In my younger days, I several times found myself working on a wood-framing crew hammering together houses and apartment buildings. I enjoyed the outside summer work and soon picked up on the skills required, one of the most important being how to strike and drive a nail, that important piece of wire that holds the structure together.
Sounds easy, but there is a definite technique that enhances production. A confident blow is essential and usually comes from practice. Then there is the weight of the hammer, its handle length, the hardness of the wood, hand-eye coordination and the quality of the steel you’re driving. Be off a little, and you bend the nail or hit your finger, both of which slow production.
While I’m not framing anymore, I still look for those experienced, knowledgeable, skilled and honest folks who can see the reality of our world and squarely hit the nail on the head. Kevin Frazier’s column titled “Why Americans need a frontier” (The Columbian, Jan. 31) is a good example. Dennis Megrditchian’s letter “Stand up for democracy” (Our Readers’ Views, Jan. 31) is equally accurate. Both should be read and seriously considered.
