Beyond the South End

This 1950s typewriter is similar

to the one I learned to type on at RHS.

The State of My World

President Obama recently presented us with his State of the Union address. While I love our president, he lives in a very different world than I do. I would therefore like to update you on the State of my World as a 70+ year old living in 2013. If I meander here it’s only the influence of one of my favorite columnists, David Grima, a one-time colleague of my brother, Ted, and his sidekick, Emmet Meara.

Nanci and I have been living here in this small apartment for three years or so since the flood destroyed our existing world at that time. If I have but one wish left in this world it would be to depart these premises for the peace and quiet of Maine. My world here exists of loud speakers mounted in cars blaring despicable rap music.

There’s never a dull moment around here either. I haven’t quite decided if I want to know what activity might be going on in the apartment across the hall. Something must be very interesting over there as we can hear people running up and down the stairs outside our living room wall and knocking on that door morning, noon and night. I’ll report on that scenario as it develops.

What Happened to the Old World

I was thinking the other day as folks my age will do about what happened to my old world. Where have I been while our way of life changed? I lived that’s what. The days go by and before you know it your world is very different.

There was a time I never thought I would walk into a busy office without hearing the sound of clacking typewriter keys. The picture above is of a typewriter similar to the one I learned to type on at Rockland High School under the watchful eye of our teacher, Herbie Hillgrove.

No one knows how to type using the touch method anymore. When I learned on that typewriter we weren’t allowed to look at the keys. In some cases the keys on some typewriters were painted over with nail polish so we couldn’t cheat.

My mother was executive secretary to EC Moran at the office down on Main Street. She worked with the Baxter girls for a while before she got married. She could type close to 100 words a minute on a manual typewriter much older than the one I learned on. I never managed to type more than 45 or 50 words a minute without mistakes. When I became a typesetter later on in life, I think that average went up a little, but of course I could correct mistakes instantly too.

(By the way, my mother helped Mr. Moran write his autobiography on that old typewriter. If anyone has ever heard of his writing, please let me know where I can find it.)

These days I still burn up the keys as I’m writing these words to you or for any one of my other writing projects. I have to slow down sometimes, however, depending on how bad the arthritis is that day and which fingers I’m able to use.

What Industries are Disappearing?

Today when I go into an office everything has to be recorded on a computer. I sometimes feel like I’m only an account number waiting to talk to a real person for just a minute, please. There is less and less actual paper to handle. I get several e-statements these days so I won’t have to pay extra to get them sent to me in the mail. I never get a paper prescription either. They are sent into my pharmacy via computer.

With the demise of paper products in mind, let’s think about the industries that have left us or soon will in the years to come.

The pulp and paper industry once so prevalent in the northern regions of Maine, are fast disappearing. Soon, because of computers and other technological advances, paper will be used less and less. Along with statements, unfortunately, we may see the demise of written newspapers. It really hurts me to think about that fact.

Recently I read that the post office won’t deliver mail on Saturday anymore. This development means a big change in the time-honored occupation of postal worker and home-delivered mail. Less paper to handle means less people needed to move it around. I do understand however, the Saturday decision has a lot to do with a pension question.

Remember when we still had telex communications before faxes came into vogue? Now faxes are even being replaced by computer e-mail. I download PDFs quite often to fill out one form or another so I can email it back to whatever office wants to see it. See how fast things change?

A Throw-Away Society

Why don’t things last like they used to? I just paid off my 2009 HHR car and it has just over 30,000 miles on it. I plan to hang on to it as long as I can. At the rate I’m going, only filling up the tank once a month, it should last quite a long time.

However, some things just don’t last like they used to. Nanci and I bought all new appliances when we moved in here three years ago. This month alone we had to replace the toaster and coffee maker. So what do we do? We just throw them away. No one repairs those things anymore.

The toaster I use down at the cottage in Spruce Head has a cloth cord and one of those big old black plugs. Remember them? It must date from at least 1930 or so. It lasted.

I do try to recycle bigger appliances, however. When I replace a washer and dryer, for instance, I always choose a retailer who will take away and recycle my old ones.

The Future

I got an email this morning from my cousin Babs, who lives out in Oregon and who I don’t see often enough. She sent me a piece about “The Winter of our Lives.” While I still refuse to believe I’m in that phase of my life, here’s some of what she sent me:

“…So, if you’re not in your winter yet…let me remind you, that it will be here faster than you think. So, whatever you would like to accomplish in your life please do it quickly! Don’t put things off too long! Life goes by quickly. So do what you can today, as you can never be sure whether this is your winter or not!”

Good advice. I like to think I have more than one book in left in me. In spite of all my aches and pains, operations and the like, I still dream of things to come. I’ve had many friends over the years; but except for my classmates up home, they are all younger than I. If I’d never met them I would never have done some of the things I’ve been fortunate to do. I’ve learned a lot from them. They keep me young.

My writing and especially writing this blog, keeps my mind active. I enjoy bringing my thoughts to you and receiving your feedback on a daily basis. It makes my life seem very worthwhile.

A Last Thought

Babs also sent me this in her long email today:

“Everybody whispers. You have 3 sizes of clothes in your closet…2 of which you will never wear. But old is good in some things: Old songs, Old movies, and best of all, OLD FRIENDS! Stay well, ‘OLD FRIENDS!’ It’s not what you gather, but what you scatter that tells what kind of life you have lived.”

Thanks for listening.