Back in August, Adam and I came across a mechanical calculator while picking up my freshly repaired IBM Selectric II from Berkeley Typewriter. I knew mechanical calculators existed, but I didn’t really know anything about them. Still, I filed it away in my “maybe some day” list, if I happened to come across one. Fast […]
Archive for the ‘typewriter’ Category
Resurrecting an Oliver 9 Typewriter: Part 1
March 5th, 2024 by pleia2
Back in November I got to type on my first Oliver 9 at a type-in, and I mused about it: It was lovely and fascinating, and given how much I’ve thought about it since meeting that one, I’m quite certain that one will eventually enter my collection. In January, one popped up on Facebook Marketplace. […]
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An exquisite 1940 Smith-Corona Sterling
January 28th, 2024 by pleia2
Last year posted about the acquisition of an Olympia Traveller de Luxe. That’s when I received a message from my co-author of The Official Ubuntu Book and friend of mine that started out: “I have an old portable manual typewriter (1940s/50s, I think, offhand) in excellent condition…” You know where this is going, right? By […]
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My first type-in, in Philadelphia!
November 27th, 2023 by pleia2
According to Wikipedia, “The first Type-In was held on December 18. 2010, in Philadelphia, at Bridgewater’s Pub in 30th Street Station.” So it’s fitting that my first type-in was in Philadelphia! On November 18th I went to Legend of the Type-In at Cartesian Brewing, put on by Philly Typewriter. I knew I wanted to go […]
Changing the font… on a typewriter!
October 5th, 2023 by pleia2
If you’re at all familiar with mechanical typewriters, you know that changing the font isn’t really an option. That changed with the emergence of some of the most popular electric typewriters, the IBM Selectrics. These are notable for being driven by a typing ball which can be easily swapped out. Voila, new font! Many models, […]
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I finally came home with an IBM Selectric II
September 4th, 2023 by pleia2
I have a small collection of vintage typewriters. Until very recently, they were all completely mechanical and I’d avoided getting anything electric. But since I work at IBM, I routinely get asked if I own an IBM Selectric. The Selectric used to be ubiquitous in offices in the US, and it is memorable because it […]
Critters, typewriters, and cable cars
August 29th, 2023 by pleia2
Our summer adventures have continued with a lot of trips to the zoo. We got an Oakland Zoo membership a couple months ago, and I quickly learned that our boys love going to the zoo, and since it’s less than 20 minutes away, it makes for a nice late afternoon getaway if I leave work […]
1975 Olympia Traveller de Luxe, it’s portable!
June 15th, 2023 by pleia2
I mentioned that the Alameda Point Antiques Faire was where I got my wide-carriage Royal FP Elite. A couple weeks ago we went back, on the first Sunday of the month, to try our luck again. I saw a lot of Royals there, but after my experience with the Magic Margins on my Royal FPE, […]
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Wide-carriage Royal FP Elite
May 25th, 2023 by pleia2
Several weeks ago I proposed going to the Alameda Point Antiques Faire. I learned about it through the documentary, California Typewriter, but very specifically didn’t go there to look at typewriters. I like antique fairs! I wanted to browse some vinyl records! The fresh air would be enjoyable for the whole family! Besides, the secret […]
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Childcare, anniversary, trucks, and antiques
May 20th, 2023 by pleia2
We participate in the Au Pair program. It’s an exchange program overseen by the State Department that matches families who have childcare needs with young people who are looking to spend a year in another country and take some classes abroad. We started with it when Adam was just a few months old and have […]