December 31, 1938 Saturday

S.U. Worked in a.m. and in p.m. with Mr. Shepherd of NH Finance Corp. Ate dinner at swanky Dudley’s.
Now we move into more spacious quarters to continue my “log.” Next year I hope I will be able to 1)crystallize and put into action my L.L.&L. policy (or maybe a new one); 2) continue French horn work; 3) become more objective in aims. That is, begin to do, rather than ponder what to do. Farewell, 1938!
Artist’s Impression of 1938
Color-gray in spring, yellow in summer, fall—gray, split with flashes of sparkling silver. Comparison—marching over rocks in fog—seeing a clear, invigorating road ahead—at times almost reaching it.

[On back endpaper of diary:]
1. Don’t worry or be afraid.
2. Never be angry or upset.
3. Don’t be bothered by little things—do them cheerfully.
4. Try to make everyone a friend.

December 30, 1938 Friday

P.P. Worked one hour. Took a horn lesson at 3 p.m. Surprisingly Mr. Beedle started me right in on no. 1 solo—which is far from a cinch. Well, another year is closing. What have I accomplished? I have studied and obtained a real French horn. And I believe I have a background of a personal philosophy in “Live, Love, and Learn.”

December 29, 1938 Thursday

S.U. Worked 2 hours. Played horn in p.m. Loafed around most of the evening. Listened to the “TSJ” [?]. In the back of my new horn book are 10 concert solos. And are they tough! I started working up number 5. It is a study in triplets mostly running in just my range. The low G and high G fall almost in the same measure.

December 28, 1938 Wednesday

S.U. Worked 3 hours in a.m. In p.m. played horn. In evening went to 10-cent show “Adventure in Sahara”—legion picture. I liked it. Rugged picture of army life. Shows how babied we all are. Wonder if such hardship and difficult life is beneficial or detrimental. It certainly dulls aesthetic and finer senses; but it still makes man a master of himself and toughens him against any blow of fate.

December 27, 1938 Tuesday

S.U. Played horn in a.m. My new book is very good. In p.m. restrung the valves with fish line. Work 1 hour. Loafed. Worked on short story in evening.

December 26, 1938 Monday

Slept late. Legal Christmas holiday. Played horn in a.m. Learned how to get every note by stopping it. Remarkable! Went with family and Thrashers to Cullin Thrasher’s for beautiful dinner with all the fixings. In p.m. went for a ride. Played ping-pong. Came home at 6:45 and went to see Nelson Eddy and Jeanette MacDonald in “Sweethearts”—good acting and singing, but to me the music seemed characterless.

December 25, 1938 Sunday

Slept late. Went to church. In p.m. after a big dinner we got into our presents. I received a dictionary, diary, horn method, slippers, calendar, stockings,, and handkerchief. The Thrashers came up afterwards and Bob and Alden and I played ping-pong boisterously all p.m. In the evening Bob, Laura, and I went to the Baptist church to hear an actor read Dickens’ Christmas Carol—good in all ways.