"What Use Would You Have for an Old Typewriter?!"

Project Poloroid!

My First 'Catalog' of Typefaces... A most beautiful handmade gift!

Our Little Type Out Picnic at Marina Barrage! Typewriters basking in the sun :)

Hello everyone,

It is the start of the weekend here in Singapore (yippee!), and I thought what better way to start my day than updating this 'minty' blog of mine! I am realising now that I have so much to learn about blogging, and I will need to seek help soon on how to navigate and make use of all the different tools and functions... For example, silly me just realised that I had even neglected to include a title in my first post, yikes! Meanwhile, I thank you for bearing with my extremely elementary skills :)

I was pondering on what my second post should be about, and then it struck me to share on the common reactions I generally get when people learn that I use and collect typewriters... First there is what I term the 'thinking gaze', then usually a smile creeps up on their faces (some openly guffaw at my 'insanity'), and then the incredulous, "Huh? Do people still use the typewriter? Do these things even still work? Why don't you just use a computer?"

However, I must say that more often than not, my machines have become great conversation starters, and I have had young children, to teenagers, right up to the more experienced who have approached me to ask keen questions and share stories, and these always light up my day! I am also always happy to have others 'peck at' my typewriter, though I must admit I often catch myself unintentionally hovering over them, even though I know typewriters are sturdy little things, hee hee...

'Public Typing' at Seabreez, Mercure Hotel (Correction fluid is a must!)

'Public Typing' at Carvers & Co at East Coast Rd

But back to the question... My response is that I in fact use my typewriters more than I do my PC, so much so that colleagues have 'complained' about my loud and overenthusiastic tapping of the computer's keyboard, and I am still always taken aback that the apostrophe key on my computer keyboard have somehow mysteriously moved! (I am still always expecting it to lie above the numeral 8!)

I use my mechanical marvels for a variety of reasons and these include (but are not limited to)...

Type In/Type Out with Lovely Friends!

With Ton S. who was here in Singapore! From left to right, Naznin, Elaine, myself and Fudlana!

A most enjoyable time (and in beautiful weather too) with
Fudlana, Aqilah and Elaine,  and of course our gorgeous typewriters!

My Pink ABC at our little Type Out picnic!

For Capturing & Sharing of My Favourite Quotes

(I have so very many, these are just a few!)

Kept in my wallet!

To Journal About Events/Experiences...

Typecasting from our hotel room in Taiwan!

For Work

Typing up notes of encouragement for my wonderful students!

No more complaints about my illegible comments resulting from my awful penmanship!

Last But Not Least...

For FUN & Games :)

Favorite evening activity!

Thank you for hanging around, and I think for the next post, I would like to share about my obsession with typefaces! Have a most wonderful weekend ahead!

Warmest regards,

Claudia

First Step into the (Wonderful) Typosphere!

Hello everyone,

Heartiest greetings from Singapore and a very warm (and grateful!) welcome to my humble little 'sharing space'!

It has been years of typewriter collecting, yet it has taken me quite a while to hop onto the Typosphere bandwagon, for the simple reason that I truly prefer to clack, clack, clack, ding over turning on my PC or surfing the Internet. I use my typewriters so much more frequently than I do my 'techy contraptions' (a far cry from my undergraduate days when I used to pore over latest gadget reviews, wait for releases and play on my PSP and DS during lectures!)... I use my machines pretty extensively too - at work even, but I'll share these in a separate post! The moment I do have any free time to spare at all, I always allow myself to indulge in late-night typecasts on my scratched-up study desk :) Despite not owning a blog, I do share photos of my machines and typecasts on a local typewriter collectors' group, and I thank you for bearing with my low-resolution photos since I do not own a professional camera and mostly just snap photos on my phone and upload them.

Perhaps it will make sense to go back to the very beginning, back to how it all started, hee hee... I must admit that typewriters were not a feature in my growing up years, and my only (vague) recollection of a typewriter is the electric one that used to be housed in dad's study room and which was used mainly to print his company's invoices. It was not something that had particularly intrigued nor fascinated me. It must have been at a museum or vintage shop when I first laid eyes on a typewriter. Up-close. Heart palpitations, dilated irises (sans contact lenses), and my legs must have turned jelly. Right at that moment there was no denying. I NEEDED, had to have one (hahaha)...

Jase and I were dating then, and I remember that the first machine we had the opportunity to acquire was an Olympia Traveller Deluxe. I looked at it through the glass display in a novelty shop and gasped... It was lovely! When I enquired about it, I was then shown the carrying case for it, and I all but shrieked in girlish delight! BUT... It was not to be... Jase had other plans.

And before I knew it...

I was to receive my first typewriter from my boyfriend who would eventually become my loving life partner - I always kid that it must have somehow sealed the deal :p We even lugged Tappy for our pre-wedding photoshoot. But back to the lead character - it was a beautiful faux-wood Royal Fleetwood!

I was absolutely floored - it was a really charming typer, and with some 70s flair too! I knew from the start I would use my typewriter frequently, but I must say that the ensuing love affair and attendant insatiable obsession were hardly anticipated... I never knew that this innocuous little mechanical marvel could be so 'bewitching'...

So there we go - typewriter No. 1! This story goes on for quite a while more, since our shared enthusiasm and fascination with these babies has led us to such wonderful experiences, encounters, and most importantly, like-minded people :)

I thank you for reading my introductory post, and I hope that like my deep and enduring passion for my beautiful writing companions, I will be consistent in posting here - I will try my best to commit to a post per week!

Warmest regards,
Claudia