My Hermie

Hermie, Goya and Gala

2013-11-07T00:15:00.000-08:00

Excuse the I's.

Thursdays thru Sundays, I continue to pound away on my Hermes' keys, making a nightly ritual out of ten minute writing exercises. When nothing interrupts this ritual that is. I just write. Then I take a huge highlighter and mine the page for possible gold nuggets that could help me write my future short story. When I am done, I gather my pages, scan them on my Doxie scanner and load them as PDF's onto my Evernote account. It's so nice to know, that when I die, no one will have the burden of having to burn all my typewritten junk boxed up and crammed under the bed. Besides, having anything under the bed is bad Feng Shui.

Now, I love my Hermie. I use it to do all my creative writing at my desk. I hug it, too. The metal feels wonderfully cool on my cheek. I feel up its curves when I sit there and think. It's comforting.

But it's not just me and Hermie anymore. There's a new gal tucked away in this creativity den that once belonged to my Hermes typewriter alone.

On July 27, 2013, I purchased a BEAUTIFUL Remington Streamliner for $150.00. I'm beside myself. It came with the case and two keys. It is absolutely gorgeous. The case emits a wonderful smell redolent of maintenance from the 1930's??? When you open the case, you are engulfed with a sweet scent that evokes an immediate nostalgic response. It has to be oil of some sort. And the ribbon, of course, from a bygone era. It is in mint condition.

I don't know what I'm going to call her. She is definitely grand. I am so extremely lucky to have this Art Deco baby. She will be my USB typewriter. I called Gary, my typewriter repair technician, who said that he can definitely install that USB typewriter kit from www.usbtypewriter.com. I'm elated. This is going to be my Christmas present or my Birthday present. I'll play it by ear. What the heck does I'll play it by ear mean? Anywho.

The whole purpose of my purchasing the Remington is to be able to retrofit it with the USB Kit. Both typewriters serve two purposes: Hermie will be for play. I will do creative writing with him. Oh, lawd. I have a name for her. It just came to me. She will be Goya. Goya will be for actual writing and editing when playtime's over with Hermie and actual work begins. She will be my work horse!

I can love both! (I will post pics of Goya later. And Hermie. Together). Blah. I don't know why I feel guilty. But I can tell you this: These two typewriters will be it for me. (Knock on wood that they will outlast me). I can't handle anymore typewriter/technolust. The marriage of these two in this journey with me makes my attempt at writing golden. I'm set. Well, sans USB Kit for now. But not for long!

Oh! My life in the Stenography world is going great. It's basically me and my steno machine from dawn till dusk. (At school by 7:30 a.m. to leave by 8:30 p.m Monday thru Thursday). The weekends are meant for steno too, just not so brutal. I can actually catch up with what's on my DVR. Oh, joy. I do get to read a half hour every night, but I pass out 15 minutes into it. It's so hard to have a life while being 100 percent dedicated to court reporting school. Attempts at a literary and writing life is futile at the moment. Hence the 10-minute writing exercises. I figure it's better than zilch. One must make due with what little time one has if we are to do what truly matters in this world to us.

I guess that means that stenography matters more than Hermie and Goya right now. That's okay.

Eventually, Hermie and Goya are going to have to say hello to and get along with Gala:

She is going to be mine June of 2014. If the cosmos line up and the heavens open up, she will be mine ASAP. I'm naming her Gala. She is a Passport Touch sold by Advantage Software. They have different skins for her, too. Court Reporting is a very high-tech field. Yet old school too! I love it.

I love that I am pursuing a career as a stenographer. Court reporting is an exciting field. You always learn something new. So many different ways to use your skills and different career paths.

All I need is one more 190 word per minute four voice Q & A test and I am in qualifiers. That is the highest speed class. Once there, I need to pass a 5 minute and then 10 minute 200 word per minute Q & A; And when I achieve that, I will then be able to take the state exam. I'm aiming for March 2014. That failing, June. But I can't think that way! March, March, March!

Okay. So it sinks in my brain, this is how I will use my tools for my madskills: Hermie is my baby for creative writing, Goya is my work horse for actual writing and editing, and Gala is my bread and butter. Sweet.

