1

Hang On A Minute

If you are cycling with a friend and get left behind, you might say “Hang on aminute!”. If the car starts to pull away with your shopping bag trapped in the door,you might say this rather loudly. If the doorbell rings while you are on the phone, youmight say this a bit more softly. If someone claims to write shorthand at 300 words aminute after only a week’s study, you will certainly say this, or something like it, withmore than a hint of disbelief in your voice. I hope you have resolved never to allowsuch words to form in your mind or mouth when the going gets bumpy duringshorthand writing.

1

Hang On A Minute

If you are cycling with a friend and get left behind, you might say “Hang on aminute!”. If the car starts to pull away with your shopping bag trapped in the door,you might say this rather loudly. If the doorbell rings while you are on the phone, youmight say this a bit more softly. If someone claims to write shorthand at 300 words aminute after only a week’s study, you will certainly say this, or something like it, withmore than a hint of disbelief in your voice. I hope you have resolved never to allowsuch words to form in your mind or mouth when the going gets bumpy duringshorthand writing.

1

Hang On A Minute

If you are cycling with a friend and get left behind, you might say “Hang on aminute!”. If the car starts to pull away with your shopping bag trapped in the door,you might say this rather loudly. If the doorbell rings while you are on the phone, youmight say this a bit more softly. If someone claims to write shorthand at 300 words aminute after only a week’s study, you will certainly say this, or something like it, withmore than a hint of disbelief in your voice. I hope you have resolved never to allowsuch words to form in your mind or mouth when the going gets bumpy duringshorthand writing.

2

When I first began to use shorthand in an office situation, it was the norm to takedictation of reports and letters from a variety of personnel. There were no computersthen for them to type their own. Right from the beginning I made my mind up neverto ask anyone to slow down. It would have damaged any shorthand reputation that Icould build up. If I could not manage, it was up to me to improve my speed (which Idid later on at evening classes). I cannot claim to have always avoided using someploy to gain time, because if I was getting well behind and in danger of missing achunk, the priority would always be to get a full and accurate note rather than worryabout my shorthand reputation. But resist I did, because if it became a habit, thatwould be the proverbial slippery slope to ever-increasing failure.

2

When I first began to use shorthand in an office situation, it was the norm to takedictation of reports and letters from a variety of personnel. There were no computersthen for them to type their own. Right from the beginning I made my mind up neverto ask anyone to slow down. It would have damaged any shorthand reputation that Icould build up. If I could not manage, it was up to me to improve my speed (which Idid later on at evening classes). I cannot claim to have always avoided using someploy to gain time, because if I was getting well behind and in danger of missing achunk, the priority would always be to get a full and accurate note rather than worryabout my shorthand reputation. But resist I did, because if it became a habit, thatwould be the proverbial slippery slope to ever-increasing failure.

2

When I first began to use shorthand in an office situation, it was the norm to takedictation of reports and letters from a variety of personnel. There were no computersthen for them to type their own. Right from the beginning I made my mind up neverto ask anyone to slow down. It would have damaged any shorthand reputation that Icould build up. If I could not manage, it was up to me to improve my speed (which Idid later on at evening classes). I cannot claim to have always avoided using someploy to gain time, because if I was getting well behind and in danger of missing achunk, the priority would always be to get a full and accurate note rather than worryabout my shorthand reputation. But resist I did, because if it became a habit, thatwould be the proverbial slippery slope to ever-increasing failure.

3

If anyone decided they needed to speak painfully slowly just for my benefit, I wouldmake an extra effort to stay right on top of their words, so that as soon as they hadfinished speaking, I was ready to look up innocently, as if to say “Next word?” Theyhad obviously found it necessary to do so for another writer in the past, and I did notwant to get stuck in that category. But I also had to have a plan of action when thingswere too fast. I had an armory of ruses to interrupt the flow – asking them to repeat aword, spell something or checking some detail. None of these imply that the problemis any lack of speed capability. On the contrary, it was always done in the spirit ofbeing particularly fussy about accuracy, which indeed I was – in fact it was what Iwas paid for, not an added extra!

3

If anyone decided they needed to speak painfully slowly just for my benefit, I wouldmake an extra effort to stay right on top of their words, so that as soon as they hadfinished speaking, I was ready to look up innocently, as if to say “Next word?” Theyhad obviously found it necessary to do so for another writer in the past, and I did notwant to get stuck in that category. But I also had to have a plan of action when thingswere too fast. I had an armory of ruses to interrupt the flow – asking them to repeat aword, spell something or checking some detail. None of these imply that the problemis any lack of speed capability. On the contrary, it was always done in the spirit ofbeing particularly fussy about accuracy, which indeed I was – in fact it was what Iwas paid for, not an added extra!

3

If anyone decided they needed to speak painfully slowly just for my benefit, I wouldmake an extra effort to stay right on top of their words, so that as soon as they hadfinished speaking, I was ready to look up innocently, as if to say “Next word?” Theyhad obviously found it necessary to do so for another writer in the past, and I did notwant to get stuck in that category. But I also had to have a plan of action when thingswere too fast. I had an armory of ruses to interrupt the flow – asking them to repeat aword, spell something or checking some detail. None of these imply that the problemis any lack of speed capability. On the contrary, it was always done in the spirit ofbeing particularly fussy about accuracy, which indeed I was – in fact it was what Iwas paid for, not an added extra!

4

From a practical point of view, that frame of mind was essential, because any errorswould mean a complete retype, as it was all done on typewriters and not computers,directly onto paper and not stored in digital form. Such subterfuges would have beendesperate measures and seldom possible to use, and generally the only course wasto redouble my efforts to keep up, just as I had done in the shorthand class.Fortunately they were mostly composing their reports and correspondence as theywent, and so the speed of speaking was not that great and there were lots ofpauses. Without computers, it was impractical to produce endless drafts and soreading back the shorthand for them to check and revise their wording was thecustom, and confidence in one’s outlines was vital.

4

From a practical point of view, that frame of mind was essential, because any errorswould mean a complete retype, as it was all done on typewriters and not computers,directly onto paper and not stored in digital form. Such subterfuges would have beendesperate measures and seldom possible to use, and generally the only course wasto redouble my efforts to keep up, just as I had done in the shorthand class.Fortunately they were mostly composing their reports and correspondence as theywent, and so the speed of speaking was not that great and there were lots ofpauses. Without computers, it was impractical to produce endless drafts and soreading back the shorthand for them to check and revise their wording was thecustom, and confidence in one’s outlines was vital.

