It’s “Cool” To Name A Heat Wave?

This name comes with a warning ...

BANTER BITE BACKSTORY: Yes, climate’s a “hot” topic, but summer has only started (marked by the summer solstice), and Red’s already whining about the heat, while Black considersthe logic of naming heat waves. (Really! But it’s not her idea.)

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Memory Lane

There’s So Much Right … About Typewriters

Photos by Red

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I know you’ll roll your eyes, but it made me smile when I found not one, but two, of Daddy’s typewriters at Mom’s house. It just brought back so many memories.

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I remember the old black one, which is probably long gone, before Daddy “modernized” and got an electric one. I remember taking typing class. And, I remember pulling an all-nighter to write, or technically “type”, my M.B.A. thesis the night before it was due.

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I still can’t believe you did that. Too bad you couldn’t turn in the handwritten version.

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childhood memories

Banter Bites

How Do You Communicate? Blah-Blah-Blah Or Bullet Points?

Ok, let’s be clear (pun intended) … Communication is critical. Whether in your personal life or in business, not to mention communication skills are transferable between the two (Black even suggested Red hold family “business” meetings). And what better time to work on how we communicate, and maybe even have a new attitude toward vocabulary and “50-cent words” (Red loves those, but terminology scares her!?), than during Effective Communications Month.

Talking isn't the same as communicating. And hearing isn't the same as listening. Think about it.

BANTER BITE BACKSTORY: Being an effective communicator, whether in our personal lives or at work, is a critical skill but one-size-doesn't-fit-all as we each use very different methods and styles … ranging from lots of words and talking stuffed animals (Red) to bullet points and racing flags (Black).

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communication

DON’T MISS A THING

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Black assets.rebelmouse.io	There was none. I had some notes, but I composed as I typed. It forced me to focus. Especially as that typewriter pre-dated ones with an internal correction tape, which meant I had to manually “white out” mistakes and then type over them or start the page over again.
red head assets.rebelmouse.io	Seriously?! And that’s not about how the typewriter worked, it’s about how you wrote your thesis!
Black assets.rebelmouse.io	Well, at least Daddy’s home office was in the basement, so you could not hear the constant tap-tap-tap. But, that reminds me of the times I would sneak downstairs to find Daddy up late, typing his engineering reports using the two-finger method. Even before people used the phrase “work-life balance,” he would never miss dinner and having time with us, but sometimes would then go back to work.
red head assets.rebelmouse.io	Mommy was always a night owl, and as I got older and stayed up late watching old movies (I think I inherited that gene from her), she’d be on her typewriter in the kitchen working on her lists. I can still hear that distinctive sound.
Black assets.rebelmouse.io	And, the ding when you hit the end of the line? Regardless, it explains why you found two typewriters. Mom took Daddy’s hand-me-down.
red head assets.rebelmouse.io	Given she was once a secretary, she could fly through those keys. And now that I’m going through all of her things, I smile every time I find one of the seemingly endless lists she made. Some of which were handwritten and some typed. But with her handwriting … thank goodness for the typed lists.
Black assets.rebelmouse.io	Can you imagine what she would have done if she had a computer? I tried getting her one years ago, but she wanted nothing to do with it.
red head assets.rebelmouse.io	Talk about creating a monster. But there’s something, maybe nostalgia, maybe just the fact not everything has to be done in the most modern way, that makes me look at those two typewriters with a smile and new appreciation.
Black assets.rebelmouse.io	They are a piece of history, which may explain why there is a National Typewriter Day (June 23). And, typewriters are responsible for the QWERTY keyboard that is still used on our computers and smartphones.
red head assets.rebelmouse.io	I never thought about that, although it makes perfect sense. Funny thing is that when Sawyer saw the typewriters, she knew what they were but had never seen one in person. Well, I’m going to keep both typewriters. For now, anyway. Too many memories associated with them. Unless you want the one you used for your thesis.
Black assets.rebelmouse.io	Not right now, but if we ever decide to get rid of them, we need to do some research as there is an active market for old typewriters. Of course, if Tom Hanks is interested in either of them, I would love to send him one to add to his collection.
red head assets.rebelmouse.io	Tom Hanks collects typewriters? How do you know these things?
Black assets.rebelmouse.io	AP News article about “digital burnout”. Apparently, he is an avid typewriter collector. And, it is more than a hobby, as he inspires others to appreciate them.
red head assets.rebelmouse.io	I already did, but now I do even more!