Famous Last Words Week 1

Storybook

Wow! This week was very interesting. I was not really sure what this class was all about. I love the storytelling part of the class. This really lets me use my imagination and be as creative as I want. I have never blogged before. Therefore, this week I have enjoyed getting to learn something new. Pinterest is also a great way to explore this topic. I love looking through all the pictures and then exploring the websites that they are from.  I have done my best writing/storytelling when I am in my own room. For some reason I feel like I am able to be more creative and it is easier to think of ideas. I enjoy getting to tell the stories how we want. I like the freedom of this class. We get to do things how we interpret them. This is a great way to express who we really are. I am also very impressed with how creative my other classmates are. I really enjoy reading other people’s ideas. It was also cool to look at past semesters storybooks to see what we are working towards. This gives me an idea of what to expect over this semester. Also, to start thinking of ideas of what I want to do for my storybook. I am enjoying this class so far and I am going to try my best to keep up and even get ahead!

This is my last semester of my undergraduate. My classes are going well; however, I can tell that they will be a little challenging. Since my major is health and exercise science, I do not see many connections between them and this class. I have never had a class like this before. However, it is interesting to me and I have already learned so much in the first week!

UnTextbook ideas

Alice in Wonderland
Of course this caught my eye. Alice in Wonderland is very interesting and almost weird. I love how all the characters are so unique. I have never read any type of Alice in Wonderland, so I am excited to read the stories and see a different part of it.

Cupid and Psyche
I enjoy love stories, that is why I chose cupid and psyche. However, I do not know much about the background of psyche. I am interested to read more about the two and learn something new. Do you think that it is easier to understand if you read the novel along with all of the sections?

English Fairy Tales
You can never go wrong with Fairy Tales. I am glad to see that they are written in literary prose so it makes it easier to read. For stories that are hard to understand because of the way they are written, what are the best ways to go about understanding them?

Mississippi Valley and the Great Lakes
As you read earlier in my favorite places post. I love the lake. The Great Lakes are gorgeous. I hope that the stories make it easy to picture the lake because that truly is my happy place.


Nursery Rhymes
I really enjoy simple and original nursery rhymes. It is interesting to read the ones that my mom told me when I was a child. I like to see how they have evolved or even stayed the exact same.

Yummy Strawberries

I chose this picture on the pinterest story board because it was colorful and bright, which caught my eye. It also happens to be one of my favorite fruits. I was intrigued when I read the caption. It is a story on the origin of strawberries. How interesting!

My three Storybook Favorites

The first storybook I looked at was E! True Hollywood Story: Women of the Bible. The title of the storybook sparked interest in me because I watch E! all the time. The title told you right away what the story book was going to be about. I really enjoyed reading the section on Queen Esther, I learned more than I thought I would from it. I really thought that the storybook had a great layout that was easy to navigate. The pictures that were chosen were great and really helped you imagine the person that the story was talking about. It was also interesting to read the Authors notes in the sections to get their side of the story and why he or she chose certain aspects.

The second storybook I looked at was A Dog's Adventure. The title really caught my attention because I love dogs. The pictures of the dogs throughout the story were very cute. The introduction was helpful in knowing what the sections would be about. It also did a good job at catching my attention. I liked the fact that Bentley was from Norman and belonged to college students. This is very easy to picture and to relate to. The overall story line for this storybook was very creative and imaginative. I could picture Bentley in each town and loved reading about his adventures. I enjoyed that "Bentley" got to travel to Mexico, France, and Italy.

The third storybook I looked at was Mermaid Tails. This title was very unique and keep your mind wondering to what the storybook would be exactly about. There were many short stories about Mermaids throughout the storybook. The introduction even tells you a little about each story that is going to be in the sections. The layout and pictures were kind of plain and boring but the stories kept me intrigued. I enjoyed the imagination and the mental image that I could picture from just reading.

Image information:
Queen Esther Picture
Cute Dog Picture
Mermaid Picture

Introduction to the class

Hello class, my name is Mary Gillespie. I am 21.  I am from Oklahoma City and am currently living at home. I am a senior and I am graduating in May. My major is Health and Exercise Science. I am also applying to Physical therapy school. I am taking exercise physiology, exercise testing and prescription, sports officiating, capstone, and this class this semester. I am also working two jobs. I work as a tech at physical therapy central and I also coach gymnastics at Metro gymnastics. They are both close to downtown Oklahoma City.

