Scorpions

         So right now i'm sitting at home watching this TV show  "One Tree Hill", and something that was said in the show reminded me of mythology class. In the show, two sisters are talking about a tattoo. One of the sisters, Taylor, has a tattoo of a Scorpion. She tells her sister "You wanna know why I really got the tattoo? When the scorpion's caught in a fire, it stings itself to death." The other sister, Haley, replies "That's a myth, actually." Taylor then responds, "Not in my life. When things get bad, I always find a way to make them worse."

        When I heard this, I almost thought that I heard it wrong. Even though it shouldn't surprise me at this point, I was amazed that something about mythology just fell into my lap. The idea of the scorpion stinging itself to death was intriguing, so I did a bit of research on it. It turns out that when scorpions react to severe heat, their metabolic process malfunctions and causes the scorpion to spasm, which can make it appear like the scorpion is stinging itself, while in reality it has just lost all control. Nevertheless, its still an interesting concept. I found it interesting how in the TV show, Haley says that its a myth, and acts as if it couldn't possibly be true just because its a myth. When looking online, I also found a few websites that said that the scorpion stinging itself was a myth, which meant it was absolutely false. I found it interesting how all of these people and Haley in the show thought that just because it was a myth, it meant that there was no truth behind it. I've learned from this class that there is truth behind mythology, and that every action has mythological truth behind it. It was also interesting how Taylor said when things get bad she always finds a way to make them worse. I've found that alot of Ovids stories have this theme. People challenge the gods or get into a sticky situation, and almost always things get worse. I think Taylor was right to realize that mythology could relate to her own life and she was right to make the comparison between a scorpion and herself. I guess she's a mythic detective without even realizing it.

       Also, when I began to think about scorpions, I thought about the constellation Scorpio. I began to research Scorpio, and realized that there are a few versions of the myth of the scorpion. On of the versions is that Orion boasted to Artemis and Leto that he could kill every animal on earth. So Artemis and Leto sent a Scorpion to deal with Orion. The two battled and Orion was killed by the scorpion. The battle caught the attention of Zeus, and he raised Scorpio into the heavens, and then later did the same to Artemis. So this is why Orion and Scorpio are both constellations in the sky, and it appears as if Scorpio is chasing Orion or vice versa depending on the time of year. In this way, the myth of Scorpio lives on whenever we see that constellation in the sky.

New Beginnings

      A big idea that has been enforced in this class is the idea of beginnings and endings. I've learned that endings are often new beginnings, even if we don't realize it at the time. When I think of this, a certain quote comes to mind. The quote, by C.S. Lewis states "Isn't it funny how day by day nothing changes, but when you look back everything is different." The idea of mythology as a circle is seen here. At the end we end up where we started and everything is different.
     I find this quote to be extremely true. When I look back on my life these past few years, everything has changed. Freshman year I didn't know what I wanted to major in and then decided randomly on elementary education. Sophomore year I went to Spain for a semester and then decided that maybe elementary ed was not my thing. The end of my sophomore year I went through a rough break-up and didn't really know what direction I was headed in. All summer I tried to reconnect with myself and find out what I really wanted to do with life. I met my current boyfriend right before school started, and to be honest, I had low expectations and wasn't took optimistic from being hurt before. Despite all of that, I'm actually happier than i've ever been with him and he was a blessing in disguise. I guess that the ending of my other relationship led to the great beginning of my current one. Anyways, Junior year I switched my major to photography and made it through the gate to the program. Now in my senior year, I feel confident with my choice to switch to photo, and plan on graduating sometime next year. I've found it true though that day by day, not much seems to change. But there are defining moments on certain days or weeks that change everything, even if we don't realize it. I believe that small changes really add up. For me, it's difficult to make sudden changes all at once. I often think of how I can improve myself, and if I go all in at once, theres a higher chance of me failing. However, if I make small changes, they eventually add up. Every year I look back and see how things have changed- in particular my relationships with certain people and my relationship with myself. Every year there are people who i've fallen out of touch with, some for the better and others not. Also each year I see how i've changed and how I perceive myself. I had a rough time in high school with my relationship with myself. I only focused on getting good grades, and my relationships with others wasn't really developed. I'm glad to say that coming to college changed alot of that, and i'm more confident in myself and my relationships with others. I find that relationships with people are constantly changing. There are some people that will always be in your life, and others will come and go, and I have to learn to be ok with that. Thinking that life will stay the same is something that won't happen. Every year some things improve, and others need to be worked on. I guess thats what life is for me - constantly trying to be a better person even though I have many flaws. I recognize what my problems are and try to make things better, even if its in the smallest way. So overall, I find the idea of the circle and ending up back where you started but everything being totally different very true. A year from now who knows where I could be. I hope to be getting ready to graduate, and hopefully have plans with my boyfriend involving the air force. But who knows, life has a funny way of changing things. I might not even be in Montana, and maybe I will be just as happy. It's all mythology. Endings and new beginnings. I'm looking forward to what this mythological circle of life has in store for me next.

