OK, so I meant to write "the last time I did NaNoWriMo on a typewriter" in there, not "by hand". It's past my bedtime already. Ungh.
At this point, although as I said, the SG-1 is the best I've got--no question--I still have logged far more hours on the Hermes 3000 than any other typewriter. I'm understandably attached to it. It was nice reminiscing a bit today...I'm thinking I'll spend a whole NaNo day on it now and again. If I figure out the words-per-page for it and add that calculation to my spreadsheet, it shouldn't throw me off.
Pages = approaching 37.5. Words = about 12,150.
7 comments:
There is certainly charm with a Hermes 3000...maybe someday I'll be able to compare notes...maybe.
They really don't feel like anything else. There's a big difference between the feel of, say, Olympias and Smith Coronas...but Hermes typewriters are typewriters from another planet. Some like 'em, some don't. There's very little travel to the keys, and they just boogie along. Really fast.
They (and Olympias) seem to be fairly common here, for some reason. Royals, on the other hand, really aren't. I've yet to try a fully functioning Royal. Or an Olivetti. Or a Remington.
I second your observation about the Olympias and Hermes in the Pac NW.
I like the worn off spot on your Hermes.
Ace Typewriter found me some knobs for my cursive Hermes 3000, but I can't get them to fit. Another reason to return... maybe they can figure it out.
Strangely, the word verification was inobb.
The magic they (Matt?) worked on the SG-1 has me more eager than ever to get down there and take a look around, try a few new makes and models, maybe give them some more repair / refurb business. Maybe after the holidays. It would be kinda neat to see their stock. Blue Moon mostly has the older machines, as you know, and while they're lovely, they aren't really my thing.
Since my stable of typewriters consists of a 40-pound Underwood and a 1959 Galaxie portable, I find that they are good for different things, even within the context of NaNoWriMo. For example, sitting properly at the table is easiest on my body for the big wordcounts, but sometimes you gotta change up the location (write ins, just a different room) and the portable's fitting that bill. Yesterday I did a thousand words sitting on the bed with the Galaxie on my lap in the morning, but in the evening when I went for the gusto, it was back to the table and banging away at the behemoth! Changing from one to the other doesn't really cause that much finger-memory anxiety. That usually gets worked out in about three minutes.
As for the looks of the Hermes, it's 50 years old, and still looks that good! It's so retro-cool it hurts. I'd be showing it off every chance I could.
Simon
God, can you imagine trying to do NaNoWriMo by hand? My fingers twitch in protest at the thought.
Actually, I've done it by hand. Twice. And won both times.
What can I say? I guess I'm a bit of a masochist.
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