I might add, laying on the horn does not excuse the drivers themselves from slowing down and using a bit of caution at the crossing, let alone entitle them to speed up and blast through, as many of them do.
Showing posts with label Olympia SG-1. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Olympia SG-1. Show all posts
Friday, June 13, 2014
Saturday, October 12, 2013
Getting Fired Up for NaNoWriMo!
(Yes, I need to do some adjusting to center everything before November.)
I'll likely do most of my writing at the [too messy for public consumption] writing desk across from it, but it's nice to have Options. Especially for doing some free writing if I get stuck or need a change of pace. Or if I just want to be really noisy and irritate the dog for awhile.
Sunday, February 27, 2011
A sleepy morning sort of poem...
Nice to just daydream for a few extra moments before getting up on a Sunday morning...though the daydreams always seem to get away from me!
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
The Little Flower Petals Tribe of Clickity-Clack
Strikethru has thrown down the gauntlet and challenged the typosphere to show their cards. Wait...that's mixing metaphors, isn't it? I hate it when I do that.
Anyhow, here's my current stable:
1. Sebastian, the handsome green Olympia SG-1, which I took to Blue Moon/Ace Typewriter for repair and renewal awhile back. It is the typewriter by which all other typewriters are measured. Coolest feature: that giant paper load lever. It's amazingly handy. If I've been using that typewriter a lot, I do phantom passes for the lever when loading paper into other typewriters.
2. Stinky, who you've all come to know rather well. He's actually pretty clean now save for some rusty spots, though still a bit whiffy up close. Although a late model SM-9 and therefore uncool even by stodgy SM-9 standards, he really types nicely.
3. I have another SM-9 in a spidery pica typeface, shown here with Bernard, the SG-3 I used to own. I'm just realizing I've never done a full report on this SM-9, though it was one of the first typewriters I ever purchased and, now I think on it, the longest owned of the current lot. It is, like Strikethru's SM-9, a fully refurbished model, which I think inspires a certain amount of guilt in me. It types like new, though, and took on a just a little under half the work-load during my first typed NaNoWriMo. It should be allowed out more.
4. Then there is the third SM-9, found recently at a local Goodwill, with an 11-pt. typeface like Stinky's. It's one I often reach for when writing letters, because I know I can depend on it. Solid, stolid and reliable, this one. It is, however, currently in the Most Likely To Be Traded/Sold/Given Away spot. I really don't need *three* SM-9s, especially two with the same typeface, and Stinky is here to stay.
5. My homely little Galaxie holds a special place in my heart because of its resemblance to my first-ever typewriter. And despite its decidedly unromantic appearance, it is the poet of the bunch. Until I met this typewriter, I had never composed poetry on anything with a keyboard--it was always done by hand, and then eventually transcribed. But at least once in awhile, the words just come to me when I'm banging away on the Galaxie. It also won me the typing contest at the type-in. For that, I owe it one.
6. And finally, there is the newcomer: the Olivetti Underwood Studio 21 that followed me home from the type-in. It has the most beautiful typeface of them all in my opinion, and is quick and quiet. I'll get real pictures of it one of these days, when it isn't sleeting.
It has 1/4, 1/2, and even an @...but no exclamation point. Makes me laugh. And isn't that red heart the prettiest tab key you ever did see?
I still have three typewriters on my wishlist:
1. An old Hermes 3000 like the one I stupidly stupidly stupidly let go during last year's move. Preferably pica or maybe some sort of techno typeface.
2. A Lettera 32, in the same exact typeface as the Studio 21.
3. And some flavor of Royal, just 'cause the snappy action amuses me.
Anyhow, here's my current stable:
1. Sebastian, the handsome green Olympia SG-1, which I took to Blue Moon/Ace Typewriter for repair and renewal awhile back. It is the typewriter by which all other typewriters are measured. Coolest feature: that giant paper load lever. It's amazingly handy. If I've been using that typewriter a lot, I do phantom passes for the lever when loading paper into other typewriters.
