This day sucks. I went to the store for supplies (tissue, water, cat food, stuf flike that). I went to the small town general store type deal because its smaller and not as overwhelming. Plus it doesn't trigger my anxiety over being "caught" out when I'm supposed to be sick.

I normally buy Penny Blue Buffalo grain free cat food, which isn't available in grocery stores but there are some grain free alternatives so I fgured i'd get one of those. I can't get a couple of cans of cat food because she will refuse to eat canned food.

So I got what I needed, plus a few things I didn't (fancy rootbeer! Damnit i need a treat. Organic locally made vanilla pudding, easy on the throat!) and came home.

Where I promptly dropped my keys between the deck and the house. The deck is all enclosed underneath and I was looking under there, trying to reach, lying on the freezing ground (my phone was inside the house, i didn't take it, why would i need it?) and finally I saw an old plastic coat hanger under neath tehre and tried that. Didn't work. Tracked down a neighbor who was home, she warily leant me another coat hanger (also plastic) but longer. Didn't work.

By the way it's like 19F outside and i don't have any gloves on because I can find 1 glove from 4 different pairs.

I went to the shed - hey it's unlocked, pried the door open (it was frozen shut) found nothing. Trudging back and I looked at some fallen branches and started berating myself for not picking these up sooner when it hit me. Branch, thin. Long.

After two tries of more lying on the freezing ground I got my keys.

I really need to hide a key outside.

And Penny is refusing to eat her food, I mixed it in with what little of her regular food I have but she's meowing and trying to cover it up.

Like David, I took a typing class in high school on IBM Selectrics. They ruined me for every other keyboard I've used since. I loved the way when you pressed down on a second key, the first key you pressed would get pushed back up.

{{{{{askye}}}}} That is a very bad no good way to start your day. I'm sorry.

I would look at Mother's shorthand books and think "I will never learn this." I had a hard enough time with cursive, I had no faith in doing coded cursive correctly. I was also dreading slide rules, but technology advancements saved me from both those fears.

That's exactly what it's like.

When I was driving to the store I was thinking "even though I feel like crap I will try to match up at least one pair of gloves" and now I'm like...fuck it that's too much thinking. I'm going to put on comfy clothes, drink water and...do something. Maybe finish up the Librarians or rewatch Leverage.

I took typing in high school - on manual typewriters. I remember I was sick the day we learned about the top row (numbers) and I still have minor problems with them.

I went off to college (in 1969) with my mother's 1930something L.C. Smith Corona typewriter (manual, of course). Nice big keys to hit, although they did tend to tangle.

askye, may your day go nothing but up from here on.

I took typing in HS, too, and it was probably the skill most directly linked to earning income for several years of anything I did in school. And mighty useful for college. Also, there was something super satisfying about those electric typewriters... I think we had the ball kind? I don't remember. I sort of slacked off when it came to the numbers, though, MUCH to my regret.

askye, I hope things get better.

I took typing in high school on a manual typewriter. In 1985. I think the nuns just wanted us to suffer.

Typing class in middle school was my first and only C and I cried about it for weeks.

Askye, please do us all a favor and TAKE your phone with you when you go out. I worry about you on the slick roads when not feeling well. Please take it. I am glad you figured out the branch and key solution!

askye, what a crappy way to start the day. I hope it gets better! Curling up and watching the last of The Librarians sounds like a great idea. I ought to do that too. I'll watch them with you, virtually.

I never learned to type "properly". I did my homework in 6th grade on a manual typewriter, typing with my left hand because my right arm was in a cast. I type well enough now to do my job, but I'd never make it as a secretary.

I don't think my tiny rural high school even offered a typing course. But I would have refused it anyway. I didn't take any of the Home Ec courses the girls were expected to take, because I'll be damned if I'm going to school to learn to be somebody's "helpmeet". And now I can't sew or cook, but I'm not some redneck's wife either, so that's cool. High-school me is quite satisfied with how things turned out. Except now I don't have a wife either, so I really need to learn to cook and sew. I got what I wanted, but not necessarily what I needed.

Maybe I just need a wife. I'm trying to get G. to marry me, but she still likes guys. Hmpf. Heterosexuality is foiling my plans.