4

From a practical point of view, that frame of mind was essential, because any errorswould mean a complete retype, as it was all done on typewriters and not computers,directly onto paper and not stored in digital form. Such subterfuges would have beendesperate measures and seldom possible to use, and generally the only course wasto redouble my efforts to keep up, just as I had done in the shorthand class.Fortunately they were mostly composing their reports and correspondence as theywent, and so the speed of speaking was not that great and there were lots ofpauses. Without computers, it was impractical to produce endless drafts and soreading back the shorthand for them to check and revise their wording was thecustom, and confidence in one’s outlines was vital.

5

The days of the shorthand typist taking direct dictation may be long gone now, butthe desire to maintain your skill and reputation for fast and reliable shorthand writingis one to be encouraged. Whatever you are using it for, you want to be writingcomfortably and neatly, with the confidence that you can read back fluently, evenfrom cold notes. Having speed in hand makes this possible and ensures that yourshorthand is dependable, devoid of gaps or indecipherable outlines, and a pleasureto use.

Even if you do not require to write verbatim, but only need to jot down the mainpoints of the meeting, speech or event, the faster and more easily you can writeshorthand, the fuller your notes can be. If you were taking notes of a meeting inlonghand, you would probably only write headings, short phrases and single words,and rely on memory to expand them. With a comfortable shorthand speed, you canwrite a whole sentence in the time it takes for the speaker to pause while he or shethinks of their next point. You can then give more attention to proceedings and soyour notes will make more sense, rather than be a jumble of bits written hastily in thehopes of sorting it out later. Entirely verbatim in such a situation would not be helpful,as you would need to relive the whole meeting in order to summarize it.

5

The days of the shorthand typist taking direct dictation may be long gone now, butthe desire to maintain your skill and reputation for fast and reliable shorthand writingis one to be encouraged. Whatever you are using it for, you want to be writingcomfortably and neatly, with the confidence that you can read back fluently, evenfrom cold notes. Having speed in hand makes this possible and ensures that yourshorthand is dependable, devoid of gaps or indecipherable outlines, and a pleasureto use.

Even if you do not require to write verbatim, but only need to jot down the mainpoints of the meeting, speech or event, the faster and more easily you can writeshorthand, the fuller your notes can be. If you were taking notes of a meeting inlonghand, you would probably only write headings, short phrases and single words,and rely on memory to expand them. With a comfortable shorthand speed, you canwrite a whole sentence in the time it takes for the speaker to pause while he or shethinks of their next point. You can then give more attention to proceedings and soyour notes will make more sense, rather than be a jumble of bits written hastily in thehopes of sorting it out later. Entirely verbatim in such a situation would not be helpful,as you would need to relive the whole meeting in order to summarize it.

5

The days of the shorthand typist taking direct dictation may be long gone now, butthe desire to maintain your skill and reputation for fast and reliable shorthand writingis one to be encouraged. Whatever you are using it for, you want to be writingcomfortably and neatly, with the confidence that you can read back fluently, evenfrom cold notes. Having speed in hand makes this possible and ensures that yourshorthand is dependable, devoid of gaps or indecipherable outlines, and a pleasureto use.

Even if you do not require to write verbatim, but only need to jot down the mainpoints of the meeting, speech or event, the faster and more easily you can writeshorthand, the fuller your notes can be. If you were taking notes of a meeting inlonghand, you would probably only write headings, short phrases and single words,and rely on memory to expand them. With a comfortable shorthand speed, you canwrite a whole sentence in the time it takes for the speaker to pause while he or shethinks of their next point. You can then give more attention to proceedings and soyour notes will make more sense, rather than be a jumble of bits written hastily in thehopes of sorting it out later. Entirely verbatim in such a situation would not be helpful,as you would need to relive the whole meeting in order to summarize it.

6

During your study and speed practice times, verbatim has to be the only acceptableaim. Gaps may appear but they do not have to be tolerated. On the contrary theyshould be pounced on, dealt with and expunged. They may occur when you arepushing the speed boundaries, but this should be a matter of concern, not ofindifference. “Verbatim” and “Just Notes” are two different countries whoseinhabitants have vastly different lives and comfort levels. I would like to encourageyou to remain a permanent citizen of the former, and in the latter a distinguishedvisitor on assignment, but with a very firm grip on your shorthand passport! (912words)

(Verbatim here is used in its basic sense of "word for word", although the term canalso be used to describe a stenographer who can write word for word at any requiredspeed.)

6

During your study and speed practice times, verbatim has to be the only acceptableaim. Gaps may appear but they do not have to be tolerated. On the contrary theyshould be pounced on, dealt with and expunged. They may occur when you arepushing the speed boundaries, but this should be a matter of concern, not ofindifference. “Verbatim” and “Just Notes” are two different countries whoseinhabitants have vastly different lives and comfort levels. I would like to encourageyou to remain a permanent citizen of the former, and in the latter a distinguishedvisitor on assignment, but with a very firm grip on your shorthand passport! (912words)

(Verbatim here is used in its basic sense of "word for word", although the term canalso be used to describe a stenographer who can write word for word at any requiredspeed.)

6

During your study and speed practice times, verbatim has to be the only acceptableaim. Gaps may appear but they do not have to be tolerated. On the contrary theyshould be pounced on, dealt with and expunged. They may occur when you arepushing the speed boundaries, but this should be a matter of concern, not ofindifference. “Verbatim” and “Just Notes” are two different countries whoseinhabitants have vastly different lives and comfort levels. I would like to encourageyou to remain a permanent citizen of the former, and in the latter a distinguishedvisitor on assignment, but with a very firm grip on your shorthand passport! (912words)

(Verbatim here is used in its basic sense of "word for word", although the term canalso be used to describe a stenographer who can write word for word at any requiredspeed.)

7

Letter From The MD

My Dear Friends and Supporters, I would just like to thank you all for looking after allus ducks while our three ponds in Priory Gardens have been dried out in recentmonths, although some of us did make a few expeditions to investigate the watersituation further downstream. We were delighted with the response from ourgenerous sponsors and loyal devotees in providing lots of bread to make up for theshortage of pond weed. The heavy rain has replenished the underground springsand it is wonderful to hear the gurgling of the weir again. We are now back on asalad and insects diet, which I think will do wonders for our health, although the bitsof whole meal bagel the other day were absolutely delicious. You may have noticedthat we have been able to construct our twiggy nests, now that we have theprotection of a reasonable depth of fresh water, and I would like to invite you all backin a few weeks' time to admire our new ducklings.

