Wikipedia Trail from Umlaut to Gregorian Calender

1. Umlaut - the umlaut is the two dots above vowels in German to tell the reading that that vowel sound should come from the front of the mouth

2. Tilde - the squiggly line above some N's in Spanish was originally scribal shorthand used to denote the title of something, which is where it gets its name: from the Latin word titulus meaning "title"

3. Anno Domini - usually abbreviated to AD and means "in the year of the Lord" in Medieval Latin.
However, it is becoming more common to use CE, meaning "common era," in place of AD

4. Gregorian Calendar - the calendar introduced by Pope Gregory XIII in 1582 that we still use today.

One of the first printed editions of the Gregorian Calendar. Source: Wikimedia Commons

Growth Mindset Motto

To me, fake it till you make it simply means act like you know what you're doing until you actually know what you're doing. Be confident  and own it. Work with meaning and purpose. Give your best effort with a good attitude and the ability will come.

Learning Challenge: Deskercise

I think exercising from time to time at your desk is great way to boost your productivity and attitude. If you enjoy and look forward to your deskercise time, you might set a goal for yourself to accomplish before you can start the exercise. Or, if you dread exercising, have a buddy keep you accountable and deskercise with you at regular intervals. The latter scenario might make you enjoy doing your work rather than exercising. But with either method, deskercising can help you stay motivated while improving your health. Having a beneficial routine to break up long work days helps with getting you mind out of a rut and getting your blood flowing makes you feel more energized and driven. My favorite three deskercises were the desk push ups, the office chair dips, and just simply walking around.

Deskercising. Source: DIY Genius

Article from the Washington Post

Extra Reading Notes: Dnieper, Volga, and Dvina

-the Dnieper, Volga, and Dvina rivers used to be people: a boy and his sisters respectively
-they were orphans who never had anything to eat
-life was a burden for them as they had to toil in the nude just to get the day's subsistence
-one day they sorrowed over their little morsel of bread and thought of ways to provide more
-they decided to turn into great rivers
-they decided their paths and went to sleep to start flowing the next morning
-the sisters however chose the best paths while their brother Dnieper was asleep
-in pursuit of his sisters, Dnieper flowed fiercely through steep banks
-that is why the Dnieper is swifter and has more rapids than the Volga and the Dvina

Dnieper Rapids. Source: Wikimedia Commons

"The Metamorphosis of the Dnieper, the Volga, and the Dvina" form Russian Fairy Tales by W. R. S. Ralston (1887).

Tech Tip: Automotivator

"History, it never gets old," is a phrase that I thought of to humorously tell people how much I love history (and irony). The image is from Smithsonian Magazine.

Week 13 Story: The Excaliboard

To this very day, King Ollie's legendary skateboard, known as the Excaliboard, is still lodged within the ancient anvil at the Ye Olde Englandland skate park. Most visitors know the story of how the board was lodged into the anvil when King Ollie, with his group of friends, the Knights of the Octagonal Table, attempted to land the impossible lip trick, but most do not know how he originally procured the legendary skateboard.

Long ago, King Ollie was amidst a game of SKATE with the tallest skater when he snapped his board in two. While searching for a new board to complete the game, he came across a pond. Out of the pond, he noticed an arm holding a skateboard and approaching him was the Lady of the Pond. King Ollie asked the Lady if he could have the skateboard. She responded by saying that he may go and take the board, but only if he promised to give her a gift. Being a popular skater, and perhaps slightly cocky, King Ollie pulled a marker from his pocket and started to autograph his helmet to give it to the Lady. But she stopped him and said that she did not want a signed helmet. Instead, she would ask for the gift in her own time. He agreed to give her the gift she would ask for, no matter what it might be. He then waded out into the water to take the skateboard.

When King Ollie took the board out of the ghostly hand, it disappeared. Now holding the Excaliboard, he realized that it was like no other skateboard. It was crafted using material of the highest quality and with the utmost craftsmanship. With precious gems inlaid in the board's deck, it was obvious that this was board possessed unnatural abilities and would give its rider a remarkable advantage.

Proud of his new skateboard, King Ollie forgot about his heated game of SKATE. Instead of returning to face his opponent again, he rode the Excaliboard to the town of Carlion to show the rest of the Knights of the Octagonal Table.

Cover for Backyard Skateboarding. Source: Wikia

Author's Note

If it wasn't obvious, my inspiration for this story is the tale of how King Arthur acquired the Sword Excalibur. However, to change it up, I took a reference from the 2004 video game Backyard Skateboarding and ran with it. Also, the original story, Merlin is with King Arthur when he finds Excalibur, but I excluded a Merlin-like character to simplify my story.

Bibliography

"The Sword Excalibur" from King Arthur: Tales of the Round Table by Andrew Lang and illustrated by H. J. Ford (1902).

Reading Notes: Sir Lancelot Meets Sir Galahad

-Lancelot heard a voice in his sleep that told him to rise, take his armor, and board the first ship he saw
-He rose, put on his armor, and soon found a ship without sail or oar
-He felt a sweetness like no other and fell asleep
-when he woke, there was a bed near him and in it lay the dead sister of Sir Percivale and in her hand was the story of her adventure which he took and read
-he remained afloat for a month until the ship came to rest near the shore
-there, a knight was riding and having seen the ship, stopped to board it
-the knight asked for Sir Lancelot du Lake's name
-wouldn't you know it, the knight turns out to be Sir Galahad, the son of Sir Lancelot
-the two share their adventures from the time they left King Arthur's Court
-they stayed in the ship for 6 months until it comes to rest on the edge of a forest
-there, a knight with white armor and two horses
-the knight said that Galahad had spent enough time with his father and that it was time for G to go on the quest for the Holy Grail
-A voice told them that they would not see each other again so they said their goodbyes and Galahad went on
-Lancelot returned to Camelot where he found that over half of the Knights of the Round Table had been slain

Sir Galahad by George Frederic Watts. 

Source: Wikimedia Commons

"Sir Lancelot Meets Sir Galahad" from King Arthur: Tales of the Round Table by Andrew Lang and illustrated by H. J. Ford (1902).

Reading Notes: The Sword Excalibur

-Arthur was being beaten in a fight with the tallest knight
-Merlin put a charm on the knight and took Arthur to a hermit to get healed
-As Arthur and Merlin left, Arthur realized he had no sword
-Merlin said he would get him one
-As they rode past a lake, an arm rose from the water holding a sword
-The Lady of the Lake came to the shore to speak with Arthur
-Arthur asked for the sword
-She said she would give it to him if he would give her a gift when she asked
-She directed Arthur to take a boat to the sword and she would ask for her gift in her own time
-Arthur and Merlin rowed out and retrieved the sword
-Merlin asked which Arthur liked more, the sword or the scabbard
-Arthur said he liked the sword
-Merlin said that was unwise as the scabbard was worth ten of the sword
-the scabbard, as long as it was bucked on Arthur, allowed him to lose no blood whatever the wound
-they then rode of to the town of Carlion

King Arthur Asks the Lady of the Lake for the

 Sword Excalibur, illustration by Walter Crane.

Source: Wikimedia Commons

"The Sword Excalibur" from King Arthur: Tales of the Round Table by Andrew Lang and illustrated by H. J. Ford (1902).