Typing

I so wish I'd paid more attention in typing class. I actually took one in the summer of my junior year in high school - they offered it as a summer class in those day and it was at 8 in the morning so I could go to class before I had to be at my regular summer job in the village. Everything was in walking distance because the high school was on Newtown, my job was on Main, and I could get there easily from home. I've no idea if they still offer that for students but it was a nice thing for those of us who had no time in our regular school schedules to take it. And every paper written had to be hand typed for most classes. Of course, in those days we're talking real honest-to-goodness typewriters - not computer keyboards! I remember the chart that was hanging in the front of the classroom and I know we were supposed to hold our hands a particular way. But that's about all I remember now. I never really practiced and I never learned to be a good typist. Computers were my salvation!

Once computers became common place and word processing became the replacement for typing, I could manage very well. No more carbon paper, no more going back to erase mistakes with special erasers - it was a whole wonderful new world! I type pretty well in my own way, but it's not as efficient as it could be. My hands race across the keys crossing over each other and making mistakes on a regular basis, but with spellcheck and the ease of making corrections, I can do secretarial work well enough to have worked as one for seven years. I could never have done that before computers...but I know I could do it better if I were more proficient just because I wouldn't have to go back and correct so many mistakes.

My biggest problem is that my mind works faster than I can type so I do it too quickly and have so little skill that I just can't do it well. Of course, if only I had practiced forty years ago it would be a different story.

Just like my piano skills....