Hello, readers! This is probably my third fresh attempt to write today’s letter to the world, or diary entry, or what have you. You may have noticed that my handwritten page has been replaced by a typewritten one today. That’s because my typewriter arrived yesterday, all the way from Cartagena, Spain! And let me tell you: I was NOT prepared! I started out trying to type as I do on a computer keyboard, and was quickly humbled. No, writing on a typewriter—at least, a manual typewriter like this one is—is very much an experience unto itself. It requires complete focus on the task at hand. I am highly distractable, so this is a very attractive feature to me. I also LOVE not seeing those damned red squiggly lines accusing me of impropriety in my grammar, spelling, and/or punctuation.

About the machine: it’s an Olympia Traveller de Luxe. It was designed to be portable, and port it I shall. I’m already scheming up ways to put this thing to work, and the ability to bring it with me opens up many possibilities. It was manufactured in Germany in the late 1960s. An interesting quirk of its design is that it does not have numerical keys for one or zero. For one, you type a lowercase l and for zero, an uppercase O! (as in Oscar). It has a visually striking design. I found it listed for sale on Etsy and was immediately drawn to its unique appearance—the shape and the green-and-white color scheme.

I’ve heard it said that a skilled craftsman can make do with any tool as long as they have the talent and determination. But the right tool can also inspire a skillful artist to create, too. Take Jack White of The White Stripes fame, for example. For many years, one of his most played guitars was an obscure, red plastic Valco Airline guitar originally offered for sale via Montgomery Ward for $99 in 1964. If you didn’t know any better, at a glance you could easily mistake it for an upscale guitar designed for serious players rather than what it really was: essentially, a kid’s toy. But to Jack, it posed an interesting challenge. He had to work harder than he otherwise would’ve with a more conventional guitar, but the results speak for themselves in the music. My typewriter is a pretty high-quality one, but I have definitely done some wrestling with it already. And I wouldn’t have it any other way.

I am very excited to see what I’m inspired to create with my beautiful new tool. I hope you’ll stick with me as I embark on this new chapter in my writing career. Oh, and to Kent Peterson, if you’re reading this: thanks for the inspiration! If you’re not subscribed, he writes his Tales From a Rolltop Desk newsletter on a typewriter, too. You should consider subscribing if you’re into this type of thing.

That’s all I’ve got for today. Y’all take care.

— Jared Caraway