If I see one more book of General Robert E. Lee, I'm going to choak somebody.
So bringing those home, I started reading the Smithsonian Institute's Vikings: The North Atlantic Saga and got particularly sucked in. I guess I should do what Dr. Ruane said and learn more about Viking/Norse everyday life. It is interesting after all--except for travel.
Erik the Red and Leif Erikson can bite me. Rawr. Yes, they're awesome. But jeez louis, every, single text has like ATLEAST 2 chapters on them and I'm going, "I know ::skip::" but then feel guilty that I skipped and then I go back. Or something. Anyway, no travel.
Most of my time has been spent reading. My grandmother keeps confusing it with summer classes and I'm going, "Florida History and American History has NOTHING to do with Vikings, gah." Old people. I've crammed in one or two sagas, finished American Gods (it was great, amazing book, but I don't see how it's going to help me yet), rented/watched 3 documentries on mythmaking and Mr. Campbell, some of them modern myths like Star Wars (the History Channel one was AMAZING!), and played Balder's Gate...ok, so that really wasn't *complete* research but it had Balder in the title!
These and the other 15 or so cousins have taken up my bed, the rest are on my kitchen table.
So it's come down to what I find interesting: raids, mythology, Norse interaction with Christianity.
What I hope to never see again: Erik the Red.
I just keep remembering what Dr. Ruane said about finding something I can deal with the whole year. I think it can be like some arranged marriages; you grow to love it over time, kinda like my relationship with Civil War lecture. If anything, I'm looking on the *brightside* ::shock:: of this for right now.
The only part I'm freaking out on is...what the sam bejeebus I do with all of this info?! o_O I think I'll shoot Dr. Ruane an email, he'll know. He's all knowning after all ;)
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