At the risk of some very bad netiquette here, someone on another writers board that I frequent was worried because she sent off a manuscript without making a copy for herself. And I was like, whoa! That means she used a typewriter! I didn't think people did that anymore! I mean, my son saw one in an old movie once and asked me what it was. I kind of laughed at him - he also once asked me if I was alive for the 1906 earthquake in San Francisco - but I'm old enough to remember when everything was done on a typewriter. I inherited a ridiculously heavy Smith Corona electric from my uncle when I went to college, and I was thrilled that it had easy correction cartridges. It was a step up from the really old Royal manual that my mother took to nursing school and that I taught myself to type on the summer after fourth grade, because I was unable to master Catholic school-quality cursive.

I have not seen a typewriter in use since my last job, in 1998, and it was used only to fill out forms. I suppose I could use one if I had to, but I am so hooked on my ergonomic keyboard that it would just seem weird.

So, inspired by this freelancer who types, I decided to investigate the typewriter subculture. It's there, man. It didn't die with Herb Caen and his Loyal Royal. You can even buy typewriters, if you want to. Joanne Mason wrote about her typewriter in The Boston Globe last year. Harlan Ellison still types, although I suppose his publishers are willing to scan his pages into optical character recognition software because he's Harlan Ellison. If you are not Harlan Ellison but you still want to type, you can always get all MacGyver-like and convert your typewriter into a keyboard.

As for me, I'm happy with Microsoft Word, but I'd use a typewriter before I'd trust anything to a Lisa ever again. Did I ever tell you that I'm holding a grudge against Apple?