Let’s Encourage Those Who Wish To Play With Cellphones And Personal Computers, This Editor In Chief Says – Let’s Work Around With Those!

Very firmly, Silvestre “Yong” Afable, Editor In Chief of “Medium,” an Internet site, says, “Handwriting in any language is the foundation of how we think, create, and connect as a society.” And I another Editor initially agree. “Foundation” yes – but we have to move on! To more fertile grounds. “Let’s not abandon the pen and paper.” No, but we can be more creative with/without pen and paper!

In the Philippines, my parents in Asingan, Pangasinan were ordinary tolks, not rich – and only my father Lakay Disiong could read and write basic Ilokano. Manong Mely, Ading Brillie and I were sent to school from Grade School to College, and we all graduated with degrees: Manong as Agriculturist (Araneta U), Brillie as Elementary Teacher (Philippine Normal School), and I as High School Teacher (UP College of Agriculture).

The thing is now I developed myself as The Editor In Chief (TEIC) in my own way. Check this blog out – and you may run out of patience (or time)!

I blog incessantly and have had several blogs to my name actually over the years since 2007. No, I did not abandon pen and paper – I brought them all along in my journey from Grade One to High School Teacher to Blogger (TEIC).

Now you see, my intellectual life has been from pen & paper to the Internet – it’s been fun! (Einstein quote from Parade, parade.com)

Instead of plainly saying, “Let’s not abandon the pen and paper,” I would say, “With pen & paper, let’s pursue creativity!” Specially with the ubiquitous presence of the cell phone and the personal computer (PC), especially with the laptop.

I am a 100% self-taught writer, editor, blogger, desktop publisher – don’t tell me only a Filipino named “Frank A Hilario” can be as productive as he has been and continues to be – thank God!

Mr Afable writes:

“This is not about nostalgia for cursive loops and dotted i's. The decline of handwriting has profound implications for children's development. For too long, we've taken this for granted. But handwriting in any language is the foundation of how we think, create, and connect as a society.”

Yes, Mr Afable, but let’s not stop at handwriting – let’s proceed with typing using the personal computer. It’s more exciting that way!

I have been writing and blogging with my laptop at least since 2007 – a few minutes ago, I googled “Frank A Hilario” and got 39,900 results! (I’m 84 years old, if you wanted to know.) The number is all mine – I taught myself how to write articles, edit, desktop publish, and blog. It’s in the mind, Mr Afable, being creative. It’s in the technique – and I can demonstrate creativity from where I sit separately from where your students sit, thousands of miles apart. Creativity is a mental trick, and nowadays you don’t really need pen and paper to do it!

Never mind the inability in “recognizing letters and words” – instead, mind the inability to generate creative ideas from junk!@517