Getting In The Spirit: The Nutcracker, The Celesta, and Щелкунчик

I wanted to also post today to get in the spirit of the Christmas season.  Christmas is a season built of social, familial, and personal traditions.  Our memories, and consequently, our traditions are made of smells, sights, tastes, and sounds.  

I'd like to focus on one of my favorite sounds of the season.

The Celesta.

You've probably never heard of it, although you've likely heard it a thousand times.

This ring a bell?

How about this?

Now this one is getting closer.

The celesta is that mysterious, dreamlike, and otherworldly sound that sets the mood for so many of our imaginations' flights of fancy.  Not surprising, given that the alternate spelling of the instrument, celeste, means "heavenly", in French.

You can listen to NPR as they delve further into the intstrument that has set the soundtrack to so many memories.  Another reason I love NPR.  Who else would cover this?  

On that note, and in the Christmas spirit, I would like to present something that I've been looking for, for a long time.  When I was a kid, we had all these BETAMAX and VHS tapes that my dad made of all sorts of Christmas specials that we caught on tv.  Everything from Christmas Comes to PacLand, to the Smurfs' Christmas Special, Emmet Otter's Jug Band Christmas (which is heart-wrenching, and made my mom cry every year), and even The Small One (again this one made my mom cry every year...truth told it makes my own eyes kinda misty).

The one that has been the itch I couldn't scratch all these years, was an animated version of The Nutcracker Suite that aired on PBS back in those halcyon days of yore (the 1980s).  It was a Russian made, animated movie, set to the score of The Nutcracker Suite - named  Щелкунчик.

I remember that the Rat King frightened me.  I remember that there was some unusual Eastern European quality to the movie that I couldn't put my finger on.  And I kept on remembering that I hadn't been able to watch the movie... until now.  Thanks to YouTube, who makes so many of my animated memories visible yet again (Jayce and the Wheeled Warriors - I didn't even know I remembered them, until I saw them again).

Here is the Nutcracker, as I remember it. In parts - I, II, and III.

A Lineman's Favorite Things: :Lineman Gift Shops

We linemen seem to enjoy gifts that celebrate what it means to be a lineman.  I think it comes from both having pride in doing a job that involves things that most people fear (heights and high voltage) and what can feel like a lack of appreciation from the general public.  As a result, we overcompensate, and buy t-shirts, hats, toys,belt buckles, stickers, etc. to tell ourselves and others that we think we're the best.  I post this link as an example of what we Linemen think of ourselves (and tell others).

We know we're good, and we want everyone else to know.  

Here are some of my favorite things:

Lineman Silhouette - an exclusive of LinemanGifts.Com 

The Lineman Calendar - only from Line-Man.Com

Lineman Decision Flip Coin - also from LinemanGifts.Com

Lineman T Shirts - I like the power tools one from The Lineman's Factory (there's shotgun hotsticks running down the sleeves)

Those are just a few of my favorite gift stores.  What are yours?  Suggestions?

A Lineman's Favorite Things: Boots

This week I'm listing the things that I like the best.  I say, why not start from the bottom up.  First things first then - boots.  

Most folks don't give their footwear much thought.  You see a shoe you like, and try it on.  If it fits your foot (and hopefully the budget) you buy it and take it home, likely to be worn about 3 times a week for an average of 10 hours a day.  An exception being the fashionista, who will take an entire paycheck to buy a shoe that she'll wear twice, all the time cursing to herself that she'll never buy something so uncomfortable, again. The lineman tends to approach footwear with a long view.

Footwear in the line trade is not something that is entered into lightly.  Easily understood, once you consider the fact that a lineman's day is mostly spent on his feet.  Even more understandable once you take in to account that a day for a lineman can be anywhere from 8 to 40 hours long.  

As a lineman, when you show up at work, there is a tacit understanding that the hours of your workday that while defined somewhere in a union contract, are more or less arbitrary points of reference which define when the overtime and double time pay begin.  When you walk through the gate at the yard, you know that there is more than an outside chance that everything can go sour today, and you will be working some long hours to make sure that the good folks at home can turn on the heat and watch the game.  It's just part of the deal.

When you spend that long on your feet, you think more about what your footwear needs to do for you.  You'd be surprised at just how long a group of linemen can sit around talking about their boots.  

Shanks, insulation, leather pads, kevlar,  waterproof liners, Vibram soles, boot height  - the list goes on and on and on.  And everyone has an opinion.  You have to.  When your footwear is going to cost you the equivalent of 1 or 2 days pay, you think about it.  What has worked for you in the past, is what you carry forward with you.

That said, here are my favorites (and current footwear choices) in the pantheon of things which a lineman likes.

Trooper Lineman 

Danner and Hoffman boot companies have joined together to create a Frankenstein creation that does exactly what you want.  Danner comfort and Hoffman performance.  I was on a pole for about 6 hours the first day I ever wore these.  They felt as comfortable as slippers the whole time.

Hall's 12" Waterproof Pull-On Lineman's Boot

I just bought a pair of these a week ago, and have been absolutely pleased with them.  I've always wanted a boot that I didn't have to spend the time to lace up.  I always like having a boot be watertight.  This boot has been great.  I was up on a pole doing a backyard easement pole change out for about 4 hours, last week, and these boots performed great.  Especially considering that after that pole change out I helped replace another rear-easement SP transformer that went catastrophic, and then replace a power pole and two spans of 4 ACSR that were taken out by a wayward eucalyptus tree.  That was a 20 hour day, my friends.  And the boots carried me through all day and night.  The best part was when I got home at 5 in the morning, I didn't have to unlace my boots at the door. BONUS!

White's Lineman Pac Boots

When the snow starts falling, you'd best reach for your pacs, Slim.  These boot have taken me through many a winter storm season.  They're waterproof, felt lined for warmth, steel shanked, and ready to take on whatever comes their way.  When I was a mountain power lineman in the Central Sierra Nevada, I kept these boots in my rain gear bag.  If I knew I was headed out for a boggy, sloggy, wet, cold adventure, I never left the yard without strapping on my White's Pacs.  They're just as comfortable on a pole as they are on a trail.  They work well with your snowshoes.  They just look good, too.

As far as boots go - those are my favorites.  I'm interested in finding out what other guys have found to be a good boot.  What do you wear, and why?  Calling all lineman lurkers.

Another question.  Are there any other Linework related blogs out there?  Let me know.  I'd love to link up.

Coming up this week.

Hand Tools

Lineman Gifts

What A Lineman Wants For His Birthday

There are a number of places to find the tools of the lineman's trade. Here are a few of my favorite places to spend that hard-earned double-time pay.


Highline carries just about everything that a Line Crew could need.



Far West carries what a lineman wants. They're also fast at shipping.



Lineman Barn is the place to get Lineman themed gear. Shirts, hats, and gifts for the whole family.


Hall's Safety is an East Coast based company. A buddy of mine swears by their boots. 50 years and running. They must be doing something right.

I absolutely LOVE wearing my Hoffman Danner Trooper Lineman Boots. They are as comfortable as slippers, from day one. Yet, they are as tough as nails in any situation. They're waterproof to boot. Some guys love Wesco boots, but I'll never be able to go back.

While you're here, check out some of my other "Favorite Things"