2. Stinky, who you've all come to know rather well. He's actually pretty clean now save for some rusty spots, though still a bit whiffy up close. Although a late model SM-9 and therefore uncool even by stodgy SM-9 standards, he really types nicely.
3. I have another SM-9 in a spidery pica typeface, shown here with Bernard, the SG-3 I used to own. I'm just realizing I've never done a full report on this SM-9, though it was one of the first typewriters I ever purchased and, now I think on it, the longest owned of the current lot. It is, like Strikethru's SM-9, a fully refurbished model, which I think inspires a certain amount of guilt in me. It types like new, though, and took on a just a little under half the work-load during my first typed NaNoWriMo. It should be allowed out more.
4. Then there is the third SM-9, found recently at a local Goodwill, with an 11-pt. typeface like Stinky's. It's one I often reach for when writing letters, because I know I can depend on it. Solid, stolid and reliable, this one. It is, however, currently in the Most Likely To Be Traded/Sold/Given Away spot. I really don't need *three* SM-9s, especially two with the same typeface, and Stinky is here to stay.
5. My homely little Galaxie holds a special place in my heart because of its resemblance to my first-ever typewriter. And despite its decidedly unromantic appearance, it is the poet of the bunch. Until I met this typewriter, I had never composed poetry on anything with a keyboard--it was always done by hand, and then eventually transcribed. But at least once in awhile, the words just come to me when I'm banging away on the Galaxie. It also won me the typing contest at the type-in. For that, I owe it one.
6. And finally, there is the newcomer: the Olivetti Underwood Studio 21 that followed me home from the type-in. It has the most beautiful typeface of them all in my opinion, and is quick and quiet. I'll get real pictures of it one of these days, when it isn't sleeting.
It has 1/4, 1/2, and even an @...but no exclamation point. Makes me laugh. And isn't that red heart the prettiest tab key you ever did see?
I still have three typewriters on my wishlist:
1. An old Hermes 3000 like the one I stupidly stupidly stupidly let go during last year's move. Preferably pica or maybe some sort of techno typeface.
2. A Lettera 32, in the same exact typeface as the Studio 21.
3. And some flavor of Royal, just 'cause the snappy action amuses me.
Saturday, October 30, 2010
Milk crates full of memories...
Faced with housework, I procrastinate in every way possible. This weekend, I organized my journals while putting off vacuuming. After my move this spring, they'd been crammed onto shelves in no particular place or order, so I gathered them from the four corners of the house and arranged by date. (Mostly by date, anyway--for some reason, there are a few journals in 1997 that overlap. Apparently 1997 was the Year of Living Disorganizedly.) They span some twenty-seven years now: that little one all the way on the left was given to me for Christmas when I was six, when I was first learning to write.
And of course, once they were all nicely organized like that, I proceeded to yank them off the shelves (those classy milk-crate shelves...) and look through them. Some are in better shape than others. The colored journals I favored in the nineties fared the worst: the blue fountain pen ink I used in some entries vanished, and at least one journal was the victim of temporary storage in a damp basement. And there are large gaps in the record: I tend to write more when there isn’t as much going on, which means that most of my entries, especially those in the most recent journals, are mundane daily details and rambling. Their value is in the writing of them: they help me process my days and sort out thoughts, and many may never be read again. But other content makes me smile, or laugh out loud, or get a little weepy. Inconsistent though they may be, they contain a lot of memories, these books.
There is evidence of my long standing fascination with office supplies:
Translation: John and Jim got a car. I got crayons.
There are birthday reports:
I recall this as one of my best birthdays *ever*, especially the bird seed, strangely enough!
Book reports:
I’ve waxed poetic:
I was twelve when I wrote this entry, and apparently hadn’t yet learned appropriate apostrophe use in its vs. it’s. I guess I’ll cut my young self some slack....
I’ve attempted artsy:
Sometimes relatively casual entries make me smile, looking back. Stumbled across this comment about a conversation with my brother as I was flipping through...
A wedding and several children later...I’d say it turned out pretty well!
