In the swinging sixties
while completing a degree
for a library career I
attended night school classes.
Each week we practised touch
typing with keyboards hidden
under black bibs anchored
round our necks and typewriters
by solid black elastic.
We tapped keys in time to thepoetry
teacher’s calling: “a” space “a”
space – on to “a-s-d-f”, to speed
tests for words per minute.
Then I practised nightly at
home on a huge “imperial”.
Rejected by the library course
I went on to teacher training
with a smart little portable
for assignments and planning,
later replaced with that miracle
– the electric typewriter – .
Twenty years after my night
classes came an extraordinary
invention on which I had to
learn word processing ……
…… computers ! ……
In serial monogamy I have gone
through three computers, for
at a certain age they fail.
The last one died because its
“on” switch could not work
or be repaired ! digital death !
Previously posted July 2017.
My father enjoyed typing on his small typewriter. We came to know it was spoilt after his passing away. Now we are not finding anyone to repair it. We don’t see the typewriter now. The other day I was happy to see one being used in a shop. Do you use a laptop or a desk top now? A friend types in his smartphone but I find it difficult to type a long post in it. I use my laptop. Regards
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I last used my electric typewriter in the 1990’s. There was no longer anyone available to repair them or supply ribbons etc. I now use a laptop. it is very strange to have so much change in one life time.
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Yes, my father-in-law used to say in his younger days there were hardly any changes, life went on asit had for generations. Then life changed drastically from the 90s.
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He was right there.
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