Once I was a crack typist. Sixty or seventy words per
minute. I almost typed WPM, and while there is a generation who would recognize
that, there are two that don’t. Clickity click, ding, carriage return, clickity…..
And so on. I was not so good at numbers up there above the QWERTY line; I
suppose the looking dragged me down to sixty WPM.
Things have changed, and it’s not old age. Even though I've
worn the register mark from the keyboard F, I still clicked along as necessary,
and having the ten key number pad was wonderful. My right hand could dart over
for necessary numbers and come right back to the register mark on J. Then I had
that stroke, in 2010.
I’m not complaining about the outcome; some remarkable medicine
let me carry on with life. I am left to deal with new shortcomings, however.
The physical therapist who discharged me wrote “Unstable” on my chart, which
really sums it up. And I’m unstable because my right side drags a bit.
Some days all is well and I get on like a reasonably stable
old lady. Some days I sigh and reach for the cane. It’s a wonderful rudder.
It’s also a hand rail at all those steps that have none. There are far too many
rail-less stairs in my life. Some days my right foot comes along just fine,
some days it drags a little, and some days I actually have to tell it “heel,
toe, heel, toe” to encourage it along. But, I get where I have to and do what I have
to do.
 |
| Look at that right toe of my beloved red deck sneakers. I haven’t worn them through, yet! |
The real problem is the O’s. My right hand drags all the
time. It adds gratuitous O’s to all my work. The red squiggle and I are firm
acquaintances. Sometimes I think, people should just see this; they would laugh
until the tears run. It looks like the room of monkeys attempting to recreate
Shakespeare.
But, I clean it up before I hit publish. No stability, but I
still have my pride.
Isn't that one magic of the internet, though, Joanne? Our words are what is seen, not how they got there.
ReplyDeleteAnd we are judged by our thoughts, not by the package that contains them.
(By the way, I have always been eternally grateful for that typing course in high school since I can still type as fast as I think. I pity those hunt and peckers - the vast majority - who never learned the keyboard.)
Hari Om
ReplyDeleteOh how weird, I was just contemplating this yesterday evening. I too was considered a crack typist. But I was wondering that, despite maintaining speed, my accuracy has become rather dismal. I came to the conclusion that the ease of the 'delete' key encouraged laziness...I can type fast, erase, then retype in a blink. Trouble is my eye is no longer as accurate at speed reading and therefore editing is sometimes a bit dodgy and mistakes still ease their way through... mostly it's understood though.
Can you patch that toe? I recall mother getting rubber patches for our plimsoles at school. One pair a year was all we were permitted so patching was a must! YAM xx
I think I have been a follower for two years, and I have yet to see any sign of you slowing down or being inhibited from anything.
ReplyDeleteYou know, Joanne, I look up to you, admire you for all you do - for yourself as well as those around you. Red squiggles be damned. If I can wear animal print shoes at my age, you can produce as many red squiggles as you need! One of Stephen Pastis' early Pearls Before Swine comics had Pig asking Rat how to emphasize how he felt about Pigita. Rat replied, "well, italicize it!" Pig wrote, "Dear-o Pigita-o, I-o love-o you-o." (and did you know that your pig on the steps looks as tho he's blowing bubbles next to the pansies?)
ReplyDeleteThank you. And thanks to you and Kathleen for following the comics for me.
DeleteI had no idea you'd had a stroke. Just reading your posts let's me know that it hasn't noticeably (to us) slowed you done. Way to go!
ReplyDeleteYou are one amazing lady! I have never been a great typist - I became very good at using an eraser, then later Tippex fluid became my friend. It is so much easier these days.
ReplyDeleteOne of the many reasons I love computers, I can type faster. I have a bit of the same thing with my leg having grown longer due to scoliosis and I always appreciate railings. I guess we just adjust and move on because that is who we are--strong women.
ReplyDeleteWell, whatever the stroke did, it sure didn't affect your sharpness, your wittiness nor your sense of humor. I've said this before I knew you'd had a stroke and I'll say it again, only louder... you are one of my heroes!
ReplyDeleteSnap. I drag a leg myself. Sometimes more, sometimes less. Not graceful, but it covers the ground. My hands shake too - and my best beloved once told me as he watched me with the flour sifter 'other people have to do things to sift flour - you just need to stand there'.
ReplyDeleteLike Marty, I am grateful for the typing class in H.S.
ReplyDeleteYour stroke? I did not know about that. Your wit and viewpoints are sharp and on-point. A draggy right side will not affect those.
I LOVE the red spell-check wiggles!
