Painting the "plinten" is more difficult than you might at first expect, as much patience and precision handwork is required. Undaunted by the present it is important that you continue up to and including completion.

Not only that, but stooping down and making the razor-sharp lateral motions back and forth without splattering unwanted drops of paint is a nearly impossible task. Hang in there.

The perfectly straight line along the wall as well as along the floor must be followed without hesitation. Lost in thought and with automated motion matching the coordinated flexing of muscle and limb is one long intense activity.

So what are "plinten" exactly? Translated into English?

Well, for the life of me I was at first unable to make the translation, which is kind of strange when you think about it. Afterall, my mother tongue is English, so I should certainly know what "plinten" are shouldn't I?! Sure.

I wrestled with this mental conflict for several days. How would I ever be able to tell other English-speaking acquaintances what I had been doing the last couple of days? How could I prove to them that that activity was not only a necessary part of existence but a fun and relaxing form of meditation as well?

I broke down and had to look it up in the dictionary. There it was in good old plain English. Of course.

One of the first things I learned in Algebra was that a single point was dimensionless. Then I learned that exactly one and only one line can pass through two of these dimensionless objects called points. The most difficult for me was the concept of parallel lines. It was said that parallel lines run along forever and ever and will never intersect no matter what. This seemed impossible to me at the time, and indeed it was an awkward rule to master. That's what "plinten" do all day, don't they?

A molding covering the joint formed by a wall and the floor.

Base-boards.