It's been over two years since I started practicing typing. It all started when I needed to find a job due to Kjel receiving a job promotion with a pay cut. I found a great position with the post office. The hours were terrible but perfect because Kjel and I just switched off time with the kids. There was no need for sitters. I worked most evenings from 6PM until 1AM. I was one tired woman but I learned some important lessons. Many of them had nothing to do with working and more to do with understanding others.
Today though my focus is on my typing skills. So inconsequential, however, it's something I learned to do and dang it, I don't very often see my skills developing so when I did today I thought I'd shout for joy.
When I was in High School I took a type class. The required learn to type class. I worked really hard at not looking at my fingers. It was impossible. I made SO many mistakes and I was so slow that I found myself implementing the skill of short term memorization. I would quickly memorize a sentence and then turn my head downward at my fingers and type it as fast as possible. This skill has gotten me very far in life.
Two years ago I spent some time sending mail to the wrong locations. I say this because I was terrible at the job with the post office at the Remote Encoding Center. If you found a decrease in accuracy during that time I will personally take the blame. My job was to look at the computer monitor gather certain information from the envelope then type that info into the system, magically sending the letter to the requested destination. I quickly found that due to the need to be quick, or the letter would be removed from my screen and a new one would be in place, I needed to figure out how to type without looking at my fingers.
Fortunately, I only worked there a few months. Lynne, my good friend found me a position with her company doing transcription for business intelligence. I quit the Post Office job and started sleeping again. Hooray. The funny thing is I wouldn't have made it past the probation period anyhow. I was really terrible, I messed up a lot of mail. The most funny part is that even after I quit, which they should have jumped for joy and never looked back, they continued to send me postcards trying to rehire me. So if you think the mistakes were totally mine you may want to also blame a company that hires and tries to rehire incompetent losers.
This morning I was doing transcription. And I realized that I was not looking at my fingers. I can now type without looking at my fingers. Let me say that again, watch, I'm going to do it right now...
I can type without looking at my fingers.
Oh the joy this brought to me. I can't say how long it's been going on but it feels wonderful to join the ranks of so many talented individuals and click, clack, click, clack while my head stays straight forward looking at the screen.
I have certainly improved myself.
Some may find this post frivolous but I did the entire thing without looking at my fingers and I pretty much feel like I can conquer anything now. It's important I have these moments because currently even walking has become a challenge.
HOORAY for typing skills!!