Beeping & Scribbling

            Writing in my journals, usually but not limited to composition books, always had and still has a certain comfort to it. They’re tangible and can’t crash and they’re home to my thoughts. A sort of satisfaction sits with me after I’m done an entry, whether it is pages or words later. It can zap me out of some academic setting school time rut and into a trance-ish therapy. I am quite fond of pens and pretty lined paper. I have an online journal I don’t use much, so I don’t think it’s remediated anything.

            Something I don’t ruminate much about is where I spend most time writing. But I text message kind of a lot. I text message without much thought, to places as varied as to Scotland or on campus. I don’t use as many abbreviations and my phone likes to spell out words for me and that is fine. But is still reminds me back to the days of AOL, say 1995, when I had AOL and not just the instant messenger. Its instantaneous short response appeal is extremely convenient. I can’t deny that I’m having many more conversations typed out a day than I’m truly aware of and it has probably remediated instant messenger for me.

           So does all this beeping interrupt the scribbling? I think they coexist just fine, even in an era of an ever-expanding influx of technology. 

My Writing Spaces

It’s 3:00 in the morning. After some late night coffee and some strenuous thought, I’ve not only realized that I actually HAVE writing spaces, but I think I’ve managed to get them figured out too.

1. Blog

This has always been the space where I do most of my writing. Because I’ve grown drastically away from the journal method (and because “Dear Diary” no longer flies), my blog/blogs have been the place where I can write whatever it is I want. The only difference – No more top secret stickers. This is the internet. My business is YOUR business. Whatever I write, well..in most cases I intend for it to be read.

2. Instant Messenger

AKA how not to break up with your girlfriend, instant messenger provides my writing space for communication between friends and family. As it is most convenient and easy, conversations in this space are quick and to the point. I don’t worry about proper grammar, make typos like it’s my job, and use whatever abbreviations come to mind in the mindset of the fast paced, hurried exchange.

3. Pen & Paper

In all honesty, the only time I write in a notebook is when I’m in class. This works for me only because I am taking notes and scribbling all over the margins. Since I would not be able to do that with a computer, I don’t mind the looseleaf and a utensil every now and then. Oddly, it can not provide the same usefulness for me if I am trying to write a well developed composition. For that, I will always need a computer.

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Speaking of computer necessity, I’ve realized that my blog has remediated my past use of a journal.

So I used to write stuff in a hard-bound black book when I was a kid. You better believe I was cool with my designated blue ink, sticker filled margins, and sketched pictures all over the back pages. Because at the time, it was the popular thing to do.

Gradually time went on and with the purchase of my first computer, I discovered the emergence of the blog. When I first signed up to blogger.com in July 2004, I did not know what I was doing, but fortunately the journal had long gone out of style so I never went back to that space. I learned and toughed it out on the internet until I became comfortable enough to write on a regular basis without the pen.

The journal. It hasn’t come out of a locked cabinet in years.

-Ryan

Immediate remediation?

Writing, even in today’s information age, takes place in many different places. Writing a note to a family member, using text messaging on your phone, or even just typing a paper would be considered writing. Yet, three areas where I write the most may not be the most practical or technologically advanced. I still prefer to use a notebook and legal pad for most of my writings, although I will occasionally use an Internet forum to post about certain topics, but that wouldn’t be considered academic. In the notebooks and legal pad, I write rough drafts to any ideas I currently have, creative or academic, and then use that rough draft as a basis for when I actually have to type them up. That is if they make the jump to the electronic. Both of these are unique to me because they seem more personal. Sometimes typing and electronic writing can seem so informal. While the typing is our own thoughts and ideas, it lacks a tangibility that physical writing can give. As for the forum, it just exists as an outlet to express ideas and positions with other people, either like minded or those that conflict. This makes it unique in a way that I can interact with a much greater audience than I could ever in person.

When it comes to remediation, the act of one form of media supplanting the other, both notebooks and something like a legal pad would be usurped by something electronic like an Internet forum. My thoughts and ideas scribbled down on a notepad would be messy and unkempt compared to what I may be able to type on a forum. Having to abide by the forum’s rules, my posts would have to be more concise, clear, and neat for people to dissect and read. In this manner, electronic writing becomes an easier place to write as I would be able to delete and edit on the fly as opposed to having to cross out what was not intended for paper and having to rewrite it, thusly creating an even bigger mess. While this electronic writing has remediated my former writing spaces, it does not mean I have to agree with it, as I do not see myself changing with the times. Do not get me wrong, I use electronic writing virtually all the time, but nothing can beat the tangibility of a notebook.