After many months of searching, I finally found something I had been looking for. Or, more accurately, it found me. I was on my way back to the office from the bank (payday!) and I took a more circuitous route so as to dodge a man who tried to hustle me out of $30 on Pack Square. I passed College Street, going up the hill toward Haywood where I noticed an antique store that I hadn’t been into in years. I was really looking for 78s or Victrolas, but then I saw it: a black suitcase. It contained a portable manual typewriter, a Corona, made by Standard. (Standard eventually named themselves after their most popular model.) The case has some mold and overall grime, but is in good condition. It appears that someone has already replaced the hinges, and they did a good job, but the real gem is the typewriter, which is in very fine condition outside of needing a new ribbon. I suppose that there is not much that can go wrong with them, but I have little experience with typewriters and my reaction to anything that old is “I can’t believe it still works– MUST PURCHASE.” I’ll try and get a pic of it up soon.
It’s given me a flurry of new ideas:
- Every morning, upon waking I should sit at the typewriter and knock out a list. I’ve already done this once, and it was an excellent mental wake up. I’ll post this list later.
- At the recent ‘Co-dependent’s Day Party’ I left the typewriter in the living room and left “Please type something controversial” at the top, and I asked a couple of people to seed it. It worked out strangely, of course, and I’ll post the results later.
- I plan to take the type writer on (short) hiking trips. I find that being in an unfamiliar setting helps, and the lack of internet access on a typewriter prevents distraction. I say short trips, because the damned thing weighs a lot.
It was 5am, and I was about to fall asleep in the bed of a ’77 Chevy pick-up. For a few minutes I was content to look up and watch the stars spin. But instead, I convinced everyone to go to the Waffle House. Five miles, a hamburger, double plate hashbrowns scattered-covered-and-smothered, and one sunrise later, we made it back.
View Larger Map
If only my bad habits were as sporadic as my blogging.
Since I last updated, many changes have transpired. Foremost among them is moving to Asheville. Yes, the prodigal loser returns to Asheville, sans the constructive parable for the rest of you. Of course. I’m taking College Algebra (again! Saves on textbooks), Literature Based Research, American Music and Conceptual Physics (which prompted my grandfather to ask, “Isn’t that when a man and a woman…”). I love being in school. It gives me more satisfaction for living per hour than any other activity I do. Hmm. SL per H. Perhaps I should measure more of my life like that.
I also started a new job today, with Sensible City. I’m the online media intern. Basically, I write a lot of e-mails and figure out ways to use the web to promote environmental events. The one I’m working on now is the Eco City World Summit 2008. I know a first day isn’t much, but I like it a lot so far.
This past weekend was POPAsheville and I had a blast. To put it briefly: 2 Nights, 3 Venues, 1 Bus, 34 Bands, $15. Wow. So, I parked in downtown Asheville and went to Stella Blue. Saw Ruby Slippers. Good live, but electronic music like that is often better recorded, and I’d love to hear what they sound like on vinyl. Her voice was lovely though. Think Fiona Apple if she was a soprano and not an alto. Then I took the bus to the Grey Eagle and saw Future Islands. Had heard their name before and had no idea what to expect, but was really impressed. Crap yes! More please! Then I went to see Laura Reed and Deep Pocket at the just-opened Rocket Club, and they was great too. The Rocket Club is in West Asheville, so I made a phone call and arranged to stay at C.‘s house which was walking distance from there. Well this was fine and good but the next day I wake up (sore from lying on wood floor all night) and have to walk back to downtown Asheville to get back to my car. So I bundled up (-7° C ambient, –15° C windchill) and headed down to Sunny Point Café and had some great huevos rancheros, and many cups of strong black coffee. Then bought some RayBans and a 3-pack of black gloves. I only passed one person on the way back to town, and as chance would have it he needed a pair of gloves. So I gave him a pair. I bet he felt pretty lucky to be given a pair of gloves on the coldest day of the year. Below you can see my path.
View Larger Map
It’s really great to live in a town with such youthful culture. Leaving Tryon seems like a better idea everyday.
