38 A Computer Centered Life

When I began to work from home I bought a lap top because it is quieter, conveniently mobile and capable of doing everything that the large, noisy computer can do. From the outset I insisted on working opposite a thin screen outside the computer and equipped with comfortable cordless keyboard and mouse. Although I bought a lap top does not mean that I must do with those terrible keyboards and something that only resembles a mouse. I began to work facing the screen and the paper stand which are on the left hand side of the picture and lately a friend convinced me to use the computer screen in addition. Today I use the main screen for editing and the subsidiary screen (of the lap top) for scanning, mail, search and verification of information etc. At times I have two identical versions of text on the two screens when I need to compare different places in the text or make searches and want to avoid running each time to discover where I was and the exact wording in the two places. Now I am sitting opposite three objects: two screens and a paper text (generally the printed version or some kind of supplementary material, slips of paper and so forth).

Recently I began using the computer for telephone conversations abroad as well. I acquired a little camera and earphones with a microphone and I discovered the world of 'Skype', which enables talking from computer to computer or from a computer to an ordinary telephone. I also discovered 'Jaja', a program that makes possible talking from telephone to telephone at ridiculously low prices. Incidentally 'Jaja' also has an option of communication from mobile phone direct without using the computer.

So this way I sit many hours opposite computer screens. On the pages I write corrections with a mechanical pencil or a red pen. I prepare the suspended slips of paper from excellent 80 gram paper which is ideally suited to writing with a fountain pen. Sticky notes lying on the base of the screen are used as markers and reminders – one of them is sticking to the screen's base.

When I work I take off my wristwatch and place it in front of me. In front of that you can see the famous telephone with whose help most of the pictures that have appeared in this column have been taken. This time I had to use a different camera so that it too could appear in a column that bears its name. And what about the glass? That is 'Murphy's' beer that I bought on my return from the swimming pool.