"Out of true" moments

OC it may be, I have to have sharp pencils before I start rabbiting away, even when the bulk of my work is done on the computer. I dislike a dull pencil when a sharpener is an armlength away. First pencil grinds away, too long a time. Second, the same. The points are unevenly sharpened, with more lead/graphite showing on one side than the other. I remember what Henry Petroski said in his book on the pencil: the lead is off center, out of true....Is this another sign of the Decline of the West? Lazy manufacturing processes, or is my 'lectric sharpener going rogue?

We lost "Doc" from rehab over the holidays. Charlie, who has been attending rehab for over ten years, told me Doc had Gone West. I did not know Doc well: we exchanged greetings. He was over 80, carried an O2 bottle around through rehab. Gotta admire those old guys, they press on with a minimum of fuss.

C. Aubrey Smith, team captain of the Hollywood Cricket Club, looks like a fellow who would do little fussing. Caught him in von Sternberg's Scarlet Empress last night. A fascinating film: I had never seen it, I am ashamed to say. Sets by Hans Dreier (thank you, IMDB! ), who got his start in Germany and worked on over 500 films, were gorgeous, as were the uncredited (Travis Banton )costumes. Freakish sculpture by Peter Ballbusch lent a creepy feeling to the interiors. And of course, there was Marlene, Josef's little pal since Der Blaue Engel; beautifully shot by Bert Glennon the cinematographer, though with von Sternberg's rep as an early auteur, I'd say he had a thing or two to do with some of those shots. Sam Jaffe, in his screen debut, was cast as the half-wit heir to the throne. The film is a beautiful depiction of an out of true royal court.

FNG, again.

Cardiac rehab is interesting. Always jumping, always a line. Pop. is generally white male 48-80ish, tho' there is a guy looks about 38, and about 4 or 5 females of "a certain age". Working class to executives judging from clothes. NASCAR t-shirts, shirts with bible quotes, and garage/wrecker shirts on the former; street clothes, surprisingly, on a couple; and athletic suits (?) for the exec.types. There are farmers too, judging by hands and clothing. One gent wears a belt AND suspenders; the hairs on the back o' me neck rise, cannot 'splain why.....

Speaking of sure things: conversations run from football and deer hunting to pissing and moaning about President Obama. Unless there are black people in attendance; then there is no whining about the President. There is a radio, not always on, thankfully. Sessions last 45 minutes without a class, and an hour with a class. I enjoy the rowing machine, makes me feel all a-viking, and detest the Satan bicycle. Going for the gestalt here folks; we also get training on diet, stress relief (HA!), etc. I learned there is one thing no cardiac patient should do: shovel snow. It was news to me . Theories are the arteries constrict in colder weather, exacerbating even minor build-ups of plaque, causing blockages.

Being up to greet the sun, even to shovel snow, is good medicine. My first job in 1968, ink still wet on my Social Security card (thank you, Franklin! ), required me to be there at 0430. Newspapers to sort, count, and bundle for the delivery boys and stores. A great time o' the day. I felt, even those days I froze walking to Columbian Square, that I was getting one up on the day (o foolish youth!). Dad, a reticent Yankee, gave me one piece of advice: "mouth shut and ears open.". It worked at McGaw News Agency, APA Transport, Time-DC Trucking, The Tufts Library, Plaza Men's Shop, and Kellaway Transportation. It worked in the US Army, 3 colleges and two, no three, model clubs. It is working for me now in rehab. Nope,I don't mind being the FNG atall atall.