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Interestingly, when I was a sophomore in HS (in Mormon-dominated Mesa,
AZ), I was *required* to take typing as a GRADUATION requirement - BUT!
only the GIRLS had this requirement...needless to say I was not happy,
but took the class as I had no choice.
After I went into the AF as a telecom engineer, I steadfastly denied
being able to type - for the simple reason that I figured as a female
second lieutenant, I'd be reduced to a pseudo-secretary if I admitted I
could type (not to infer any inferiority of secretaries, but in 1979, I
was 1 of only 2 female officers assigned to my engineering unit of over
1000...I didn't WANT to be a secretary, I wanted to be accepted as an
equal with the male 2nd-looies). Anywho - I actually had people argue
with me that as a female I MUST know how to type! And, every time I had
one of the men ask me to type something, I'd respond with "I don't know
how to type - maybe Lt. Smith (male, of course) could do that for you".
Got me lots of very strange looks, I must say.
I'd gotten married in the meantime, and swore my husband to secrecy (as
I could touch-type, of course).
After PCs became more than just expensive techie-toys, I was very glad
I'd been forced to take the typing class and learn to touch-type.
Clare Turner, Technical Writer
Redflex Traffic Systems, Inc.
15020 N. 74th St.
Scottsdale, AZ 85260
480.607.3583
-----Original Message-----
From: techwr-l-bounces+cturner=redflex -dot- com -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
[mailto:techwr-l-bounces+cturner=redflex -dot- com -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com] On
Behalf Of Joe Malin
Sent: Monday, December 19, 2005 9:41 AM
To: W. Kelly Oja; TECHWR-L
Subject: RE: New Poll Question / Introduction
Apropos of nothing:
I learned to type in the 9th grade.
I wanted to take a summer school course (nerd that I was). I signed up
for drafting, because my ambition was to be an architect. I came to the
first day of school to discover that I was the only one signed up! They
offered to give me an alternative. My dad and I looked at the list, and
we both saw typing. I thought heck, why not? I was the only boy in the
class! I've been touch-typing ever since.
some say that touch typing isn't required to be a writer (or for that
matter, a programmer). I had a manager early in my career whose mother
refused to let her learn typing. This was to prevent her from ever being
tempted to become a typist! I have found the skill to be quite useful,
though I must say I am only a moderately skilled touchtyper. This skill
has also prevented me from ever going to a Dvorak keyboard...
Joe
Joe Malin
Technical Writer
(408)625-1623
jmalin -at- tuvox -dot- com
www.tuvox.com
The views expressed in this document are those of the sender, and do not
necessarily reflect those of TuVox, Inc.
-----Original Message-----
From: techwr-l-bounces+jmalin=tuvox -dot- com -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
[mailto:techwr-l-bounces+jmalin=tuvox -dot- com -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com] On Behalf
Of W. Kelly Oja
Sent: Saturday, December 17, 2005 6:35 AM
To: TECHWR-L
Subject: Re: New Poll Question / Introduction
-Assistant Dairy and Produce Manager in MN -Assistant Produce Manager in
MN -College student in MN -Route Driver for a soft drink distributor in
MN -Framer (House Construction) in AZ -Car Salesman in AZ -Warehouse
Manager in VA and CO -Bouncer in CO -Route Driver for a beer distributor
in CO -Truck Frame Inspector in MN -Car Salesman in MT -Forklift Driver
in MN -College student in MN -Tech Writer in MN and IL
Obviously in my younger days I let the wind take hold of me. And it
looks like there might be a chance in '06 that I might be adding to this
list that has not been updated since June of '03. Time will tell.
--
Kelly
"You're nobody until you get Grrr'd."
-Mike Straka-
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