NaBloPoMo: Pen or Peck?

I am participating in NaBloPoMo this month and each day they give us a prompt to write about. Today’s is: When you are writing, do you prefer to use a pen or a computer?

I love technology and I think I am forgetting how to write my name. I was at the bank the other day and was asked to endorse my check and I whipped out my iPhone to attach the .jpeg image of my signature.

All kidding aside. I believe that writing, I mean real writing, is become a lost art. Think about it; There is nothing better than a sweet little note left on your bedside table from your sweetie wishing you a good day.

There is just something about a manuscript, term paper, or screenplay, with all those editor’s changes on the pages. To me that is the flow of creativity. Don’t you think?

Getting e-cards are cool for your birthday but just not the same as a card signed in the scribbled hand of a little kid wishing you a Happy Birthday.

There is just something sensual in the fine art of calligraphy. I remember when I was in seventh grade art class and one of our projects was to learn to write in calligraphy style. I went out and bought one of those cool pens with the metal tip, a bottle of India ink and some very expensive parchment paper. I practiced and practiced and never quite master the Old English style but I did have fun…

But to remain on topic I have to say, when I am writing I prefer using my various Apple products to peck out my thoughts. It is just so much easier to think of something while I am strolling down the aisle of the grocery store and jot it down in Notes on my iPhone. Sync it to my Mac and write it in Pages and then edit or make changes using the WordPress app on my iPad. That’s just how I roll.

The Apple Gods have made it even easier to get rid of the pen and paper with the introduction of iCloud. Now you can write something on your iPad and it will show up immediately on any other device that your shirking paycheck will allow you to buy. How cool is that?

I just wonder if it is the beginning of the end of the quintessential pen. These days the back to school supply list for some schools even lists an iPad. That’s nuts! I was lucky to get the fancy-dancy scientific calculator listed on my school list. I can here my mom now, “You don’t need that. Borrow it from one of your friends.”

Which to you prefer? Pen or peck?