Grumpy Old Ganz

Limited Typing Skills

As we all know, a lot of jobs require continuing education or the need to learn new skills to better improve work performance.

A few years back I was at the office trying to hone my computer skills when I came to the realization that my “skills” were very limited!

I encountered a serious issue that needed fixing. I proceeded to ask one of the ladies in the office for help. When I approached her she was talking on the phone, typing an article, and turned to ask what I needed...all at the same time...not even looking at what she was typing.

This was very frustrating to me that a person could perform these tasks all at the same time and continue to type with speed and accuracy that left me in awe.

I went home that day and immediately ordered a “learn to type” disk and began to practice and practice. I did this regularly for an hour a day for a whole month. Eventually, I resigned to the fact that I wasn’t going to learn the typing skills I would have liked to possess, which I haven’t done to this day.

I was thinking about this a couple of weeks ago and I downloaded an app and started the “learning process” again. It’s a skill I should have perfected years ago.

Over the past several weeks I have made it my mission to spend three hours a day learning. I know my “home row” and the “q" and the “p”. I have an accuracy rating of 98% and a warp speed of 11.2 words a minute. Please give me a break...I only know where 11 letters are on the keyboard..but I’m learning.

Why is this important? It takes me 2-3 hours to write this short column. It seems ridiculous, painful, and embarrassing to “hunt and peck” my way through something that should take minutes to type instead of hours.

“One two, one two, type a word or two. Arrow left, arrow right, keep those fingers nice and tight. Keys up, keys down, move those digits all around. One two, one two, type a word or two.”

Now those words are echoing in my head...I dare say it gets rather annoying...