Unit 3 post

Ok, guys....
I've been a baaaad little girl and late with assignments. This one was supposed to be done back in unit 3. Honestly, I misread or misheard directions and thought that we didn't start posting until unit 4, but I guess that's neither here nor there anymore. By now some of you as well as Professor D'Angelo know that my topic for my paper is home birthing. I have some strong opinions, and it seems like many others out there have them too. It is a topic that excites people, both professional and non-professional alike, because it is so controversial. I wonder how everyone feels about this particular subject. Feel free to drop me a line on this blog if you have the time and wish to contribute to my general curiosity about it.
Being an online student is not as easy as I thought it would be. I thought that because it is not a "traditional" format, going to a classroom and interacting with people in person, but instead "going to class" in my pj's and submitting assignments at 3 a.m. that it would involve more freedom. This is not the case. Ok, yes, it is pretty cool to be able to go to seminar in my pj's and not brush my teeth for it, etc. but.....the pressure is just as great to do well and succeed at the assignments, especially in this class. There is much more writing involved than I am used to. Its not easy being a new mom, having a full time day job AND attending classes at the same time. I thought that having the option to stay up late and have classes after work would be good for me, but it doesn't seem to make it much easier. I still have to sleep sometime, and it is just too tempting to fall asleep on the couch after a long day, when the baby finally goes to bed, dinner is served and I am EXHAUSTED. I'm struggling, but hoping to pull through and pass this course. The anonymity of this system is both a plus and a minus. Like I mentioned before, its good to "come as you are" to class, but at the same time, I am a social person, who likes to talk directly face to face to my fellow classmates and instructors, so the whole online experience is a little alien to me. What is interesting is that this will probably be the norm in a few decades, if not sooner, when all children have to do is log on and go to class via their computers at home. While this would be a technological wonder, it would be very sad at the same time. We all need to interact with each other to "stay human"and that is why I like the fact that Kaplan encourages students to keep in touch with other students and instructors via message boards and instant messaging.
The Blog-o-sphere. I really like that term. It really is an atmosphere unto itself, with all of the bloggers and ideas running wild out there in the online community. Its really amazes me that 10 years ago, the word "blog" did not exist, and that it was not even an idea that someone could write casually and be published for the world to see their thoughts, ideas, complaints, etc. We are all potential authors and everyone has something of interest to say at some point, so I believe this is a wonderful way to encourage and bring out the creativity in all of those who venture into the world wide web beyond facebook.