Monday, March 29, 2010

My Dinosaur

I found something the other day that reminded me I have a dinosaur living in my craft room. You don't see many of these things any more.
I remember when I was a kid, thinking how cool it was that we had our own typewriter. When I was in high school I had a typing class and by then the old Royal was outdated. It was the age of the electric typewriter and they were so much better in every way. It was still handy to have this thing around though when you needed to type a letter.
My father was the one who used this relic the most. He was convinced that typing would keep arthritis from taking up residence in his hands. He may have been right, because he never seemed to have a problem. I would often find him in front of the old manual typing away. He had no idea what the home row keys were but he didn't use the old hunt and peck method either. He saved junk mail to use as his typing paper and he filled the back of each page before going on to another. If he made a typo, instead of using white out to correct the error, he would just space and then try the word over again.
He often talked about writing his memoirs and he did in fact begin a few stories. He had one published in a small Tri-Pacer magazine. I have a copy of that story and maybe some day I'll share it with you. 
 
Come back tomorrow and I'll share a very short piece that my dad wrote while exercising his fingers.

29 comments:

Sandee said...

I so remember these typewriters in high school. We were all required to take typing classes. Now the kids know how to type pretty early in their lives. Amazing.

Have a terrific day and I'll see you tomorrow for your dad's short story. Belly scritches to Duke. :)

Joanne Olivieri said...

Now that is a collector's item. I used one of those during high school. Wow, I'm dating myself with that statement. How cool though.

Anonymous said...

Oh wow I remember playing with that as a kid....you just sent a couple pictures of me playing with it. Does it even work anymore?

Anonymous said...

That's a beauty. But I'd rather use a computer keyboard any day. I never did learn how to type properly and you had to really bang on those manuals.

Sheri said...

What a cool thing to have. I remember my typing class! Hard to believe we couldn't just delete or backspace to correct a problem.

Lin said...

I learned to type on a manual typewriter!! Can you even believe that??! My kids wouldn't know what a typewriter is if I didn't save my old portable from college. They used to love to play on that when they were little.

Can't wait for your dad's story.

gayle said...

We had an electric typewriter...I bet kids don't even know what they are!

earthtoholly said...

What a nice story, Ann. And a nice typewriter! I have an old Hermes I was given in the 60's. Am looking forward to your father's story!

GratefulPrayerThankfulHeart said...

Oh, please share your dad's story ~ written on this really cool typewriter!

Nessa said...

You won't find these anymore, and they're much sought after now! I do love the tip-tapping sound of a manual typewriter and that bell :)

BeadedTail said...

I enjoyed the story, especially the part about when your dad made a mistake. That's so funny cause I make so many mistakes when I can hear my keystrokes! I can't wait to read a piece he wrote!

Bossy Betty said...

I have three old typewriters around the house. My kids are fascinated by them!

Unknown said...

I would love to hear some of his stories. I always thought it was cool that we had an electric typewriter when I was young too. We were poor, so my mom was EXTREMELY proud of that typewriter. In high school I took as many typing classes as I could. I LOVE typing.

Duni said...

Oooh, I love vintage typewriters ever since I watched TV shows from the 50s and saw those secretaries clickety-clacking away on them with their pointy fingernails.LOL!

J. M. P. said...

I loved to play with my old typewriter when I was a child, it made me feel somehow important :). I'll be back to read your father's writings!

Unknown said...

Size 4 and a tease. Oh my...

Erika said...

How wonderful that you actually have the piece that is part of this lovely memory.

Reeni said...

We still have an old typewriter kicking around. Ours had a built in white out button. I used to write stories on mine too. Would love to read your Dad's.

VanillaSeven said...

I remembered that last time I took a typing course and failed! :D

Tammy said...

We still have a type writer here at work. We need it for just little things but we still need it.

Marg said...

I had one of those too. I remember them well. I don't think I have it any more. I might still have the electric one. Can't wait to hear part of your Dad's writing.

Anonymous said...

I miss these things so bad. That was back in the day when typing an address on a label or a form was easier than trying to line things up on the computer nowadays!!!

Audrey said...

We didn't have electric typewriters when I was in school. My kids wouldn't know what to do with one :)
They sure kept the fingers strong though.

Jude said...

I took typing in 10th grade on one of those. Was never good at it so I'm still a hunt and peck, but much faster at it.

Lenox Knits said...

I so hated those things. I learned to type on a dinosaur myself.

I wanted to let you know that to be entered into my Spring Celebration giveaway for each of the sites you already belong to you just need to leave a quick comment about each of them on my giveaway post. There are lots of prizes from folks you know so I wanted to be sure you had all of your chances!

Ann said...

sandee, my kids learned much earlier than I did

poetic shutterbug just looking at it brings back a lot of memories

Amanda, yeah I remember you playing with it. It probably works but the ribbon is most likely all dried up

Grace oh yeah, give me a keyboard any day over one of those, it was hard for me to type on it because of how hard you had to push the keys

Sheri lol, I know, we sure had it rough

Lin my daughter used to love to play with this thing when she was little

gayle lol you're probably right

earthtoholly thanks, it is pretty cool even though it's not in the greatest shape

LDH just a little one coming tomorrow.

Nessa yeah I always loved that sound too

beaded tail with that old thing it wasn't easy like it is today to cover those typos

bossy betty wow, three of them, how cool

mee2 aside from the one I'm posting tomorrow, I only have one other, I wish I had more of some of the stuff he wrote, I don't know if he even saved anything else

duni they always seemed so classy in those shows didn't they

fullet lol yeah me too

FishHawk, you just crack me up

Nico designs I know, I don't have much left from my dad but a few bits are great to have

cinnamon girl oh lucky you, this one just had a black and red ribbon

vanilla seven oh no, you failed? did you use the hunt and peck method.

b boys mom wow I didn't think anyone actually still used them for business

marg I never had an electric one, I only got to use them in school

alterity button jewelry it drives me nuts sometimes trying to line things up

Audrey yes they sure do

Jude I did pretty good on the electrics but not so good on the manual

Lenox knitsI liked playing with it but not so much when I was trying to type something important
Thanks for the info on your giveaway.

Leeuna said...

I had one of those, and I remember how fascinated I was when we got an electric one. It was so much easier. I'm looking forward to reading your dads writing.

Ann said...

Leeuna, i only had the use of an electric when i was at school I wanted one so bad.

The Urban Cowboy said...

Oh WOW...I remember those! I learned to type on one in high school before computers. Guess my age is showing.

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