Updates

Went and checked out the Ashmolean Museum here in town.  Great thing about the museums here, they are all free.  Their special exhibit was some pre-Raphaelite work, which was spectacular.  It was mostly John Ruskin and his pupils and adherents, rather than any Italian painters.  The landscapes were particularly amazing.

 Been hanging out at the Union Society building a lot lately.  Its got some great rooms to get serious work done.  Below is the Gladstone Room, which has become my favorite place to read in all of Oxford.
Its usually empty too - an amazing space to spread out and ponder big ideas.

But when I'm not reading I'm usually to be found at the Hertford College Boat House on the river Isis that runs through town.  Training has been kicked up a notch in the last week - we are going out twice a day quite often and even when we aren't the coaches encourage us to hit the ERG machines for extended sessions.  In two weeks time the M1 fours team that I have the privilege of rowing for will be headed down to London to race in the Head of the River competition.  All of our training has been geared towards preparing for that race so we can have a good showing.  

Every day we go out the boat is looking better.  The whole thing is starting to come together in a big way.  Tonight as we were heading back in after sundown we had a real nice string of strokes where we were all in unison and the boat stayed rigid through the whole set.  From solid catches to powerful sends, we drove those knees down and pushed our chests out at backstops - all together and in beautiful unity.  I was concerned it wouldn't be coming together in time but after tonight I know we can do it.

Though more is demanded of me than I have ever known, I get to wake up and look at scenes like this...

...with four other guys all equally feeling the need to drive for perfection.  It's pure magic when we get into the rhythm and all move as one.  I wouldn't trade my time on the water for any depth of slumber no matter how sweet that bed may seem.  It can't possibly hold a candle to what we get into out there every morning.

I like the challenge of working this hard to two arenas.  Stress from the school work arises periodically but getting an oar in my hands banishes it like a shot of espresso to the dome.  I can see why students here are encouraged to engage in a sport while studying, it would weigh too heavily to be so wrapped up in the purely mental theater of exertion.  Balance serves me well.