7

Letter From The MD

My Dear Friends and Supporters, I would just like to thank you all for looking after allus ducks while our three ponds in Priory Gardens have been dried out in recentmonths, although some of us did make a few expeditions to investigate the watersituation further downstream. We were delighted with the response from ourgenerous sponsors and loyal devotees in providing lots of bread to make up for theshortage of pond weed. The heavy rain has replenished the underground springsand it is wonderful to hear the gurgling of the weir again. We are now back on asalad and insects diet, which I think will do wonders for our health, although the bitsof whole meal bagel the other day were absolutely delicious. You may have noticedthat we have been able to construct our twiggy nests, now that we have theprotection of a reasonable depth of fresh water, and I would like to invite you all backin a few weeks' time to admire our new ducklings.

7

Letter From The MD

My Dear Friends and Supporters, I would just like to thank you all for looking after allus ducks while our three ponds in Priory Gardens have been dried out in recentmonths, although some of us did make a few expeditions to investigate the watersituation further downstream. We were delighted with the response from ourgenerous sponsors and loyal devotees in providing lots of bread to make up for theshortage of pond weed. The heavy rain has replenished the underground springsand it is wonderful to hear the gurgling of the weir again. We are now back on asalad and insects diet, which I think will do wonders for our health, although the bitsof whole meal bagel the other day were absolutely delicious. You may have noticedthat we have been able to construct our twiggy nests, now that we have theprotection of a reasonable depth of fresh water, and I would like to invite you all backin a few weeks' time to admire our new ducklings.

8

We are really enjoying being able to swim around rapidly, instead of the slow andexhausting waddling that we have had to put up with. Please don’t be offended if weswim away from anyone very noisy, as you just can’t be too sure nowadays whetherit is exuberance and delight at seeing us, or maybe something a bit more boisterous,which we don’t really enjoy that much. We would like to extend our grateful thanks tothe volunteer pigeons who have cleared up the excess crusts, so that the area isalways clean and wholesome each day when people come with more bags of the“white stuff”. I have had reports of some of the drakes indulging in one or two fightsin front of the ladies, but I have had words, or more precisely quacks, with them andthey have promised to behave in future. If you have any further concerns about us orour ponds, I will be glad to answer your queries, if you care to introduce yourself tome next time we meet. Yours sincerely, A. Quicker, Mallard Drake, Priory GardensPond Users’ Supervisor. (362 words)

8

We are really enjoying being able to swim around rapidly, instead of the slow andexhausting waddling that we have had to put up with. Please don’t be offended if weswim away from anyone very noisy, as you just can’t be too sure nowadays whetherit is exuberance and delight at seeing us, or maybe something a bit more boisterous,which we don’t really enjoy that much. We would like to extend our grateful thanks tothe volunteer pigeons who have cleared up the excess crusts, so that the area isalways clean and wholesome each day when people come with more bags of the“white stuff”. I have had reports of some of the drakes indulging in one or two fightsin front of the ladies, but I have had words, or more precisely quacks, with them andthey have promised to behave in future. If you have any further concerns about us orour ponds, I will be glad to answer your queries, if you care to introduce yourself tome next time we meet. Yours sincerely, A. Quicker, Mallard Drake, Priory GardensPond Users’ Supervisor. (362 words)

8

We are really enjoying being able to swim around rapidly, instead of the slow andexhausting waddling that we have had to put up with. Please don’t be offended if weswim away from anyone very noisy, as you just can’t be too sure nowadays whetherit is exuberance and delight at seeing us, or maybe something a bit more boisterous,which we don’t really enjoy that much. We would like to extend our grateful thanks tothe volunteer pigeons who have cleared up the excess crusts, so that the area isalways clean and wholesome each day when people come with more bags of the“white stuff”. I have had reports of some of the drakes indulging in one or two fightsin front of the ladies, but I have had words, or more precisely quacks, with them andthey have promised to behave in future. If you have any further concerns about us orour ponds, I will be glad to answer your queries, if you care to introduce yourself tome next time we meet. Yours sincerely, A. Quicker, Mallard Drake, Priory GardensPond Users’ Supervisor. (362 words)

9

In The Garden

Here is my favourite part of my suburban garden. There are many trees surroundingit and as the subsoil is clay, the ground is always very dry. Seasonal flower beds arenot possible as the ground becomes very hard and solid during the summer and thecracking clay can break any shallow plant roots. Over the years I have found it easierto concentrate on flowering shrubs and evergreens which become maintenance-freeonce they are established. Any seasonal flowers are grown in pots - daffodils andtulips in the spring, and fuchsias and pelargoniums during the summer months. Atthe end of the year the spent soil in the pots can be spread around the garden.

9

In The Garden

Here is my favourite part of my suburban garden. There are many trees surroundingit and as the subsoil is clay, the ground is always very dry. Seasonal flower beds arenot possible as the ground becomes very hard and solid during the summer and thecracking clay can break any shallow plant roots. Over the years I have found it easierto concentrate on flowering shrubs and evergreens which become maintenance-freeonce they are established. Any seasonal flowers are grown in pots - daffodils andtulips in the spring, and fuchsias and pelargoniums during the summer months. Atthe end of the year the spent soil in the pots can be spread around the garden.

9

In The Garden

Here is my favourite part of my suburban garden. There are many trees surroundingit and as the subsoil is clay, the ground is always very dry. Seasonal flower beds arenot possible as the ground becomes very hard and solid during the summer and thecracking clay can break any shallow plant roots. Over the years I have found it easierto concentrate on flowering shrubs and evergreens which become maintenance-freeonce they are established. Any seasonal flowers are grown in pots - daffodils andtulips in the spring, and fuchsias and pelargoniums during the summer months. Atthe end of the year the spent soil in the pots can be spread around the garden.

10

There are several small fruit trees, the most prolific being Spartan which is a verydark red apple with fragrant white flesh, and even on a small tree the apples arelarge, and disease and pest-free. This tree is planted next to the pond, so maybe it isbenefiting from the occasional overflow of nutrient rich water. The Conference Peartree is also a very good fruiter. The most important point when buying a fruit tree is tocheck the root stock onto which the named variety has been grafted, as it is thatwhich determines the final size of the tree. It would be a great shame to have to chopback a fruit tree growing too large for its allotted space in a small garden.

This paved part is just beyond a fishpond which is home to goldfish of all colors –orange, pink, black and mottled. In spring it is a magnet for frogs who lay their spawnon the shallow shelf at one end. This shallow end is a great favorite with the fish on asunny day and they like to lie in the weed and enjoy the warmth. On a really hot daythey will line up at the filter outlet for the freshly oxygenated water, and then we knowit is time to thin out the water lily leaves which are blocking the water surface fromthe necessary contact with the air. When the water lily leaves grow really thickly, wehave sometimes seen sparrows having a bath in the watery patches, totally unawareof the great depths and strange scaly creatures gliding beneath them.

