![\"recorder\"](\"http:\/\/ladyjessop.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/04\/recorder.jpg\" "\\"recorder\\"")
<\/a> and then typed them in, editing as I went. After that when I started working full time it was several years before I had a computer at my desk and even used a computer all day.<\/p>\nIn the first law firm I worked at only secretaries and word processors had computers at their desk. Also one of the paralegals who doubled as the firm\u2019s IT guy. The rest of us had to dictate our work like the attorneys. I used to index documents and summarize depositions by speaking into a Dictaphone. It was strange and intimidating for me especially when I had to hand the finished tape to surely a word processor to be transcribed.<\/p>\n
I didn\u2019t get a computer at my desk until 1995 when I started working at a different firm. During that point of the interview when the managing attorney said, \u201cDo you have any questions?\u201d I asked if the paralegals were allowed to have computers at their desk and I\u2019m pretty sure that\u2019s what got me the job. Thus my business writing directly to a computer began.<\/p>\n
I still did personal writing by hand. It wasn\u2019t until 2002 did I ever consider keeping my journal on a computer or typing first drafts directly. What changed in 2002? Why this is when I met Jerry and he got me my first laptop!<\/p>\n
I didn\u2019t even think about it at first. I just started typing. I liked the tap-tapping noise my typing made on the keyboard; it sounded like words. At lunch I used to sit in my car with that laptop and work on short stories just because I could.<\/p>\n
Eventually the newness of it all wore off and distractions crept in. The big one? The Internet! And therein lies my reason to continue to hand writing first drafts. No internet! Sitting at my desk with just a pen and a piece of paper and no Facebook to update or Twitter feeds to check or blogs to read keeps my thoughts focused and hand moving.<\/p>\n
No distractions\u2026except Jerry telling me, \u201cHey, as long as you\u2019re up why don\u2019t we get into work early?\u201d Because the computer is not turned on, so I can\u2019t be doing anything important, right?<\/p>\n
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