Thanks to my addiction to garage sale shopping, I am prepared for Y2K, sort of. I didn’t realize how ready I was until I was working at the church library with a friend who was typing away on an antiquated electric typewriter. After a day of working at a computer keyboard, she was frustrated with the number of mistakes she had to manually go back and correct using a “no mistakes allowed” typewriter.
Her frustration reminded me of the manual typewriter I keep tucked back in the darkest corner of my closet. I love the freedom of manual labor afforded by the electronic age. But, if Y2K leaves me without the electricity to record my thoughts on my home computer, I can still type.
That manual typewriter is a copy of the Smith Corona portable my parents bought me as a Christmas present the year that I took typing at school. My mother required that each her five children take typing their sophomore year of high school. Then that year for Christmas, she gave us a portable typewriter to take to college. (We were not asked if we wanted to go to college: It was expected we would attend.”
After years of college papers, letters home and journalizing, my typewriter wore out. I replaced it with another manual typewriter that I found at a garage sale. Manual typewriters take a good finger stomping on the keys to type. If I hit two keys, both keys respond with letters that refuse to go away when I write over them as I do on the computer.
So when, and if, the lights go out, I have my old manual typewriter to stomp my thoughts. Plus! I have lots of paper. I paid 50 cents at a yard sale for an unopened package of 500 sheets of typing paper. If I could just remember where, I also have tucked away a thin box filled with sheets of carbon paper for typing up a mass mailing to my kids.
Course, when the lights go out, I don’t expect to only slave over a typewriter. During the day I will read some of the shelves of books I have found at garage sales and have not had time to read. I do try. I am currently reading a documentary on chronic fatigue syndrome, a couple of suspense books and one explaining why children do their own thing as adults.
For fun I also have all those games from garage sales that we haven’t played. Take you pick: Eye-hand coordination, board game or a card game. None require television, VCR or game machine. If Y2K turns out the lights, we will keep ourselves occupied.
With the great sale I found on soup last month we won’t starve as long as we have strength to operate our manual can opener. Besides, Y2K is expected just in time for my New Year’s resolutions to lose weight … what better time to begin a cold soup diet?
For those who insist on heating the stuff up, I do have a deep cast iron skillet I picked up. t works better over campfires than the stainless steel pots with plastic handles.
If we are cold without electricity, there is a stack of warm blankets I’ve fond at garage sales. Anyone can use them as long as they keep their paws off that white fuzzy one, it’s mine.
I’m hoping nothing drastic happens as a result of Y2K but if it does, I am ready, sort of.