Analog Blog Postings

Here's some thoughts I handwrote when I couldn't find a computer. Now Jesse Johnson is letting me use his, so I can write some shiz:

It's Thursday the 26th, day after my 22nd birthday (22!? Holy Shit!), and I got a nice little belated present today in winning our heat. It was a little wet and windy, but not quite as bad as the forecast predicted, leaving rowable conditions. We had a strong warm-up with the boat feeling more collected and together than we have during the past couple crazy days. Our starts and 20s started to feel really solid and sustainable and definitely calmed someo f the worries I'd been having. We lined up and I felt relaxed, we took of with a decent but not great start, and were going. We fell a little behind Canada and Poland, even with the Netherlands. It looked liek about 5 seats to me although apparently Canada got out to about 8 seats at one point. We took a big move at the 1000m, and the boat flew. It was unlike any move I've had in a boat before, it was so defined, strong, and committed that we pushed a length up on the field and held it to the line. Awesome race, really fun to smoke Canada. As Murph reminded me though, "It's who wins last." Australia won their heat in 5:58, Germany in 5:57, us in 5:59, but I know we have a lot of speed to gain. We were strong, but partway through the race I thought to myself "I am rowing badly," skying my blade and whatnot. But our rhythm was strong, our effort inspired, and we fucking won. No racing tomorrow, just paddling, semis on Saturday. Going to dinner with Dad soon, should be fun.

Later:
Had a really fun dinner with dad. FIrst we puttered around the Buchanan Street shopping district, then eventually a place that looked suitable to sit down and eat called Blane Valley Pub. Good food, surprisingly cheap (3.50 pounds for a bacon cheeseburger). We just had a good time chatting. He had a Guiness, naturally, I had a strongbow. We went to the bus stop for him just in time as his bus was coming and some of my boatmates were walking by. Left him there and tried to go see the Simpsons' Movie but it was sold out, so we mosied around, came back and watched House, and are now going to bed before a 7AM depart to practice. Onward.