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For a Personalized Autographed copy of “STRAWBERRIES IN WINTERTIME” or “WOODEN & ME” use the PayPal link on my home page or mail a check for $25 to:
Woody Woodburn
400 Roosevelt Court
Ventura, CA 93003
A “Multiplier” Without Math Skills
With civil discord seeming to multiply daily as Tuesday’s elections near, it’s heartening to consider a different kind of “multiplier” as described by Helen Yunker, a Ventura community leader and generous benefactor who passed away this summer at age 96:
“By helping and sharing with others, you multiply your own happiness and blessings many times over.”
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In response to my series of columns about “Mrs. Figs’ Bookworm,” and the old-fashioned manual typewriter on display that patrons are encouraged to use, Shirley Koval typed a new-fashioned email:
“Loved to see this quaint bookstore and owner Connie Halpern you wrote about. I like to go there and browse and discuss books, etc.
“However, you didn’t mention what “Mrs. Figs” stands for – “Faith In God Shows.” It does show when you visit that unique store!”
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Reminiscing with an amusing story that has a fortuitous twist, Dick Pillow wrote: “I read with nostalgia and pleasure your column on old-fashioned typewriters.
“I am an old-timer who was talked into an elective class in high school by my buddy Waylon to take ‘Typewriting 1’. I objected by saying that it was just girls in there – and he said, that was the point . . . lots of contacts. So, I relented and we learned on manual Remingtons.
“We were indeed the only males in the class. The girls and lady instructor at first were shocked, but ended up treating us kindly when they found out we were actually interested and challenged to learn this skill.
“So we buckled down and did everything the instructor required of us, and did our very best to obtain the magic number of 55 words a minute. It was a half-semester class and I did get to 51, but could never make it to the 55.
“Anyway, we had such a good time, that we took ‘Typewriting 2’ the next semester to attempt to ‘break’ our records. This was in 1956, by the way, and after about the first couple of weeks, guess what showed up? Beautiful Olivettis, which were ELECTRIC – thank you, Lord!
“By the end of the semester I was at 64 words, I believe, and Waylon, who was always better than me, made it over the 70-mark easily. We both earned good grades and did indeed end up dating a couple of the girls in the class.
“I never realized how important this training was to me until I joined the Navy and after boot camp went to Great Lakes Ill., for electronic school. Before the school was to start, in about six weeks, there were about 180 of us assembled by a grizzled old Chief Petty Officer to be assigned temporary jobs until our schools began.
“He started out by asking if any of us could type and I believe only
four of us raised our hands. He said, ‘Move over here – you will go work in the 9th Naval District Legal Offices as typists. All the rest of you guys will do duty as mess-cooks (same as KP in Army).’
“Our duty in the Legal Dept. was easy with liberty every night and all our weekends free. So I hold dear my time learning to use the typewriter for sure!”
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In closing, what a lovely tribute in a single sentence by the Rev. Lonnie McCowan at the memorial service for Bedford Pinkard, who died two weeks ago at age 88 and whose impact extended far beyond being an Oxnard councilman:
“We’re not here because he died, we’re here because he lived.”
And how he lived – as a “multiplier.”
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Woody Woodburn writes a weekly column for The Ventura County Star and can be contacted at WoodyWriter@gmail.com.
Check out my memoir WOODEN & ME: Life Lessons from My Two-Decade Friendship with the Legendary Coach and Humanitarian to Help “Make Each Day Your Masterpiece” and my essay collection “Strawberries in Wintertime: Essays on Life, Love, and Laughter” …
- Personalized signed copies are available at WoodyWoodburn.com