Avani's Blog

(Pomodoro Technique by Luca Mascaro Flickr ) This is another learning challenge in which I will try out the Pomodoro Technique. This video by Tanvi Japtap effectively explains its purpose:  Pomodoro Technique . I chose this challenge because I am becoming prone to distractions lately. The things I need to do are pushed back and keep pilling up. So, I hope this will help! In this post, I will outline my Pomodoro experiment and update after two weeks. After making a list of the tasks I need to complete, I will begin by working in 30 minutes intervals. Once I have studied/focused on a task for 30 minutes, I will take a 5 minute break. Even if I am not done with the task, I will take a break and start on it again. This is one session of the Pomodoro Technique. After 3 sessions, I will extend my focus time to an hour and my break time to 10 minutes. This way, it will keep my mind motivated and fresh! Ultimately, this will led to effective learning because I am shifting betwee...

(The Stonecutter  Mythology and Folklore UN-Textbook ) Hi everyone! All the stories from this reading were amazing, and it was hard to pick one. If I picked all of them, we would be here all day! I will be focusing on the Stonecutter by Andrew Lang. This story reminded me of the Man in the Moon story. I am not sure what the story's name was, but the stories had many similarities regardless. For example, both of the main characters wished to have a different life, and a spiritual voice answered their wishes. Although this is the case, the Man in the Moon's character became the moon because he was never satisfied and was constantly complaining. In the Stonecutter, however, the main character returned to his original being after becoming many things. Even though he complained many times, the voice/spiritual being was ready to help him become a different form every time.  It made me wonder why the voice was willing to help even when the main character was ungrat...

(The Crab and the Monkey Mythology and Folklore UN-Textbook ) In Part B's of Japanese Fairy Tales (Lang), this was my favorite of the readings. The crab and the monkey's relationship reminded me of Tom and Jerry's relationship. The end, however, it took a different turn. The monkey completely betrayed the crab by taking all the good fruit and almost killing her. When I read that, I was surprised by the turn of events. There are some changes I could make if I retell the story, such as the perspective, the ending, and their relationship. It made me wonder, why the monkey behaved the way he did. Everyone has their own reasons for acting they way they do. Was he struggling at making amends? Did a certain event cause him to act the way he does? It would be intriguing to see the story from his point of view. Since the story was in crab's point of view, I could make the entire story in the monkey's point of view. I also wonder why the monkey came down to ask f...

(Siblings  Max Pixel ) One evening, Anna, Liam, and Jay went to a restaurant to have dinner together. Their mother waited at home hoping for their quick arrival. She was hungry as well.  Anna and Liam only thought of themselves and were extremely prideful as they were the eldest siblings. They enjoyed all the food they had ordered and did not think about their starving mother back home. Anna and Liam had forgotten about her, whereas Jay had not. Jay saved a bit of everything for his mother in a plastic container he had brought. He knew his mother was starving back home.  When the children came home, the mother became filled with joy seeing that they arrived safely. She asked, "My loves, what food did you bring for me? I've been starving all night!" Then Anna said, "Who me? I haven't brought anything home. I was so hungry that I didn't even think of you. You were the least of my worries." Liam also jumped into the conversation...