I’ve recorded thoughts on births, deaths, current events, pets, books and music, bemoaned my own bad habits and worries about the present and future. Reading through these, I’m amazed at how much I’ve changed in some ways, and how little in others. It’s kind of fun to revisit once in awhile on a rainy afternoon.
And speaking of revisiting and rainy afternoons, tomorrow is the one-year anniversary of the day I picked up the gloriously restored Olympia SG-1 from Blue Moon Camera.
Happy rebirthday, big guy!
Friday, October 22, 2010
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
October Wind (more typecast poetry)
Note: yeah, I misspelled "wreaths." There's always something....
Thursday, November 12, 2009
Informal Household Poll Re: Typewriter Volume
When I use the SG-1, the dog typically leaves the room to go sleep under the computer desk nearly at the other end of the house.
The cats, who you would think would be more sensitive to noise, couldn't care less.
When I use the Hermes 3000, the dog will remain in the next room, but still does a lot of sighing nervously.
The cats continue with their inability to care less.
Conclusion: that my cats are broken, and my dog has no taste.
Oh, and that the SG-1 thunders while the 3000 just sounds, as Olivander put it, rather like scissors. Lots of scissors. Be afraid; be very afraid.
The cats, who you would think would be more sensitive to noise, couldn't care less.
When I use the Hermes 3000, the dog will remain in the next room, but still does a lot of sighing nervously.
The cats continue with their inability to care less.
Conclusion: that my cats are broken, and my dog has no taste.
Oh, and that the SG-1 thunders while the 3000 just sounds, as Olivander put it, rather like scissors. Lots of scissors. Be afraid; be very afraid.
Saturday, November 07, 2009
NaNo Blah Blah #3: In Which I Ramble On and About the Mojo 3000
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.
Wednesday, November 04, 2009
NaNo Blah Blah #2
1. Pages = 22. Words = about 7150.
After counting a number of pages, I was actually getting about 350 words per page, so I'm estimating 325 to give myself a broad margin of error. The stack o' paper is actually becoming a stack. And I'm suddenly nervous about it. I still have untranscribed pages from my *last* typed NaNo, which used to not bother me, but some friends recently lost their house and all belongings to a fire...which makes me think. And fret. I may see if I can create a PDF of the pages so far, without doing any OCR or anything else, just so I have an electronic backup.
Considering my fears usually run the other direction (fear of losing electronic copies despite all manner of backups), I feel a little weird about this new phobia.
2. I *love* this typewriter.
3. I really do.
4. I am once again reminded of why it's stooooopid of me to attempt pre-planning. In the initial 20 pages, sister-of-Joey has become far more essential to the plot than Joey (who, in point of fact, has been asleep for most of the story so far), and bitter-children's-writer-who-lives-downstairs is now hopelessly in love with sister-of-Joey, which was *not* in my notes. Attempts to get him together with his original intended would be really awkward at this point. And I think she may end up falling for the bass player instead.
And so on and so forth. I'm just along for the ride. *sigh*
5. This week's NaNo pep talk was from Jasper Fforde!!!!! Jasper Fforde, indirectly speaking, sent me an e-mail! I literally cheered out loud and did a little chair dance when I saw his name there. The dog is still a bit freaked out. If you haven't read any of his books, do yourself a favor and check them out. They're hilarious, especially for writers and publishing geeks and lovers of literature, though you do have to get past the heresy of his putting characters from literature into his books and putting words into their mouths. Tons of wonderful puns and word play and font jokes and...oh, they're too unique to describe. I'd suggest starting with The Eyre Affair, which I really need to reread. I actually like some of his later books better (I think The Well of Lost Plots is my favorite), but they make more sense if you start from the beginning.
After counting a number of pages, I was actually getting about 350 words per page, so I'm estimating 325 to give myself a broad margin of error. The stack o' paper is actually becoming a stack. And I'm suddenly nervous about it. I still have untranscribed pages from my *last* typed NaNo, which used to not bother me, but some friends recently lost their house and all belongings to a fire...which makes me think. And fret. I may see if I can create a PDF of the pages so far, without doing any OCR or anything else, just so I have an electronic backup.
