Hunt 'N Pecker

I am amazed at how fast some people type.

Last night a friend of mines daughter came over to get some help with her notebook computer. She is going to the local university and is PC dependant.

Back when I was in college, a computer was a novelty and you could only use one with punch cards on a main frame. There were no PCs yet.

Anyway, I am the local PC guru so I help anyone who asks for help with hardware and software issues.

My typing abilities are hunt and peck. I stare at the keyboard and use one finger on each hand. You would think this would be slow and accurate. Each sentence I type I look up to see spelling errors pointed out by Word.

I would hate to be one of those people confined to a wheel chair that could only use their nose or eyes to type. I am afraid I would loose all ability to communicate.

Anyway, this young lady took the PC after I finished and began this steady clicking, sounding almost like popping corn at the climax. It was truly beautiful listening to her type.

I can imagine many of you type well and fast. I admire that.

I remember last February in St Croix; I woke up and found my sister Judy in the living room drinking coffee. I joined her and decided to blog. She was amazed at how crudely I type for a person who uses the computer as much as I do.

14 comments:

Ali said...

I learned to type properly starting in first grade.
I remember that my teacher would lay this piece of cloth over our hands on the keyboard, and then we would do these accuracy tests.
I used to hate doing them - but now I appreciate the ability to type quickly and accurately.
But if you are in the room specifically watching me?
Forget about it. I type at the speed of about 10 words per minute and each one is laden with mistakes!

Maybe you should put a doily under your keyboard to help you type ;)

Reggie Hunnicutt said...

Okay...I'm grinning. I knew the doily would come back some how.

mr zig said...

I was a single finger typer for all of my school years, but after I started using MSN messenger, I suddenly learned how to type. Keeping five or six conversations active at the same time made me fast - I had to be, or people thought I was neglecting them. Sure, it probably made me use a lot of "wrong things" like; cuz, and gonna, and so on - but, I can now type like a... like a person that can type. Thank you internet! YAY!

Logzie said...

I already knew this about you (you must have mentioned it before) but I must say that I am surprised.

We had to take a class in typing class in highschool and that is when I learned. I can't imagine trying to use typing skills on those old fashioned typewriters with the "ker chunk" keys!...no I am not implying that's how you learned...only making an observation. :0)

MELackey said...

I use all of my fingers, but not on the keys you are supposed to use them. I also look at the keys, but I'm pretty fast (looking at the keys helps the accuracy. Funny thing is that I can't type "blind", but I can use that adding tape calculator thing on my desk without looking at the keys.

Chris said...

I type at about 4 word per minute. After going back to fix the spelling mistakes, it's about 2...
It's tough living with an editor sumtimz becuz she findz al mi mistk8s.;)

Liv said...

Didn't Mama talk to you about talkin' dirty?!

Michael said...

I used to have one of those old "ker chunk" typewriters. I got an old Royal manual typewriter when I was in fourth grade, for my birthday I think. I taught myself to type on it. Only my pinkie fingers weren't long enough or strong enough to reach out to those further keys and "ker chunk" them hard enough to actually make a letter. So I ended up with what I call the "modified six finger hunt and peck".

I still use it - never learned to type correctly. I tried one of those "learn to type" books once. I've been using a computer pretty much since 1980, but still never learned to touch-type.

In the navy I had to type transliterated Russian while listening to audio tapes. To pass our tests we had to type 25 words per minute, for five minutes with fewer then 5 mistakes. I was able to pass even with my modified 6-finger H&P.

Jahooni said...

ya know what's funny?
My 7 year old types just like you!

TerryC said...

Does Gigi have a problem with your "Huntin' Pecker"? Oh sorry, wrong spelling ;) !

Michael said...

What? The kid is seven and still types like Reggie? In todays internet /text-messaging/chat society?

Reggie Hunnicutt said...

Okay...enough cheap shots at old Reg.

I have been on the golf course slaving over a ball all day long. A man must R&R before a holiday weekend you know.

Damn it is nice here..only 90 and a slight breeze.

TerryC said...

Slaving over a golf ball....awwww you poor thing! If Elnora were still alive she woulda done it for ya Mr. Reggie (as long as Mr. Petey was taken care of). ;)!!!

Anonymous said...

I was going to relay some boring story about learning to type in high school on an electric typewriter... and then I read Terry's comment about your "huntin' pecker" and I shot diet pepsi out my nose!