10

There are several small fruit trees, the most prolific being Spartan which is a verydark red apple with fragrant white flesh, and even on a small tree the apples arelarge, and disease and pest-free. This tree is planted next to the pond, so maybe it isbenefiting from the occasional overflow of nutrient rich water. The Conference Peartree is also a very good fruiter. The most important point when buying a fruit tree is tocheck the root stock onto which the named variety has been grafted, as it is thatwhich determines the final size of the tree. It would be a great shame to have to chopback a fruit tree growing too large for its allotted space in a small garden.

This paved part is just beyond a fishpond which is home to goldfish of all colors –orange, pink, black and mottled. In spring it is a magnet for frogs who lay their spawnon the shallow shelf at one end. This shallow end is a great favorite with the fish on asunny day and they like to lie in the weed and enjoy the warmth. On a really hot daythey will line up at the filter outlet for the freshly oxygenated water, and then we knowit is time to thin out the water lily leaves which are blocking the water surface fromthe necessary contact with the air. When the water lily leaves grow really thickly, wehave sometimes seen sparrows having a bath in the watery patches, totally unawareof the great depths and strange scaly creatures gliding beneath them.

10

There are several small fruit trees, the most prolific being Spartan which is a verydark red apple with fragrant white flesh, and even on a small tree the apples arelarge, and disease and pest-free. This tree is planted next to the pond, so maybe it isbenefiting from the occasional overflow of nutrient rich water. The Conference Peartree is also a very good fruiter. The most important point when buying a fruit tree is tocheck the root stock onto which the named variety has been grafted, as it is thatwhich determines the final size of the tree. It would be a great shame to have to chopback a fruit tree growing too large for its allotted space in a small garden.

This paved part is just beyond a fishpond which is home to goldfish of all colors –orange, pink, black and mottled. In spring it is a magnet for frogs who lay their spawnon the shallow shelf at one end. This shallow end is a great favorite with the fish on asunny day and they like to lie in the weed and enjoy the warmth. On a really hot daythey will line up at the filter outlet for the freshly oxygenated water, and then we knowit is time to thin out the water lily leaves which are blocking the water surface fromthe necessary contact with the air. When the water lily leaves grow really thickly, wehave sometimes seen sparrows having a bath in the watery patches, totally unawareof the great depths and strange scaly creatures gliding beneath them.

11

There are lots of bird boxes around the garden and most years we have bluetitsnesting. We always see pairs of robins but sometimes they are just collecting food inour garden and do not always nest here. They are particularly attentive whensomeone is gardening. Even just walking over a damp lawn will drive worms to thesurface with the pressure and vibration, and the robin is always quick to dive downand investigate, as long as I pretend to ignore him, all the while sneakily and furtivelyangling the camera in his direction. In the evergreens against the fence the blackbirdmay nest occasionally. The garden is relatively safe for the young birds as there areno pets or children, and there are plenty of hiding places and open soil for their foodsupply.

11

There are lots of bird boxes around the garden and most years we have bluetitsnesting. We always see pairs of robins but sometimes they are just collecting food inour garden and do not always nest here. They are particularly attentive whensomeone is gardening. Even just walking over a damp lawn will drive worms to thesurface with the pressure and vibration, and the robin is always quick to dive downand investigate, as long as I pretend to ignore him, all the while sneakily and furtivelyangling the camera in his direction. In the evergreens against the fence the blackbirdmay nest occasionally. The garden is relatively safe for the young birds as there areno pets or children, and there are plenty of hiding places and open soil for their foodsupply.

11

There are lots of bird boxes around the garden and most years we have bluetitsnesting. We always see pairs of robins but sometimes they are just collecting food inour garden and do not always nest here. They are particularly attentive whensomeone is gardening. Even just walking over a damp lawn will drive worms to thesurface with the pressure and vibration, and the robin is always quick to dive downand investigate, as long as I pretend to ignore him, all the while sneakily and furtivelyangling the camera in his direction. In the evergreens against the fence the blackbirdmay nest occasionally. The garden is relatively safe for the young birds as there areno pets or children, and there are plenty of hiding places and open soil for their foodsupply.

12

During the nesting season, I am sometimes “moved on” by the insistent cluckingcalls of one of the parent birds, with dinner in beak, who does not want a largehuman monster standing around nearby, as they wish to feed their young in the nestbox or parked in the bushes. I obediently walk off when requested. However, theyare quite glad of the “monster” when there is a prowling cat to be chased off, pots tobe lifted revealing the worms underneath, or compost bins to be emptied and theedible goodies within made available. I have learned that they do not like beingstared at, and they prefer us to move in slow motion, thus persuading them that weare not interested enough or quick enough to chase them. As long as people are notdisturbing them in any way, the birds seem to derive an advantage from nestingclose to our activities, in order to be safe from other predators. I am so glad that theylet me use their garden now and again!

12

During the nesting season, I am sometimes “moved on” by the insistent cluckingcalls of one of the parent birds, with dinner in beak, who does not want a largehuman monster standing around nearby, as they wish to feed their young in the nestbox or parked in the bushes. I obediently walk off when requested. However, theyare quite glad of the “monster” when there is a prowling cat to be chased off, pots tobe lifted revealing the worms underneath, or compost bins to be emptied and theedible goodies within made available. I have learned that they do not like beingstared at, and they prefer us to move in slow motion, thus persuading them that weare not interested enough or quick enough to chase them. As long as people are notdisturbing them in any way, the birds seem to derive an advantage from nestingclose to our activities, in order to be safe from other predators. I am so glad that theylet me use their garden now and again!

12

During the nesting season, I am sometimes “moved on” by the insistent cluckingcalls of one of the parent birds, with dinner in beak, who does not want a largehuman monster standing around nearby, as they wish to feed their young in the nestbox or parked in the bushes. I obediently walk off when requested. However, theyare quite glad of the “monster” when there is a prowling cat to be chased off, pots tobe lifted revealing the worms underneath, or compost bins to be emptied and theedible goodies within made available. I have learned that they do not like beingstared at, and they prefer us to move in slow motion, thus persuading them that weare not interested enough or quick enough to chase them. As long as people are notdisturbing them in any way, the birds seem to derive an advantage from nestingclose to our activities, in order to be safe from other predators. I am so glad that theylet me use their garden now and again!