Considering my fears usually run the other direction (fear of losing electronic copies despite all manner of backups), I feel a little weird about this new phobia.
2. I *love* this typewriter.
3. I really do.
4. I am once again reminded of why it's stooooopid of me to attempt pre-planning. In the initial 20 pages, sister-of-Joey has become far more essential to the plot than Joey (who, in point of fact, has been asleep for most of the story so far), and bitter-children's-writer-who-lives-downstairs is now hopelessly in love with sister-of-Joey, which was *not* in my notes. Attempts to get him together with his original intended would be really awkward at this point. And I think she may end up falling for the bass player instead.
And so on and so forth. I'm just along for the ride. *sigh*
5. This week's NaNo pep talk was from Jasper Fforde!!!!! Jasper Fforde, indirectly speaking, sent me an e-mail! I literally cheered out loud and did a little chair dance when I saw his name there. The dog is still a bit freaked out. If you haven't read any of his books, do yourself a favor and check them out. They're hilarious, especially for writers and publishing geeks and lovers of literature, though you do have to get past the heresy of his putting characters from literature into his books and putting words into their mouths. Tons of wonderful puns and word play and font jokes and...oh, they're too unique to describe. I'd suggest starting with The Eyre Affair, which I really need to reread. I actually like some of his later books better (I think The Well of Lost Plots is my favorite), but they make more sense if you start from the beginning.
Monday, November 02, 2009
NaNo Blah Blah #1
I tried to get some photos of the newly prettied up SG-1 this weekend, but it's so heavy I hated to drag it outside, and it was spitting rain off and on. I'll have to try again. I did get this one photo, which is more artsy than effective. I still kinda like it. And I won't point out the obvious flaws if you don't....
In other news, I've learned that I can't put the typewriter cover aside for even an instant without this occurring. I don't know if it's exceptionally warm or if they see it as competition or what.
Fortunately, they are utterly uninterested in it while it's actually on the typewriter. I just need to train myself not to toss it on the bed. Gosh knows I'm unlikely to be able to train *them*.
Hit just under 10 pages as of this morning, at about 300 words per page (I'm underestimating that by a bit for word count purposes, however). The plan is to get another three pages in this evening, more if I can since I have to be at work by six-thirty tomorrow and won't have time to write before work.
And, as is typical for this time of the month, I'm very pleased with my story, but already feeling really resentful and bitter toward those who have far more words and who are crowing about it. I won't have any trouble hitting 50k, and the story is going to be decent this year, but as usual, it ticks me off when others are writing twice the daily goal and more, even though that isn't *my* goal. And it ticks me off that it ticks me off. For me, this is more about getting a good headstart on a story at a pace that is faster than usual but not unpleasant, so why should I care how others are using this time? It's irrational. I hate it when I'm irrational.
Saturday, October 31, 2009
The SG-1 Returns!
A sampling of the Blue Moon wares
A few of the antique typewriters on display at the store
Olivers!
Note: I tried to get some decent pictures of the newly shiny SG-1, but need to wait for better lighting. Trust me, though, it's stunning!
Friday, October 30, 2009
Friday Update Just to Update (UPDATED)
1. I finished Peace Like a River about a week ago, and enjoyed it to the end. It's kind of a hard book to describe--part pretend Midwestern memoir (though it's so vivid, I have to believe at least some of the memories are things the author actually lived through), part outlaw adventure story, lightly sprinkled with miracles. And, as I said, plenty of typewriter content. Definitely one of the best books I've read in awhile.
2. Continuing from the Bejeweled is Evil subject of a few posts back, I think I need to de-technologize myself a bit in the next little while. Lately it seems like I get up, mess around on the computer for an hour, go to work where that's pretty much all I do all day, come home and play computer games or watch TV until after ten, go to bed, and then do it all again the next day. It ruins my concentration, wastes my time, leaves me jittery and unfocused. Not to mention it means I never get any housework or writing or reflecting done.
