Charley's Blog

   Skinwalker/Black Dog Link I really enjoy the idea of a choose your own adventure type story. It makes the story more immersive and just more fun in general. I do not really know how to go about creating one, so I think it would be worth my while to spend some time on the extra credit tech tips page . I would be able to learn how to use twine, and that could give my stories a real chance to come to life. I think I will spend the next couple of weeks or so going through the twine section of tech tips and become well acquainted with the software, as well as earning some extra credit along the way. Ooh, I enjoyed the suggestion of possibly combining all of my previous ideas and see what the outcome may be. I could have a native American and a Scotsman or Irishman, exchanging stories or warnings of creatures from their culture. They could possibly happen upon a person or creature and get real spooked from the stories that they have been telling. An argument could arise a...

 Ways to give good feedback Link The two articles that I read were How to Provide Great Feedback When You're Not in Charge and What Kinds of Messages Help Kids Grow? . The article about feedback offered some very good suggestions. It suggested that it is always a good idea to give praise and make others feel appreciated. This is one that I was already aware of and I have put it into practice into my own life. I love when somebody tells me that I am doing a good job, so I try and tell everyone else that they are doing a good job. One important thing that the article talked about was how to give advice. With praise, your focus should be on the person, but with advice, your focus should be on the task. It is important to tell them specifically what they did right, and then tell them what could possibly be improved upon. The article ends with saying that you can ask others for feedback yourself, that way you create an environment of people that seek out feedback. The most impor...

   The cyclops eating Odysseus's men Link Odysseus and his crew had been out at sea for days now. They were beginning to run low on supplies and needed to find a place to restock soon. They were in great luck to happen upon an island. They promptly set sail in the direction of the island and arrived in no time at all. Upon reaching the island, it was clear how prosperous this land was, and how it would be the perfect place to rest and refill their supplies. Odysseus and roughly half of his crew set out to explore this lushes island. It was not long when they realized that this island was inhabited. They spied a giant cyclops, but more importantly they laid their eyes upon the bountiful amount of livestock and sheep that he had.   Cyclops are not known for their hospitality; in fact, they are known to smite any who come to close to their land. Knowing this did not detour Odysseus and his men in the slightest. In fact, they were invigorated by the amount of res...

 The Cyclops Attacking "Nobody" Link Odysseus mentions that the cyclops knows nothing of right or law. That gives me an interesting idea for a story. Our ideas of good and bad are largely a product of the society that we live in. It could be fun to form a new code of ethics and postulate what kind of society would arise with a new sense of good and evil. The cyclops and Odysseus had a little back and forth, almost as if they were having a battle of wits. It was no sooner when Odysseus appeared to win the battle then when the cyclops attacked and ate two of his crew mates. This reminded me of an old Chinese proverb, he who strikes first admits that his ideas have given out. This is one of my favorite proverbs and one that I have remembered for a long time now. I think it would be fun to make a story around that idea. Odysseus and his men formulated a very clever plan to deal with the cyclops. They got him drunk and Odysseus told him that his name was nobody. Once t...