I know there have been some “issues” with NaNoWriMo over the past year(s), but I’ve just gotten my novel writing machine (a 1950 Royal KMG) ready to race just in time for the starting flag.

I’ve heard rumors about a mysterious Typewriter Brigade and NaNo Rhino before, so I’m wondering where it’s hiding this year?

That’s a nice looking 1960 blue Royal Safari they’ve got as the hero image on their homepage btw…

Hero image from the NaNoWriMo homepage featuring a view down onto a writing desk which has a blue 1960s Royal Safari typewriter, a coffee mug, and a red plate with a seeded bagel.

“I’m always trying to get back to the 20s a little bit.”
—John Dickerson, in Field Notes interview (2016) 

Perhaps lamenting too much technology, Dickerson says he’s got two screens on the computer in his office as well as an iPad and a phone. But he’s also got “a notebook [that] does only one thing”. He’s also got an old black lacquer Underwood standard typewriter (No. 4, 5, or 6?) on his office desk. Typewriters only do one thing too.

Wonder if he still uses it? 

Miles (1905) has some interesting things to say with respect to collecting, “business-like brevity” (aka atomic notes), annotations for thinking/arranging/marking cards, summarizing, etc.

Miles, Eustace Hamilton. How to Prepare Essays, Lectures, Articles, Books, Speeches and Letters, with Hints on Writing for the Press. London: Rivingtons, 1905. http://archive.org/details/howtoprepareessa00mileuoft.

Especially interesting: Chapter XXIV The Card-System.

Ever thought about studying mathematics for fun?!?

As a reminder for local Los Angeles area hobbyist mathematicians and physicists, Dr. Miller will be teaching Fundamentals of Point-Set Topology at UCLA starting September 24th. I hope some new folks will join our merry band for some math fun this fall. First time taking some math after high school/college? I’ve got some tips here.

I started the process of cleaning my green 1958 Olympia SM3 to bring it back up to speed. Things are generally moving apace although the mixture of eraser shavings and old oil has tarnished the carriage rails. Spent some time with some metal polish trying to bring them back to their old glory. Should be able to finish flushing out tomorrow and getting it back together and properly adjusted.

Here’s a bit of a time lapse of the work: