Hermie, Goya and Gala

Excuse the I's.

Thursdays thru Sundays, I continue to pound away on my Hermes' keys, making a nightly ritual out of ten minute writing exercises.  When nothing interrupts this ritual that is.    I just write.  Then I take a huge highlighter and mine the page for possible gold nuggets that could help me write my future short story.  When I am done, I gather my pages, scan them on my Doxie scanner and load them as PDF's onto my Evernote account.  It's so nice to know, that when I die, no one will have the burden of having to burn all my typewritten junk boxed up and crammed under the bed.  Besides, having anything under the bed is bad Feng Shui.

Now, I love my Hermie.  I use it to do all my creative writing at my desk.  I hug it, too.  The metal feels wonderfully cool on my cheek.  I feel up its curves when I sit there and think.  It's comforting. 

But it's not just me and Hermie anymore.  There's a new gal tucked away in this creativity den that once belonged to my Hermes typewriter alone.

On July 27, 2013, I purchased a BEAUTIFUL Remington Streamliner for $150.00.  I'm beside myself.  It came with the case and two keys.  It is absolutely gorgeous.  The case emits a wonderful smell redolent of maintenance from the 1930's???  When you open the case, you are engulfed with a sweet scent that evokes an immediate nostalgic response.  It has to be oil of some sort.  And the ribbon, of course, from a bygone era.  It is in mint condition. 

I don't know what I'm going to call her.  She is definitely grand.  I am so extremely lucky to have this Art Deco baby.  She will be my USB typewriter.  I called Gary, my typewriter repair technician, who said that he can definitely install that USB typewriter kit from www.usbtypewriter.com.  I'm elated.  This is going to be my Christmas present or my Birthday present.  I'll play it by ear.  What the heck does I'll play it by ear mean?  Anywho.

The whole purpose of my purchasing the Remington is to be able to retrofit it with the USB Kit.  Both typewriters serve two purposes:  Hermie will be for play.  I will do creative writing with him.  Oh, lawd.  I have a name for her.  It just came to me.  She will be Goya.  Goya will be for actual writing and editing when playtime's over with Hermie and actual work begins.  She will be my work horse!

I can love both!  (I will post pics of Goya later.  And Hermie.  Together).   Blah.  I don't know why I feel guilty.  But I can tell you this:  These two typewriters will be it for me.  (Knock on wood that they will outlast me).  I can't handle anymore typewriter/technolust.   The marriage of these two in this journey with me makes my attempt at writing golden.  I'm set.  Well, sans USB Kit for now.  But not for long!

Oh!  My life in the Stenography world is going great.  It's basically me and my steno machine from dawn till dusk.  (At school by 7:30 a.m. to leave by 8:30 p.m Monday thru Thursday).  The weekends are meant for steno too, just not so brutal.  I can actually catch up with what's on my DVR.  Oh, joy.  I do get to read a half hour every night, but I pass out 15 minutes into it.  It's so hard to have a life while being 100 percent dedicated to court reporting school.  Attempts at a literary and writing life is futile at the moment.  Hence the 10-minute writing exercises.  I figure it's better than zilch.  One must make due with what little time one has if we are to do what truly matters in this world to us.

I guess that means that stenography matters more than Hermie and Goya right now.  That's okay.

Eventually, Hermie and Goya are going to have to say hello to and get along with Gala:

She is going to be mine June of 2014.  If the cosmos line up and the heavens open up, she will be mine ASAP.  I'm naming her Gala.  She is a Passport Touch sold by Advantage Software.  They have different skins for her, too.  Court Reporting is a very high-tech field.  Yet old school too!  I love it.

I love that I am pursuing a career as a stenographer. Court reporting is an exciting field.  You always learn something new.  So many different ways to use your skills and different career paths.

All I need is one more 190 word per minute four voice Q & A test and I am in qualifiers.  That is the highest speed class.  Once there, I need to pass a 5 minute and then 10 minute 200 word per minute Q & A;   And when I achieve that, I will then be able to take the state exam.  I'm aiming for March 2014.  That failing, June.  But I can't think that way!  March, March, March! 

Okay.  So it sinks in my brain, this is how I will use my tools for my madskills:  Hermie is my baby for creative writing, Goya is my work horse for actual writing and editing, and Gala is my bread and butter.  Sweet.

And now, meet Bobo:

 


He is my new/old reading lamp.  For literary pursuits.  Sigh.

I swear these are the only four things I own with names on it.



Awe.  My Xiola.  She owns me.

The next time I check in, I will post pics of my Goya, The GORGEOUS Remington Streamliner and her case.  And hopefully, her mouse.   And my first typecast.  A poem, I hope.  -Mo