Joining the small web

I had given up on posting on social media some time ago. Posting photos to Instagram lingered for a while but I haven't posted anything that I've cared about for almost a decade. Sharing my thoughts and news became something I reserved for in-person conversations. Seeing that my family live half a world away, one would think I'd be inclined to keep them abreast of the latest events. The truth is no. I don't feel the urge to keep anyone up to date with the happenings in my life except for my spouse.

For the longest time I kept my thoughts to myself and felt that it was alright because I didn't really have anything to say anyway. Boy was I surprised when I bought a typewriter from the local thrift store and found that I was typing up a storm. Never in my life would I have guessed that I had so much to say.

It has been a few months since I got the typewriter in question and it has lived in my living room since it's arrival. Much to the dismay of my spouse. It is a hulking beast that weighs in at almost 20 kgs. It's a Remington Super-Riter from the 1950's with an AZERTY keyboard and tabulator. I've written more in the last few months than I've written in the last few decades. I mean personal writing. writing for myself and not for an academic essay or a report. Writing just for me without a goal or any real purpose. I believe the term that I've come across is free-writing.

The typewriter has unblocked a need to express myself. The sound of the typewriter is music to my ears with that little bell chiming the approach of the right margin. It is not music to everyone and I need to be considerate of that. I thus invested in a little laptop from 2015; a Lenovo Yoga 11e that arrived with Linux Mint installed. Linux. How scary. Well it was for me at least. I was determined to give it a shot as I had become disillusioned with Windows and programmed obsolescence.

From the moment my fingers hit the keyboard to the moment I shut it down that evening, I was in awe at the speed and simplicity of this operating system. I can't believe that the switch from Windows hadn't happened sooner. This lead to the next few weeks of familiarisation and exploration to understand and play with this shiny new-to-me device. The Yoga 11e has a rubberised edging around the screen and I enjoy the keyboard immensely.

I gave Logseq a shot and it has been fantastic to get my thoughts down. I find that it is difficult for me to use it for long form writing. The bullets of the outliner do something to my brain to make me list things in a very concise and factual way. Nothing flows. I will continue using it to log tasks and events but I was looking for something more.

This morning I stumbled across a video that spoke about the "other" web. What the heck is that? Ah,Gopher and Gemini are things that exist. I popped straight onto the Software Manager and searched for Gemini, Lagrange was the client I chose. After much reading and experimentation I find myself looking forward to sharing a few thoughts and experiences. I for the first time in decades felt the urge to post a comment on someone's post. Thank you to the small web for sparking in me a will to interact with humans again. I have gone through a number of posts covering a variety of topics and I'm here for it. I'm still discovering how spaces work and finding the right format for me.

I look forward to discovering more corners of this space and hopefully learn a lot from all of you.

Oct 22 · 2 months ago · 👍 jsreed5, A161, bsj38381

4 Comments ↓

You're a good candidate for a gemlog, if you choose to share your thoughts. Think of it like a blog but on Gemini.

There is something freeing about those old mechanical typewriters though. No screen, no electricity, no notifications, just you, your thoughts, ink, and paper. It was nuts to me that I can just put letters on paper like that. Anywhere I want at any size paper (within reason.) I dunno it hits different than opening a word processor and sending something through the laser printer. And speaking of, it literally takes more force to press the keys, there is a whole different feel and skill to typing on a typewriter.

Welcome to Geminispace! I followed a similar trajectory to you, where I largely left social media and spent some time more or less alone with my own thoughts before coming to the small Web (at first through Gopher, then Gemini). I think you'd enjoy having a gemlog; Gemini is a slow and friendly place, where genuine expression is paramount and the pressure to drive visitors or post regularly is basically nonexistent. Some people are very active for a while, then leave the protocol--sometimes for years at a time--to eventually come back and pick up right where they left off, and the community is right here for them.

@darkghost Thank you for your comment. It feels strange to be read. I will certainly look into this gemlog. There is a kind of mechanical magic around typewriters that I think is intensified by all the electronics we are constantly surrounded by. The one I have will certainly outlive me! The reliability and tactile experience is unparalleled. Nothing like mashing those keys when frustrated or processing complex thoughts.

I’m glad to have shared a similar journey to you. I must concur that I have felt the friendly and interested nature of the comments to be refreshing. The idea of not being pushed or pressured for updates and posts to be appealing. Life is what it is. I will be looking into the gemlog concept and where to get one. Writing for myself and reading others offerings has been enriching and interesting thus far. I hope my reply finds you @jsreed5. I'm not sure if the comments are threaded or not.