Learning Curve

Tomorrow I'm taking a two-day sailing course with J-World.  While this is nothing hugely special in the sense that many sailors take courses--Captain's License, for example, or Blue Water sailing, it's kinda a big deal for me.  I talked about how I used to race with my grandfather in a cruising class when I was growing up--that much is certainly true but three years ago when I decided to do this "racing" thing for real, I never guessed what it would be all about; how involved & how much I really didn't know.  Looking back on it now it is somewhat embarrassing.  When I stepped onto that J/42 three years ago in April I was certainly nervous but I knew I was a sailor & had raced before--I figured it would be no big deal--HA!  I quickly learned that even though I'd been sailing all my life, this ain't your mother's sailing!  My ignorance just makes me cringe now.  In fact, when I wrote about racing on this blog--my lack of knowledge of terminology, etc., is glaringly apparent.  http://boyfriendplease-sailorgrl.blogspot.com/2009/04/sailracer-in-napolis.html I really don't want to link back to it--that's how embarrassed I am....Anyway, some of the guys on that J/42 suggested that I take courses at J-World on that first day I went out.  I think I may have asked them how they got into the racing.  (This was before I went to the crew listings party with Spin Sheet)  Their response was that they'd all taken these courses & had done regattas with J-World.  Interesting, I thought, but I sorta dismissed it--I'd seen adverts for the school as well as many others in the Annapolis & Baltimore area but just didn't think it would benefit me.  Funny how it's full circle now. Yeah, since my regular boat has a symmetrical spinnaker, I made sure to ask the folks at J-World to make sure they had that & the pole on board for me.  Back three years ago I couldn't tell you the difference between an asymmetrical or a symetric kite.  In fact, I probably didn't even refer to a spinnaker as a "kite", "chute", or anything else, let alone fly the damn thing.  Not that I'm great at it now, hence the course on spin trim. But I'm quite excited by the prospect of getting this experience on becoming better at spin trim & also learning about the asym which I've never flown before.  I am also hoping that I become more valuable to my boat.  You've come a long way, baby!  But as Xing Fu is quick to point out, & something I also know with regard to TKD, I may be a 2nd degree black belt, but there are 9 degrees total & I'm really just a beginner.  Perhaps this course over the weekend will make me an advanced beginner....