Feedback Strategies: More Thoughts

    The first article I read was "Why Do So Many Mangers Avoid Giving Praise?". I chose this article mainly because the relation to work situations. The article essentially states that many managers only give negative feedback as a way to be a corrective measure, but can be nervous to do so. Giving positive feedback can help a manager give negative feedback more easily. It also helps show that you are friendly and gives employees a better outlook on the managers. The key to making positive feedback helpful is making it specific.

Font Awesome 5 solid thumbs-up by Font Awesome (July 2018). Source: Wikimedia

    The second article I read was "Giving Creative Feedback – A Guide for Those Who Aren’t Creative". I chose this article mainly because I don't view myself as a particularly creative individual, so I figured this article could be helpful. I'm not sure how effective it would be in person as it seems to involve asking oneself a lot of questions which may take some time. However, this does seem to be a decent method for this class as we have time to think about out responses.

Topic Research: Weapons of the Gods

    One weapon that caught my eye is Indra's bow. The main thing that caught my eye about it is that it's a rainbow that shoots lightning bolts. That just puts a spectacular image in my mind. Indra also has many other weapons that I may dive into, but this one stood out the most to me from the bunch.

Double Alaskan Rainbow by Eric Rolph (July 2007). Source: Wikimedia

    Another weapon that caught my eye is the Sharanga bow. One reason this weapon caught my eye is because I have seen it mentioned in the Ramayana text that I've been reading. Rama was able to wield and break the bow. Apparently, he will also use it in many battles. It appears that it will also be brought up in the next story scheduled to read, the Mahabharata.

    The third weapon that caught my eye is the Asi sword. The reason this weapon sticks out to me is that it is supposed to be or represent the first weapon ever created. The story of it's creation is a bit bizarre to me as it was made from a creature forming into the sword. It may also be brought up in the Mahabharata.

Week 3 Story: The First Halo

Link to updated story in my Portfolio: Chief

The First Halo

    John had woken up from his crash landing on Halo. His only companion was Cortana, an advanced AI that resided in a chip implanted in his suit of armor. With the rest of his squad dead and Covenant forces approaching, he moved into the tree line. 

    Some time had passed and Cortana chimed in, "Chief, I'm getting a few distress signals, it seems the Captain and a few squads of marines made it off the ship too! We have to regroup with them."

    Chief agreed and slowly but surely rounded everyone up. Eventually, they reached a strange building and decided to make that their base of operations. They set up defenses and hunkered down for the night. As Chief was the only Spartan II among them, everyone admired him in awe as he moved around and towered over people. The Captain, Chief, and Cortana started thinking up plans of what to do next as they were stranded, but knew this place, the ring, was important to the Covenant. Suddenly, they were interrupted by a floating orb that appeared behind them by means of teleportation.

Master Chief from Halo by Gunner111 (April 2008). Source: Flickr

    "Greetings, I am 343 Guilty Spark, the Monitor of this installation. I noticed a Reclaimer signature appeared on the ring not long ago," as it stared at John, "I need you to come with me to stop the meddlers who have released the Flood." 

    Before anyone could get a word in, the Monitor teleported John and Cortana to the control room. 

    "You must hurry Reclaimer, only you can activate this ring as your forefathers intended," exclaimed the Monitor.

    "Slow down, what am I activating, what does it do? Why is the Flood so dangerous?" asked the Chief.

    "Reclaimer, surely you know the Flood will consume all life in the galaxy. Activating the ring ensures they cannot spread by eliminating their food, of course," responded the Monitor.

    "Their food...? You mean us? They consume life right, so they the ring will eliminate us?" Chief inquired.

    "Why yes, precisely," answered the Monitor.

    "Sorry, can't do it. I'm not killing all of my people to stop an enemy I haven't even seen yet," said the Chief. 

    

    "Then you too shall perish," retorted the Monitor as his sentinels appeared and took aim at the spartan. 

    "Chief, time to go!" urged Cortana.

