Week 1, Overview

Overview

Image source: Ganesha

Looking through the course material I feel like a kid in a candy shop. This is how I felt last semester in the Mythology and Folklore course. I wish I had the time to read every printed word on this website, and who knows, given enough time maybe someday I will. There is just so much wonderful stuff to choose from.

I have read parts of the Bhagavad Gita for previous courses that I enjoyed taking.  I am interested in India and Hinduism and have only briefly studied them in my current degree program in Religious Studies. I look forward to learning more about the ancient stories that are so very old in these epic stories. The many ways to really get in there and appreciate them are all ripe for the picking the way that Laura has created this class.

In the past I struggled with reading some of this material because I am largely unaware how to pronounce some of these enormous foreign words. While looking through what feels like the infinite choices of tales to read I chose to have the audio play one of the stories as I also read it. It was like a weight lifted for me because I will now be able to know how to say those words as I read along. I hope and intend to even be able to say them aloud to another human! It took me a really long time to be able to say Bhagavad Gita.

I used to work at a wonderful store called The Center For the New Age in Sedona, Arizona. It was so much fun. The store is full of many statues and objects that are focused on the Hindu gods and goddesses. So I recognize some of them, but may not be real familiar with all their backstories. It will be nice to get all filled in.

I have always loved Lord Ganesha. I used to have to move a life sized statue of him in and out of the store I worked at, so we got to be pretty chummy. When I was looking at the main page and saw the music I had to click on it and it was "Ganesha Sharanam - Jai Uttal" and I was so happy I was moved to tears. I am really going to enjoy listening to the music! I have been exposed to some Indian music when I worked at the Center For the New Age because we also sold music there, but it has been 14 years since I worked there. I really like the band Prem Joshua and own some of their music.

I look forward to using the free PDF versions of the course materials (Ramayana Online: Public Domain Edition). I have looked at them and they seem adequate for what we are doing in this class. If I get further along and change my mind that's cool too. I enjoy books and may purchase them for the Kindle if I really find that I want them as reference material for my studies. I am excited that there are also options to check out the super cool comic book collection at the Bizzell Library. Movies are cool too! Love that option to bits!

Overall, I am aware of how much time this class will take, it is very reading and writing intensive. All of my classes for this semester will be. I am up for the challenge of learning new things, having fun, and polishing my writing and communication skills while learning new technology and loving every minute of all the hard work!

I chose the image of Lord Ganesha for this page today because I know that he is the remover of obstacles. As I sit here today starting this class early knowing that this semester is going to be the hardest one of my entire life, I want Lord Ganesha watching over me and all my efforts. Together we can do this thing! He is so darned cute!