I guess I should really blog a bit more, just to get into the habit of putting my thoughts down. It seems a good idea, especially since I am interested in pursuing a PhD. Yesterday I spent some time reading about how to study history and about how to conduct a research. I learned how to conduct research in high school, but it has been many years, so a refresher was good. As for learning how to study history, no one ever really sat down to teach me how to study history. History books are so jammed packed with information that I get really caught up in the details and sometimes lose sight of the larger picture, so I thought that maybe I was missing a studying technique. Turns out that it is normal to read an article a few times before really grasping the ideas--what a relief! Before, I thought that I was just really dense or something!

It also turns out that I am not alone in how I conduct research. That is, I spend lots of time reading and collecting quotes and not as much time writing the paper. I hope that blogging and putting my thoughts down will become a habit so that I will become more prolific and fluent in my writing.

On another, but related note, I am leaning more towards studying history. I enjoy art history, but I am not sure if I want to analyze the development of art as much as I would like to learn about the culture of the Middle Ages. Right now I am thinking about magic and miracles in late antiquity. I think it might be a good and interesting topic for a dissertation too. The earlier period of the Middle Ages is the most intriguing for me since it is a period of great change. The development of Christianity defines the period we call the Middle Ages and a whole culture revolved around this religion. Apart from Egypt and her pyramids, I can't think of any other culture that devoted a unique and pervasive building type to religion as the Christian churches and cathedrals. Not only that, but these buildings formed the center of many new and growing towns and cities being established in Europe during that time. Like Egyptian culture (which I also find really interesting; I was thinking of becoming an Egyptologist at one time), it is a monumental culture that is intensely interesting to study no matter what the topic: religion, art, literature, music, history, etc.

It's sad to be only a sideline friend

Facebook is a great way to connect, but once you do connect with people you once knew, it feels a bit lonely when they really don't bother to keep in touch with you. It's also a bittersweet feeling to be able to see what they are up to and to know that you are not a part of their activities or thoughts. Sometimes it seems that many use the site to advertise the wonderful things they are doing than to keep in touch with friends.

I managed to read a few pages about early Christian architecture yesterday, although I failed to read the entire chapter. I will have to make it a high priority today. It's really difficult to maintain a set schedule with C around, but I guess I can't always use him as an excuse.

Yesterday I found a book at the public library which may help me with my project on miracles and magic. It didn't have entire chapters devoted to the topic, but there were some clues to where I might be able to find more leads. I also took out a book on traditional archery and heathers. I'd like to eventually try mounted archery and figured that I should get a start somewhere. The book on heathers might prove extremely useful for the solution of what to plant at the steep slope at the side of the house so that C doesn't have to mow the lawn and risk his life by falling off the wall and into the street below.

Maybe today I can go to Rutgers to make a copy of an article we were supposed to read. Unfortunately the professor didn't post it on Sakai, so I'm not exactly sure if she expects us to read it or not. I was under the impression that she would post it on Sakai, but when I last looked it was missing.

So much to do and so little time! That's how I always feel. I think I need to take a meditation class. I'm feeling a bit stressed. I couldn't get to sleep last night either and fell asleep around 2:30 or 3 AM and woke up at about 11:30 AM today. It is difficult to go to sleep early. There are so many things on my mind that I am thinking that I should do. At least I read a chapter of "Twenty Years After" yesterday. The story is getting a bit more exciting now that the four musketeers have met up. Interestingly, it has taken a different turn than I expected as Porthos and d'Artagnan are teamed up with the Cardinal against Aramis and Athos for the grandson of Henry IV. Oh, bother! I don't remember his name, but probably should since he is relevant to English history. John Someone who was probably involved in the War of the Roses. Now I will have to look it up... Oh... it was the Duc de Beaufort. Upon further research, it seems that he has nothing to do with the War of the Roses or John of Gaunt and Katherine Swynford, although they had children with the same surname. I wonder where I got the name "John" from... maybe I mixed him up with John of Gaunt. Oh... Henry IV is in reference to the king of France, not of England. There are so many Henry IVs!