I have one spoiled puppy, Laken. She is a miniature Australian shepherd. She really is one of my best friends. My mom has two dogs that are practically mine too. One is a long haired miniature dachshund and chihuahua mix and the other is a dachshund. Their names are Lucy and Shadow.

(Personal Photo taken November 2014)

I am the youngest out of four siblings. I have three step sisters and a step brother. However, we all look alike and they are more like my sisters and brother since I have known them since I was 5. Between all of them, I am an aunt to eight nieces and one nephew.

My interests include anything that has to do with summer: going to the beach, going to the lake, wake boarding, and anything outdoors. I also really enjoy crafting, spending time with family, traveling, playing board games and going shopping.

Just like any other college student, I love Netflix. My favorite shows that I have watched are One Tree Hill and Gossip Girl. I am currently watching 90210. My all time favorite tv show is family feud with Steve Harvey as the host.

Over break, I spent a lot of time with my family and my boyfriend. I only went out of town for one weekend. On that weekend, I went to Murphy, Texas to have Christmas with my uncle, aunt, and two cousins.

Storytelling Week 1: Mary's Garden

MISTRESS MARY, quite contrary,

How does your garden grow?

With cockle-shells, and silver bells,

And pretty maids all a row.

  

(Original Nursery Rhyme)

Once upon a time, there was a girl who lived in the country. Her name was Mary and she was quite the Mistress. She was a very beautiful woman. She would wear bonnets with a big bow every day. Her outfit would also include a dress with puffy shoulders.  eHehhhhhhhhHHeMary was a wonderful sweet woman that was liked by many despite being contrary. She was actually quite nice and very friendly. Everyone wanted to be just like her.

Everyone in the town would want to visit her wonderful garden. Mary has been growing her garden since she was a child with the help of her mom and brothers. Gardening was her favorite hobby. Mary really did not do anything else besides keep up her garden. She checks on it at least three times a day.

The main question that people would ask her was, "How does your garden grow?"

Mary had a very unique garden. She would grow and raise things that nobody ever has. It was a magical garden. Her garden was made up of beautiful flowers. These flowers were in every color and grew in every height. Next in line were the cockle-shells, these shells were one of a kind. She even had a row that was a variety of all different sea shells combined. Some of the shells were even colored. Some shells were blue, while others were pink. The garden also had beautiful waterfalls and ponds with goldfish. On each end of a row, there were gold and silver bells. The bells would ring in the wind. Even Mary’s maids would stand in her garden to help make it beautiful.

Overall, the garden was something that nobody could ever imagine. The End.

(Mary Mary Quite Contrary)

Author's Note:
This story is based on the nursery rhyme "Mistress Mary, how does your garden grow?" which is at the beginning of the story at the top. The rhyme is short and sweet and makes it easy to add to. For my story, I decided to add a few things to her garden to make you imagine what it would look like. I also added details about her living in the country because that is what I think of when I hear this nursery rhyme. I also, added many colorful things throughout my story because as a kid, I would always get asked if I have heard this rhyme. Every time I would hear it, I would think of a colorful garden.

You may read the nursery rhyme "Mistress Mary, how does your garden grow?" in The Nursery Rhyme Book on page 50, edited by Andrew Lang (1897).

Google Search Tech Tip

I decided to search the entire sacred-text website for "puppy". In the example, an elephant was used, so I decided to use my favorite pet animal since elephants are one of my favorite zoo animals. I chose the first link that came up. It was a song called "The Barking Puppy".

The Barking Puppy

This song was in the Africa section. It includes the lyrics to the song and even the musical notes to help you sing it in the correct tune. The song uses the word de instead of the. Also, it seems to have some slang language including ol' and phinney. This song was very interesting to me.

My Favorite Places: Destin and Lake Murray.

My favorite season of the year is summer. Therefore, my two favorite places are the beach and the lake.

Destin, Florida is where my family and I take our family vacation every year. I have gone once a year and sometimes twice a year since I was five years old. My grandpa lives down there as well. The beach is very calming and I love the atmosphere. There is just something about the sand and salt water that I love.

(Image information: Personal photo of the beach in Destin, FL; photo from Spring 2011)

Lake Murray is in Ardmore, Oklahoma. I have been going to this lake since I was six weeks old. My family is really into the whole boat and lake scene. We have had a ski boat my entire life and we also had a house boat for 6 years. My mom and I would go to the lake every weekend in the summer and even sometimes in the winter to hang out with friends. My cell phone did not work very well at the lake so it was a nice getaway from reality. I also met some of my very best friends at the lake. 

(Image information: Personal photo of Lake Murray; photo from Labor Day weekend 2014)