About

Hello!

this blog serves as a journal for my typewriters craze and a sharing platform for like-minded people.

I have been in a few… hmm, make it MANY crazes (almost like obsession phases!) in the last few years. I have been so into gardening, buying orchid plants at first sight, baking everyday till kids protest and refused to eat just one more muffin, buying all things hello kitty, waking up in the wee morning to prepare bento (read my bento blog here), the list goes on and on..

THEN i was hit by the vintage bug BIG time (caught it from my partner-in-grime, Judy!), it went full blown to collecting footed glasses, vintage thermos, teacups. i searched for them everywhere and anywhere! I agreed when Judy said I am a very extreme collector. My interest in searching for them has pinnacled and somewhat weaned a little now as I enter into another craze right now– vintage manual typewriters!!

I am so smitten with these manual typewriters. So much so I spent precious late hours to learn and practise touch typing all over again. I want to enjoy the tap, tap… ding the typewriters the right way, and effortlessly. Typing needs more strength on typewriters than the computer keyboard. I justified that I just need 1, then 2, then 3 typewriters, then 4, 5,… 10, to type labels, ang pows for weddings, filling forms, and writing letters to friends and family.

I imagined that my dad would be surprised and touched when he receives letters from me who hardly visit and call (he is in another country). I foresee my sister would enjoy reading my letters to her in ten-twenty years time down the road. (although we facebook messaged each other frequently but I suppose it is not the same).

I thought how cool it would be to bring along a typewriter and type my thoughts away without the need of worrying battery life of my ipad/laptop and not distracted by my constant need to check email, fb status and messages. Bring a laptap (typewriter) instead of a laptop to a family picnic (type while the kids build their sandcastles), a short vacation, or ‘yum cha’ with hubby (hubby said he will sit at another table, far from me! ) and …ok, I am getting carried away…

A few good things came out of this ‘obsession’. My nine-year old asked for a typewriter. She is using it to type her journal! Both my kids are also practising touch typing with me in some evenings. It’s heartwarming to think that they will remember these experiences later in life and pass on this story to their kids, and perhaps they will sometime send a typewritten letter to me too. I don’t think vintage ipads will work then. It’s sad to note that typewriter has never been seen and used by some of the younger generation! I’ve also made new friends who shared the same love in typewriters.

What is so good about a typewriter? It is completely autonomous, anyone can use it without having to know anything about menus and settings and preferences, and without needing any kind of experience or knowledge of specific programs, though learning touch typing will be beneficial to typing speed and minimize errors. It is a machine in the true sense of the word… a MECHANICAL device requiring certain effort or input on the part of the operator, in order to perform its function. (I copied and pasted some parts of this para from somewhere. I should have made a note and give credit).

This blog is still a work-in-progress (typecast, serial nos. better photos), so come visit again soon.

I would like to hear from you too, drop me a line or two!

Cheers,

Karen 🙂