April 17, 2002

not a great week

This is really not shaping up into a great week. I've sent three sympathy notes
just this week, and it's only Wednesday. It may not be safe to know
me.

(To be fair, the three notes were only about two events: href="http://dichroic.diaryland.com/sadnews.html">this one and the death of an
old friend's elderly and ailing father. But still.) On the plus side, a rower I
know slightly has just announced the birth of his first son, reaffirming my belief
in the balance of life. Not that that's much consolation to anyone who is
grieving. I feel helpless, mostly because I am. When it's someone else's grief,
you offer help, but you don't want to intrude, and you alternate between
empathetic grief and completely not thinking about it, which feels odd when you
take a step back and consider it.

Moving on to areas I have the
ability to affect, there were three launches out this morning, and it was like
rowing on a boiling kettle. A boiling kettle that was being shaken. (Clearly, by
someone not concerned about possible scalding.) And it will only get worse,
because DI's juniors are rowing every morning and they will also be getting a
launch soon. I know that someday my luck will run out and I will tip a boat over,
but I would much prefer that it be due to my own mistakes.

I've
emailed Unknown Legend, suggesting that launches only be allowed on certain days,
like MWF and weekends. That's actually the situation right now, but I think when
DI gets his launch, he'll be out every day, and we small boats will have no
escape. She, being a city worker, has of course, passed my suggestion on to
someone else, but at least she does do that, and understands the problem. Really,
the best way to handle this might be an agreement among all the rowing groups,
rather than a rule passed by the city. Unfortunately, I can't make it to the lake
users' meetings, because they're held during work hours. Maybe Rudder can go
again.

Things to be thankful for: My job. Weather that has cooled off
to "warm" instead of "inferno". (110 degree days will be here soon enough!) A race
in 11 days to look forward to.

Posted by dichroic at April 17, 2002 10:59 AM
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