, he remembered everything and moved and shot with the fluidity of a pro.  He dodged and countered Khara's every move and quick-scoped him into oblivion.

At the end of it all Khara was humiliated and Rama only had one thing to say, which was, "EZ PZ get gud scrub."

He had been bested by Rama at a game he thought he was the best at, which he couldn't handle, so he ran off into the forest never to be seen again.  

  

Author's Note:  I decided to tell this story relatively the same until the fight where I insert a lot of stuff that probably doesn't make any sense if you didn't play the videogame Call of Duty in the period between 2007 and 2010.  It has a lot to do with gaming culture in that timeframe centered around that game so I apologize if none of it made any sense.  Basically when someone got angry at someone in an online match, this kind of challenge is what might result.  It was fun to write and I thought I'd just kind of wing it on this one and this is what I got :).

Bibliography:

Battle with Khara Indian Myth and Legend by Donald A. Mackenzie

Lakshmana and Shurpanakha Indian Myth and Legend by Donald A. Mackenzie

Reading Notes: Ramayana Part B

Rama fighting an army of Rakshasas. Source: Wikimedia

Rama and Bharata, by Donald A. Mackenzie

After the funeral ceremony for his dead father is completed, Bharata sets out to find Rama and proclaim him king, instead of himself.  He found Rama in the forest and begged him to come home and take his place as the rightful king.  Rama refuses Bharata's offer because he does not wish to betray the command of his late father. Jabali, a counsellor to Dasharatha, tries to convince Rama to accept Bharata's offer because he is merely tring to appease gods and religious law that Jabali says to not exist.  Jabali claims that rituals and the afterlife were invented by priests to trick the populace for their own nefarious deeds and that if Rama wishes to go against his fathers command, he should and without consequence to his soul or future.  Rama refutes this suggestion and holds true to his teachings and wisdom to keep his word to his late father and his wishes for him to be exiled.  Rama will stay in the forest for the duration of his exile. 

Lakshmana and Shurpanakha, Battle with Khara, by Donald A. Mackenzie

A female Rakshasa named Shurpanakha falls in love with Rama and desires to make him her husband.  She appears to him and asks him to let her eat Sita and his brother so they can be wed and be together.  Rama rejects her proposal and laughs at her.  She gets angry and lunges at Sita.  Lakshmana, Rama's brother, leaps in front of Shurpanakha and cuts off her ears and nose.  She retreats to her brother Khara to ask for revenge.  He sends some Rakshasas to kill Rama but they are slain with celestial arrows.  This makes him angry, so he summons his brother Dushana to create an army of 14 thousand Rakshasas to defeat Rama.  Rama hears of this and tells his brother and wife to hide in a cave so he can take on the army alone.  With his celestial bow at hand, he defeats Khara and his brother's army with many arrows.

Reading Notes: Ramayana Part A

Rama breaking the bow of Shiva. Source: Wikipedia

Rama: Avatar of Vishnu, by Donald A. Mackenzie

Dasharatha had been told he would have sons, which the gods would provide.  The god's must deal with Ravana, who was impervious to them and their methods, because he was enslaving the gods and causing them problems.  Vishnu decides to take the form of mortal man to take on Ravana because he can be beaten by man or ape.  He becomes the 4 sons of Dasharatha that were promised with Rama being the most beautiful and powerful.

Rama Wins Sita, by Donald A. Mackenzie and Romesh Dutt

In an earlier story Rama met Sita in a garden when he was exploring the city and instantly fell in love.  Sita was an avatar of the goddess Lakshmi whom Vishnu was also loved, so the match was inevitable and predestined.  Sita's father, the King, decides to hold a contest to determine who is worthy of his daughter Sita.  The challenge is to bend a great bow of the god Shiva.  Many had tried and failed including many Rakshasas.  Rama, determined to win Sita, decides to take on the challenge.  To spectators amazement, Rama Strings the bow with ease and bends it back so far that it snaps in two right in the middle.  He beats the challenge with ease when others can't come close and wins Sita for himself. 

Manthara and Kaikeyi, by Donald A. Mackenzie

Upon hearing that Rama will be named the next king, Manthara, servent of the youngest wife of Dasharatha begins to plot to prevent this from happening so she will not have to serve under Rama or Sita.  She convinces Kaikeyi to call in her boons she is owed by the king to instead have Bharata, the king's youngest son, as the heir apparent instead of Rama.  Manthara hated Rama because he smote her early in his life when she did something he didn't like.