Art Institute On-Line

I have started taking my on-line courses. I'm taking Art History and 'How to take an on-line class.'

In the first four days, I had five assignments due, and then two more on day five. I was feeling a little overwhelmed. I spent eight hours on Friday and Sunday trying to get a couple of those assignments done. I mean, I was so busy, I didn't play City of Heroes for a whole four days!

I now have all the assignments listed so I think I can keep up. I'm working on the seven assignments due in the next week - 5 papers, 1 homework calendar, and a power point presentation.

I'm badly out of practice being a student. I've had to fight the urge of the English teacher. It really is a different mind set.

Reading Frenzy

Yes, I have been on a reading frenzy since the new Harry Potter book came out. As I've said before, I managed to get the book read in 18 hours (along with numerous other activities), and since then I've reading lots of books.

I decided, once I finished Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows that I would re-read the entire Harry Potter series, but I also didn't want to burn myself out on Harry. I decided to read at least two books in between each Potter book.

The first book I read was 'Claymore and Kilt: Tales of Scottish Kings and Castles' by Sorche Nic Leodhas. Some incredible stories in there. I saw at least one in there that I want to turn into a screenplay for a movie. It seems perfect - evil lord, his betrayed daughter, two brothers of the rightful lord. I'm going to have to think seriously about that legend.

I then re-read 'The Web of Arachnos,' the City of Heroes MMORPG novel tie-in for their signature hero Statesman. I did enjoy it again.

I re-read 'Harry Potter and the Sorceror's Stone' again. J.K. Rowling's writing style really has developed nicely, and the maturing of the characters has been interesting to watch. As soon as I finished the novel, Kath and I watched the movie. It really is a pretty good adaptation.

I left Harry Potter again, and descended into the fourth book of Edgar Rice Burroughs' Mars series - 'Thuvia, Maid of Mars.' It was interesting to see John Carter's son in action, and to see the development of Thuvia's character as well, although I think she was weaker in this one than in the past two. There always seems to be a damsel in distress in Barsoom.

Picking a book I had never read by an author I didn't know, I chose 'Shadow of the Seventh Moon' by Nancy Varian Berberick. It took me several chapters to really get into it, but the tying together of all the Norse mythology in the novel hooked me in, and eventually even the characters seemed to come to life for me. The premise is the last of the dwarves telling his story to a human friend. Not a bad read, and I think it may be part of a series. Need to look into that.

'Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets' was next, and I did enjoy the story again. Following the same pattern, I read it and then watched the movie. I also found myself liking Ginny Weasley as much this time as the first time. You know, there must be something about red-haired women that I like...(my wife is a redhead, for those of you who don't know.)

I'm now universe jumping again and reading a Star Wars book - 'Cloak of Deception.' It features the young Obi-wan Kenobi, Qui-Gon Jinn, Supreme Chancellor Valorum, and the other characters from 'The Phantom Menace.' It really does give a lot of the background for the Phantom Menace.

What will I read next? I'm not sure, but I'll try to keep you posted.