Forty Years On
For the first column in 2016, I shared some of the more weird (just rejected the word "weirder") questions that have come from readers over the past 40 years. You might enjoy them -- scroll down past all that black, on my flagship paper's web site:
http://www.democratandchronicle.com/story/marketplace/real-estate/2016/01/04/january-kicks-off-41st-year-edith-lank-column/78057362/
For the first few years of the column I used that modern marvel, the Selectric typewriter. But by the '80s here was this suitcase-sized computer equipment! That's a pretty big slot in the disk drive -- were those floppies six or eight inches across? And you can't even see the computer itself -- what did we call that component? -- at any rate it was a hefty affair under the desk.
That was a great keyboard. I'm still using an IBM, a heavy one one with loud clicks and -- the kids say when they visit -- everything in the wrong place. It's not the original one, I confess -- had to upgrade the year they added F function keys.
When one of my grandsons spilled Orange Crush all over this keyboard, I just took it to the kitchen sink and ran it under warm water. And if it ever gives out, there are two more in the cupboard -- found them years ago a flea market.
I was just thinking when I saw the photos in the D&C article that they provided a great history of mechanical/electronic aids to writing a column over 40 years. (Yes, I am old enough to have used a Selectric--for college papers, in my case--and yes, I miss it.)
ReplyDeleteAlso, we have neighbors who could use the "Our wonderful house just won't sell" advice--except that these are youngish folks who think they know it all already, so I'm saving my breath. But, in anticipation of putting the house back on the market in the spring, they're starting to throw stuff out. Looks like it's gonna be a great trashpicking season.