    Chief immediately took cover to avoid the first barrage of fire, and made his escape as the sentinels recharged their weapons. He had to get back to the Captain and warn his people.

Author's Note

    The story I took elements of to write this story was Part A of the Public Domain Edition: Ramayana. In the story, Rama is the main character and is part of the human embodiment of a god. He accomplishes many great things through his journey such as bending many great godly bows that no human has been able to, marry a beautiful princess, and being a beloved prince of the people. However, he was betrayed by a queen who wanted her son to become king and had him exiled.

    I used characters and places from the Halo universe and blended them into the Public Domain Edition: Ramayana story. I tried to write the story by making Chief/John share similarities with Rama. The main similarities were how only they could yield certain mighty weapons, they were both admired by their people, they both had a trusty companion, and they were both betrayed unnecessarily by someone who could have helped them. I believe the endings to also be similar in that Rama was exiled and had his wife and brother accompany him, where as Chief is left in an unfamiliar area with Cortana by his side.

Bibliography

"Public Domain Edition: Ramayana" by M. Dutt, R. Dutt, Gould, Griffith, Hodgson, Mackenzie, Nivedita, Oman, Richardson, and Ryder.

Reading Notes: PDE Ramayana, Part A

1-10 

    Setting seems nice. Large mountains, palaces, temples, lakes, and foliage. Maharajah Dasharatha is well protected by a thousand warriors. Also have eight sage counselors and two family priests. Dasharatha had no son. Dash then persformed a horse sacrifice that had the gods promise him four sons. The horse wandered for a year and was slain by a sacred scimitar. Vishnu divided himself into the four sons and had other gods like Indra become apes to help him in the future. The wives that ate the sacrificial food had the sons. Two of the brothers, Lakshmana and Rama, set upon a dangerous service. The brothers had slain Thataka who was terrorizing a country. As a reward, Vishwamitra chanted mantras which allows Rama to think of celestial weapons to appear next to him. He then used these weapons to fight off a couple of rakshasas. Vishvamitra told Rama the story of Bhagiratha and Ganga. Rama then met with Ahalya and lifted her curse set by her husband because she cheated on him. The brothers then went into town and saw Princess Rita. Her and Rama had a love at first sight connection. They then met with King Janaka and were shown the bow of Shiva. The king will allow the person that can bend the bow to marry his daughter. Of course, Rama could bend the bow, broke it actually, with no problem and won Sita and broke Janak's war bow. 

The breaking of the Bow of Janaka by Monro, W. D (1911). Source: Wikimedia

11-20

    A man, I assume to be Parashurama, appeared and was upset that someone broke a holy relic. He had Rama draw the bow of Vishnu to prove himself and he did. Then the wedding ceremony happened and several other people got married too. Rama's father then wants to retire and put Rama in charge. He set a council to see what people thought and everyone was happy and approved. Everyone except Manthara that is because Rama smote her back in the day. She then convinced Queen Kaikeyi to use her favors of the king to save her son, I believe, this part kind of confuses me. The queen essentially threatened suicide unless her son became heir to the throne and Rama banished for 14 years. The King agreed as he owed her the favors but was very sad and reluctant to do so. Rama took the news quite well as it was his duty and he wanted to fulfill his dad's vow. Sita and Lakshmana insisted on going with Rama but were not beholden to the same standards, in terms of shame/limitations, as Rama. Rama had to wear bark, though Lakshmana did as well. The people of the kingdom were sad to see him go and thought of the new rulers as evil. The trio traveled and vowed to protect each other. In the past, Dasharatha had accidentally killed a young boy who took care of his elderly and blind parents. The father had cursed Dash that he too will know how it feels to lose a son and that only Dash's death during his sorrowed time will bring retribution. Dash then passed away two nights after Rama left in the company of his other two wives, the mothers Kaushalya, of Rama, and Sumitra, of Lakshmana.

Bibliography

"Public Domain Edition: Ramayana" by M. Dutt, R. Dutt, Gould, Griffith, Hodgson, Mackenzie, Nivedita, Oman, Richardson, and Ryder.