ReplyDeleteIn my own work.....which gets corrected before it's published
DeleteLack of red squiggles can be bad, too.Word insists on knowing what word is being typed, with no sense of context. So it struggles to put in a real word, and often succeeds, leaving all the proof reading. Sigh. I guess that's why I have nothing but time.
DeleteOnly know you from this blog - you do appear to be a survivor of many things. Better to keep clicking those keys than resorting to voice translation.
ReplyDeleteall the best
Oh, Joanne - your dragging heel makes not a jot of difference to the joy you bring us fellow bloggers, but I am glad you clean up the text before publishing. I love your belligerent attitude - much better than some blogtopian schmaltz.
ReplyDeleteHaving been born in 1956, I am of the generation of baby boomers who would have definitely understood the WPM. :)
ReplyDeleteOne of the joys of typing directly into Wordpress....no idiot non savant double guessing what I am writing.
ReplyDeleteMy husband's hands are pretty well paralysed (except where it comes to handling birds and butterflies) but he persists at the keyboard...only short stuff though as he gets tired very quickly....and tidies it up before sending.
Problems are for beating.
I often have no control over my muscles so I transpose letters regularly when my fingers choose to 'go solo'.
ReplyDeleteWe should co write a novel...it would rival any code book.
Jane x
Oh is sad but we are all slowing up a bit but why do the legs play up so much, mine up do not work well sometimes, I just thankful they work at all.
ReplyDeleteMerle............
My problem with typing is when I accidentally get onto the wrong key, and don't notice. Then my typing starts to kiij kujw rgua,,,, I mean, "look like this "
ReplyDeleteI love the pattern on the bottom of your sneakers. I have trouble with the right hand shift key and no stroke to blame it on. I don't know why but 9 times out of 10 when I reach for the shift key, it doesn't work or at least I don't strike it hard enough to make it work. I have to look directly at it in order for it to make a capital letter. which is why I often just omit capitals altogether.
ReplyDeleteI use a cane on occasion -- usually when I am going to be doing a lot of walking. I laugh to think I was such an athletic person at one time and then the knees went -- no operation for me -- keeping what I have -- not a fan of the operating table. -- I do fine just as I am. -- barbara
ReplyDeleteI dropped typing. Dumb move. 40 wpm with errors is the best I can do.
ReplyDeleteYou know by reading your posts and seeing all you do, I would not have guessed you had a stroke except for you mentioning it at times on your blog. It sounds like you have come a long way and have adapted the best you can with what you are working with right now with your body. It is good too that technology helps make things easier for people affected by strokes and other disabilities with such things as Dragon Speak to save people from having to type if they are not able to or not able to do it quickly.
ReplyDeletebetty
You are one tough broad and I have great admiration for you and all that you have accomplished and will accomplish. Never mind the red squiggles....I haven't had a stroke and can match you squiggle for squiggle any day.
ReplyDeleteOne of the benefits of commenting (a lot) - and probably more so for blogging - is keeping up with the typing skills. My job is mostly numbers, so I don't get a lot of practice there. I think you put a lot of us who haven't had a stroke to shame, Joanne.
ReplyDeleteDear Joanne,
ReplyDeletethat is tough, getting a stroke. I didn't know about it - which tells a lot: you are strong, a not complaining person, with a lot of willpower and discipline. What a luck that nowadays the text shows you where you have missed a letter before publishing it. All the best for you!
I say let them eat O's and squiggles, love the bottom of your shoes, I was looking for some shoes the other day and not a single one has any arch support, not sure where one gets some good shoes nowadays.
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry to read about your stroke, I think you've mentioned it before.
ReplyDeleteCan you get some sort of caps put onto the right toes of your shoes while they are still new? (like tap shoes)
Hooray for walking sticks and the stability they provide. My mum had one and used it at home but refused to take it out with her in case people thought she was old. For heavens sake! She was old.
I think you do very well with your typing still, and extra well with your editing.
I really enjoy reading your posts.
You are an inspiration Joanne ... I type slowly with one finger !!!
ReplyDeleteI had no idea you had a stroke. Even though your recovery isn't perfect, it is awesome that you have been able to do what you do now.
ReplyDeleteMy writing is pretty bad and I can't play the stroke card as an excuse. I make a lot more "typing" errors now. When The Hurricane went to prep school, her typing or keyboarding or whatever had to be evaluated. While the other kids picked around finding the words (because they spent all their time playing video games), she typed 70 WPM without an error. The teacher said, You can go. I used to take her to the newspaper and let her type up inconsequential stuff. Oh, how I miss those days. Sorry for bragging about my baby. I do it too much, but I don't have a lot to feel good about right now.
ReplyDeleteLove,
Janie