wrote:

I was embarrassed. I could not keep the glider (a Blanik) anywhere
close to remaining calmly behind the tug. I was all over the sky and
was acutely aware that I must be yanking the tug's tail back and forth
and up and down.


I was glad to read that--I thought it was just me.
I was glad to read that it is common--I thought it was just us.
I received my ppasel and thought the gliders would be an easy add-on.
I never worked so hard in my life! My first flights were in a Grob
103, and I was all over the sky! Several times I nearly passed the
tow-plane and the instructor was in the back seat yelling
"yeeeeeehaaaaawwwww".


Two flights and I had the cockiness knocked out of me, and settled down
to learn. Went pretty well after that. And I firmly believe that
flying gliders makes a power pilot even better.

Coming in to land, once in the pattern you learn the meaning of
"committment".