Wow.

I've never really suffered from hormone-induced psychosis but I sort of wish I had. At least I'd have something to blame that last post on.

I blame my weekend. I spent a lot of the time thinking thoughts either creative or intelligent or both. I think there was a bit of cognitive dissonance--even culture shock--around finding myself trapped in a situation where habit, training, and good manners were trying to force me to pretend to be enjoying the sensation of my brain cells withering and dying before their time.

I had to go apologize to Tyro, who was enthusiastically discussing her favorites among such shows when I went into the lunch room. She should be able to eat lunch without having my prejudices shoved down her throat and certainly she was entitled to be allowed to express her opinions without me dissing her.

I really did have a nice weekend. A bit of laundry and housekeeping. A little knitting and a little boat-building* and a little reading and some time spent playing on the DS--very laid-back. Restful.

I worked for three or four hours Saturday morning but not much more than 30 minutes Sunday morning--had a bit of a headache.

The R.C. and I went to a shopping mall Saturday afternoon. I can't remember the last time I did that. I didn't really buy much--just the moisturizer I went for, but I very nearly bought a lot of other things, which means I was very well entertained. I got to get out, wander around for a few hours (inside, out of the cold, even biting wind), play "fashion cop," and window shop some interesting stores. Both an inexpensive and amusing afternoon.

Saturday evening, I read a book and spent some time viewing, reviewing, marking, and contemplating a catalog.

I have no idea how I got on the mailing list, but I got the most fabulous course catalog in the mail last week. The Great Courses. Although there are a least a dozen courses in the catalog (and more on-line) that life won't be worth living without, I'm going to start with one or two--apparently there's a sale on right now and if I order before March 4, I can get a couple of classes for $80 or less.

Sunday, while I was amusing part of my brain with the stuff already mentioned, most of my thoughts were contrasting and comparing the sale courses in the print catalog.

This is how it went:

The first title that caught my eye was an in-depth course on world mythology. I have something of a passion for mythology, but I've done a lot of reading already, on my own, on that topic. (Hour-long pause while I review what I know, think I remember, and/or my opinions about what I read.) From translated texts to high school classes and Joseph Campbell through "mythology in the movies--I've read a lot on this topic. Still. A formal course is always interesting and takes you unexpected places.

But! Physics--even metaphysics! Granted that I know almost nothing about mathematics and would drool on you if you tried to talk to me in calculus-speak, I understand the parts of the concepts that can be put into words and there's an endless fascination to them. (Hour-long pause while I mentally review Hawkings' popular works, think about Godel, Escher, and Bach, that briefly popular and probably little-read tome of brain-damaging exercises, remember some online references I used to look at, and some private musings I had about How It All Works.) It's possible that my aging brain is no longer up to the kind of concentrated, linear thought that physics requires, even on a casual basis.

Reading! Writing! Words are not yet too difficult for me. My remaining stock of 25+books on reading and writing are just a fraction of the sizable library I once possessed. (Hour-long pause while I revisit books about how to write, books about how to read, books about grammar, books about plot construction, essays on the impetus for writing and/or essays on how to read for the maximum return.) There are a number of reading and writing courses in the catalog, the most tempting of which are around reading.

Economics. I'm not informed. (Hour-long pause while I debate whether I took a single micro- or macro-economics course in college. Can't remember, but nothing that did much more than introduce me to terminology until I got to Krugman's books, of which I read two or three.) I haven't studied this. Why not? Anyhow, all I've read so far consists of "not much" and maybe I'm not particularly interested, but how can I resist a course on critical decision making?

Philosophy! History! Weeps at the wealth of things she will never know.

I don't know where to start. A reading class, for sure. But what else? Philosophy or history? Mythology? A sweeping exploration of Western Civ? A more focused study of Egypt? I can't decide!

Some are only available on DVD, but I have the laptop so that's not a problem. Some can also be had on CD, so I'd need to buy a little player but I understand those aren't expensive these days. I'm more interested in topic--I'll take whatever media they suggest.

Okay, everyone. Vote!

Anyhow. I spent a lot of Sunday mentally reviewing Things I Have Learned, or Things I'm Starting To Learn and I wasn't in the right place, mentally, for a lunchroom conversation about television shows that expose people's weaknesses for entertainment. I had an entirely ugly flashback to books I've read that describe how, a couple of hundred years ago, people paid money to be able to tour asylums and laugh at the crazy people from a safe distance. The only difference between that and so-called "reality" television is that today we can laugh at the crazy people without leaving our living rooms or smelling anything too real.

Oh, dear.

Not over the crabby yet, I guess.

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* Following up last weeks' "So, You Want To Build A Three-masted Schooner?" post, in the remote event than anyone cares, I got two pieces together! In fact, with the help of my old friends, Elmer and the Bulldog Clip, I got two pieces together solidly enough to let me attach another four pieces! Right now, it's all sitting on my table, clamped and drying. Right, wrong, or disastrous, I have a foundation upon which I can build a boat!

I may and/or may not have time to get back to it one evening this week before I leave town. If not, It will be there on March 7 (the next scheduled Lazy Sunday At Home on my calendar).