I'll be spending most of November tethered to the typewriter in one way or another for NaNoWriMo, and want to use most remaining free time for thinking, reading, and other more profitable activities. Following on November comes Advent and Christmas, and there too it would be a far better thing for me to quiet my mind, detach from the more frivolous computer time-wasters, and focus more on the important things in life.
3. Speaking of anxiety and lack of focus...my SG-1 should be ready to pick up the weekend of the 7th. Is it 11-7 yet? Is it 11-7 yet? Is it? IS it??
UPDATE: they called THIS AFTERNOON, and it's already done!!! I'm astounded! And trying to decide if I can drive down there tomorrow on such short notice.
4. I still haven't decided where to jump into my story. *sigh* The beginning of it is likely to be UJTU-like.
2. Continuing from the Bejeweled is Evil subject of a few posts back, I think I need to de-technologize myself a bit in the next little while. Lately it seems like I get up, mess around on the computer for an hour, go to work where that's pretty much all I do all day, come home and play computer games or watch TV until after ten, go to bed, and then do it all again the next day. It ruins my concentration, wastes my time, leaves me jittery and unfocused. Not to mention it means I never get any housework or writing or reflecting done.
I'll be spending most of November tethered to the typewriter in one way or another for NaNoWriMo, and want to use most remaining free time for thinking, reading, and other more profitable activities. Following on November comes Advent and Christmas, and there too it would be a far better thing for me to quiet my mind, detach from the more frivolous computer time-wasters, and focus more on the important things in life.
3. Speaking of anxiety and lack of focus...my SG-1 should be ready to pick up the weekend of the 7th. Is it 11-7 yet? Is it 11-7 yet? Is it? IS it??
UPDATE: they called THIS AFTERNOON, and it's already done!!! I'm astounded! And trying to decide if I can drive down there tomorrow on such short notice.
4. I still haven't decided where to jump into my story. *sigh* The beginning of it is likely to be UJTU-like.
Saturday, October 24, 2009
Mission accomplished!
Addendum: just happened to think--the SG-1 is a 1959, making it 50 years old this year. A trip to the typewriter spa seems like a pretty nifty way to celebrate!
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Psych me up, and other assorted blathering
OK, so this is really just an Update Just to Update (UJTU) in disguise. So sue me.
1. Psych me up.
Fact: for going on three years now, I've been wanting to get down to Blue Moon Camera, preferably with at least one typewriter-needing-help in tow. This is the time of year when I come closest to actually making the venture, but so far I've never quite talked myself into stepping out the door. Fact: statistically, I probably will *not* be instantly squished the second I drive out of Lewis County. Fact: this Saturday, the weather is supposed to be cloudy, but not raining, which is a rare occurance this time of year. I'm also not on call. The chance of both of these items coinciding is going to become less and less probable as time goes on. Fact: the SG-1 has several issues that I cannot fix on my own, but would be an amazing thing indeed if those were fixed.
So...lie to me. Tell me I can do this, and why I should. Tell me there will magically be a HUGE empty parking space with bright shiny arrows to guide me when I arrive at the end. Tell me I can get there in one straight shot without getting lost, despite my miserable sense of direction. I know, I'm not giving you much time to get me riled up, but if I wait too long, I'm afraid I'll lose my nerve again.
2. NaNoWriMo dreaming
We now come to that antsy stage where we have some idea of what we're going to write (even the pantsers like me), and have been conversing with our characters, feeling 'em out. I keep imagining whole scenes, the dialog, the way people are standing and moving and the state of their clothing, and not being able to write them down instantly is killing me. Urgh! I also need to come up with working names for characters. Right now I have names like bassist-who-is-off-visiting-Aunt-Somebody, accidental-children's-writer-who-hates-kids, Thump, and sister-of-Joey. Also, the whole thing revolves around people living in an apartment building, and a lot depends on shared walls/floors/stairwells, and I haven't yet decided on a final map. I need Legos or wooden blocks or something.
