Homework -vs- Reading for Pleasure

I had totally intended to do a chapter a week on my two classes, alternating between the two of them. Week 1 & 2 = Chapter One of Human Anatomy then Chapter One of Methods of Building Construction. Week 3 & 4 = Chapter Two of Human Anatomy and then Chapter Two of Methods of Building Construction. And so on, and so on…

Reality, as always, is never quite as good as your imagination makes it out to be.

Chapters One for both classes went as planned, being mostly just an overview of the materials being taught. Chapter two is being more difficult, and I haven’t even started on the Methods of Building Construction one.

Chapter Two of the Human Anatomy class is on The Chemical Level of Organization. I took Biology 101 last year, which covered this very subject - so one would think that going over all that again should just be a refresher course for me. But I have a problem with things on the molecular level. It’s hard for me to relate to something so small – even if it is such an important part of life.

I understand why they’re going over it: one does need to understand things at the most basic level so that it makes sense on a broader range. I also am finding it very interesting: it amazes me that the human brain can comprehend all of this in the first place, let alone pass on the information to future generations to build on.

However, I am into my second week on this chapter, when I should be on to the other class.

Sigh…

I suppose it doesn’t help things that at the same time I am reading two other books, each of which are not exactly brain candy.

The first one I'm reading (typically on the weekend when I’m taking a break from my classes) is the book that Mother gave me for my birthday (and, coincidently enough, so did my sister-in-law, which means I have two copies of the book) “Sustaining Life: How Human Health Depends on Biodiversity.” This is a fascinating book, written by some of the top scientists in their fields. It is not, however, an easy book to read. First of all, it’s big. I mean, physically = its big. It measures roughly 12" wide by around 24" tall, and is about 3" thick. Hauling this thing around take some muscle, and finding a place to sit and read is not easy either.

The second book I’m reading (typically at night when I’m winding down at night after a hard day’s work) is called The Time Before History, by Colin Tudge – one of my favorite authors.

Here’s an excerpt of the synopsis on the back of the book: “Tudge paints a broad canvas of our last 5 million years with fascinating descriptions of the waxing and waning of species and populations because of climate changes and plate tectonics, including massive migrations around the planet; the fabulous animals that covered the earth when our ancestors first emerged; the unique and exquisitely destructive characteristics of the first neo-apes, from their ability to exploit the savanna while living safely in the trees to the advantages of the rotating shoulder joint, which permitted missile throwing and thus changed the risk-reward balance of hunting forever.”

As you can see, it too is rather a “heavy” subject: but it’s written so well, it’s actually a joy to read. And once I’m done with that one, I have another book by the same author waiting for me to read: “The Variety of Life : A Survey and a Celebration of all the Creatures that Have Ever Lived.”

There just aren’t enough hours in the day… either that or there are just way too many books to be read – and I know that can never be!