As I’ve written before, I am developing a bit of arthritis in my hands, and sometimes after a long day at the keyboard, my fingers and knuckles just ache. A while back I started researching the Dragon speech to text software to see if that would make life easier for me. For Christmas, I bought myself the Dragon Dictate software for the Mac computer. Then I got busy with other things, and haven’t had time to play with it until yesterday.
After loading the software into my iMac, I started the training procedure that comes with software to teach it to recognize my voice and speech patterns. I was told this could take a while, but was pleased to find that after just a short time, maybe less than ten minutes, the program had learned enough so I could proceed.
There are occasional typos, but so far, no more than I make with my fat little fingers. I’ve always been a two finger typist at best, and I think once I get used to it, this might make me faster and more productive. I wrote, or should I say dictated, this blog post using the Dragon software. There were fewer typos than I would normally make when I’m in a hurry and typing fast. So far, I’m impressed!
One of the things that surprised me is that we can still have the television on, or play music, and it doesn’t seem to interfere when I’m dictating into the microphone/headphone combination I use. So far, I’m liking this new toy! 🙂
Miss Terry was busy all day yesterday proofreading my new book, Big Lake Lynching, and just as fast as she was proofing the pages I was busy making corrections. Terry always uses a red pen when proofing my work, and usually when I get a page back, it looks like it’s bleeding!
By the time we called it a day, sometime well after midnight, she had well over three quarters of the book proofed. The next step will be passing it on to a couple of other volunteer proofreaders and have them go through it. I don’t expect them to be as fast as Miss Terry, but hopefully they’ll get it done and I can get the new book uploaded to Amazon’s Kindle bookstore pretty soon.
During the afternoon, our friend Al Hesselbart stopped by to drop off a package for Miss Terry that we had sent to him, care of Breezy Oaks Campground. It was a beautiful hand sewn apron specially decorated and trimmed just for Miss Terry by our dear friend Thelma Middleton. Thank you Thelma, it’s beautiful, and Terry loves it!
In yesterday’s blog we talked about things that fulltimers miss from their old lives back in their sticks and bricks homes. I wrote that I mostly miss my hot tub. Apparently hot tubs are very popular, because that was one of the most common items mentioned by the folks who responded. I mentioned that occasionally we use RV Park hot tubs, but it’s just not the same. My buddy Greg White left a blog comment that the reason I didn’t like RV park hot tubs is because they make you wear a swimming suit. Oops! Who knew? Now I know why I can’t go back to at least one Thousand Trails campground! 🙂
We’re trying to figure out when we will start our westward trek. I still want to get our Sea Eagle kayaks wet at least once before we leave Florida. I’d also like to get down to the Tampa RV show, which starts this week. And on our way out of the state, we would like to stop at Cedar Key. Last night at dinner, Terry and I both agreed that if it weren’t for going back to Arizona to see our family, and for our Western rally, we’d be perfectly happy to stay right here in Florida all winter.
Thought For The Day – Having a lot of friends on Facebook is like sitting at the cool kids’ table in an insane asylum!
Nick Russell
World-Famous, New York Times Best Selling Author, and All-Around Nice Guy!
Come on down to Cedar Key, Nick and Terry–we’ve been here two days and are loving it.
So glad you are enjoying Florida. We forgive you for the bad weather of the past. This year you are behaving and the weather has followed suit. Laughter here!!!!!!
How about a Gypsy Journal Rally in Florida some winter? There are several fairgrounds you might consider in central Florida. It would be great to gather down here one year as you have a lot of followers here in Florida in the winter. The Geeks are down here in the winter too and would make great seminar presenters. So are the Techno RV folks this winter. Love your rallies.
One of our favorite kayak adventure was near Rainbow Springs State Park. We went to Dunellen. On the north side of the bridge there is a kayak, canoe store that allowed us to launch. We paddled north up the river and then back down. The water was crystal clear. The wildlife awesome. Have fun……here is the link to our adventure. http://parkerrver.blogspot.com/2008/01/lake-panasoffskee-singles-gathering_19.html
My husband introduced me to Dragon Dictate a coupe of years ago. We both use it and are quite impressed with it’s capabilities. Glad you’re enjoying yours.
BTW…they have Dragon as an app for iPhone.
Cedar Key is our favorite place in Florida. Great kayaking around the islands. Several small but interesting Museums.
That is a gorgeous apron!! Does she sell them?
Of ALL the ‘thing’ I miss it would be the hot tub I will give that answer evertime it is asked.
Really enjoying your blog and magazine. Started subscribing after meeting you last summer in Montana. If you make it to north-east Florida (Jacksonville area) let us know and I might be able to pull away from my oncologist and other docs long enough to meet you somewhere.
My nephew was a quadriplegic and he used the Dragon Dictate for his last 14 years. Amazing the places I sent tapes of his memorial service. His other option was using a mouth stick to try to send a message.
Cedar Key will be fun. Lots of good seafood places – ask around to see where the locals go. There is a guy on the left side going in who sells fresh seafood if you have room in the freezer. Look for an awning out close to the road.