Follow the Fortune Cookie

Day Three: Pen Worthy

"30-Day Blogging Challenge ON HIATUS" 
The Prompt: When you are writing, do you prefer to use a pen or a computer?
The Music: "Province" - TV on the Radio

The Convenient.

         The pen or the computer -- such a hard choice. For the sake of pure convenience, I'm on the computer for a good part of my day. If I'm not studying until gray matter is flowing out of my ears, then I'm on here writing little nothings, or exchanging words with a sibling to not be hasty about something. Or reading an article from my father about something strange and obscure. Or emailing my mother about a link to the thing she caught a glimpse of over my shoulder. Or poking my guy when I should be doing something productive. Or reading about my friend's favorite new mistake. Or...

         Okay, most of my life is spent on the computer. This is a sad but unavoidable truth. I am attached to this technical machine more than I would like to be. And somehow my addicted brain has worked it out a way for me to be attached to this damn thing to make a livelihood. Communication to most of my professors requires an email. Talking to family and friends requires some form of Facebook or instant messaging. Going through the tidbits of many numerous novels in the making requires a keyboard, hard drive, and computer screen. Convenience is a lovely, safe word for dependence. That's depressing.

         Moving on...

The Inspired.

         When I have a chance I pick up a freakin' pen and write. It is a throwback to when I was a wee child and there was no such thing as a computer at home. The pen was a mighty thing in school. There was a sense of permanence when writing with that black felted tip. It was the only material students were allowed to use to turn in essays. One can't erase pen (so they thought, ha!). There was a distinct sense of being closer to an adult when painstakingly writing in cursive. The burden of being well-written and perfect. Those first steps into obtaining ulcers. Ah yes, the good old days.

         Now I am an adult, at least that is what it says on my passport, so I try to act like one. I keep a pad of paper for notes in my bag and force myself to take hand-written notes during lectures. Most of the ink ends up on my hand (osmosis) because that pad of paper will end up drowning under a paperback book, medicine bag, a half eaten sandwich, and iPod when I truly need it. Still, there is something to be said for penning a poem or story with a pen. It ignites the fluidity of the moment. I have dozens of standard issue notebooks full of notes for stories or quotes I heard will walking through town. It's not the simple with a laptop (the web, anyone?).

         In the end, I would definitely would choose a pen. If someone knows where I can get a computer patch, please send me word...over the computer. That seems counter-productive, doesn't it, lol?

For your listening serenity.