When you spend the majority of your writing time on the computer, and you’re forced to use a pen to write with, some really incredibly freaky things happen.
Your hand will shake.
Your face will scrunch.
You’ll wanna scream.
And your hand will seize and cramp up.
And you’ll freak out and start sweating profusely (dammit, the total is way more than I imagined it would be).
And then…you’ll give into the moment.
If you surrender completely to the moments as they pass, you live more richly those moments. – Anne Lindbergh
Well, Dearest Anne, Umm…I don’t know about that…
But it sure does result in fewer riches in the checkbook and no meaningful blog post.
At least not a post worth mentioning to your friends, say, “You should follow this quirky gal, her blog posts are so full of meaningful sh*t.”
Nah…there’s no post just because it was so intense for my hand as I wrote out each property tax payment it took every bit of energy I had for blog writing.
Actually, I put it off for so long (until the last minute…where the hell did the working days of December’s calendar go?).
I couldn’t wait another day…and I don’t want to see the Sheriff of NottingHAM anytime soon.
Besides, I’ve had enough HAM for one season, too. Wait…the salt content from the ham may have had something to do with the hand swelling? Probably…yes, most definitely. That and all the cookies and chips…and Tom & Jerry’s. But let’s not talk about that now, it’s still the holidays, it’s okay to splurge…as long as you can still pay your bills and fit into your pants. All is well…
Post inspiration – Landlording Responsibilities and the desire to keep our home sweet home in good still standing in the community.
PS – Do you ever just practice writing with a pen to make sure you can still do it? Or are you like me and wait for bill paying time to practice the fun stuff?
I’ve lost the ability to write Cursive thanks to the computer. My name is the only cursive I can write today. Printing is good though. Darn computers!
LOL – it happens!! 😉
Funny post Shelley – you are right about the writing. I did about a dozen Christmas cards and the only checks I write out now are for the water bill and the taxes. We can pay both water bills and taxes online at the City’s website, but it’ll cost you $3.00 processing fee for your credit card payment. I’m too cheap to do that, but I do have to stop and think while writing out something. Seems that I invariablywill make a mistake – I hardly write longhand anymore!
Thanks! I don’t get counties/cities that charge more to pay online, it saves them time and labor? WTH? I think of my grandparents and my mom – they had beautiful handwriting, it makes me sad in a way that the art of penmanship is being discarded with technology. I’d be horrible at it – unless there’s a way to do autocorrect with a pen?!
I make so many mistakes when I write anything now – I had nice handwriting until I worked at the diner – my boss said to me “are you here to take orders or practice your penmanship?” That sounds rude, but he said it with a wink and from that point on, my handwriting became a scribble. I put off writing checks when I have to sit down and write them out- more effort involved and paying bills online even seems fun (well kinda/sorta).
LOL – that’s a funny way to tell an employee to speed up. I love the online paying, I just put off the data entry into our financial software. That’s a January project…sigh…
I lost the use of my right hand after the stroke and never bothered to teach myselof to write left-handed. I can make a mark for my signature, but I let Mary do the majority of pen writing. I miss it, you know?
I bet you do miss it. You’ve done an exceptional job of overcoming the obstacle – I’m inspired by what you still accomplish after a stroke! I’ve heard that it is good for our brains when we train it to write with the opposite hand. I’m horrible at it, yet intrigued with that theory.
I think if I had it to do over again, I wouldn’t have been so quick to give up writing left-handed after my broken arm in third grade healed….
If only we were smarter before our brains are fully formed, imagine what a world this would be?!
I do write when I journal and when I am scrapbooking, although I am not always fond of the way my handwriting looks. Some days are better than others. Our property taxes are not due again until April…but even those we can pay online 🙂
Thank you for sharing your thoughts. I used to love my writing years ago, now it’s mysterious looking some days! You must live in a high tech area to accept online tax payments!? We’re backwoodsy here. We actually get to talk to the treasurer when we drop off the payments.
I think WHAT you are writing is what seizes up your hand. But I agree, since I don’t write much with pen and paper, it does have a tendency to get tired too quick. Maybe a cookie will help…I still have lots of those left.
LOL – I have too many cookies left, too!
First of all, not just any pen will do second, where is my favorite pen anyway? 🙄
Hi…I just found your blog a few days ago and am loving your attitude. 🙂 Every year when I write out my Christmas cards, I’m kinda horrified by how much worse my handwriting has gotten. It’s surely from lack of use, and when I write in my journal (which is good for me, but still falls by the wayside waaay too often), it’s no better. I chalk it up to nonuse and aging – not sure how much of each. But it is what it is.
Happy New Year!
Hi Laurel, welcome! Nice to hear from you! Glad you’ve found my posts enjoyable. I’m happy to hear I’m not alone in deteriorating handwriting. Like you said, it is what it is. Happy New Year to you, too. Thanks again for stopping by – you’re always welcome here!