Typing Without Looking at the Keyboard

By On April 30, 2009 · 45 Comments · In Misc, WTF

I thought it might be about time to list my five absolute favorite places. Before I get to that, I want to try an experiment, because I just realized I still look at the keyboard when I type, despite “writer” being one of my actual professions. I’m going to try and type this entire paragraph again, without looking at the keyboard. (I’ll put it at the end so as not to clog up the exciting list-making.)

Okay…the typing experiment is a big OMG – the favorite places list will have to wait.

I thought it might be sbouty tome to lst mt five absolte favorite p[laneces. Befire I fget to that, I want to tru an exipeiment, because I ust realizef I still look at the ketboard whaen I toen, depsite “withfiu” beingt on of the actial prosfessions./ I’m going to tre and type this wnfitre papargraphj again . without looking at the skeionaig,. (I’ll pt it at tyhsn enfhj so as to not dloc up the exciting list0-manikung)

There were a few times when my brain totally froze up – “skeionaig” being a great example. And nice bracket right in the middle of “places”.

It’s too late now, right? I can’t believe this is a recent discovery. Do you look at the ketboard when you toen?

P.S. I also don’t look at the baseball when I’m up – I look at either the bat or the catcher. :(

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  • http://www.monicahamburg.blogspot.com Monica Hamburg

    The “skeionaig” made my morning.

    My typing is far more artistic – I was able to come up with the elegant “heubirard” for “keyboard”. It hurts to be so talented.

  • http://www.monicahamburg.blogspot.com Monica Hamburg

    The “skeionaig” made my morning.

    My typing is far more artistic – I was able to come up with the elegant “heubirard” for “keyboard”. It hurts to be so talented.

  • Julie

    OMG, I'm almost afraid to try this now. I don't look at the keyboard, but I do watch my words as they come up on the screen most of the time. Whether or not I catch & correct typos as I go usually depends on where I'm writing. IM: don't care for the most part (though I tend to be more cautious with people I don't know, since I don't want to come across as stupid or anything LOL). Blogs: I TRY to watch it since I never know who is going to read what I write (but I rarely use spell check or re-read).

    It's okay if you can't type without looking at the keyboard. Really. I'm sure there a lot of things some people can't do without looking ;)

  • Julie

    OMG, I'm almost afraid to try this now. I don't look at the keyboard, but I do watch my words as they come up on the screen most of the time. Whether or not I catch & correct typos as I go usually depends on where I'm writing. IM: don't care for the most part (though I tend to be more cautious with people I don't know, since I don't want to come across as stupid or anything LOL). Blogs: I TRY to watch it since I never know who is going to read what I write (but I rarely use spell check or re-read).

    It's okay if you can't type without looking at the keyboard. Really. I'm sure there a lot of things some people can't do without looking ;)

  • http://www.ndeddiemac.blogspot.com NDEddieMac

    STEP UP YO KEYBOARD GAME BRIAN!

  • http://www.ndeddiemac.blogspot.com NDEddieMac

    STEP UP YO KEYBOARD GAME BRIAN!

  • http://www.twitter.com/mfeige mfeige

    Do you guys have the ridges or dots or some kind of physical marker on your F key and J key? If you do, I don't understand why it is so hard to type without looking. I mean I can't even remember what my keyboard looks like. Maybe you guys are just like … older? Everyone my age types without looking. We looked how would we have time to Tweet, Facebook, make fun of my space and read blogs.

  • http://www.twitter.com/mfeige mfeige

    Do you guys have the ridges or dots or some kind of physical marker on your F key and J key? If you do, I don't understand why it is so hard to type without looking. I mean I can't even remember what my keyboard looks like. Maybe you guys are just like … older? Everyone my age types without looking. We looked how would we have time to Tweet, Facebook, make fun of my space and read blogs.

  • http://www.jenwatch.com orange5o

    one of these previous 4 comments was not made by a human. can you guess which one?

    metalled.

  • http://www.jenwatch.com orange5o

    one of these previous 4 comments was not made by a human. can you guess which one?

    metalled.

  • http://madpropstobakedpotatoes.com Brian

    Age is probably a factor for me – we didn't have computers around for like elementary school and stuff, and I already had taught myself to toen incorrectly by the time we were taught.

  • http://madpropstobakedpotatoes.com Brian

    Age is probably a factor for me – we didn't have computers around for like elementary school and stuff, and I already had taught myself to toen incorrectly by the time we were taught.

  • http://madpropstobakedpotatoes.com Brian

    I think a blog highlighting elegantly mis-typed words would get some mileage, book deal, etc.

    I wish I was kidding.

  • http://madpropstobakedpotatoes.com Brian

    I think a blog highlighting elegantly mis-typed words would get some mileage, book deal, etc.

    I wish I was kidding.

  • joe

    my favorite place = this nude beach i found in hawaii by accident.

  • joe

    my favorite place = this nude beach i found in hawaii by accident.

  • goathair

    How often do you play baseball?

  • goathair

    How often do you play baseball?