And now, meet Bobo:

He is my new/old reading lamp. For literary pursuits. Sigh.

I swear these are the only four things I own with names on it.

Awe. My Xiola. She owns me.

The next time I check in, I will post pics of my Goya, The GORGEOUS Remington Streamliner and her case. And hopefully, her mouse. And my first typecast. A poem, I hope. -Mo

Checking in...

2013-02-07T21:39:00.001-08:00

It has been an incredible roller coaster ride. I graduated in May 2012. That August, I returned to court reporting school to finish what I started. Yup. Decided that my doctorate in comparative literature had to wait. And ever since, sparks have been flying off my steno keys. It is now Spring Semester 2013, and I am like an athlete in training. I am seeing some amazing results. Currently, I write at 180 words per minute. I need to write at 225. I can't think of any other career that I would love to pursue. This is the only career that will allow me to learn something new every single day, that will allow me to feel appreciated for my (highly specialized) skills, and that lets me be my own boss. And that will allow me the opportunity to live my literary and writing life without starving. And that is important. Gawed. I got a C in creative writing class! But that is because my professor knows I didn't give it my all. He offered to do a grade change if I submitted something else on the level that he feels I am capable of. I took that as a complement and kept my C. I earned it. It's MY C. And now I'm even considering an MFA in creative writing. Big Dreams here... They keep me going.

5 weeks left for May 19th 2012 Graduation

2012-04-09T20:18:00.001-07:00

Running around doing midterms. No time to blog. Been writing for my creative writing class, but coming up with some major doozies! Not really doing my workshops justice with the work I'm submitting. I'm supposed to write 2 hours per day, but I write instead 1 hour before the stuff is due. I'm bad. Readings for other courses taking up all of my time, especially Don Quijote. Even so, I'm glad I'm workshopping my junk. I get to read some neat stuff from my fellow group members. Soon, I will post my "creations" here, as typecast. (I love my scanner). I'm supposed to graduate May 19th and have kept up my GPA so far; but now I'm wondering if I can make the grade in some of my courses. Blah! I got my graduation regalia for my honor society and I have another honor society asking me to join and buy their regalia. Blah. So far, I have 4 honorary chords to let hang from my neck. And the thought of wearing one more is off putting. I really just wanted to wait for my B.A. diploma to arrive and pick it up, but my parents insisted they wanted me to walk. It's 20 years to the date that I was supposed to have gotten my undergrad. Wow. Anywho, I want a Mexican Tamborzo at my Graduation. I wonder if CSU Dominguez Hills will allow me to do that at their Home Depot center? Maybe at the after graduation reception? If I get a tamborazo, I will post the celebration video here. Wish me luck on my Midterms...

Blah! I won't be buying a USBTypewriter Kit...

2012-01-27T14:33:00.000-08:00

Awe! Jack Zylkin got back to me ASAP and emailed me the following:

"Thanks for your enthusiasm about my invention! Unfortunately, I don't think the kit will work on a Hermes, because the Hermes has a solid steel frame underneath it -- you can't access any of the mechanisms without taking apart the typewriter. Sorry!"

(That's okay, Jack. Thanks for letting me know. Thank goodness he let me know about it right away. Guess I better tell Gary. Man!

Only way I can get a USB Typewriter is by cheating on my Hermie. I can't do that! Can I? Is owning two Typewriters over-kill...because I do find underwoods attractive...? Sigh. I may just bid on one on eBay...and get the kit... blah. Why can't stuff be easy. Or am I making it complicated? Too bad OCR doesn't let you edit... I do have my Doxie coming...

I may be buying a USBTypewriter Kit!

2012-01-27T14:19:00.001-08:00

Omg! Just got off the phone with my typewriter repair man, Gary. I nearly fell back in my seat when he told me that the USB Typewriter kit is something he could do! He does amazing work as it is, but I know that this is the very first time he has heard of such a thing as a USB typewriter; at least I think so? So I wanted him to see for himself what it entails and referred him to www.usbtypewriter.com. He says he has the tools. I know he can fix anything, so I hope it works out. My heart is beating soooooooooo fast! I seriously can't imagine getting any of the other USB ready typewriters, even the beautiful underwoods Jack Zylkin has in his store right now, because I'm monogamous to my Hermes 3000? Can one be monogamous to a typewriter? Sigh. Does Jack Zylkin really have 57 cats? http://www.usbtypewriter.com/contactAnywho. Gary is awesome! If anyone needs great typewriter repair and service, I recommend Gary's Typewriter Repairs at 833 E. South St. Long Beach, CA. 1 (562) 423-0157.

