Between the ( )s.

There are a precious many things I (have) learn(ed) in this life:

1. how to fuse two metals ( ) with an oxyacetylene torch

2. at what precise setting my toaster will yield the preferred ratio of light brown to that delicious ( ) umber

3. that in order to make a child feel truly adequate they must toe the ( ) line between expectation and praise

4. making friends ( ) can be done ( ) gently and wordlessly and within three minutes

5. that there is an acrobatic balance to conveying a point to ( ) a room full of wide-eyed kindergarteners ( )

6. how to frame in a room ( ) painting an entire wall, preventing ( ) mistakes

7. at just what point he will ( ) be proud of me

8. that life is meant to be ( ) lived

1. (without creating a pool of red hot liquid)
2. (and somehow still elusive)
3. (somewhat arbitrarily created)
4. (and enemies) (on occasion)
5. (and utterly confusing) (who sometimes flourish better in the confusion, anyways)
6. (before) (and sometimes doctoring)
7. (begin to)
8. (excavated between its small curved lines and beneath the noise of the obvious rather than just)