There’s an interesting piece on The Writer’s Almanac today, the anniversary of the patenting of the first typewriter. Remember typewriters? My first one was given to me by my mother-in-law and was already so ancient that it required great physical strength to pound the keys and great resourcefulness to find replacement ribbons.

I never learned to touch type. Instead I developed a regrettable but very fast two finger technique. That typewriter was a thing of beauty, as was my old Singer sewing machine. Both gone. I wonder where?

Eventually I upgraded to an Olivetti that was being tossed by my husband’s office. I use the word ‘toss’ loosely. That machine was so heavy we had to reinforce the floors before bringing it into the house. I guess I wrote a couple of books on it. I must have had a substantial Tippex budget. And then suddenly there were personal computers, enormous humming machines that impoverished writers had to buy on easy terms. I don’t remember exactly when that was but I do remember it seemed like a very big deal. And my first email, well…. I knew how Thomas Edison must have felt.

I work on a laptop these days and I fear it is on its last legs. The e key kps failing, and the i and a cn’t b dpndd on. I do have a back-up laptop but I’m fond of ths old workhors. I don’t want to hav hr put down just yt. Just have to bash the keys harder.

No pressure anyway because I’m still unemployed. That and Vowel Failure. A person could lose the will to write.