I got a scanner!

2012-01-26T17:11:00.001-08:00

Finally! I purchased a DoxieGo+Wifi scanner and paid extra for an AC adapter as I don't like charging via USB. I'm so excited. I finally get to scan the work I do on my Hermes. You can find the scanner here:

http://www.getdoxie.com/product/doxie-go/?utm_source=brooksreview&utm_medium=ad&utm_campaign=2011-11

This is my last semester of school, and I'm actually taking a creative writing class. I need to develop a thick skin quick before I show myworkshop group a thing!

Yesterday, Dr. Cauthen split us up into groups so we could find weaknesses in a poem he just happened to find online. The criticism was brutal. All I could come up with was "cheese." I was corrected by a fellow classmate to not use that word as it is insulting and not specific to be constructive. She said to use the word, "vague." I smiled and said, "You are right. That's exactly what I meant when I said 'cheese'." Sigh. It's gonna be a LONG 15 weeks.

Dr. C. had us go purchase a Moleskine. Dear Lord. Seriously? 19.99? Worst part is it looks like this:

Now, I love Star Wars. But I don't LOVE Star Wars; you know? I just replaced my R2D2 phone with an iPhone. But this just stamps NERD on my forehead. (The poster is cool though).

When I open it, it says the following:

I don't need to see this when I already have a very bad feeling about what I'm about to show in workshops. Sigh. (It was the only hard cover the store had). And Dr. C. wants a hard cover. And I'm such a nerd that I just have to do what Dr. C. expects. Ya.

Anywho. I'm going to use my Doxie scanner to upload all the garbage that comes out of Freewriting on my Hermes onto the cloud, so that I can highlight any potential gems for future use and upload them to myEvernote account instead of hiding them under my bed. Because there is some scary stuff that comes up that I don't want anybody else seeing. And I will use it to upload my work here... which is the real reason I got this scanner ;)

BTW. Dr. C. told me to forget about Bukowski and aim higher intellectually for the course. Sigh. Why do academics look down their noses at Charles Bukowski? Is it because he has poems called, "The night I fucked my alarm clock," or "I taste the ashes of your death," or "I have shit stains in my underwear too"? Too gritty? Too Low-Brow? Too Realistic? I think the man is a genius. Maybe I should do my dissertation on him. But I cannot use his writing as an example in this course. So I wrote in my journal about my not understanding why academics won't accept him, and that if I can't use his works, then maybe I can use his advice on writing. So I wrote a bunch of his quotes down about the writing life to get me through plateaus. Of course, my Professor will read this. Sigh. But ultimately, IT'S MY NERDY JOURNAL!

Can't wait for my scanner to get here... :)

A USB Kit for My Hermes?

2011-11-11T01:05:00.001-08:00

Wow. I must say I am impressed. There is an actual USB kit for my Hermes I can order off of etsy for 74 bux. Struggling with the thought of how to best go about creating a manuscript on my Hermes and dreading having to type it up all over again on a computer, I decided to search the internet for tips on how writers deal with manuscripts on their typewriters ... And I happen to run across this link: http://www.usbtypewriter.com/ ummmmmmmmmm.....AMAZING stuff. I can continue to use paper on my manual and have it backed unto a document on my iPad or computer. It's a mesh of past mechanization with present technology making me a spoiled writer. I emailed asking how much it would be to have someone modify my Hermes and if there is someone in L.A. to do it.

I still need to get my hands on a scanner. I don't want a flatbed. It has to scan unto Evernote. I'm saving my pennies. Tuition hike and books ruined my earlier plans to purchase one.

Spring Semester is my last. I am going to take my last Spanish Lit class, Don Quixote: 100 pages per week and quizzes. I'm scared. I'm also taking my very first creative writing course. I'm really excited about it.

