Famous Last Words: Week Three, the Week of Stress

Week three proved to be an incredibly stressful week. Life happened. There was nothing I could've done to make the week a bit easier. But I survived; I didn't shut down. Finishing the readings was difficult, but luckily I had the extra credit assignment to make up for the missed reading on Monday.

I feel like I wrote to get by, not to improve. Sometimes that's what it takes to keep going, but I can't allow myself to continue to just "get by". I did, however, read a great story this week. It was about Jupiter (the Roman god), and it was really fun to read. The writer gave Jupiter a playboy persona, and it worked incredibly well.

As far as my other classes, there's a really weird contrast between this one and all of the others. Being in the college of business, most of my writing is business-like: short, to-the-point, succinct. This class makes me want to make all of my writing creative and fun; all of my other classes make me want to make all of my writing direct and unimaginative. I think, however, that working with both styles will really help me, both in technique and in being able to switch back-and-forth between the two styles as needed.

On campus, UPB is having its first ever UPB Week. Each day, there will be an event with prizes and free food. It's really exciting, and there is even a hella-hype promotional video.

For this class, I'm hoping to get ahead. If life decides to suck again, I'd like to be in a position where I have one less class to worry about. Luckily that's possible. Now I just need to motivate myself to do it. Also, hopefully, I survive my world music class. I just found the syllabus (it was oddly placed), and there's a 7-9 page essay due at the end. Help.

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Image: Don't Panic Button, via Pixabay

Reading Notes: Cupid and Psyche, Part B

My first thing I noticed in reading Part B of this selection is how vengeful Venus is portrayed. It reminds me of many classic fairy tales; they all share one thing in common -- a mean-spirited mother. I wonder where and why this tradition started. Even men today are known for hating their stepmother, though maybe for different reasons. As I continue to read, I keep getting classic fairy tale vibes from the story. However, the one big difference from many of the more modern fairy tales is that in Cupid and Psyche, it's the man in trouble. 

Overall, the story feels very formulaic, though that's not necessarily a bad thing. Psyche has hardships to overcome. There are some tasks in her way. Obviously, this storytelling technique has survived ages, so maybe formulaic is good.

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 Bibliography: Cupid and Psyche by Apuleius and translated by Tony Kline, source
Image: Psyche in the Underworld, by Hillemacher

Week 3 Storytelling: Two Tickets to Paradise

Abel, son of Adam and Eve, awoke one morning to begin his daily duties. After saying his morning prayer, he ran over to a particular wall of the Cave of Treasures that was utilized for keeping up with the date -- a makeshift calendar. It was time! Abel dashed off to find his parents who were with his brother Cain. Cain and Abel always seemed to be scuffling with each other, but it was always ignored under the mantra "boys will be boys." For once in Abel's life, granted he was only four years of age, he wanted to make Cain feel special. So he first gave Cain the special news. 5,500 years had finally passed, and it was time to return to Paradise. Excitement grew quick in the Cave as the family rejoiced. No longer would they be exiled. The continued their day awaiting God.

Breakfast had just ended when two angelic figures appeared before the family. "Behold! God's promise is fulfilled!" the first one proclaimed. The second one then extended out an envelope in hand. As soon as Eve grasped the envelope, the visitors were gone. Many years had passed since Adam and Eve first entered the Cave of Treasures, and the outside world now referred to itself as "2017 A.D." Inside the envelope, Eve found two pieces of parchment, nearly identical in appearance. Unaware of what they were to be used for, they quickly fell to their knees and prayed.

"Dear Lord, the time has come for us to be with you again! We know not what these signs mean, so we pray that you reveal to us your mighty plan." Adam finished up his prayer and awaited an answer. Soon the Lord's Word came upon Adam and Eve, and all was made known. The two pieces of parchment were airline tickets. Using these the family must board an airplane to Paradise. All within a moment, the excitement transformed into concern. Adam and Eve had tickets, but their sons were without. They began packing what little they had within the Cave, finding passports that must have been delivered from God. Surely God would lead them to answer to their conundrum.

As it neared time to leave the Cave of Treasures once and for all, they realized that they must find another way to take Cain and Abel with them. God held onto his promise, only He did so much more strictly than they anticipated. When God made an oath to bring back Adam and Eve, He meant just that. Adam and Eve. No one else was a part of that promise, including offspring. But they knew they must bring their own children with them. And with that, they devised a plan.

