Week 1: A Very Merry UnTextbook to You! ...To Me?!

Hmm… where to begin. An UnTextbook… What exactly does that mean? How exactly does it work? I’m not entirely sure yet, but I think I’m going to find out. Now… Where to begin?

Being the indecisive person that I am, I decided to start my exploration of the UnTextbook by consulting the Crystal Ball (OoOoOoh!). I landed in Week 2 - Classical, and I was immediately drawn to Apuleius’s Cupid and Psyche. Being a fan of many artists over the centuries who drew inspiration from these classical stories, I felt a strong connection to this one in particular.

Next, I was drawn to the Infancy Gospels, probably because I attended Catholic school from kindergarten through high school. I’ve read a lot of the bible, but I’m more interested in learning about the gospels that used to be well known, but didn’t quite make it into modern bibles.

Having been to Egypt when I was 10, I was immediately drawn to Ancient Egyptian Myths and Stories on the sidebar when I saw it. I wanted to be an egyptologist for many years after that trip, so I’m excited to read more of the stories I have already grown to love.

Finally, I chose Robin Hood, as the image of Errol Flynn in his best technicolor outfit popped into my head. And the Mumford & Sons cover of “Not in Nottingham” from the Disney film, which he actually performed in Guthrie, OK at a surprise performance during the Gentlemen of the Road festival in 2013 (which was AWESOME).

I hope you found some of these picks to be interesting too! Like this super cool Barque of the Sun-God Ra:

(source: Wikimedia Commons)

-Lillian

Week 1: Storybook Favorites

The three Storybooks I really liked all had one theme in common: they were based around scandal and intrigue. I found myself surprised by this, as I’m not really sure what this says about me…

(This was on the Madame Gossip Introduction page. Frighteningly true apparently...)

The first Storybook that I really liked was Mean Girls Morals. I was first drawn in by the title because who doesn’t love Mean Girls? It’s the Breakfast Club of our generation. But anyways, I was interested to see how the author was going to use this movie to retell stories. I loved the fables being rewritten as experiences the Plastics had because they were totally believable! It was a great way to connect fables with modern drama and scandal to teach an underlying moral.

The second one that I really liked was Madame Gossip: the French Princesses You Haven’t Met Yet. I’m not one to read many gossip columns or websites, but I do love Gossip Girl. The way the author talked about her subjects was cheeky and intriguiging, which drew me in from the start. It very much feels like you’re getting the scoop on the latest celebrity gossip, but the stories are actually from The Fairy Tales of Mary-Catherine d’Aulnoy (1892). LOVE IT.

The third Storybook piqued my curiosity at the name alone: The Rumpelstiltskin Show, which is a talk show hosted by Rumpelstiltskin himself. This particular episode features the brothers Grimm themselves, tricked into being on the show by thinking they were talking about their new movie. In actuality, they are on the show to answer for their crimes: the tragic tales of many fairy tale characters like Hansel and Gretel, the bride of the Robber Bridegroom, and the girl from Fitcher’s bird who saved her sisters from the Wizard.

The recurring theme here seems to be that I like the Storybooks that use models of scandal and intrigue to retell the stories. That gives me an idea for my own Storybook… Guess you’ll just have to wait and find out what that is!

(#scandal)

-Lillian

Image information:

"I love gossip" taken from Madame Gossip: Introduction. Web Source: LA Teen Gossip.

#Scandal Clutch the Pearls. Source: Makeameme.org

Introduction: If You Give a Fox an iPhone...

...She's going to want to take a picture to post on Instagram, too.

Hi, my name is Lillian, and I'm a senior at OU.

A photo posted by Lillian Flannigan (@vulpesdormiens) on Dec 21, 2014 at 3:16pm PST

I’m majoring in microbiology with minors in French and chemistry. I was born and raised in Edmond, OK, and while my parents moved to Tucson, AZ, most of my extended family still lives pretty close by. I’ve been an avid traveler since a young age-my first trip to Paris was at age 4-and I’ve been in love with travel ever since. I’ve actively studied French for the past 8 years, but I’m still working on becoming fluent.

I’m in the middle of applying to graduate programs for public health, which is something I’ve become really passionate about in the last couple of years. At the moment, the plan is to go to medical school after a 2 year masters program. After that, I’d love to work for organizations like Doctors Without Borders and the WHO, hopefully using my French skills in the process.

My current Netflix obsessions consists of… Glee (I’m sorry, it’s a guilty pleasure), Pretty Little Liars (okay, this is getting worse and worse for me…), Borgia (SO GOOD), and House of Cards (redemption!). The only TV show I regularly watch on actual TV is Archer, and if you haven’t ever watched it, you should because it’s AMAZING, and actually really clever.

I think the weirdest thing about myself is that I love grilled cheese. And yeah, I know, everyone loves a good grilled cheese, but I’m talking like… gourmet, hand-sliced bread, flavor explosion, grilled cheese. I can honestly say that I make the best grilled cheese you will ever have, and I have plenty of evidence to back up that claim. In fact, if I won the lottery, my first move would be to open a gourmet grilled cheese and specialty beer restaurant with my best friend. There would be grilled cheese and beer pairings like with gourmet food and wines (which I also greatly enjoy). I’m a foodie. It’s a wonderful, tasty life.