3. Computers are evil
On my birthday, my friends introduced me to the Bejeweled game on Facebook, which is, essentially, crack in game form. You have to slide little colored gems into rows in order to make them explode. Sounds so innocent and dull, doesn't it? But oh, it will suck your life away. I spent about an hour last night saying to myself, "Just one more game, and then I'll quit. OK, just *one* more...." I love and loathe it. It is yet another reason I'd be far better off avoiding the computer for most of November.
1. Psych me up.
Fact: for going on three years now, I've been wanting to get down to Blue Moon Camera, preferably with at least one typewriter-needing-help in tow. This is the time of year when I come closest to actually making the venture, but so far I've never quite talked myself into stepping out the door. Fact: statistically, I probably will *not* be instantly squished the second I drive out of Lewis County. Fact: this Saturday, the weather is supposed to be cloudy, but not raining, which is a rare occurance this time of year. I'm also not on call. The chance of both of these items coinciding is going to become less and less probable as time goes on. Fact: the SG-1 has several issues that I cannot fix on my own, but would be an amazing thing indeed if those were fixed.
So...lie to me. Tell me I can do this, and why I should. Tell me there will magically be a HUGE empty parking space with bright shiny arrows to guide me when I arrive at the end. Tell me I can get there in one straight shot without getting lost, despite my miserable sense of direction. I know, I'm not giving you much time to get me riled up, but if I wait too long, I'm afraid I'll lose my nerve again.
2. NaNoWriMo dreaming
We now come to that antsy stage where we have some idea of what we're going to write (even the pantsers like me), and have been conversing with our characters, feeling 'em out. I keep imagining whole scenes, the dialog, the way people are standing and moving and the state of their clothing, and not being able to write them down instantly is killing me. Urgh! I also need to come up with working names for characters. Right now I have names like bassist-who-is-off-visiting-Aunt-Somebody, accidental-children's-writer-who-hates-kids, Thump, and sister-of-Joey. Also, the whole thing revolves around people living in an apartment building, and a lot depends on shared walls/floors/stairwells, and I haven't yet decided on a final map. I need Legos or wooden blocks or something.
3. Computers are evil
On my birthday, my friends introduced me to the Bejeweled game on Facebook, which is, essentially, crack in game form. You have to slide little colored gems into rows in order to make them explode. Sounds so innocent and dull, doesn't it? But oh, it will suck your life away. I spent about an hour last night saying to myself, "Just one more game, and then I'll quit. OK, just *one* more...." I love and loathe it. It is yet another reason I'd be far better off avoiding the computer for most of November.
Sunday, March 29, 2009
This and that
(In the interest of full disclosure, I do own two guitars now: one is a much less expensive but still mighty fine Recording King RO-127--I can't say enough about these guitars for those looking for something a bit better than dirt cheap, but still in the semi easy-to-replace ballpark. This one goes with me anywhere I'd be nervous about taking the Collings. Best bang for the buck out there, in my opinion.)
(Oh, and in the section below, there were two places where I meant to type SG-1 and typed SG-3 instead. You'll see what I mean.)
Jay Respler's contact info:
ADVANCED BUSINESS MACHINES CO.
230 RANDOLPH ROAD
FREEHOLD NJ 07728-1535
732-431-1464
JRespler@superlink.net
http://uweb.superlink.net/jrespler/
Monday, October 06, 2008
Oops.
So...um...you knew this was gonna happen, right? You enablers you....
I'm now in the enviable position of being able to directly compare an SG-1 with an SG-3. I'll hold off on details until I've had a bit more time to do so.
After being told that it was pica (I'd told myself I wouldn't jump for it otherwise), I then set myself up a second stumbling block: I wanted to come up with at least half the money in some way that didn't involve dipping into the bank account. And it occurred to me that I've not cashed in any change in the few years I've been here. I have a habit of tossing loose change into the bottom of my pen mugs (I have far too many of those), plus leaving it all over the house. I spent about an hour gathering it all up. Picture a grown woman running frantically through the house checking coat pockets, purses, the counter by the sink in the bathroom, the top of the dryer, underneath the bed, the night stand...everywhere I tend to dump the stuff. It worked, though: I came up with nearly thirty bucks in change, well above the halfway mark.