13

We sometimes have visits from less common birds such as chaffinch, goldfinch,wren and very rarely wagtail, bullfinch and fire crest, but all these are very shy andwill disappear as soon as they see anyone nearby. Winter brings the occasionalgreenfinch in from the countryside in search of extra food and they are more heardthan seen, with their prolonged single-note calls. Another intermittent visitor is thedragonfly. Most years we see the small iridescent blue ones but sometimes a muchlarger green or brown dragonfly will make a sudden appearance. They like aprominent perch by the pond where they can launch into their attack on any othercontender for ownership of the water. All these sights and sounds can only beenjoyed if you sit quietly and observe – camera in hand, of course! (835 words)

13

We sometimes have visits from less common birds such as chaffinch, goldfinch,wren and very rarely wagtail, bullfinch and fire crest, but all these are very shy andwill disappear as soon as they see anyone nearby. Winter brings the occasionalgreenfinch in from the countryside in search of extra food and they are more heardthan seen, with their prolonged single-note calls. Another intermittent visitor is thedragonfly. Most years we see the small iridescent blue ones but sometimes a muchlarger green or brown dragonfly will make a sudden appearance. They like aprominent perch by the pond where they can launch into their attack on any othercontender for ownership of the water. All these sights and sounds can only beenjoyed if you sit quietly and observe – camera in hand, of course! (835 words)

13

We sometimes have visits from less common birds such as chaffinch, goldfinch,wren and very rarely wagtail, bullfinch and fire crest, but all these are very shy andwill disappear as soon as they see anyone nearby. Winter brings the occasionalgreenfinch in from the countryside in search of extra food and they are more heardthan seen, with their prolonged single-note calls. Another intermittent visitor is thedragonfly. Most years we see the small iridescent blue ones but sometimes a muchlarger green or brown dragonfly will make a sudden appearance. They like aprominent perch by the pond where they can launch into their attack on any othercontender for ownership of the water. All these sights and sounds can only beenjoyed if you sit quietly and observe – camera in hand, of course! (835 words)

14

What Are You Waiting For?

As a shorthand student, I am sure that you have come to value every spare minuteat your disposal. I would assume that most learners want to attain a reasonablespeed and are not just pursuing this study for artistic reasons or to fill vacant hours.Once you have a desired goal in mind, you begin to realize how much time is wastedduring daily life. It is frustrating to be sitting on a bus or train wishing you werealready at your destination, so that you can get on with your lessons, studies, projector assignment. You may feel that time is suddenly in short supply and you resent itslipping through your fingers, as it were, when you would prefer to be able to useevery second of it. In short, you become a time miser!

14

What Are You Waiting For?

As a shorthand student, I am sure that you have come to value every spare minuteat your disposal. I would assume that most learners want to attain a reasonablespeed and are not just pursuing this study for artistic reasons or to fill vacant hours.Once you have a desired goal in mind, you begin to realize how much time is wastedduring daily life. It is frustrating to be sitting on a bus or train wishing you werealready at your destination, so that you can get on with your lessons, studies, projector assignment. You may feel that time is suddenly in short supply and you resent itslipping through your fingers, as it were, when you would prefer to be able to useevery second of it. In short, you become a time miser!

14

What Are You Waiting For?

As a shorthand student, I am sure that you have come to value every spare minuteat your disposal. I would assume that most learners want to attain a reasonablespeed and are not just pursuing this study for artistic reasons or to fill vacant hours.Once you have a desired goal in mind, you begin to realize how much time is wastedduring daily life. It is frustrating to be sitting on a bus or train wishing you werealready at your destination, so that you can get on with your lessons, studies, projector assignment. You may feel that time is suddenly in short supply and you resent itslipping through your fingers, as it were, when you would prefer to be able to useevery second of it. In short, you become a time miser!

15

Two minutes spent standing waiting for a kettle, microwave oven or pot on the stoveare two minutes that could have been spent increasing your familiarity withshorthand. If you pin up a shorthand stroke reminder list in a safe place on yourkitchen wall, you can have the outlines always before your eyes, even when washingthe dishes. Time spent standing at a bus stop can be used to convert shop and roadsigns into shorthand symbols. Conversations overheard standing in line in thesupermarket can be mentally written in shorthand, or at least parts of them. If youalways have a piece of shorthand reading material in your purse or pocket, you willnever be without the means to add to your skill. You could print off the shorthandjpg’s of these blog articles or material from the main website and collate them into asmall booklet, or write them out into a pocket-sized notebook.

15

Two minutes spent standing waiting for a kettle, microwave oven or pot on the stoveare two minutes that could have been spent increasing your familiarity withshorthand. If you pin up a shorthand stroke reminder list in a safe place on yourkitchen wall, you can have the outlines always before your eyes, even when washingthe dishes. Time spent standing at a bus stop can be used to convert shop and roadsigns into shorthand symbols. Conversations overheard standing in line in thesupermarket can be mentally written in shorthand, or at least parts of them. If youalways have a piece of shorthand reading material in your purse or pocket, you willnever be without the means to add to your skill. You could print off the shorthandjpg’s of these blog articles or material from the main website and collate them into asmall booklet, or write them out into a pocket-sized notebook.

15

Two minutes spent standing waiting for a kettle, microwave oven or pot on the stoveare two minutes that could have been spent increasing your familiarity withshorthand. If you pin up a shorthand stroke reminder list in a safe place on yourkitchen wall, you can have the outlines always before your eyes, even when washingthe dishes. Time spent standing at a bus stop can be used to convert shop and roadsigns into shorthand symbols. Conversations overheard standing in line in thesupermarket can be mentally written in shorthand, or at least parts of them. If youalways have a piece of shorthand reading material in your purse or pocket, you willnever be without the means to add to your skill. You could print off the shorthandjpg’s of these blog articles or material from the main website and collate them into asmall booklet, or write them out into a pocket-sized notebook.

16

At home or at your place of work you could replace the longhand wall calendar with ashorthand version and perhaps even write your diary reminders in shorthand.Telephone messages can be done all or partly in shorthand. You can use one of thewebsite shorthand graphics as your computer desktop wallpaper, which will have theextra advantage of advertising your new skill. I am very sorry, but you are notallowed to eat your snack or lunch until you know the shorthand outline for each item– apple, banana, chocolate, sandwich, tea, coffee! Whilst you are in the park readingyour newspaper, you could write outlines over the top of each word of the article – ifyou use a very hard pencil you will make no marks, but you will gain useful training inthe rapid recall of outlines.