Wine and grilled cheese night with my girls @marrett.hild & @regarrison93. #greekgrilledcheese #butternutsquashsoup #alsogonegirllater

A photo posted by Lillian Flannigan (@vulpesdormiens) on Oct 2, 2014 at 6:34pm PDT

Spring break 2014 consisted of a road trip with 3 of my best friends, and in the middle of the Petrified Forest National Park, I was dubbed Sleeping Fox. I earned this nickname for 2 reasons: the first being that I love sleeping (seriously, the best), and the second is that my hair is ginger like a fox, and they’re my favorite animal. In my favorite French book The Little Prince, the fox is the wise character that teaches the Little Prince really valuable life lessons, and I’ve always really felt a connection to that character. Foxes are AWESOME.

So… That’s a little about me. Hope you enjoyed learning more about who’s behind this blog!

- Lillian

Ps. My favorite social media app is Instagram, hence the title... Feel free to follow me! @vulpesdormiens

Week 1 Storytelling: The Princess and the Pop Star

“A fine coat is not always an indication of an attractive mind.”

A Princess and a Pop Star were chatting amicably after a gala for their country’s national holiday, when the subject turned to the latest fashions. The Pop Star was very proud of her closet full of the newest runway looks, though many would agree they were much too ostentatious for everyday wear. The Princess, however, wore a much more demure and understated style, even going so far as to be seen wearing the same outfits at several events.

(The Princess and her Prince arrive at the gala)

As the Pop Star talked on and on about the newest looks arriving daily from fashion houses like Chanel, Dolce and Gabbana, and Versace, the Princess nodded and smiled politely, knowing that while the Pop Star’s attire was often the talk of the town, she herself had never been seen on the “NOT” side of the “HOT or NOT” fashion articles. When she remarked in passing that she thought that it must be difficult to get much done while wearing such distracting clothing, the Pop Star became flippant, replying that she doubted “a Princess would understand what work was anyways.”

(The Pop Star arrives at the gala)

Laughing internally, the Princess excused herself to find her husband, the Prince. As she recounted the event to him, the Prince chuckled and said, “Her gaudy clothing is just a distraction from her lack of talent and poise, while you let your personality and grace shine, and your clothes complement that, not compete with it.”

The End.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Author’s Note:

This story was based on the fable The Fox and the Leopard from Aesop for Children, by (anonymous), illustrated by Milo Winter (1919). In the fable, the Fox and the Leopard start disputing their good looks. After the Fox realizes that his understated coat is no match for the flashy style of the Leopard, he uses his wit to drive the Leopard to the point of anger. He walks off after remarking that if the Leopard was as smart as his coat is, he would be actually beautiful. 
I took inspiration from one of my favorite style icons, Kate Middleton, for the Princess, as I think she embodies intelligence, grace, and poise, while still being relatable to the everyday woman. The Pop Star was based loosely on Victoria Beckham (formerly known to many of us as Posh Spice), for whom my 6 year old self had a lot of admiration, but who has since become more focused on fashion than music. She kind of gives off the bad girl vibe, don't you think?
I chose this story because I love foxes and leopards. I liked that it uses the fox's cunning as a way to outsmart the boastful leopard. It seemed like it would be a pretty easy one to start with, so I wasn't super worried about figuring out how to rewrite it!

Image information:

Duke and Duchess of Cambridge arrive at Olympic Gala. Web Source: Wikimedia Commons
Victoria Beckham 2010. Web Source: Wikimedia Commons

My favorite places!

My four favorite places are scattered across the globe, from the Southwest to the East Coast to Europe. I love them all for very different reasons, which hopefully I'll shed some light on in this post.

First is... Tucson, Arizona.

My parents moved from OKC to Tucson in 2012, and when I went to visit that Christmas, I fell in love. Tucson is so unique and quirky that I couldn't help but love it! In fact, I just applied to graduate school at the University of Arizona to get a Master of Public Health degree just this morning!

(Image information: personal photo of two of my best friends and I taken in Sabino Canyon; photo from March 2014)

Next is... the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, NC.

My grandparents lived in the middle of nowhere in North Carolina throughout most of my childhood, and every summer I would go visit them. It was kind of like summer camp, but the only other kids were my sister and my cousins. We would go to barbecues, go whitewater rafting, ride horses, feed the chickens, and go looking for treasure in the woods. One time we even found the remains of an old bootlegger's still next to the creek!

(Blue Ridge Mountains, NC: Wikimedia Commons)

Next is... Paris, France.

I seriously could not list my favorite places without mentioning Paris. I've been there 3 or 4 times since I was 4 years old, and I've been in love with it since day 1. Going to Paris at such a young age inspired me to learn French, which I've studied for 8 years now! My last trip to Paris was my freshman year of high school, and I look forward to returning after graduation to try out my (hopefully) much-improved French speaking skills!

(Image information: personal image of my best friend and I taken in Paris, France; photo from March 2008)

Finally is... Arezzo, Italy.

Having spent half of my last two summers in Arezzo, I couldn't leave this one off the list. I studied abroad in Arezzo during the summer of 2013 with the Microbiology in Italy program, and I loved it so much that I managed to go back the next summer as a TA for the program with one of my best friends and fellow students. I met one of my best friends last summer in Arezzo, and I can't imagine how different my life would be if I hadn't studied abroad there. The town is so charming and the people are so welcoming. Plus, it's in a perfect location to explore the rest of Italy, a country I've visited quite a few times with my family, since it's my parent's favorite country. If you've ever (or even never) considered studying abroad in Arezzo, or even just visiting, you should! It'll change your life!

(Image information: personal image taken outside of Arezzo, Italy; photo from July 2013)

(Image information: personal image taken in Piazza Grande, Arezzo, Italy; photo from July 2014)

So, that's it! Those are my 4 favorite places in the world! What are yours? Do we have any in common? :)

- Lillian