I am totally new to programming as though I have my PhD as a molecular biologist for the last 10 years. Can someone please tell me: Would it be too hard to handle if I enrolled simultaneously in C++ and python? I am a full time employee too. Both courses start and finish on the same dates and is for 3 months. For a variety of complicated reasons, this fall is the only time I can learn both languages. Please advise.
GillingsT
Update:
A little more detail about myself: as I said I did a PhD in Molecular Genetic. I now wish to be able to obtain programming skills so that I can apply it to do bioinformatics- like sequence manipulation and pathway analysis. I was told that Python is great for that but our course does not cover basics for beginners. I approached a Comp Sci Prof. who suggested that I learn C++ first before learning Python. So I got into this dilemma (added to other logistics).
If you are new to programming, I would say start with the C++ class.  If you get the hang of it and enjoy programming, you can always learn Python later.  There are a wealth of good books and Internet resources on pretty much any programming language out there that you should be able to teach yourself any language in your spare time.  I would recommend learning that first language in a formal classroom, however, to help make it easier to learn the general concepts behind programming.
Edit: To clarify the point I was trying to make, my recommendation is to take whichever course is geared more towards beginning programmers.  The important things to learn first are the basic fundamentals of programming.  These apply towards almost any language.  Thanks to the wealth of resources available online or in your bookstore/library, you can teach yourself practically any programming language that you want to learn.  First, however, you must grasp the basics, and intro C/C++ classes typically (in my experiences, at least) do a good job of teaching programming fundamentals as well as the language itself.
Since you are a beginning programmer, I would not recommend trying to learn two languages at once (especially if you are trying to learn fundamentals at the same time).  That's a lot of very similar (yet very different) information to keep track of in your head, almost like trying to learn two brand new spoken languages at the same time.  You may be able to handle it perfectly fine but at least for most programmers that I know, it is much easier to get a good grasp on one language first and then start learning the second.
C++ and python simultaneously. Is it doable