Since people tend to learn some things over and over again, overworking one side of your brain over the other, we suggest you balance yourself out a little.

If you’re the type of person who is often accused of being too "practical, rational, linear, objective and reality-based," you are most likely a little left-brain heavy and in need of a creative injection. If you tend more toward the "intuitive, creative, subjective, random and fantasy-oriented," you are more of a right-brain kid who could probably use some grounding and some real-life skills.

With students pouring in from Toronto and cool weather creeping in, courses are sprouting up like mushrooms all over town. Here’s a cross-section of right- and left-brain stimulants: courses, workshops and career programs to choose from this fall.

Those with a good eye and the tendency to mentally redecorate everyone else’s home for them can put amateur feng shui fans to shame by taking the international Academy of Design’s one-year interior design career program. While this sounds like a fun and flaky interior decorating class, it’s actually quite intensive and logical, focussing on the use of space for maximum effectiveness and appeal. Students will learn how to outline decoration plans, draw up interior plans and architectural sketches as well as more practical skills like estimates and problem solving. International Academy of Design (1253 McGill College). Info: 875-9777. Said feng shui fans can find a course of their own at the Visual Arts Centre in Westmount (350 Victoria) on Monday evenings as of Sept. 24, $140 plus. Info: 488-9228.

Strap on your coveralls and your thinking caps if you plan to focus your attention on the body of a fine automobile. Expect to get stumped, duped and dirty because even the most basic mechanics course isn’t very basic at all. A rudimentary understanding of a car’s inner-workings is recommended (as in, have a license, know where the engine is and maybe how to change the oil), but some classes will take you through even the tiniest baby steps. If you are not interested in apprenticing a veteran mechanic, a formal course is offered at Aviron Technical Institute (5460 Royalmount in TMR) starting in early September for a full year, full time. Night courses are also available. Info: 739-3010.

You don’t have to be a hypochondriac or a science geek to want to know how your body works internally, and thanks to the NHC you can now find out without having to crack open one of those daunting 2,000-page textbooks. Their introductory Biochemistry course, which has no prerequisites and is open to all, is offered this September in their cozy NDG digs. The course aims to "provide students with an understanding of the smallest particles that compose the physical body" and promises that "by the end of the course, students will have a working knowledge of atoms and molecules and the biological importance of the biomolecules: carbs, lipids, proteins and nucleic acids." Exactly. The course begins Sept. 10, is 15 hours long and costs $165. At NHC (4240 Girouard). Info: 485-3859.

Lean how to sail away and never come back in the Pointe-Claire Yacht Club’s Basic Cruising Course. Their accredited courses offer very small classes (four people per sailboat!) that last over 30 hours in total. Courses–taught on the club’s 24-foor keelboats–are designed to get you comfortable on the water and prepare you for moderate weather conditions. Available on weekends, evenings and during the day. Aspiring sailors should call 695-2441 for more information. Courses cost $350 plus.

Work on the most basic components of your left brain with a non-credit Personal Finances workshop. While this one may seem like a no-brainer, it’s not. Offering the first of many steps to what personal finance types like to call "financial health," this workshop helps clarify the more confusing things about money like how easy it is to spend and what happens when it sits in the bank. Also on the curriculum are the taxation systems, retirement plans, educational savings and more. This one-day workshop takes place on Sept. 29 from 9 a.m.-5 p.m., $75. At Vanier College (815 Ste-Croix). Info: 744-7000.

Nestled in one of the lofts in the tightly packed Belgo Building is the Apocalypse Comic Book School, a little-known art space that calls itself "Montreal’s coolest art school." There, founder Jose Holder manages a school that he says is "dedicated to the study of freehand illustration." Under this umbrella term falls all kinds of possibilities, among them 3-D modelling, animation, storyboarding for film and TV, videogame illustration, comix and more. While this all sounds very creative–and it is–the school is unabashedly "no-nonsense" with a strong focus put on how to achieve success in the field. The courses have a cap of five students at a time and cost $250 a pop. If you only want to take one class you will be asked to fork over $35-45. Apocalypse Comic Book School (372 Ste-Catherine W., #308), 366-6610.

While there is no question that, living in Montreal, there are more exciting languages to learn than French, it’s still a really good skill to have under your belt. Those hoping to impress out of towners by ordering food in another language as well as anglos hoping to become a little more employable may want to consider UQAM’s courses. They offer free placement tests to help gauge your level of expertise and your special needs. All courses (full-time, part-time) end up being 45 hours long and cost $166. At UQAM (320 Ste-Catherine E.). Info: 987-3980. The Commission Scholaire de Montréal also offer full- and part-time French courses all over the city. Call 350-8800 to find out the location nearest you.

Aspiring nurses take note: there’s a course that’ll stop your role playing and get you into the real and wild world of helping others. Those with an interest in nursing who want to start out as an aide or an orderly may want to consider the Brunet Academy’s accredited Nurse’s Aide/Orderly Training Course. With an 80 per cent employment success rate for graduates, the academy offers training in CPR, giving primary care to patients, private care to special needs patients as well as less glamorous jobs like bathing and feeding. Registration for fall has begun, courses last 105 hours and cost $625 (uniform not included). Brunet Academy 426-5589 or 630-7450.

