If you read my first blogpost, you know that I am a writer who types with my nose! Whenever I tell people this fact about me, they are intrigued. Some people just can’t believe it until they see it! Let me tell you a little about the process that I use when I want to work on one of my books…
To start, I have to ask a family member or friend to turn on the computer. They need to locate and open the file that I want to work on and then position the cursor at the point at which I’d like to start typing. My helper also needs to position the computer keyboard in such a way that I can reach all of the keys on the keyboard with my nose from the wheelchair that I am seated in!
One of the challenges of typing with your nose is that the “quotes” button is only an apostrophe without adding the “shift” key! So I have learned to position my nose in such a way that I can press the “shift” and “quotes” keys at the same time! It takes some getting used to, but it works if you practice it long enough!
When I type by myself, (unless I am dictating), I can type around five pages per hour. If I text or email someone, they know that I type with my nose and that they need have patience with me. I do have auto-correct on my phone, but still, at times, it can take a long time for me to respond. People have asked, “how do you have the patience for that?” I smile and joke, reminding them, “I’ve been using my nose my whole life, so I’m pretty used to it! It’s almost like having an extra hand!” When I’m kneeling, I use my right hand to balance myself. If I really concentrate, and try multiple times, I can occasionally pick up an item with my left hand, but I definitely cannot type with my hands.
Thanks for reading and have a great week!!
Kev Tyrrell
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