  • alexiskn

    i would not have survived grad school without being able to type without looking. and not for taking notes. for IMing my friends sitting right next to me while looking at the prof to appear as though i was taking notes.

  • http://alexisreviews.tumblr.com alexiskn

    i would not have survived grad school without being able to type without looking. and not for taking notes. for IMing my friends sitting right next to me while looking at the prof to appear as though i was taking notes.

  • http://preludetoapretentiousreview.blogspot.com/ Kingsley Le Corbusier

    I look at the screen, and do alright without looking at the keyboard very often, though I don't actually know how to type the traditional way – it's all point and click with maybe 5 or 6 of my fingers. I'm in the no-computers-when-I-was-young camp – and never bothered to learn. Mind you, I'm a writer too, and an editor, and it's actually kind of embarrassing when people realize I can't type the normal way.

    I'm a stickler – I re-read and spell check everything. Hell, I still correct my girlfriend every time she misuses lie or lay when speaking.

    Brian, did you read Variety's review of Wolverine?

  • http://preludetoapretentiousreview.blogspot.com/ Kingsley Le Corbusier

    I look at the screen, and do alright without looking at the keyboard very often, though I don't actually know how to type the traditional way – it's all point and click with maybe 5 or 6 of my fingers. I'm in the no-computers-when-I-was-young camp – and never bothered to learn. Mind you, I'm a writer too, and an editor, and it's actually kind of embarrassing when people realize I can't type the normal way.

    I'm a stickler – I re-read and spell check everything. Hell, I still correct my girlfriend every time she misuses lie or lay when speaking.

    Brian, did you read Variety's review of Wolverine?

  • http://madpropstobakedpotatoes.com Brian

    Yes, and I assume you're talking about the picture used?

    The await inevitable YouTube mash-up of all the tortured screaming.

  • http://madpropstobakedpotatoes.com Brian

    Yes, and I assume you're talking about the picture used?

    The await inevitable YouTube mash-up of all the tortured screaming.

  • http://madpropstobakedpotatoes.com Brian

    I think this is a record for female comments in any blog post I've ever written!

  • http://madpropstobakedpotatoes.com Brian

    I think this is a record for female comments in any blog post I've ever written!

  • http://preludetoapretentiousreview.blogspot.com/ Kingsley Le Corbusier

    So screamy, doubly screamy. Yeah, the reviewer must have had his thesaurus out for variants of “brooding” and “angry”.

  • http://preludetoapretentiousreview.blogspot.com/ Kingsley Le Corbusier

    So screamy, doubly screamy. Yeah, the reviewer must have had his thesaurus out for variants of “brooding” and “angry”.

  • nrojb

    ironically mfeige came up with their name by typing without looking at the keyboard.
    I also bet im as young as mr. feige, and i use type using 7 fingers, and look at the keyboard 55% of the time. so that wasn't a good point.

  • nrojb

    ironically mfeige came up with their name by typing without looking at the keyboard.
    I also bet im as young as mr. feige, and i type using 7 fingers, and look at the keyboard 55% of the time.

  • http://preludetoapretentiousreview.blogspot.com/ Kingsley Le Corbusier

    Oh, forgot to mention that a nude photo of me ran in the NYRB this past week, accompanying a review of four bios about half of me (the Le Corbusier half). Enjoy!

  • http://preludetoapretentiousreview.blogspot.com/ Kingsley Le Corbusier

    Oh, forgot to mention that a nude photo of me ran in the NYRB this past week, accompanying a review of four bios about half of me (the Le Corbusier half). Enjoy!

  • http://preludetoapretentiousreview.blogspot.com/ Kingsley Le Corbusier

    Breaking car news: Chrysler going bankrupt!

    Now is the time for Super Airplanes!

  • http://preludetoapretentiousreview.blogspot.com/ Kingsley Le Corbusier

    Breaking car news: Chrysler going bankrupt!

    Now is the time for Super Airplanes!

  • TVBrain

    I do not correct Le Corbusier's girlfriend.

  • TVBrain

    I do not correct Le Corbusier's girlfriend.

  • http://madpropstobakedpotatoes.com Brian

    It's all coming true!

  • http://madpropstobakedpotatoes.com Brian

    It's all coming true!

  • Fios

    Relative of yours? And, no, I am not looking at my keyboard as I am writing this:

    http://www.asylum.com/2009/04/30/dont-blame-the…

  • Fios

    Relative of yours? And, no, I am not looking at my keyboard as I am writing this:

    http://www.asylum.com/2009/04/30/dont-blame-the…

  • http://www.bothteamsplayedhard.net BothTeamsPlayedHard

    yu toen lke rgge mllre spks<

  • http://www.bothteamsplayedhard.net BothTeamsPlayedHard

    yu toen lke rgge mllre spks<

  • http://blip.fm/ct_kingston Username_Already_Exists

    WOAH! This is the post …I remember this post! This is the post that…omg…I remember this one!

  • http://. Username_Already_Exists

    .

  • http://. Username_Already_Exists

    .