By: Hieronymous Biscuit
[2003-12-18]
The Christmas Tree
a mystery!
This isn't about the regular kind of evergreen Christmas tree, but the steel rebar tree with Christmas tree lights that I have seen in construction. The first one that I saw was around Christmastime one year so I didn't think much about it. It appeared as the steel superstructure of the building was finished and the steel crew took off for the holidays and a new building project for the first of the New Year.
For my part, I sign on various building projects as site engineer and grade the site, situate the building, dig the foundation, lay in the spread footings and the running footings. The spread footings can be huge blocks of steel-reinforced concrete with anchor bolts and steel bearing plates on top for the structural steel crews to bolt and weld the steel I-beams onto; the bones of the building. Then for the trampoline decks, we shim steel pans or sometimes jack plywood to grade and pour a 5-inch slab with steel rebar inside.
Anyways, I have noticed that when the structural steel crews get done and have their topping-out party, they always fashion a Christmas tree from steel reinforcing bar and put Christmas lights on it, regardless of the time of year. It could be the Fourth of Gawddam July and they still put up a Christmas tree. I have asked various steelworkers why they do this, or where this custom comes from, and none seem to know; it is a veritable mystery.
I think this explains it pretty well, but it's a goddamned PDF for some reason. Long story short: Vikings. - ed.
It would seem that there are a variety of stories, but I like the Vikings as good as any and better than most! From a time when trees meant something.
ARRRR I'm a viking, Shiver me timbers!
Zim, vikings don't shiver timbers! They say like: "Ge mig mjd!"(trans. "Give me mead!")
But not all Bucaneers are Vikings.
Some Bucaneers are Vikings!
Not all Vikings are Bucaneers.
I'll have to draw a Venn Diagram to figure it out.
OK, then some Bucaneers are Portugues.
I had gue on my porch once, but I hosed it off.
Being Canadian, I AM a hoser after all.
mmmmm... mead
eh budday whats this all aboot u gotta somathin againist canadians eh
Trans give me head
Speaking of Christmas, The Trans Siberian Orchestra Will be coming here soon, I'm hoping to get tickets!!
The Iraq Symphony Orchestra played here with the National Symphony Orchestra at the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC!
I've said it before, and I'll say it again (or maybe it was twins?)
Where's ya buccaneers?
On ya buccan-head!!
I was going to say, "Under my buckin' hat!"
argg, I'm a pirate today, that's about it. I'm bored...NEW POST...really.
I just figured out that I was the ONE who caused the whole viking buccs things. hmm go figure.. Ok Danes, Let's get to work, ARRRGG Har Har!
You're starting to sound like "Popeye"
hmm hmm hmm something..
when I eats my spinach
I'm Popeye the sailor man!
Everyone put there tree up yet?
I'm allergic to them so I have a fake 12"
Well, enough about my sex toys, we were discussing trees.
they made one of those over
here too
There's a local sculpture that has some odd hydralic brakes built into it: the sculpture moves easily in the wind, but if one pushes very hard on it, it still moves at the same speed. Regardless of a light wind or strong wind, the branches move at the same speed. More than a certain hydralic pressure is ducted back as braking.
Who cares about steel, trees, pirates and vikings when judgement day is nigh. EVE! - at last, deliver us to oblivion...
(
I hope you are aware of that there is a real person writing this nonsens. A human being pressing the labeled plastic buttons on the keyboard. Applying the force necessary to give birth, first to letters, after that words, and then sentences that will ultimately express something whole. But what is expressed? Emotion? Sympathy? The desire of the writer to express? I don't know. Must it be 'something'? Maybe I just like the easiness of following a theme - forming tradition and growing an identity for myself - giving my self a role in the eyes of others. And in that making it possible to come closer the before missing. Later I may have aquired the potential of expression. Because personal expression seems to need a personal context. The hermenuetic circle of unique human identity on a messageboard.
)
Just a pharagraph. Now it is up to Eve...
Do not look to Eve for the answer! The answer lies within! The answer lies within!
Ehhhh, shut yer yappin' yell cave.
I am a Greek chorus.
or maybe a barber shop quartet
And what is this "Herman Nudnick Circle" of which you speak?
i just sent the editors a kick ass article and hopefully they can put it up and not get ane legal problems its pretty good to caz i was drunk wen i wrote it hell im drunk now
I have a very bad feeling that this zirealism will suck just as hard as every other Zirealism that Posthumous has ever made.
..euphemisms for body parts?
When Thine Sacred Gilded Boot Strikes Yon Roady Arse.
I say we all click Eve's link and go to Smalltime.
Yeah, smalltime!
Hell yeah! Gimme a beer...
Of course! Beer!
No no, smalltime, we want to go to Smalltime...
Oh yes, Smalltime Industries!
..................................
AND SO FORTH...................................
a little piece of advice : shut the fuck up!
Everyone should run, RUN out and read everything that Chuck Palahniuk has written. Not just Fight Club. Diary, his new one, is pretty cool, and, in his fantastic style of ridiculously researched fiction, you get lots of facts about weird traditions that builders have. All of which serve Chuck's story magnificently. Go! Read!