Here is my big plan: Graduate with an English and Spanish Literature B.A. In May 2012, study for the GRE this winter. (I won a Kaplan $499 GRE prep / study kit at a raffle). Take two years off to Finish Court Reporting school and take writing workshops to be able to create a portfolio in the meantime. Submit this portfolio with an application to a Low-Residency MFA in Creative Writing program or MFA in Creative Writing / Comparative Lit Doctorate full time. In L.A. Or forget about grad school and just freaking write and bang on my typewriter keys like Bukowski suggested.

What kind of stuff have I been creating? Precious junk I love and am storing for future, possible use. And the stack of pages I've created makes me nervous. I neurotically hide it under my bed. Don't want anyone to see it. Sigh.

X-nay on the Scanner-ay, Treats are bad.

2011-07-09T00:55:00.001-07:00

Blah! Walked into a Best Buy and came out with an iPad 64 GB. Now I'm saving for a scanner that also uploads to Evernote. Hole in my pocket for now. Ruined my plans for eating all-you-can-eat Lobster at the Valley View Casino in San Diego. Yup. I have no shame. I eat lobster. Now, I'm on summer break and dirt poor... thanks to this little purchase. I Love my iPad, but it is a bad, bad impulse buy. Will buy my scanner in October. I'm writing this in an iPad program called Blogsy.

Thank goodness I have Xiola to cheer me up. She is due for a visit at Dr. Vasquez's soon. I'm scared they will say she is overweight. As they do every year. I have her on Nutro Weight Management dry food, but mom is putting treats in her food. She says she won't eat otherwise. I told mom NOT to do it, to remove the food completely so Xiola learns to eat without playing us for treat bits; but ma doesn't listen. So I threaten to stop buying the treats, and mom goes into a tirade about how I just love to come up with stupid ways to torture Xi, like I did by cutting out Xi's wet food. Says if I don't listen to her warning, I will kill Xiola like I did Dinah, my Maine Coon cat, who died at age 12 prematurely ....because I changed her diet.

Now, please don't think mom's a meanie head because of what i'm about to narrate. To me, She is the best mom in the whole world. Anywho, when mom pulls that garbage on me, I get mad and tell her that's not the reason Dinah died. She cuts me off and says, "Ya want her to end up dead stiff under my bed?"

Now, that's a low punch in the gut mom aims for. She means stiff like my cat Juno. He died on a Sunday morning. I called out to him and looked under my parent's bed. I freaked out when I saw him. He was stiff. Asked Dad to get him out. I sat in the front porch in shock. He was 10. What happened? Dad brought him out inside a huge, black hefty bag. "Daddy! No!" I cried, "Don't put him in a black bag!" OMG. I lost it, crying up a storm. Dad came out again. This time, he had Juno inside a white Glad bag. Pfffft. Gawed. And we disposed of the body at our local shelter. Then we went to freaking Denny's. When Ma digged into her Grand Slam, she said, "Don't you go getting anymore ideas about getting another cat. I don't wanna wake up and find it stiff underneath my bed." sigh.

Now, if doctor Vasquez tells me Xiola is a fatty, ima use that as amo so Ma cuts it out. North Figueroa is the Best low-cost vet in L.A. People drive from all-over and come from far away places just to see Dr. Vasquez. He and his staff truly care about the animals they see. I highly recommend him. Ask for Senior. It's a father and son business. Jr. is good at what he does, but I recommend his dad. Junior can lecture you into a corner sometimes, but he does it because he truly cares. I just don't want to deal with him because he let me have it for not bringing Dinah in for yearly shots. I don't believe in the over-vaccination of indoor cats, and we both got kinda heated when he lectured me. Sigh. What the heck do I know. According to mom, I killed two cats.

Man. Is this post depressing or what? Think this is something to ponder about on my Hermes 3000 or with a psychologist, geez. I think I better get to those keys now. Man. Now I got a stupid lump on my throat and it's all Xiola's fault for being a piggy. You're lucky you're cute, Xiola!

Great. I just turned on the T.V. For a sec, and that SPCA commercial just came on with Willie Nelson singing, "You Were Always on My Mind." ...The maybe I didn't treat you right part. I'm going nite-nites. Goodnight.

