Ever tried this?

This is a wonderful way to pass some time and impress your co-workers and loved ones. First, take a look at the ceiling in your place of work. You’re in luck if it is one of those places with that soft asbestos-like ceiling, I think it’s called acoustic ceiling tile. You’ll find it in a lot of institutions like older offices, classrooms, libraries, social security buildings, waiting rooms, un-renovated department stores, etc.

Once you’ve established your ceiling is suitable, find yourself a dozen or so No.2 pencils and a sharpener (preferably electric – it’ll give you a razor-sharp tip). Sharpen them all. Take a few of them in your writing hand, reel back and forcefully underhand them, tips toward the ground, at the ceiling; as they are just about to leave your hand flick your wrist giving them a snappy turning motion. They will tumble on their way up, more if the ceiling is higher. Some of them will stick and others will fall, so watch your eyes, your belongings, and your co-workers.

For the more traditional approach, do one at a time – it is much more challenging and rewarding. Try to see how many you can get up there before a higher-up notices, scolds you, and makes you take them down. Use caution in earthquake prone areas as they may fall during a tremble and injure someone.

Although there were no earthquakes this afternoon, I was injured by a friend’s poor attempt at developing a new throwing technique. I was writing an e-mail as she practiced. I was a bit nervous with my back toward her, but she seemed like a good throw. It was her third attempt that really failed. Out of my periphery, I noticed one heading toward my computer monitor. Before she was able to warn me, I swiveled slightly in my chair and swatted it. It stuck right into my hand. For a split second it stood there imbedded in my flesh. Then it fell like a tree to my desk, leaving its graphite stump deep in my finger. I bled. I tried pushing it out and banging my finger against my desk to break up the black dot deep within. It wasn’t working, so I forgot about for a while. I told someone here about it and she said it must come out now or it’ll get really infected. She went right to work. With a match-sterilized needle, she began probing under my skin attempting to burrow a hole big enough to pick the pencil tip out with some tweezers. Twenty minutes passed as she drove the needle deeper and deeper, occasionally involving the tweezers. No luck. Here is a look at the pain I experienced.

The graphite is still in my hand.

Does anyone have a good technique for this kind of medical condition? Or should I leave it there as my first tattoo, letting the skin just grow right over, leaving it preserved there forever.