I'm just a cock-eyed pessimist

SO .... after battling the worst traffic in the world (three lights to get between Jefferson and Cherry on 12th Ave), we made it, a mere five minutes late, to crew class tonight. We've apparently got the "action teachers" - Tom, my old neighbor, and Aina, "rhymes with hyaena," who told us if were were pointing her out in a room feel free to go "she's the black woman," as apparently she is one of the very few black women who do crew AT ALL anywhere. We spent the first half or so of class watching Tom's "Mystery Science Safety Documentary Theater 3000" version of the safety video, which was full of dire warnings about People Who Went Rowing And Died, though none of them were brought down by extreme blistering or being battered to death by their crewmates, to my shock.

Then it was Upstairs for Ergs! and Downstairs for Tank! and we chose tank (see picture) because we hadn't done it before. I was eager to work more on getting the right posture (after watching shadowdaddy get his row on for half an hour, see picture), but by the time we made it on things were moving a lot faster. I'm fascinated by learning how to do a whole new vocabulary of movement - though the specialized vocabulary isn't as neat for me, I'm sure it will seep into my vocabulary over the next few weeks. I briefly learned the words for "rowing with two oars" and "rowing with one," but an hour and a pint later and I'm back to "oar" and, um, "collar" (the thing that keeps the oar from falling into the water.

Good night, I can't wait for Saturday morning, and I'm convinced this class will be what keeps me sane this month, as work is making both of us crazy right now (though the hour I spent online getting good water shoes and some sun protecting clothing was pleasant). And I will be blogging this the whole time, with big fat public posts with pictures, so be warned.