On my first day of occupational therapy, I was asked to state a goal. My answer: To type.
I can't expect that I'll ever type as well as I used to. At university, I acquired speed and accuracy by entering classified ads on deadline for the school paper. Over the years, I became so fast that co-workers would comment. One asked, "Are you doing that for real? Or are you typing gibberish to make us think you're working?"
Typing was an integral part of my writing process. The words flowed out of my head and through my fingertips. When I stopped being able to type, I stopped being able to write. Several people recommended Dragon Naturally Speaking dictation software. Learning to adapt my writing process to this tool is one of the main reasons I started the blog.
My goal to type is an ambitious one. To reach it will take lots of patience and practice. I might as well start now.
The quick brown fox jumped over the lazy dogs.
(Typed with two hands – my right guiding all fingers on the left except the middle one, which can punch a key all on its own. 7 WPM, Errors: 0)
I love reading your blog. You are such an amazing writer! Your strength and ability to express your emotions through your words gives me hope. Thank you for allowing us to be a part of your recovery.
ReplyDeleteDon't count those errors, just tell those fingers to learn from them :)
ReplyDeleteI tried to do a photoshop class 5 months after I got sick, but that went horribly. I couldn't figure out how to make one hand draw with the mouse while holding down command, shift and Z at the same time to undo all the errors I was making. I have spent hundreds of hours trying to get the typing back especially that darn shift key with the left hand. It is going okay now, especially in the past 4 or 5 months. (I also figured out how to crochet with one hand and spent a huge amount of time working on getting my weak hand helping crochet and I think that helped too.)
ReplyDeleteI used to be a fast typist so I can relate to why you want to be able to type again. Mouses were invented by computer geeks who type with the index finger of each hand. Thank God my mother made me take typing in high school.
ReplyDelete@Linda - So glad to hear you're typing. Gives me hope!
ReplyDelete@Rebecca - My mom made me take typing, too. Best advice she ever gave me.
Hi Marcelle,
ReplyDeleteThank you for uplifting me- Have just been researching children's book publishers and so many are refusing submissions, period.
It's good to know that your middle finger has its own strength. This finger, being in the middle, may be a model for its neighbors; also, now you only have three other fingers to guide; and, of course, you can use this middle finger to great advantage when you're angry with the rest.
Now i need to look up 'qwerty' having only seen it in a Scrabble list of q w/out u words.