16

At home or at your place of work you could replace the longhand wall calendar with ashorthand version and perhaps even write your diary reminders in shorthand.Telephone messages can be done all or partly in shorthand. You can use one of thewebsite shorthand graphics as your computer desktop wallpaper, which will have theextra advantage of advertising your new skill. I am very sorry, but you are notallowed to eat your snack or lunch until you know the shorthand outline for each item– apple, banana, chocolate, sandwich, tea, coffee! Whilst you are in the park readingyour newspaper, you could write outlines over the top of each word of the article – ifyou use a very hard pencil you will make no marks, but you will gain useful training inthe rapid recall of outlines.

16

At home or at your place of work you could replace the longhand wall calendar with ashorthand version and perhaps even write your diary reminders in shorthand.Telephone messages can be done all or partly in shorthand. You can use one of thewebsite shorthand graphics as your computer desktop wallpaper, which will have theextra advantage of advertising your new skill. I am very sorry, but you are notallowed to eat your snack or lunch until you know the shorthand outline for each item– apple, banana, chocolate, sandwich, tea, coffee! Whilst you are in the park readingyour newspaper, you could write outlines over the top of each word of the article – ifyou use a very hard pencil you will make no marks, but you will gain useful training inthe rapid recall of outlines.

17

The ease with which you read and write longhand was gained by being constantlysurrounded by it, until it became a normal part of your environment. When you see it,you think instantly of what it means and do not spend ages deciphering it. Bysurrounding yourself with shorthand, it becomes a normal part of life, rather thansome special study of strange symbols. When the time comes to get on with yourmore formal and focused shorthand study periods, you will have already gainedmany minutes, if not hours, of useful learning before you ever sit down at the deskand book. You will feel that you are improving and polishing something you alreadyknow, rather than trying to learn something new and strange.

17

The ease with which you read and write longhand was gained by being constantlysurrounded by it, until it became a normal part of your environment. When you see it,you think instantly of what it means and do not spend ages deciphering it. Bysurrounding yourself with shorthand, it becomes a normal part of life, rather thansome special study of strange symbols. When the time comes to get on with yourmore formal and focused shorthand study periods, you will have already gainedmany minutes, if not hours, of useful learning before you ever sit down at the deskand book. You will feel that you are improving and polishing something you alreadyknow, rather than trying to learn something new and strange.

17

The ease with which you read and write longhand was gained by being constantlysurrounded by it, until it became a normal part of your environment. When you see it,you think instantly of what it means and do not spend ages deciphering it. Bysurrounding yourself with shorthand, it becomes a normal part of life, rather thansome special study of strange symbols. When the time comes to get on with yourmore formal and focused shorthand study periods, you will have already gainedmany minutes, if not hours, of useful learning before you ever sit down at the deskand book. You will feel that you are improving and polishing something you alreadyknow, rather than trying to learn something new and strange.

18

This may all seem over the top but I have found that when starting a new subjectthere does seem to be a limited supply of energy that feeds the enthusiasm. Unlessa real benefit is gained quite quickly from the effort you have put in, that energy mayrun out. Successes keep the enthusiasm going, and so any method that speeds upthe learning process will keep the momentum going. Once your shorthand hasdeveloped to where you can use it comfortably all the time in real situations, withoutany fatigue or anxiety, you will have passed the danger zone where other studentsmay give up through lack of results, frustration or disappointment. This is like walkingwith heavy bags – the sooner you get to your destination, the less energy you willhave expended in total, even though the temptation is to go more slowly.

This greedy attitude towards time, the desire to get benefit from every minute spentwaiting for something else, increases the total time you have available for yourstudies, without you having to cut out any other activities. With intelligent anddedicated time management, or should I say time redemption, the committed studentcan easily learn Pitman’s Shorthand within a three-month period, to a speed that willbe faster than longhand. As a matter of fact, I myself would like the satisfaction ofwriting faster shorthand, so - what am I waiting for? (797 words)

Thames Pageant

18

This may all seem over the top but I have found that when starting a new subjectthere does seem to be a limited supply of energy that feeds the enthusiasm. Unlessa real benefit is gained quite quickly from the effort you have put in, that energy mayrun out. Successes keep the enthusiasm going, and so any method that speeds upthe learning process will keep the momentum going. Once your shorthand hasdeveloped to where you can use it comfortably all the time in real situations, withoutany fatigue or anxiety, you will have passed the danger zone where other studentsmay give up through lack of results, frustration or disappointment. This is like walkingwith heavy bags – the sooner you get to your destination, the less energy you willhave expended in total, even though the temptation is to go more slowly.

This greedy attitude towards time, the desire to get benefit from every minute spentwaiting for something else, increases the total time you have available for yourstudies, without you having to cut out any other activities. With intelligent anddedicated time management, or should I say time redemption, the committed studentcan easily learn Pitman’s Shorthand within a three-month period, to a speed that willbe faster than longhand. As a matter of fact, I myself would like the satisfaction ofwriting faster shorthand, so - what am I waiting for? (797 words)

Thames Pageant

18

This may all seem over the top but I have found that when starting a new subjectthere does seem to be a limited supply of energy that feeds the enthusiasm. Unlessa real benefit is gained quite quickly from the effort you have put in, that energy mayrun out. Successes keep the enthusiasm going, and so any method that speeds upthe learning process will keep the momentum going. Once your shorthand hasdeveloped to where you can use it comfortably all the time in real situations, withoutany fatigue or anxiety, you will have passed the danger zone where other studentsmay give up through lack of results, frustration or disappointment. This is like walkingwith heavy bags – the sooner you get to your destination, the less energy you willhave expended in total, even though the temptation is to go more slowly.

This greedy attitude towards time, the desire to get benefit from every minute spentwaiting for something else, increases the total time you have available for yourstudies, without you having to cut out any other activities. With intelligent anddedicated time management, or should I say time redemption, the committed studentcan easily learn Pitman’s Shorthand within a three-month period, to a speed that willbe faster than longhand. As a matter of fact, I myself would like the satisfaction ofwriting faster shorthand, so - what am I waiting for? (797 words)

Thames Pageant

19

Like millions of people worldwide, I have just enjoyed watching Queen Elizabeth’sDiamond Jubilee Pageant along the River Thames. Unlike television viewers in theircomfortable armchairs, the Queen spent the whole time standing up, which is veryadmirable considering her age, especially as the rain and wind settled in towards theend. I greatly enjoyed the colorfulness of the event, with everything swathed in UnionJack flags, banners, ribbons, swags and other creative decorations. The corgi dogshaped cake created by the Women’s Institute was quite memorable!

