First day actually IN Hanover

from a word document:

I might put this into blog form… we’ll see. I figured I’d put some thoughts down though… I started something like this last year at U23s but didn’t keep up with it. That’s how I am with journals; who knows if this one will be different.

Anyways.

So today I finally moved in to Debbie and Dan Nelson’s place, an awesome, deceptively large Hanover house on the edge of campus. They make me feel warm and welcome, and remind me of how my family acts when people come by, which makes me happy. I met the daughter, Alice, first, yesterday when I stopped by. Her grandfather, Chuck, is also here, a hilarious old man who loves to talk and chat and just shoot any shit that’s out there. I watched some Judge Judy with him. He’s from Tacoma and used to work with troubled youth, but I think he was also an investment banker. His wife has Alsheimers but remembers him, and he says she’s happy and cruising.

Dave Naughton, a Cal rower, showed up this evening and can’t get into the dorms until tomorrow so he’s crashing here for tonight. He’s a genuine, nice guy. We went out to dinner at a burger place because we were both pretty starving, had good talks about rowing, college, camp. He seems very intrigued and excited about camp and it’s funny to be the person who’s been through it already… I perennially feel like the new kid/little brother/youngster. I feel bad that he has to go to the dorms because he’s been here as Debbie explains how kickass I’m going to have it here in the house… but, I got stuck in the dorms while other kids were in baller houses, so it goes… It will be fun to have Murph live here with me. Dave can come hang out too.

I’ve been working out a bit and I feel good about that. Hopefully I won’t be too out of it for camp. After last year I think it’s going to be important to keep my fitness up during camp, so I’ve been doing good maintenance stuff, long stuff at low heart rates. Got in an hour in the 1x, 40 erg, 20 bike… should be good. Singling is interesting but not as much fun for me to do all the time as rowing in bigger boats. I almost went out again this afternoon with a couple Dartmouth kids but the water looked pretty choppy (whitecaps on the Connecticut? No thanks…) so I went inside while they went down to the dock. They came in a few minutes later while I was erging amidst lightning and thunder and a coming rainstorm. Glad I like erging alright…

Definitely is different being in a family house as opposed to Amelia’s place with her housemates… it was fun to be with a bunch of different, interesting, energetic 20somethings all sharing an awesomely eccentric old house in Vermont. Hopefully I’ll get some time to hang out with them; it’d be worth it to bike the 8 miles to where they are. Just mellow, would-fit-in-on-Bainbridge types of people who like to have a couple beers, tell funny stories, and barbecue. Definitely appreciated yet another group of people who were warm to me, instantly made me feel like I had friends and a good place to be. Awesome.

Yep, bed time. Probably going to get up and go to the boathouse, workout some before the first official practice at 5:30 tomorrow evening. Should be interesting.