Category: Learning stuff

Guide to Essential Italy

From The Great Courses Plus, we start the Guide to Essential Italy in Rome.

Continuing with my new class schedule, I give you “Guide to Essential Italy”, a tour of three famous cities of Italy: Venice, Florence, and Rome.

Statue with horn of plenty in Piazza del Campidoglio, Rome, Italy

Photo credit: my paid account at Depositphotos, which I love!

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I chose the image above as a representation of this first lecture in this class from The Great Courses Plus. Why? Because it made me twitch and giggle at the same time, which is an indicator of great art, no?

Our tour begins in Rome Italy

“The Essential Guide to Italy” begins in Rome. We took a virtual tour, walking through the ancient parts of the City. Being a huge Michelangelo fan, I was intrigued by the Piazza del Campidoglio, which he designed. Every detail came from his prolific mind.

I was reminded of a point that was made in a lecture I attended a few weeks ago about sculptures in Florence. The question posed was “Why are the statues always nude?” and the answer was because in that time period, the human body was considered the primary and most beautiful creation of God. I’ll go with that for now.

Body Worship in Rome Italy Art

The image above certainly depicts that worship of the male figure in spite of the name including horn of plenty in case you wanted an excuse to gaze for awhile.

I’m looking forward to further lectures in this class. Florence is on my bucket list for art and I can’t wait to understand Venice better. Our trip is scheduled for September and I’m really trying to prepare as though it will happen.

Back To School

A bad case of the doldrums, a vicious week of politics, and a beautiful direct mail catalog has propelled me back to school. I retired from my main contract work in July and I am apparently now sufficiently rested and refreshed.

The Great Courses catalog arrived at the perfect time. It’s not too late to make a long story short, so here it is: I signed up for the Great Courses Plus unlimited option at the annual rate and then plotted a schedule for 5 courses.

My Great Courses Class Schedule

Today was Day 1. When I looked at my beautifully colored and printed schedule, I realized I was already a day late. I SCHEDULED A CLASS FOR SUNDAY?

I blocked out a schedule for 5 classes for Jan through May

Learning Italian Language

Starting from behind on a Monday morning, with my first cup of coffee, I downloaded the course PDF and started in “Learning Italian Language”. I gave myself permission to have 1st day confusion and bleary-eyed attention, which helped. I might have been overwhelmed otherwise, but I really want to learn a few basic Italian phrases and responses before Sept.

The Great Ideas of Philosophy 2nd Edition

2nd Cup of coffee and toast: “The Great Ideas of Philosophy”. This is something that has always interested me. I learned a new word right off the bat and felt extremely proud for 1/2 the 30 minute lecture. Upanishads. Go ahead, google it. I’ll wait.

I’m on a roll – feeling like a real student with a class schedule and grabbing snacks in between. What a Monday and what a feeling of accomplishment already.

How to Draw (and then lunch)

“How to Draw” is the whole reason I kept the Great Courses catalog open for so many days before signing up. I really really really want to get back to making art and I have some kind of huge block. So back to the drawing board (sorry) for me. These 30 minute classes are just right. Loving it so far.

Today is, or soon will be, a snow day. Predicted 12 inches to begin any time, so I wanted to make a mad dash to Subway for what might be my last fast food this week. It’s been several months now since I had a prescribed “lunch hour” rush so again, I was feeling a rush of normalcy.

How to Write Best-Selling Fiction

Last class of the day after lunch – I only allowed myself a mobile game until 1:00 – “How to Write Best-Selling Fiction”. This first lecture was more about outlining the course than it was any concrete start, but with my after-lunch timing, that was actually helpful.

Recorded lectures are awesome

The best part of all today’s courses was the fact that they are recorded and accessible to me 24/7. Several times today and at least once for each, I replayed a bit that I felt like I had missed by not quite paying attention. That is an awesome benefit for me, since paying attention is a fleeting talent.

All in all, I’m anxious to keep going. Tomorrow I have only one class “Guide to Essential Italy” which is also prep for my trip in September. And then Wednesday I will repeat some of the above and add “Writing Great Fiction: Storytelling Tips and Techniques”.

I’m stoked! I left college way too soon to come home and be a wife and Mother. It’s one of the biggest regrets of my life and I have attempted to learn everything that went by me ever since. Now that I’m “retired” and way less motivated than I’ve ever been to be productive – this is the perfect structure for me.

Great Courses vs Great Courses Plus

The catalog that drew me in was for Great Courses – all were on sale at an unbelievable price and I could easily find 5 or more (the limit allowed at $35 or less each). These courses are online or on DVD – your choice although the DVD price is slightly higher.

I saw a banner for Great Courses Plus and realized that the annual plan on sale was less than the 5 courses I had picked. With Great Courses Plus, I have free reign to pick and choose from hundreds. I’m trying to be smart about it and not get overwhelmed, so the schedule image above was my solution. I pretended I was constructing a semester’s work. And I took great joy in ignoring math and science (at least for now).