Qualified

Because you've all been waiting with bated breath... The Head of the Charles went really well: we rowed well, and did well enough (9th out of 22! We passed 2 boats!) to qualify to race again next year!

And I discovered that I like head racing a million times more than sprint racing. There's my complete lack of sprinting ability, for one thing. (I am the only person in the world who runs a mile almost a slowly as I run a marathon. It's depressing.) Also, in sprints I'm really nervous right as we launch, and again as we're sitting ready at the start waiting for the official to say go (I'm getting slightly nervous now, thinking about it). In head racing, by the time you've rowed yourself to the start, it's feels like it's been hours since you launched, so that nervousness has worn off. And there's no sitting still at the start--you row towards the start line, getting gradually faster till you're going at race pace when you cross it.

And I made a hat. The university collects winter clothes each fall to give to international students who've never experienced a Connecticut winter before, and I've donated hats a few times (thinking each time of the mother of a friend of mine in Russia, who was alarmed that I was going out in December without covering my face--or maybe just my lips?--in goose fat, and offered me some of hers). So I'd planned to give it to that program, with a few others that I've accumulated. But when I brought my hats in yesterday, it turned out they stopped collecting them on Monday.

There's nothing else to say about my knitting... I'm being very good about this whole Christmas present thing, which makes for boring posts now--and later, when there will be less panic to write about. Sorry!

I'm still contemplating that dress, and the renovation of the purple sweater--maybe I could work on the purple sweater during gift-knitting breaks? (I've wanted to wear the imaginary new version a couple of times--probably a sign that I should just try it, huh?)