Comments on: writer’s royal tool

By: Deanna

Deanna — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 14:32:11 +0000

I meant to get back sooner to these wonderful comments. Jodi, I’d love to look over your shoulder at those stories. They sound like a younger, imaginative you. I think we did the same thing with ribbons a few times.

Cherie, I was surprised our ribbon made it so well through years in the attic. We heard they still carry them at Office Max, so we may shell out for a new one! Did you find any typewritten gems out in your school room?

Beth, we had an electric monster like that – heavy, yes, but definitely a great tool in its day.

By: Elizabeth Westmark

Elizabeth Westmark — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 03:59:52 +0000

I love Telling It Slant. I mean it. It’s a remarkable, wonderful book. I’m pretty sure Lisa (Ohlen Harris) recommended it to me. It’s one of those you’ll go back to again and again. The picture of you all covered in prose has me smiling.

Beth

p.s. Buck has his grandfather’s old Royal typewriter, a real beauty. I have an old electric blue IBM Selectric. A real whiz bang marvel of modern technology in its day — but the dang thing is SO heavy, it will probably stay upstairs when the next person lives in this house. . .

By: Cherie

Cherie — Sun, 17 Jan 2010 20:56:17 +0000

Funny thing. Caroline found my old typewriter in the attic and INSISTED she be allowed to bring it down and use it. It remains on a little table in the school room where she types a sentence or two now and again. In fact, all the kids discovered it over Christmas. I should go out and see what they typed. I was surprised the ribbon still worked. Thought it would have dried up in the extreme attic temperatures.

How I love the clack clack clack of the keys, the returning of the carriage, the smell of the ink. And those old ink erasers with brushes on the ends. Priceless! And carbon paper, and White Out, and scraps of that correcting tape. Holy smokes!

By: jodi

jodi — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 08:07:16 +0000

I still have my typewritten stories in a bread bag. They’re getting old and ratty. Destination! The Stars. Enchantress from Another World!! (exclamation points and all) I had a Royal, too, and I remember buying cheap ribbon, undoing the old spool and threading new ribbon on it. It’s amazing how memories come back so quickly. :)

By: Deanna

Deanna — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 03:19:30 +0000

Fresca, I think I can picture it. Was it a Star Trek design? ;o)

Wow, Deb, cool: “those old stories and poems are like good friends standing behind me smiling.” Great way to put it.

By: deb

deb — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 00:52:27 +0000

Love this.
And I loved my typewriters. The shared one, and then the two different ones I was given.
What memories, Deanna. Thank you. And now that my fingers are finding the letters again, those old poems and stories are like good friends standing behind me smiling.

By: fresca

fresca — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 16:44:27 +0000

Oh… I wish I had my first typewriter, a little manual Olivetti I bought for $80 in babysitting money when I was 15. It was white and orange-red. Boy, I haven’t thought of it in ages… It would serve a piece of art now.