Comments on: My Writing Tools http://karenshanley.com/blog/2009/09/my-writing-tools/ One Writer Mom. One Teen Kid. One Brilliant Australian Shepherd. One Comical Border Collie Mix. One Dog in a Maine Coon Cat's Body. And Latest to the Party -- One Cuddly Cavalier. Sat, 13 Mar 2010 11:23:46 -0700 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 hourly 1 By: Deb http://karenshanley.com/blog/2009/09/my-writing-tools/comment-page-1/#comment-134876 Deb Thu, 17 Sep 2009 00:11:09 +0000 http://karenshanley.com/blog/?p=100#comment-134876 Yeah it was about 50# too. But I think your monitor was smaller. How did you see anything. And how did we live without wysiwyg? Yeah it was about 50# too. But I think your monitor was smaller. How did you see anything.

And how did we live without wysiwyg?

]]> By: Karen http://karenshanley.com/blog/2009/09/my-writing-tools/comment-page-1/#comment-134847 Karen Mon, 14 Sep 2009 22:07:58 +0000 http://karenshanley.com/blog/?p=100#comment-134847 Now see Deb, your story is much more interesting than mine! Okay, as long as we're traipsing down memory lane, my first computer was the Osborne-1, a semi-portable behemoth.<img src="http://www.old-computers.com/MUSEUM/photos/osborn1_1.jpg" alt="Osborne" /> She's a beaut, isn't she? Only weighed about 50 lbs too. I used to lug it between home and work. Now see Deb, your story is much more interesting than mine! Okay, as long as we’re traipsing down memory lane, my first computer was the Osborne-1, a semi-portable behemoth.Osborne She’s a beaut, isn’t she? Only weighed about 50 lbs too. I used to lug it between home and work.

]]> By: Deb http://karenshanley.com/blog/2009/09/my-writing-tools/comment-page-1/#comment-134844 Deb Mon, 14 Sep 2009 19:34:22 +0000 http://karenshanley.com/blog/?p=100#comment-134844 Karen - Maple Walnut? Where did you find Maple Walnut ice cream? I haven't had that in years. Of course I didn't like it as a small child; it was too lumpy. But yesterday's was only 99 cents as a nod to the local street fest by the franchise owner on the corner. My dad kept signing me out of typing classes because he thought that would make me a secretary. So I showed up at college majoring in journalism not knowing how to type and being expected to type up stories in class. Our first computer (if you can call it that) was a Kaypro. It had no memory. It had a 7 in diagonal monitor. It was purchased in 1983 for my ex's master's thesis which I ended up punching out (still didn't type). Let's see, first turn on the power, then insert boot disk (5.5 in floppies), load, remove and insert Wordperfect disk, load, remove, insert empty storage disk. Pray that nothing happened (like a power failure) and remember to "save" every 5 minutes. Karen and Cindy - Okay, now I feel really old as I remember taking my kids to the library when there were still paper card catalogues. I remember the day we walked in to find a sign on top of it stating that it was no longer being updated and the most up-to-date information was on the computer terminal. The kids were ecstatic but I was panic-stricken. I'm not really sure why since we had computers at home. Karen – Maple Walnut? Where did you find Maple Walnut ice cream? I haven’t had that in years. Of course I didn’t like it as a small child; it was too lumpy. But yesterday’s was only 99 cents as a nod to the local street fest by the franchise owner on the corner.

My dad kept signing me out of typing classes because he thought that would make me a secretary. So I showed up at college majoring in journalism not knowing how to type and being expected to type up stories in class.

Our first computer (if you can call it that) was a Kaypro. It had no memory. It had a 7 in diagonal monitor. It was purchased in 1983 for my ex’s master’s thesis which I ended up punching out (still didn’t type). Let’s see, first turn on the power, then insert boot disk (5.5 in floppies), load, remove and insert Wordperfect disk, load, remove, insert empty storage disk. Pray that nothing happened (like a power failure) and remember to “save” every 5 minutes.

Karen and Cindy – Okay, now I feel really old as I remember taking my kids to the library when there were still paper card catalogues. I remember the day we walked in to find a sign on top of it stating that it was no longer being updated and the most up-to-date information was on the computer terminal. The kids were ecstatic but I was panic-stricken. I’m not really sure why since we had computers at home.

]]> By: Karen http://karenshanley.com/blog/2009/09/my-writing-tools/comment-page-1/#comment-134842 Karen Mon, 14 Sep 2009 17:08:11 +0000 http://karenshanley.com/blog/?p=100#comment-134842 <strong>Cindy</strong>, isn't it a riot that now we're the dinosaurs! For as progressive a generation as we were, I can find myself saying, "When we were kids..." And Cait will listen politely, and roll her eyes. We've turned into our parents! When did that happen?! Cindy, isn’t it a riot that now we’re the dinosaurs! For as progressive a generation as we were, I can find myself saying, “When we were kids…” And Cait will listen politely, and roll her eyes. We’ve turned into our parents! When did that happen?!

