[NTLK] The youngest Newton aficionado ever...

[Lord Groundhog]

~~~ On 2012/11/15 02:44, Dan at dan at dbdigitalweb.com wrote ~~~

>> *snip*
> Really?  I am one of those people that have terrible handwriting.  Tried
> for many years to improve it.  Ironically the best I ever did was with a
> fountain pen with a broad nib.  Still my teachers complained often and
> loudly about my penmanship.  I always enjoyed reports as I was one of
> the very few with a computer in the household at the time and was able
> to type out said reports.  I think the teachers liked that aspect as well.
> 

Hi Dan, 

It sounds like you may not need what I'm about to say, since you've found
your own way of dealing with the situation, but I'll say it just in case.

First, I'm not surprised you found you did better with a fountain pen.
There's something about fountain pens, especially (at least at first) with a
broader nib, that helps some people to improve writing.

Second, if you ever get a hankering to work on your handwriting in future,
dig out that old pen, and either find a properly trained calligrapher who
likes teaching and won't get carried away, or find a really old-school
primary school teacher.  If you find a calligrapher, tell him/her you want
to learn enough of one of the "humanistic cursive" hands to train yourself
to write better but aren't really interested in being his/her apprentice.
If a school teacher, tell them you'd like to learn something called "Palmer
hand".  If they're really old-school they'll know what that is (and will be
surprised you've even heard of it).

Either way, your goals are:  [1] to train your mind and hand to pay
attention "automatically" to what you're doing with the pen; and [2] to give
you, not necessarily a set of letter-forms you follow slavishly, but a
"feel" for how to modify existing letter-forms into something that will be
comfortable and quick and automatic for you to use and that will be legible,
clear and attractive for others to read.

Of course if along the way, you discover a love for lettering and perhaps
even calligraphy, it's a wonderful and deeply satisfying hobby.  ;-)


Meanwhile, congratulations on your typing skills.


 
Shalom, 

Christian 

~~~ ~~~ ~~~

³Any sufficiently advanced magic is indistinguishable from a Newton.²
            -- ref.:  Arthur C. Clarke

http://youtube.com/watch?v=1ZzpdPJ7Zr4
(With thanks to Chod Lang)
http://tinyurl.com/29y2dl
http://www.diyplanner.com/node/3942


~~~ ~~~ ~~~
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