Storybook Ballot closes at 10PM tonight. If you want to cast your vote in the Storybook Ballot, make sure you do that by 10PM tonight. Just like every semester, because all the Storybooks are so good, the votes are VERY close - so, if you haven't voted yet, please take a minute to do that: your vote could make the difference. You can see the nominated Storybooks for all three classes here: Myth-Folklore, Indian Epics, and World Literature.
Final Grades. As you reach the points you need for your final grade in this class - 410 points for an A, 360 points for a B, 320 points for a C - let me know, and I'll record the letter grade for you there in the Desire2Learn Gradebook. You can mix and match whatever assignments you prefer to get the final points you need - but be careful as you make your choices, so that you don't accidentally come up short of the points you will need.
Storybook stack. The Storybook stack is not too big now, and I plan to get through all the rest of the items in the stack on Thursday. Meanwhile, you can check the contents of the stack to make sure I have received your assignment. If the points for your Storybook will allow you to finish up the class, let me know, and I'll move your assignment to the top of the stack (just send an email with something like "Storybook final points" or something like that in the subject line).
Week 14 - Week 15 Storybooks. For the Week 14 and Week 15 Storybook assignments, you will be doing your final revisions - Week 14 is the Introduction revision assignment, and Week 15 is the final check-up on your story pages, especially the image information and bibliography information. If you want, you can turn in both assignments at once! If you are turning both assignments at the same time, please send in SEPARATE emails, so that I will be sure to realize that you are turning in two assignments at once. If you want your Storybook points in the Gradebook before the weekend, make sure you get those assignments turned in by Friday noon at the latest, so that I can read them on Friday afternoon and get the points recorded for you then.
April 30: Walpurgis Night. The night of April 30 is celebrated as Walpurgis Night in many countries of northern and central Europe, often with bonfires late into the night. Also known as "May Day's Eve," the holiday has many carnival-like aspects, and it is also associated with magic and witchcraft (it even shows up in the Harry Potter books, where the Death-Eaters are referred to as the "Knights of Walpurgis," which is a play on words with "Walpurgis Night"). You can read about the ways in which Walpurgis Night is celebrated in Germany, Finland, and other countries in this Wikipedia article, which is also the source for this image of a Walpurgis Night bonfire in Sweden:
