This (apart from a few paragraphs showing a quick brown fox coming to the aid of his country by buying a round of drinks for some lazy brown dogs) is the first thing I’m writing on my brand-new AlphaSmart Neo. It’s keen.
That is pretty much what I’ve to say. I mean, I could type “Squee!” over and over, and *grin*, but it doesn’t seem to be what is called for to produce a truly evocative piece. Could be I’ll just have to note that I’m pleased, and let it go at that.
I will say this; while it is true that I am no longer tied to the computer for production (although I certainly am for editing), and I can now write in a coffee shop or study cubby at the library and still have typing speeds in my writing, the best thing — the very best thing, the thing that makes me want to squee again — is that it boots up in less than ten seconds, saves with every keystroke, and closes instantaneously. That means that I can have a span of minutes available to me, no table space for my notebook, be sitting in a car or park or ANYPLACE and write in the short story (file 2) or the most recent chapter of the novel (file 1) or a journal entry (file 8, always) — with no set up time at all. The writing does not have to be transcribed later. The writing does not rely on an open, stable surface to keep from being crabbed and ilegible. The writing can happen at speeds nearing 65 wpm.
And, since editing sucks so badly on this small screen and without a mouse, I am finding it very easy to just let the words out. No thinking about three paragraphs back, no bouncing from end to end of the document.
Just typing it all in.
AND, it has no intarweb, no spider solitaire, no email, no music, no NUTHIN’. I am stuck, hands to keyboard, nothing better to do than write.
Rock. On.
Shannon has been giving me mushy looks all evening. “You look happy,” she keeps saying, the moon shining out of her eyes.
I’m loving this. Even two months ago, I couldn’t have given myself permission to spend $200 on something solely for me. I may have had a tiny bit of moon shining from my eyes when I thanked her, not for letting me get the Neo, but for being a partner that I could live with while I (finally) grow into someone who would let himself get one. That tiny background change is far more important to me than the Neo is.
I am simply insufferably pleased with my life, today.
Crossposted from Epinepherine & Sophistry