Friday Five

1. I finally took my first sailing lesson yesterday. I was so happy to be out on the water, even if we didn't have much wind. I'm still getting used to tacking,* although I blame the rudder extension, which makes it very difficult to maneuver one's body across the boat without getting gutted by the extension or beaned by the boom. I have two more lessons next week to get my first rating on the Tech boats (about the size of a Sunfish; fits three cozily). Then I'll have to find someplace near my parents' house to rent a boat while I'm gone for a couple of weeks.

2. Have I mentioned that my blog crush Michael Schaub is back at Bookslut? *sigh*

3. I'm not quite as done with my TA appointment as I thought I was. Now I have to respond to all the disgruntled students who didn't get the grade that they think they "deserve." And I can't fob them off on the professor; she is conveniently leaving the country this weekend.

4. My back was feeling much better---until I went sailing yesterday. Sitting on a hard bench with no back support wasn't the best idea. But I'm tired of putting off my summer plans while I wait for my back to heal. I thought I was finally out of the woods after I managed to sleep through a whole night---and much of the morning---on Wednesday. For the first time in weeks, I didn't wake up groggy and spacey and achy. But last night, the muscle relaxers failed me around 2 a.m., and I had to take some ibuprofen. So I've once again spent most of the day feeling listless and dizzy. I think tonight I'll ditch the muscle relaxer and see what a super-size (but doctor approved) dose of ibuprofen will do.

5. It's damn hot in Madison these days. And humid. Which is not helping with the listless feeling. All I really want to do is nap under the ceiling fan in the bedroom. I'm trying to keep the a/c off as much as possible, but I may have to give in if I want to get anything done at home. And I really, really need to clean.



*Tacking is changing direction while sailing upwind.