Wow. Be Careful Who Services Your Typewriter!

2010-07-28T02:35:00.000-07:00

Well, over the phone, I was quoted $256.00 for a thorough cleaning of my typewriter at a recommended place. Thought that was kinda outrageous, so I decided to take my Hermie to the closest place to where I live.

On the phone, the owner of the place said he knew about the Hermes 3000 inside out; and that, for a flat fee of 45 dollars, he would clean it and show me how to use it when I got it back from servicing it. Thrilled, I drove my Hermie to that place. When I got there, he said, "Oh, yeah. They don't make 'em like they used to. This machine is from Germany." That should have been hint enough for me to turn around and take my machine home. My machine is from Switzerland. But I didn't want to be rude. So I handed him my machine and bit my nails all the way home. Sigh.

When I went back, he didn't really show me anything in depth, just how to work the margins. He charged me $75.00 because I ordered a ribbon and because the flat fee carries a tax at this place (making it not a flat fee). I thanked him and was happy to have my Hermie back.

When I was finally seated at my typing stand, I started banging those keys and noticed the spacebar didn't work like it used to. It was hitting metal to metal. I thought to myself, "Am I just being picky here?"

Yup. My paranoid behind took my Hermie into a different place to get it serviced. Gary, the Owner of Gary's Typewriter Repairs, informed me that there was, in fact, no padding for the spacebar. The padding had come off during the cleaning service at the first place I took it to. Then I found out that that other owner of that first place I took my Hermie to actually takes his machines to Gary for servicing. Sigh. I know. Hard to believe, huh. Pfffft... I won't dwell too much on that info.

So another week without my Hermie later, I got my typewriter back. In perfect condition. Now it sits on its typing stand gleaming at me --It's so shiny! :) I love, love my Hermie. Too bad it took me so long to get it serviced. I guess you get the kinda service you pay for? Sigh. Well, the second place I took it to is reasonable. He charges a 45 dollar flat fee also. And when he says flat fee, he means flat fee! But his work speaks for itself. For me to dish out $256.00, my Hermie would have to do the dishes.

I will continue to take my Hermie to this second place that serviced it from now on. For those in L.A., go see Gary, the owner of Gary's Typewriter Repair at 833 East South Street, Long Beach, CA 90805 (562) 423-0157. He knows his stuff! And he showed me the ins and outs of my Hermes 3000 machine. I highly recommend him. Thanks, Gary!

Just bought my Hermie on ebay

2010-04-30T01:52:00.000-07:00

That's right. After trying and trying to get my hands on a Hermes 3000 typewriter and constantly being outbid, I finally won! The seller allowed me to pick it up too. I don't have to wait 4 days for delivery or incur that shipping cost. Yes! So I'm gonna get it sometime this weekend. I can't wait. I'm calling the typewriter Hermie. It's a he. My Hermie. I'm not getting this typewriter to do any essays or assignments or anytype of work on it. I'm just going to use it for creative writing purposes like my attempts at writing 4k words each day and the free associative 10-minute writing excercises I do. With the computer, I find myself constantly editing as I type. I keep hitting that backspace button and deleting stuff. There is no distancing my mind from my fingers. I write 80 words per minute, and my fingers keep up with my thoughts, but I erase as I go. Blah! I'm hoping that my new-used typewriter will save me from that constant editing that hinders me and free me to actually think before my fingers dare to move. And what I write on my Hermie will be permanent, unless I exhert myself to erase a typo; but I guarantee I won't be deleting a zillion times like I do on my laptop. Plan: First think, then write. My Hermie will actually slow me down to tap into whatever creative force my brain wants to spew. If any. Pfffft. Some writers felt possessed by their typewriters. Lalala. I wanna be possessed by mine. Maybe I will write some Magical Realist Brujaja to impress myself with. Anywho. I will for sure write, scan and post what Hermie inspires me to do on this blog. Typecasting is it? Sigh. It's minty green. Someone mentioned that it felt like typing on bathroom tiles. I wanna see for myself, and I'm sure I'll love it. Cheers! To my new Hermes 3000! My Hermie. ~@.@~