M and M's

    In class on Friday, Professor Sexson said something that stuck with me. We were talking about Saturn devouring his children, and how he swallowed them rather than chewed them. Then he made the comparison of Saturn devouring his children being like men eating m and m's. It went something like "Have you ever seen men eat m and m's? Absolutely horrifying!".

   Now after he said that, this idea popped into my mind. I would do an experiment on my boyfriend. So this weekend I bought a bag of peanut butter m and m's (his favorite), and told him I was going to take some pictures of him while he ate them. Turns out professor Sexson was right. It was absolutely horrifying! He piled them into his mouth by the handful and devoured those poor little m and m's. The following pictures are a few that I believe best exemplify the devouring of m and m's being just like Saturn devouring his children.

Evil Dead

    So I just went and saw the movie "Evil Dead" with my sister (If you like gory and disturbing movies this is definitely one for you). I personally enjoy going to scary movies for some reason. I am an easily startled person, and will admit that I'm actually that person who screams out loud in movie theaters. However, despite my fear, I always have the urge to see them. Even if I'm curled up in my seat watching the movie from behind my hands, I always feel the need to continue watching. I also have this problem with roller coasters. I will freak out for the entire time before I ride it, but while riding it feels amazing and like the best time of my life. I guess there's something with me about overcoming fears despite being terrified.
   Anyways, the point that I wanted to make was that horror movies have alot in common with mythology. In mythology, I've noticed that a common theme is that when a character is told not to do something, they often do it and suffer consequences. For example, Daedalus tells Icarus not to fly too close to the sun, but he does it anyways and falls to his death. This theme is also found in horror movies. In "Evil Dead", there are 5 friends who go to a cabin and in the basement they discover a bunch of witchcraft things, mainly a creepy book wrapped in barbed wire. One of the friends is curious and opens the book. I mean, come on the book is wrapped in barbed wire. I would personally leave it alone. On the inside of the book there is writing in blood saying "Do not read out loud", but this guy decides to so just that and reads out loud the words. While he was doing this, all I could think was "Noooooo! What an idiot!". Anyways, he reads the words and all hell breaks loose. People dying, limbs being cutt off, people being possessed by evil, and lots and lots of blood. All because this idiot decided to read the words out loud. I notice this alot in horror movies, that there is always that one person who does something wrong even though all the signs point against it. But then again, if this person didn't defy what they were told, there would be no horror movie, so its all a circle. Who knew this movie could have so much in common with mythology!

Fairy Tales

    As I was browsing the internet today, I stumbled upon this quote. Its by Albert Einstein and says "If you want your children to be intelligent, read them fairy tales. If you want them to be more intelligent, read them more fairy tales". I know that fairy tales do not exactly fit the definition of mythology, but I believe that they are a part of it as a whole. There have been so many re-tellings of fairy tales, and many different versions of the same story. Some seemingly innocent children's stories actually contained incredible amounts of violence and disturbing content. The same goes for myths. Myths can be retold and tamed and made to contain much less violence, but at their core they are generally gruesome and disturbing, containing violence and often rape.

   This quote really struck me especially while taking this class. I feel like Professor Sexson is constantly  reminding us to keep reading and re-reading Ovid, as we will discover something new each time and each story will enrich us. This quote is basically portraying the same idea. If you are read fairy tales as a child, your mind will become enriched and whether or not you know it, there are valuable lessons in each story.  Maybe people should start reading Ovid to their children....well on second thought maybe not, with all that mature content....but maybe a rewritten children-friendly version of Ovid :)

Becoming my Mom

       In class last Wednesday, there was an interesting discussion about becoming your mother. Professor Sexson always says that myth is the precedent behind every action. I had never thought that this concept could be so connected to my life. He mentioned that this can even be connected to the concept of becoming just like your mother.