]]> By: Cindy http://karenshanley.com/blog/2009/09/my-writing-tools/comment-page-1/#comment-134841 Cindy Mon, 14 Sep 2009 16:18:22 +0000 http://karenshanley.com/blog/?p=100#comment-134841 When I try and tell my daughter about going to the library years ago to do research, which entailed going to the cabinet with the long pull out drawers and writing down a number on a little slip of paper with a short little pencil, then finding the right aisle of books and searching for your title, well, she just looks at me like, "Mom, I'm so sorry you lived in the dinosaur age"! Yet, it makes me wistful. I liked writing in long hand, (still do), I liked the time it took to be at the library to "look things up", which took quite a while, usually after school and getting me home in time for dinner. I really liked reference books! Does that make me a nerd? And I adore a long, hand-written letter from someone, such a rarity, and so, so special! I like anything that slows me down, and while I know the Internet and laser printers and lightening fast technology has it's place, I temper it with the things that bring you back to yourself...the slowness of doing things by hand. It's good for your brain and your heart. That idyllic setting of a sunny window and an inviting chair, with pen in hand, will never go out of style. Add a cup of tea and a purring kitty and I'm there!! Thankfully, as you say, some of the simpler things in life can't be improved upon. And that makes me smile! When I try and tell my daughter about going to the library years ago to do research, which entailed going to the cabinet with the long pull out drawers and writing down a number on a little slip of paper with a short little pencil, then finding the right aisle of books and searching for your title, well, she just looks at me like, “Mom, I’m so sorry you lived in the dinosaur age”! Yet, it makes me wistful. I liked writing in long hand, (still do), I liked the time it took to be at the library to “look things up”, which took quite a while, usually after school and getting me home in time for dinner. I really liked reference books! Does that make me a nerd? And I adore a long, hand-written letter from someone, such a rarity, and so, so special! I like anything that slows me down, and while I know the Internet and laser printers and lightening fast technology has it’s place, I temper it with the things that bring you back to yourself…the slowness of doing things by hand. It’s good for your brain and your heart. That idyllic setting of a sunny window and an inviting chair, with pen in hand, will never go out of style. Add a cup of tea and a purring kitty and I’m there!! Thankfully, as you say, some of the simpler things in life can’t be improved upon. And that makes me smile!

]]> By: Karen http://karenshanley.com/blog/2009/09/my-writing-tools/comment-page-1/#comment-134819 Karen Sun, 13 Sep 2009 21:46:05 +0000 http://karenshanley.com/blog/?p=100#comment-134819 <strong>Deb</strong>, I started working at my father's business when I was eleven. He didn't know how to type so he enlisted me to do all his invoicing. Along with the $1/hr wages I earned, I got to keep the typewriter at home. At the time, I thought it was a pretty good deal! As for my "writing story," it's all about those memories that are tangled up with my dad. I was missing him today, and when I took out my writing kit and smelled its leather and canvas, it conjured those days. I'm right behind you on the 2-scooper! Maple Walnut is my drowning of choice. : ) I think your "writing story" is about having to fight to claim yourself so that you could then go on claim your writing. Yours makes for more of the classic Hero's Journey. Deb, I started working at my father’s business when I was eleven. He didn’t know how to type so he enlisted me to do all his invoicing. Along with the $1/hr wages I earned, I got to keep the typewriter at home. At the time, I thought it was a pretty good deal!

As for my “writing story,” it’s all about those memories that are tangled up with my dad. I was missing him today, and when I took out my writing kit and smelled its leather and canvas, it conjured those days. I’m right behind you on the 2-scooper! Maple Walnut is my drowning of choice. : )

I think your “writing story” is about having to fight to claim yourself so that you could then go on claim your writing. Yours makes for more of the classic Hero’s Journey.

]]> By: Deb http://karenshanley.com/blog/2009/09/my-writing-tools/comment-page-1/#comment-134817 Deb Sun, 13 Sep 2009 20:25:22 +0000 http://karenshanley.com/blog/?p=100#comment-134817 Your own typewriter at 11. Well, well that is amazing. I remember a lot of broken typewriters around the various houses we lived when I was growing up that were mostly useful for boat anchors. And yes they were that heavy with bent ribbon spools and twisted keys. Ah yes the dot matrix which was only slightly quieter than a UPI teletype machine. Of course all the cool Apple groupies had daisy wheel printers. I think I envy most is that your writing history is a story unto itself where as I can't remember a time I didn't write but I don't have any provenance like a family writing kit or a first book; shoot I don't even know what happened to my high school diary or the journal of our trip to Texas in 1965. I think I need to drown this in an ice cream cone; a 2 scooper. Your own typewriter at 11. Well, well that is amazing. I remember a lot of broken typewriters around the various houses we lived when I was growing up that were mostly useful for boat anchors. And yes they were that heavy with bent ribbon spools and twisted keys.

Ah yes the dot matrix which was only slightly quieter than a UPI teletype machine. Of course all the cool Apple groupies had daisy wheel printers.

I think I envy most is that your writing history is a story unto itself where as I can’t remember a time I didn’t write but I don’t have any provenance like a family writing kit or a first book; shoot I don’t even know what happened to my high school diary or the journal of our trip to Texas in 1965.

I think I need to drown this in an ice cream cone; a 2 scooper.

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