Putting Pen To Paper.

Should be easy, shouldn't it?

The irony of it isn't lost on me. My generation who only heard of computers from the nerdy fringe element is now devoid of opportunities to put pen to paper. Literally. Even now my fingers follow my thoughts at outrageous speed across the keyboard which a few decades ago they did across the full scape pages of notebooks. At one time I even tried to learn shorthand but that didn't work out well.

Maybe a short shopping list which in any case I can never decipher in the shop due to unrecognizable squiggles, filling in my address at a meeting or writing a few names in my diary. Apart from that, writing long hand is an almost lost art. Until now!

My new quest is to write a page a day of nothing, everything or whatever material is close at hand, in order to be reacquainted with my longhand. Just now I sat at the kitchen table with a full scape writing block in front of me, a ball point pen and an old copy of The Economist. Eh, no, I didn't copy any earth-shattering economic news but had to contend myself with writing out an advertisement. The font of articles are very small indeed.

Wasn't it the best to write with a new fountain pen, sharpened pencil or fine ball point pen? Or learning to write in first grade between those three ( or was it four? ) lines. The f, j & g having to go below the line. Back then, who would have ever imagined a world where writing by hand is not required?

Biggi