Passing through the airport, flashing their passport every few moments, Adam and Eve finally were able to board the plane. They carefully moved down the aisle until they found their seats. Adam took the window seat because he wished to gaze upon the Creation of God. Eve wanted the aisle seat so that she may quickly access the bathroom. Adam and Eve never seemed to have conflicting wants or ideas. Maybe it is because Eve was made from Adam, and this was a sign of mercy from God. Better yet, maybe it was simply because 5,500 together in a cave makes a couple learn the significance of compromise. They both plopped down their carryon bags below their feet and gave a loving gaze to each other.

A loving gaze that was soon interrupted by an elderly woman claiming she had the seat between the two. "Excuse me! Excuse me! I believe I am between you two!" Without a word further, she stepped over Eve's feet and sat down in the middle seat. At first, neither Adam nor Eve knew how to react. Who was this woman? Why was she between them? The only thing Adam could muster up was an offer.

"Why don't you take this window seat so that I may sit next to my wife?" Adam pleaded.

"No thank you, sonny. Looking out the window makes me nauseous," responded the woman.

"Then take my seat! It is quite convenient being able to just get up without having to step over anyone," Eve suggested.

"Last time I sat in the aisle, the flight attendant spilled tea on my new jacket as she had walked by! I just got this blouse, and I will not risk ruining it!" And with that, it was obvious to Adam and Eve that this would be an annoying flight.

All throughout out the flight, the couple endured incredibly probing questions. "When are you having kids?" "How is he in bed?" "How much money do you guys make?" "What are your religious views?" "Did you vote for Hillary?"

Though the elderly woman meant no harm (she was just one to try to make the most of the time when around new people), Adam and Eve had to sheepishly dodge many of the questions. Just as she started to talk about her oddly located moles and black hairs, the plan had landed. Adam and Eve quickly exited the plane with their carry-ons in hand. They exited the airport unsure where to go next, but it was pretty clear once a car with the sign "Holy Uber" rolled up. They got inside the car where they could finally open their bags.

"I could hardly breath! We're never doing this again!" cried Cain. Abel was simply begging for water. The two brothers had been stuffed in their parents' bags to avoid purchasing two more tickets! The Holy Uber came to a stop, and they were there. Paradise. And Cain and Abel never again had to be stuffed in bags.

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Author's Note: I based this story mostly on The Forgotten Book of Eden. God promises Adam and Eve that he would bring them back into Paradise after 5,500 years. I imagined a scenario where society still reached its current form. Essentially, this serves as a sequel. I took inspiration from the Bible to include Adam and Eve's two most well-known children, Cane and Abel. I found this entire thought to be absurd, so I decided it would probably be best to make the story itself outlandish. I kept Cane and Abel at a young age because I figured it could be the basis of the conflict present in the story.

Bibliography:  
The Forgotten Book of Eden, edited by Rutherford H. Platt, Jr. (1926)
The Bible (KJV)

Image: Boarding Pass, generated using MusicAirport 

Reading Notes: Cupid and Psyche, Part A

I've always been a fan of mythologies, so I do like that there are fairy tales rooted in those mythologies. I chose Cupid and Psyche because I am somewhat familiar with Cupid (and his Greek counterpart "Eros"), and wanted to expose myself to more about him. I like how Roman (and Greek) fairytales have pretty simple and direct storytelling while still being a strong story. Like Laura notes in the overview, the story is "very similar to the story of 'Beauty and the Beast,'" and she is complete right. There's something clean to stories like these that I appreciate. 

Many stories in mythological folklore are told by following one particular character. However, something I think I would like to try is telling the story through the perspective of everyone else. How would the story follow if it were told by the people Psyche interacted with or onlookers? With such a straightforward tale, it should be easy to do so. There's not much auxiliary action occurring meanwhile.

Would the gods and people she interact with her be rooting for her? Would they be annoyed? What kind of information would they know? I think it would be a neat way of looking at the story. In addition, with the noted similarity between Cupid and Psyche and Beauty and the Beast, I wonder if I could throw a Disney-spin on the story. I might take inspiration from Disney's Hercules to do so.

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Bibliography: Cupid and Psyche by Apuleius and translated by Tony Kline, source

Image: Cupid and Psyche by John Roddam Spencer Stanhope, via Wikimedia Commons