This also says a great deal about how disorganized I am, but we'll leave that thought alone for the moment.....
I took my pot o' change to the grocery and used the change machine there. They charge a bit for the service, but it's pretty reasonable. I still came out with twenty seven bucks, and I took the rest from my just-for-fun savings account, so I didn't have to touch the main account at all. I feel absolutely virtuous....
Then, having called and set up an appointment, I dawdled around the house nervously for a few hours, waiting for it to be time for me to go look at it. Just look -- no need to buy unless it's absolutely right. Yeah. That's the ticket.
It was sitting on its stand on the sun porch in back of the house, though there's no sun today. It is a very Washington sort of day. Much like the night Bernard arrived, in fact. It was even greener and handsomer in person. Love that chrome trim -- we don't use chrome trim enough these days! But...there were downsides, too. For starters, she measured the typeface wrong. Not pica. It was yet another of those weird Olympia 11 pitch machines. It seems to be the most common size around here, for some reason. And the ribbon didn't work -- not only was the black ink too dried up to make an imprint, but the ribbon was one of those nasty, awful, terrible, disgusting black and white "correcting" ones, with sticky white dust and white flaky chunks dripping off and into the poor typer's innards with every press of the keys. The seller indicated that her husband had had "problems" with the ribbon, but wasn't sure if he just wasn't getting a good print from the existing ribbon or if it was more than that. But oh, it felt nice to type on: light and quick and springy and yet solid and snappy at the same time. Someone on the Yahoo Typewriters group described the SG-1 as "a sensitive battleaxe", and typing on it like "driving a knife through butter." I think I understand.
She was able to tell me a bit about its history, and even had a maintenance record for it, showing that it was purchased new in 1959 (same year as the mojo Hermes 3000 -- they can reminisce together), and had maintenance regularly for the next decade and a half. She said it was the work typewriter of a friend of hers, and when it was replaced in the 70s and sent to surplus, another friend of hers bought it. That friend's husband was an upholsterer, and he made it the quilted cover that was pictured in the Craigslist photo. I'm not as clear on how it passed from friend #2 to her, but she said for the last few years, it only gets used once a year: her husband uses it to address Christmas card envelopes, and that's it. The rest of the time it's been sitting wrapped up in its pretty cover in the sun room. Kind of a sad life for a serious old workhorse of a typewriter. And so, against my better judgement, I brought it (and the stand) home.
Sebastian (named partly just because it fits, for no definable reason, and for a character in the novel I'm hoping he'll finish with me) is now here in the computer room, convenient for typecasting and editing work, and Bernard (who will still be my main typing buddy) sits on the big ugly desk facing the big ugly window overlooking my big ugly yard and the big ugly mini-mart place next door. Someday, hopefully I have a more inspiring vista....
And time will tell how I feel about the new guy. As far as pure typing feel goes, it's unsurpassed. But the ribbon weirdness just has to go.
Saturday, October 04, 2008
*Whimper*
It's a good thing I'm broke. But even so... *whimper* *sob*
In spite of Bernard the Magnificent, I wants it. And the stand and cover...see, it'd even have a place to go, though I'm out of desk space!
Yeah...right. Like anyone needs more than one standard. Or more than one typewriter in general, for that matter. But this...this would be going off the deep end. Way off.
But if it's still listed in a few weeks...I dunno if my self control will last. It's my birthday and all. And it's green! And has that lovely old Olympia shape! I don't have any old Olympias...
Arggh.
In spite of Bernard the Magnificent, I wants it. And the stand and cover...see, it'd even have a place to go, though I'm out of desk space!
Yeah...right. Like anyone needs more than one standard. Or more than one typewriter in general, for that matter. But this...this would be going off the deep end. Way off.
But if it's still listed in a few weeks...I dunno if my self control will last. It's my birthday and all. And it's green! And has that lovely old Olympia shape! I don't have any old Olympias...
Arggh.
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