I haven’t stepped into another dimension
Sorry about lack of activity here, I’m having dire connection problems and may be some time.
But fortunately I live only 3 blocks from a library, so I can connect here except for Fridays. Then the question becomes how long I can bear to stay, what with diseased people coughing wetly one day and the next day twitchy teenagers thrashing and squirming opposite me while staring maniacally in my direction and writing with a pencil held by all the fingers, which is the oddest and clumsiest way of holding a pencil I’ve ever seen. At the moment however it’s very tranquil, with reasonable people sitting quietly typing or reading. So I should be able to accomplish as much as one post. Maybe even two.
Was starting to wonder…
Just make sure we know you haven’t gotten kidnapped by radical activists. Now we know you’re safe.
It’s been very good today – very quiet and non-distracting.
Still, it’s not my own desk with its proximity to the kitchen which is useful when I get hungry which I do every few minutes.
“….writing with a pencil held by all the fingers, which is the oddest and clumsiest way of holding a pencil I’ve ever seen.”
That’s reassuring, I’m not the only person who thinks it’s rather grotesque. It’s rather simian in fact, the writer seems to be subduing the pencil.
It’s not confined to the US either, Ophelia. Perhaps it’s the result of some international educational fad.
I was wondering myself.
Some Chinese write with a pencil using the standard writing-brush grip, which can be seen here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1q5NDyWeraU – I don’t know how they manage it as it is difficut to get enough pressure.
I thought you may have fainted at the sight of FTB being overrun by its commentariat.
You have *libraries* in that America place?
Last week two libraries closed down in the nearest town to me. A quarter of a million people in the immediate area and no libraries.
Wow – that’s horrifying.
Library provision is pretty decent here, I think. Probably not so much in small towns in the big Western states though, because there the distances are massive and the populations tiny. Even here in Seattle they’re physically quite spread out, because Seattle is a criminally low-density city. I’m spoiled in being so very close to one.
If you have a news link I wouldn’t mind posting about that. I’ve posted about library closures in the UK before.