The aerial views from the cameras on top of the bridges were especially interesting,as all the detail of the muddy choppy waters was absent. The river looked like a giantflat grey motorway with a cavalcade of boat-shaped cars gliding along it. One couldalmost believe that it would be possible to run across it. This did in fact occur at theFrost Fairs held on the Thames during previous centuries, when the river was wider,shallower and slower, enabling it to freeze over during some of the colder winters.

19

Like millions of people worldwide, I have just enjoyed watching Queen Elizabeth’sDiamond Jubilee Pageant along the River Thames. Unlike television viewers in theircomfortable armchairs, the Queen spent the whole time standing up, which is veryadmirable considering her age, especially as the rain and wind settled in towards theend. I greatly enjoyed the colorfulness of the event, with everything swathed in UnionJack flags, banners, ribbons, swags and other creative decorations. The corgi dogshaped cake created by the Women’s Institute was quite memorable!

The aerial views from the cameras on top of the bridges were especially interesting,as all the detail of the muddy choppy waters was absent. The river looked like a giantflat grey motorway with a cavalcade of boat-shaped cars gliding along it. One couldalmost believe that it would be possible to run across it. This did in fact occur at theFrost Fairs held on the Thames during previous centuries, when the river was wider,shallower and slower, enabling it to freeze over during some of the colder winters.

19

Like millions of people worldwide, I have just enjoyed watching Queen Elizabeth’sDiamond Jubilee Pageant along the River Thames. Unlike television viewers in theircomfortable armchairs, the Queen spent the whole time standing up, which is veryadmirable considering her age, especially as the rain and wind settled in towards theend. I greatly enjoyed the colorfulness of the event, with everything swathed in UnionJack flags, banners, ribbons, swags and other creative decorations. The corgi dogshaped cake created by the Women’s Institute was quite memorable!

The aerial views from the cameras on top of the bridges were especially interesting,as all the detail of the muddy choppy waters was absent. The river looked like a giantflat grey motorway with a cavalcade of boat-shaped cars gliding along it. One couldalmost believe that it would be possible to run across it. This did in fact occur at theFrost Fairs held on the Thames during previous centuries, when the river was wider,shallower and slower, enabling it to freeze over during some of the colder winters.

20

The River Thames was a big part of my childhood as I spent the first thirty years ofmy life living in close proximity to it. My earliest memories are of asking to go andsee it whenever we were in the suburb of Woolwich. We would go down a narrowalleyway and all of a sudden emerge from between the grimy Victorian brickbuildings onto the path and railings beside the river. The contrast was quite shocking- the sky was big and bright, the river was wide, gleaming and empty of the clutter ofmanmade objects which surrounded us in daily life. It seemed to represent anotherreality that flowed unseen behind our small suburban world of buildings, shops,school and home. It was both glorious and unsettling, and in hindsight I think it mayhave been a faint hint of danger that heightened the senses and made theexperience seem more real than daily life.

20

The River Thames was a big part of my childhood as I spent the first thirty years ofmy life living in close proximity to it. My earliest memories are of asking to go andsee it whenever we were in the suburb of Woolwich. We would go down a narrowalleyway and all of a sudden emerge from between the grimy Victorian brickbuildings onto the path and railings beside the river. The contrast was quite shocking- the sky was big and bright, the river was wide, gleaming and empty of the clutter ofmanmade objects which surrounded us in daily life. It seemed to represent anotherreality that flowed unseen behind our small suburban world of buildings, shops,school and home. It was both glorious and unsettling, and in hindsight I think it mayhave been a faint hint of danger that heightened the senses and made theexperience seem more real than daily life.

20

The River Thames was a big part of my childhood as I spent the first thirty years ofmy life living in close proximity to it. My earliest memories are of asking to go andsee it whenever we were in the suburb of Woolwich. We would go down a narrowalleyway and all of a sudden emerge from between the grimy Victorian brickbuildings onto the path and railings beside the river. The contrast was quite shocking- the sky was big and bright, the river was wide, gleaming and empty of the clutter ofmanmade objects which surrounded us in daily life. It seemed to represent anotherreality that flowed unseen behind our small suburban world of buildings, shops,school and home. It was both glorious and unsettling, and in hindsight I think it mayhave been a faint hint of danger that heightened the senses and made theexperience seem more real than daily life.

21

Later on we lived on a hill that overlooked Greenwich and at times one could seeparts of the bends of the river gleaming in the sun, or the tops of huge ships movingalong between the industrial buildings. On New Year’s Eve all the ships would soundtheir horns on the stroke of midnight, rising to a crescendo within a minute or two, anunforgettable sound that is not matched by the fireworks that are let off where we arenow. We lived quite close to Greenwich Park which has high ground with marvelouspanoramic views of the Thames in both directions. One can enjoy the vistas whilststanding on the very ground where the history of England was created by themonarchs of the past. Against this background of thousands of years of history, thepresent Pageant seems to be yet another in the long list of significant events that theRiver Thames has hosted. (493 words)

21

Later on we lived on a hill that overlooked Greenwich and at times one could seeparts of the bends of the river gleaming in the sun, or the tops of huge ships movingalong between the industrial buildings. On New Year’s Eve all the ships would soundtheir horns on the stroke of midnight, rising to a crescendo within a minute or two, anunforgettable sound that is not matched by the fireworks that are let off where we arenow. We lived quite close to Greenwich Park which has high ground with marvelouspanoramic views of the Thames in both directions. One can enjoy the vistas whilststanding on the very ground where the history of England was created by themonarchs of the past. Against this background of thousands of years of history, thepresent Pageant seems to be yet another in the long list of significant events that theRiver Thames has hosted. (493 words)

21

Later on we lived on a hill that overlooked Greenwich and at times one could seeparts of the bends of the river gleaming in the sun, or the tops of huge ships movingalong between the industrial buildings. On New Year’s Eve all the ships would soundtheir horns on the stroke of midnight, rising to a crescendo within a minute or two, anunforgettable sound that is not matched by the fireworks that are let off where we arenow. We lived quite close to Greenwich Park which has high ground with marvelouspanoramic views of the Thames in both directions. One can enjoy the vistas whilststanding on the very ground where the history of England was created by themonarchs of the past. Against this background of thousands of years of history, thepresent Pageant seems to be yet another in the long list of significant events that theRiver Thames has hosted. (493 words)

22

Glorious Sixty

Last weekend I went to a Jubilee Celebration Fair in my local park, held to honor theQueen’s sixty years as monarch. A service was held in the display area, attended bylocal church ministers, the Mayor, veterans of the local branch of the Royal BritishLegion, and a multitude of young cadets who provided music and marching displays.A short address was given emphasizing the supreme importance of selfless serviceover personal gain. Prayers were said for the Queen and all those in government toask for wisdom in the governing of the United Kingdom. After the service, sixtyballoons in red white and blue were released by some of the children, who then wenton with their families to enjoy the funfair and stalls, every one of which wasdecorated with Union Jack flags.

