To Fold or Not to Fold? That is the Publisher's Question

If you have studied Shakespeare even a little bit, you should have been exposed to the idea of folios and quartos, not to mention octavos or thirty-twomo's.  If not you are about to be educated.

A thirty-twomo (its a book size :-)

Questions, With No Real Answers

So what does it mean to "write it down"? To save a piece of information by putting it in a book, on a sticky note, or in a planner? To write/(take) notes instead of just listening? To send a handwritten letter or card, as opposed to a store-bought one, or even an email? How does the significance of writing versus memorization compare in our time? How would it have compared in the time periods we are discussing?

I really didn't do much research for this post, but I am enjoying the thought experiment.  "Critically" thinking about what we have learned about writing so far, and how it has changed our perspective on the world, and how it must have changed the ancients' perspectives.  So I am basically answering the previous questions with my personal, educated opinions, and I want this post to open the blog to yours too.

The King's Speech

So I don't know why I didn't put this on our blog a few weeks ago, but it is the video of our class midterm.  It is a memorized choral recitation of King Benjamin's speech from the Book of Mormon.  I won't say much about it, we'll let the words speak for themselves.

#2 - Talking to an Academic Professional

During my research on the Phoenicians, I had the opportunity to explore several aspects of their culture and understanding. My interview with Professor Hamblin here at BYU confirmed a lot of my knowledge about the culture and their educational practices, and also brought to light a few of the details that I missed.  Overall, it was an interesting experience to meet with him, because I didn't know him at all, and he didn't know me, (I don't think he even learned my name) and the first time we talked I called him and asked if I could interview him (after doing my research on different professors' specialties).  So picture this, well, awkward setting, when I show up to speak to him during his office hours, though it is an appointment, and he is late because of a department staff meeting, and we finally sit down and I start asking questions and he gives answers and I take some very messy notes.  Below is basically what I learned from our discussion about the Phoenicians and their culture and oral tradition.  

Choices, Choices! #1 - Children’s Stories, From Africa to Mulberry Street

I hope that over the course of today, I will be able to add the other two blog posts that I hope to write, and you can pick which one you would like to comment on (though if you are feeling adventurous, you can comment to all three).  The other two will be a response to Dr. Burton's post on Syllabi and a commentary about my interview with an Ancient Near Eastern Studies Professor on the Phoenicians.  I am excited to write them and share my experiences, and I hope you enjoy reading.  

This past Friday, I did something atypical, and got a few strange looks because of it.  I attended the weekly Storytime at the Museum of Peoples and Cultures, and learned about the role of spiders in African and Caribbean folklore.  The other patrons at the event were mothers and grandmothers of toddlers, and of course the children themselves.  After the stories, we made our own spiders by tracing our hands without our thumbs and I helped a mother of 3 cut out her son’s paper hands.  It was a neat experience for me, and something I would like to repeat. 

Talking with the Past. My interview

For my interview I decided to carry on the theme I started in my first post on the Khmer, so I talked to a eastern studies Professor and to a survivor of the Khmer Rouge. For my brief summary of Cambodian History and the distinction between the Khmer and the Khmer Rouge click here.