Pros and Cons

"You set your heart too much on things, Anne," said Marilla, with a sigh. "I'm afraid there'll be a great many disappointments in store for you through life."
"Oh, Marilla, looking forward to things is half the pleasure of them, exclaimed Anne. "You mayn't get the things themselves; but nothing can prevent you from having the fun of looking forward to them. Mrs. Lynde says 'Blessed are they who expect nothing for they shall not be disappointed.' But I think it would be worse to expect nothing than to be disappointed."
From Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery 

After three weeks of training and trials, the decision for who would make the Rowing team finally arrive and...(drum roll, please)...I didn't make it. I know, sad face.
However, I'm one who believes that every events has its good and bad aspects. To help me see the best in my sad situation I made a classic Pros/Cons list of not making the team:

60 Seconds in Every Minute

"'Oh! do not attack me with your watch. A watch is always too fast or too slow. I cannot be dictated to by a watch,' said Fanny." 

From Mansfield Park By Jane Austen

Have you ever noticed that while every minute has sixty seconds, not every minute passes at the same rate? Day one of rowing trials felt like the clock couldn't decide on a consistent speed at which to travel.
After Research Methods I hung out with some of my Writing for Children cohorts at a coffee shop in an attempted to study. Each time I glanced at the clock I couldn't believe how rapidly the hands progressed. Giving myself plenty of time to get changed and settled, I left my friends to "study" for their Feminist Theory class later that evening (a class I am so glad I didn't sign up for), I tromped to the Sports Centre. After methodically preparing myself, I glanced up at the clock, shocked that only ten minutes had passed - I still had ten minutes until erg testing. I took my second dose of Rescue Remedy of the day (I found it in a regular pharmacy, Mom, aren't you jealous!), in an attempt to relieve some of my stress.

Picture of the Day

The Eight

First Rowing Outing

“When you see someone putting on his Big Boots, you can be pretty sure that an Adventure is going to happen.”
From Winnie-the-Pooh By A.A. Milne

This weekend the novice rowers received our first opportunity to get out on the water. Due to to large number of people trying out they divided us into six groups of eight that would go out over the course of Saturday and Sunday (even then they didn't get everyone out the first weekend!). I lucked out and got the first group on Saturday.
The boathouse is located on the River Avon near the M40 (that's a highway, or motorway). Because of the distance from campus we had a set time at which the shuttle would come to collect us for our outing.
Not wanting to be late I arrive at the rendezvous point ten minutes before the minibus was scheduled to arrive. Twenty minutes later, six guys and five girls began questioning if we had the right time, but we figured that either we had a group hallucination or the bus was running late, maybe the Lemington pick up was taking longer than expected. Thirty minutes after the scheduled pick up time I began creating scenarios in my head as to why the bus was so late:

1. Maybe they were testing our resolve to see who really wanted to join the team
2. Maybe they had forgotten to fill the tank and the shuttle was sitting on the side of the road and they had no way of contacting us
3. Maybe a river snake had eaten the team and there wasn't anyone left to come get us

Rowing?

“I ran three miles, staggered into the lobby, and took the elevator back to my apartment. No point to overdoing this exercise junk." (Stephanie Plum)
From Two for the Dough By Janet Evanovich

So as part of my England Engagement Plan I decided to join the rowing team. Not wanting to commit to a new sport with absolutely no experience I took a rowing class in Minnesota over the summer. I enjoyed it and I think I got rather good at it by the end of my 6 classes.

With this in my back pocket I confidently signed up for receiving information from the rowing team at the campus Sports Fair. 

Soon I discovered that my little plan to "meet people and get some exercise" wasn't exactly what I had gotten myself into.

First off rowing is apparently much more popular in the UK than it is in the States (feel free to laugh at me, I should have guessed). So, instead of sliding onto the team and looking really smart for picking up the technique quickly, I actually have to catch on quickly and compete for the 24 spots on the novice team.