22

Glorious Sixty

Last weekend I went to a Jubilee Celebration Fair in my local park, held to honor theQueen’s sixty years as monarch. A service was held in the display area, attended bylocal church ministers, the Mayor, veterans of the local branch of the Royal BritishLegion, and a multitude of young cadets who provided music and marching displays.A short address was given emphasizing the supreme importance of selfless serviceover personal gain. Prayers were said for the Queen and all those in government toask for wisdom in the governing of the United Kingdom. After the service, sixtyballoons in red white and blue were released by some of the children, who then wenton with their families to enjoy the funfair and stalls, every one of which wasdecorated with Union Jack flags.

22

Glorious Sixty

Last weekend I went to a Jubilee Celebration Fair in my local park, held to honor theQueen’s sixty years as monarch. A service was held in the display area, attended bylocal church ministers, the Mayor, veterans of the local branch of the Royal BritishLegion, and a multitude of young cadets who provided music and marching displays.A short address was given emphasizing the supreme importance of selfless serviceover personal gain. Prayers were said for the Queen and all those in government toask for wisdom in the governing of the United Kingdom. After the service, sixtyballoons in red white and blue were released by some of the children, who then wenton with their families to enjoy the funfair and stalls, every one of which wasdecorated with Union Jack flags.

23

The number sixty looms large in our lives. Everything we do is done in minutes ofsixty seconds and hours of sixty minutes. Counting in sixties is thought to haveoriginated with the ancient Sumerians or Babylonians, who used a base of sixty fortheir astronomical calculations, and this number is still used to divide the circle into360 degrees. It may be that sixty was considered the most convenient number forcreating fractions and other mathematical calculations, as it can be divided by 1, 2,3, 4, 5 and 6, as well as 10, which is the base of our normal finger-derived counting.

23

The number sixty looms large in our lives. Everything we do is done in minutes ofsixty seconds and hours of sixty minutes. Counting in sixties is thought to haveoriginated with the ancient Sumerians or Babylonians, who used a base of sixty fortheir astronomical calculations, and this number is still used to divide the circle into360 degrees. It may be that sixty was considered the most convenient number forcreating fractions and other mathematical calculations, as it can be divided by 1, 2,3, 4, 5 and 6, as well as 10, which is the base of our normal finger-derived counting.

23

The number sixty looms large in our lives. Everything we do is done in minutes ofsixty seconds and hours of sixty minutes. Counting in sixties is thought to haveoriginated with the ancient Sumerians or Babylonians, who used a base of sixty fortheir astronomical calculations, and this number is still used to divide the circle into360 degrees. It may be that sixty was considered the most convenient number forcreating fractions and other mathematical calculations, as it can be divided by 1, 2,3, 4, 5 and 6, as well as 10, which is the base of our normal finger-derived counting.

24

For the shorthand aspirant, sixty words a minute represents one word written everysecond. It is a very easy speed to imagine, although not necessarily to write if youare in the early stages of learning, and impossible if you are a complete beginner.But I am sure you can imagine yourself effortlessly writing one numeral everysecond. I suggest that you try this by setting a on-screen metronome to one beat persecond, and writing the single numerals from zero to nine, six times in all. Assumingthat you are not an overly slow longhand writer, you could probably even managetwo numerals every second without much trouble. You will certainly not be thinkingabout how to form the shapes, and anxiety and mental blocks will be entirely absent.Many shorthand outlines are roughly the same length as one numeral and a largenumber of them are considerably shorter. I am sure you can now congratulateyourself that your hand can potentially write shorthand at 60 words per minute, or120 words per minute if you managed two numerals per second.

24

For the shorthand aspirant, sixty words a minute represents one word written everysecond. It is a very easy speed to imagine, although not necessarily to write if youare in the early stages of learning, and impossible if you are a complete beginner.But I am sure you can imagine yourself effortlessly writing one numeral everysecond. I suggest that you try this by setting a on-screen metronome to one beat persecond, and writing the single numerals from zero to nine, six times in all. Assumingthat you are not an overly slow longhand writer, you could probably even managetwo numerals every second without much trouble. You will certainly not be thinkingabout how to form the shapes, and anxiety and mental blocks will be entirely absent.Many shorthand outlines are roughly the same length as one numeral and a largenumber of them are considerably shorter. I am sure you can now congratulateyourself that your hand can potentially write shorthand at 60 words per minute, or120 words per minute if you managed two numerals per second.

24

For the shorthand aspirant, sixty words a minute represents one word written everysecond. It is a very easy speed to imagine, although not necessarily to write if youare in the early stages of learning, and impossible if you are a complete beginner.But I am sure you can imagine yourself effortlessly writing one numeral everysecond. I suggest that you try this by setting a on-screen metronome to one beat persecond, and writing the single numerals from zero to nine, six times in all. Assumingthat you are not an overly slow longhand writer, you could probably even managetwo numerals every second without much trouble. You will certainly not be thinkingabout how to form the shapes, and anxiety and mental blocks will be entirely absent.Many shorthand outlines are roughly the same length as one numeral and a largenumber of them are considerably shorter. I am sure you can now congratulateyourself that your hand can potentially write shorthand at 60 words per minute, or120 words per minute if you managed two numerals per second.

25

Certain knowledge of your hand’s existing ability to write quickly will, I hope, free youto concentrate on what is most needed, namely making the outlines as familiar asnumerals or letters. Speed victories are very encouraging at all levels, and if you canbuild upon them confidence will “take wings” and a satisfyingly rapid shorthandperformance is not far away. (483 words)

25

Certain knowledge of your hand’s existing ability to write quickly will, I hope, free youto concentrate on what is most needed, namely making the outlines as familiar asnumerals or letters. Speed victories are very encouraging at all levels, and if you canbuild upon them confidence will “take wings” and a satisfyingly rapid shorthandperformance is not far away. (483 words)

25

Certain knowledge of your hand’s existing ability to write quickly will, I hope, free youto concentrate on what is most needed, namely making the outlines as familiar asnumerals or letters. Speed victories are very encouraging at all levels, and if you canbuild upon them confidence will “take wings” and a satisfyingly rapid shorthandperformance is not far away. (483 words)