Pencil, Pixels and all that stuff

As I was reading Pencils to Pixels, I was somewhat intrigued by the idea of rejecting a pencil as too technological. It was also interesting to learn about the ways some people prefer type, some pencil, some pen. I began to think about what I prefer.

There's no doubt that when I'm writing something of considerable length, I prefer to use a computer. I can type much, much faster than I can write, and it's also easier to go back and edit my type. I prefer to type almost anything that anyone else is going to see, as well. My horrid handwriting prevents others from reading what I've written or scribbled as notes. This is sometimes good because then people are deterred from reading things I don't want them to see. However, it sometimes is bad because occasionally I can't even read my own writing. I used to hate writing when I was younger because my teachers always assumed I was no good at it because of my poor handwriting. Now that I can use a machine as media for my ideas, I can convey them neatly and in an easily readable fashion.

There are sometimes that I would prefer to use pen or pencil. When doing math or science homework and having limited space to show my work, I prefer a pencil to go back and erase and correct mistakes. However, over this past summer, I've discovered that whenever I write something, I prefer to do it in pen. I used to be the type to write with heavy pencil in a spiral notebook. Now my preferred media is a legal pad with a ball point pen. The ball point pen flows easier than graphite and doesn't blot like plain ink does. The other reason I prefer pens to write with is so that I can write faster. Often, if I go back and try to erase something, I forget what I wanted to say next. With pen, I just but a strike through unwanted text and continue writing. The resolve and permanency of pen means that even if I change what I've written, it's still on the paper. My more personal writing is done in pen rather than in type. Poems and short pieces or letters to people are often first drafted with pen on a legal pad and later typed. The pen is so much more personal.

It's strange that I've gone from hardcore pencil enthusiast to a pen lover. I never even used to carry pens at school. Now I only use pencil for tests. This summer I got a free Ripon College pen at Badger Boys State and when it ran out of ink early this schoolyear, I felt sad inside. It was my favorite pen and I had written some fun stuff with it. Although it was just a plain ballpoint, I had a difficult time adjusting to a new pen. Habits in writing form quickly, apparently.