There is no denying that capoeira, a unique Afro-Brazilian martial art (or dance, depending on who you ask), is beautiful to watch and terribly trendy, what with capoeira-inspired fashion spreads sprinkled throughout many of the major glossies. Behind it’s popularity though is a complex fitness system that takes a lifetime to master. Lucky for Capoeiristas there is no shortage of willing teachers in the city. Among them is Capoeira Regional Porto de Barra (5425 Bordeaux), $150 for three months. Info: 523-1282.

The bottoms of our feet and the over-30 major pressure points that are spread across them are the subject of the complex discipline that is reflexology. The pressure points, when stimulated by a skilled refloxologist’s hands, have the power to make and break the human form, as well as help relieve stress, realign the spine, help chronic muscle and joint pain and so much more. Professional training courses, from which graduates get a province-wide certification diploma, are offered at the Institut québécois de réflexologie integrale (4662 St-Urbain). Info: 845-1049. Shorter, less intensive, non-degree courses are available as well.

Get all your diaper-rash, bawling-baby questions answered with the College Brunet’s 30-hour postnatal course. This accredited course is designed for moms, dads, parents-to-be or those in care of infants. It offers students a fundamental understanding of the evolution of childcare and the birthing system, as well as information about providing a healthy environment for babies, breastfeeding, how to recognize and evaluate illness and much more. The course costs $300. Call 426-5589 or 630-7450 for info.

While they’ve stopped calling it "beauty school" and replaced it with the haughtier and more PC "cosmetology school" label, it’s good to know that the stuff of Grease and all great ‘50s kitsch is still alive and kicking. Montreal has it’s own institution of higher esthetic learning, the École Lise-Watier at College Inter-Dec, which offers a plethora of courses including facials, makeup for film, massage, mani- and pedicures, hair-removal and so much more. École Lise-Watier offers a year-long comprehensive esthetics program as well as a certificate program. Classes kick off the first week of September. Info: 939-4444.

Get out of your head and into the real world with the folks at Randonées Plein-Air, who offer guided and instructional day hikes with professionals every Saturday and Sunday in September. Visiting such bucolic sites as Owl’s Head, Sutton and Nun-da-ga-o, beginner and experienced hikers can learn a little something while they take in the fresh air. After September, hikes are also offered once a week until the first snowfall (usually the second week of November). All hikes leave from Crémazie metro at 7:30 a.m. For more info or a schedule, stop by their offices at 1260 Ste-Catherine E. or call 525-5925.

As a real sign of the times, aspiring pornographers, smut-peddlers and amateurs looking to up the quality quotient on their triple-X Web sites now have a school they can call their own. The Stealth Consultants, who say that they offer a wide-range of Web development course, have recently added their Adult Wed Site Design program to the roster. Promising that students will leave with a finished product, SC will provide the content from their own video and photo shoots. Courses are offered day, night and weekends and last 3-6 months. Call 813-2937 for info.

So for years now you’ve been practicing the helicopter and the body roll every time you get the place to yourself, permanent bruises to show for it, with no real signs of improvement. Here’s a suggestion: let Studio Bizz school you. Since breakdancing is now trendier than a rip-off outfit from Le Château, classes have been sprouting up in a few good spots, offering a relaxed and generally safe environment for people to learn this street dance in. The courses begin in early September and prices vary, at Studio Bizz (551 Mont-Royal E.). Call for details: 526-2455.

A course for do-gooders too compassionate for their own good and the people they mystify: In Love With the Universe. This course is designed to look at the often perplexing nature of "altruism" and its role in the world at large. The 24-session course samples readings from such thinkers as Paul Ricoeur, Northrup Frye and Tad Homer-Dixon to help explore the scientific and spiritual underpinnings of altruism. "Can caring tame the serpents in the soul?" asks the syllabus. Find out at the Thomas Moore Institute ((3405 Atwater) this September. Info: 935-9585.

You can always count on the NHC Institute for some courses to help you realign your mind, body and spirit. Among the dozens of non-prerequisite courses offered this fall is Rainbow Body: Colours of Love. While the course title is a little over the top (even for the severely right-brained), it may be just the ticket. It offers an in-depth study of psychospirituality, in particular the chakra system as a journey of self-discovery. Lead by a Certified Intuitive Counsellor with 22 years teaching experience, the folks at NHC say this is a great one. Held over 12 weeks beginning in mid-September, this course is 36 hours long and costs $400. At NHC (4240 Girouard). Info: 485-3859.

Add a little more than headnodding to your dance skills without looking like a Backstreet Boy with Da Angelo’s hip hop dance class. After the success of last year’s, Studio Bizz will be offering it again to all aspiring b-boys and b-girls who need to let loose. Promising to stay far and clear of the stuff gym dance classes like to pass off as hip hop (Britney and Christina, say), Studio Bizz keeps it clean with a selection of great music. The curriculum includes basic breakdancing, street jazz and other genres of street-based dance. Get the skills at Studio Bizz (551 Mont-Royal E.). Call for details: 526-2455.

Become the next Jackson Pollack by experimenting with media, surface and tool at the Visual Arts Centre’s Mixed Media Painting course. Thowing acrylic paints on wood surfaces with a spatula is a just the starting point for this Sunday afternoon class in the quaint centre in Westmount. The teacher invites you to "discover the joy of experimenting and breaking new ground." The course costs $160 plus at the VAC (350 Victoria Ave.), 488-9558.

The commercial design studio responsible for the intricate and stunning mosaics in both the Hotel Europa and Terra Spa (among others) are now offering to share their secrets with the rest of y’all. Mosaika Art and Design offer introductory night classes that offer a "rare glimpse at commercial art production" while learning from expert artisans. While they warn that mosaics are a time-consuming and difficult art, they promise a fun and exciting learning environment. Classes are ongoing but fill up very quickly. A full course lasts eight weeks (two-hour classes a week) and costs $240 including materials. Call 286-0990 to reserve a spot or inquire further.

The New York trend of stretching and sweating in 40-degree plus weather in the summer (closed windows, no AC) in a tank top and short shorts has finally hit Montreal. Thanks to the Bikram Yoga Studio, now we too can sweat it up while upside down at their brand-new "hot yoga" centre. Even their voice-mail message warns people about just how steamy their classes get, advising aspiring yoginis to "be prepaped to sweat in shorts and a tank top" and to "bring a mat, towel and water." Courses are ongoing, jump in any time. Mon., Wed., Fri.: 12pm, 6pm, 7:45pm. Tues., Thur.: 9am, 5:30pm, 7:30pm. Sat.: 9am, 11am, 5pm. Sun.: 9am, 5pm. All classes are 90 minutes long at Bikram Yoga (721 Walker). Info: 989-7642, 932-4097.

Au Papier Japonais, the quaint and artsy Mile-End boutique and atelier, hosts popular paper-related courses that tap into a person’s creative centre while forcing them to be very, very careful with the delicate materials. The space, which seems to expand exponentially every year, is now big enough to accommodate larger classes, most of which centre around the beauty and versatility of Japanese rice paper. While the centre is still finalizing their fall schedule, previous courses have included: book-binding; puppet and paper-making; the ever-popular sushi roll course; kite making; and watercolours on washi, where students are taught how to use the most liquid and difficult to control paints on the most delicate papers! All of their workshops are one-shot deals, prices range from around $40-75. At 24 Fairmount W. Info: 276-6863.

The New Acropolis is an international organization that serves as a bastion of Eastern and Western philosophy. It offers a 12-seminar lecture series in a Classical learning style with a focus on developing an active, everyday philosophy that encourages students to take ancient teachings and apply them to their hectic Western lives. This fall’s series includes the great traditions of India, Tibet, China, Egypt, Greece and Ancient Rome as well as discussions about the nature of philosophy, mythology and traditional psychology. The series lasts 12 weeks and new sessions begin every month at the New Acropolis (1439 St-Mathieu). Info: 932-2480. Prices vary depending on need and status (student, employment etc.), call for details. Courses are also offered in French at another location. Call for details.

Using the right-brain buzz-word "holistic" is the only way to describe the Spiritual Psychotherapy course, which offers such a unique approach to personal therapies. Taught by four people, this course focuses on a different aspect of the topic for each of the nine weeks, promising to "explore the process of individuation… which is our raison d’être." This feel-good course helps you figure out who you really are as of Sept.19. The course lasts nine weeks (three hours each class), $300. At NHC (4240 Girouard). Info: 485-3859.

Tucked into one of the cutest corners of Old Montreal is the lovely Studio du Verre, which offers courses to beginners as well as more intensive workshops for advanced students. The beginners’ course, which kicks off Aug. 23 (another starts Sept. 13) is a comprehensive introduction where students can expect to leave with a square-foot panel they designed themselves. Taught in the Tiffany method by Nicole, who has over 20 years experience in the field, this is a great starting point for aspiring stained-glass artists.

The course costs $159 at Studio du verre (515 Bonsecours). Info: 842-3968.

Learn how to fake it–or "emote," as actors like to call it–with the 20-year-old New Actors Workshop. This established Montreal centre has been schooling experienced actors and aspiring thespians for two decades, giving practical instruction about getting an agent and working the market, as well as creative acting styles. With teachings based on the methods of the Actor’s Studio in New York, NAW offers professional programs with teachers who are "the top actors and directors in Montreal." Courses begin early fall. New Actors Workshop: 483-4555.

Get creative with other people’s dos by taking one of the two major avenues for hairdresser wannabes in Montreal. The more widely recognized but intensive is the Secondary School Vocational Diploma, an expensive one-year program offered at the beauty school par excellence, College Inter-Dec (2120 Ste-Catherine W., 939-4444) beginning the first week of September. The other is a much more rudimentary styling course, offered in dozens of decent (and some not so decent, beware) vocational schools around town. Both types of schooling require that the students learn basic cuts, theory and in-situ practice on trusting volunteers or plastic heads. Once you’ve finished this step, some salons will welcome you right away as an assistant. More established salons may offer internships. :