       I had never thought that I was like my mom until these past few years. Before I came to college, in my childhood years, my mom and I had a complicated relationship. At times we were like best friends, but when we argued it was terrible. Our arguments involved alot of yelling and it seemed like we could never work things out without hurting each other. As much as we tried, during our arguments we would never seem to let the other person speak, so it just ended up being a screaming match. I often thought it was strange how we could go from getting along so well to fighting so much, sometimes even within the same day.

      It wasn't until after I moved out of my parents house that my mom and I started to get along much better. Sure we argued sometimes, but not nearly as much. Now we have much more of a best friend relationship, and she's the person who is always there for me. A few years ago, my aunt said something to me which has stuck with me to this day. She told me that my mother and I used to fight so much because we were essentially the same. She said we were both so stubborn with each other and set in our ways that we fought alot. With non-family members, my mom and I are both timid and rarely start arguments with others. However, we know each other so well that when we clash, it ends badly. I had never thought of it this way. But when I look at it now, I can see that my mom and I are extremely similar.

      This idea was enforced this weekend when my boyfriend was talking about my mother and the way she talks to me on the phone. He has this silly sarcastic voice for her. He told me that in twenty years he can picture me talking the same exact way and has already seen signs of me talking on the phone like my mom.

      When I was younger, I had always noticed how jumpy my mom was. The littlest movement scared her and she always let out this startled gasp every time something frightened her. This was especially terrifying when she was teaching me to drive and every time I took a corner too fast she would grasp the overhead handle and gasp like we were going to get in a wreck. As a young driver, this terrified me and I always thought it was annoying. However, I now notice that I am super easy to frighten. I live in an apartment with my boyfriend and another male roomate. I often sit on the couch, which is right beside the door, and every time anyone suddenly opens the door, I gasp and just about have a heart attack. My roomates make fun of me because even the opening of a door can make my heart beat faster. I guess I am becoming like my mom more than I thought.

     Myth is the precedent behind every action. What I've learned is that my actions today are highly influenced by my mother. Many of the traits that define me today are traits that my mom possesses. As much as I refused to believe this as a child, I am surely becoming just like my mother, and now I have come to realize that I something to be proud of.

Mom and I back in the day

     

Frederick Turner

      I thought that the Frederick Turner event was very interesting. I must admit that I've never been to a poetry reading, so I didn't know what to expect. I was pleasantly surprised with what he had to say. I often have a hard time following long poems and the ideas behind them, but there were a few things that caught my attention. A lot of his poems I felt dealt with the sense of looking back on life and pondering the past. I also enjoyed that he wrote from real life experiences it seemed in many cases.

     His first poem was intriguing to my because I didn't exactly know what was happening. He said there are many ways to interpret it, so it seems I was not alone. In my perspective, it was about a lonely traveler, or perhaps a ghost. I liked the part at the end about him wanting to pursue the dark haired woman he had seen long ago. Oftentimes, I look at people and wonder "what is their story?". Everyone has a story, and there are so many people in this world that I don't know. All it takes is a simple hello, and I could begin an everlasting friendship, but yet I often just pass people by, never knowing what kind of friendship I have missed out on. That is the sense that I got from this poem.

     His next poem about the Galapagos interested me because of the idea of travel. People often say "travel while you're young because later you won't have the chance". I try to live by this saying, because I don't want to be at the end of my life and regret all the things I could have done. If I were rich, I would certainly travel to as many places as possible. This reminds me of the time I wanted to study abroad in Spain. My mom has a fear of travel and didn't want me to go, but I had to defy her, follow my heart, and go to Europe. While there, I visited Spain, England, Portugal, France, and Italy. I must say that going against what my mom wanted was one of the best decisions I've made and if I didn't go, I know I would have regretted it. Also, I find it interesting how Mr. Turner combines scientific information with poetry. At times it felt like I was listening to a scientific study, and yet the words were still so beautiful.

     Next, when he read his free verse poem about the pear tree, it was so different from his previous two poems. He read it with such fiery passion that I couldn't help but be captivated by it, and I'm sure the rest of the audience felt the same way because of the loud applause following it.

    Finally, being a hopeless romantic, I loved his final two love poems. The Romeo and Juliet inspired one was funny and charming, showing the difference behind how men and women think. There was a line in it that went something like "You know I've given up so much to live with you." The Juliet figure says this line and it reminded me of my relationship. My significant otter and I are moving in together, and I could honestly picture myself saying this to him to prove a point.

   Overall, the Frederick Turner even was very enlightening and entertaining. Besides writing thought-provoking work, he seemed like a genuinely nice and funny guy. I'm glad I got the chance to attend his poetry reading :)