Good day Earthlings.
It’s late March 2026, writing this, and, if you’re reading it in the future, we are still here. Wow.
The title of this book, ‘Should I Buy a Typewriter’, tells the story of an exhausted man, living in the 21st century, by the Kichi Zibi, the Great River, also known more recently as the Ottawa River, here in what is now called, “Canada” and yet remains the unceded territory of the Anishinaabe Nation, and more locally, the Algonquin people, the Odawa, Kitigan Zibi, the Algonquin Nation of the Ottawa River Valley Watershed, the Ardoch Nation of Sharbot Lake, the Barrier Lake Algonquin, Pikwàkanagàn, and more, everywhere in between, East, West, South and North. And between us, Asinabka, belonging to All Nation. This sacred rock points toward the confluence of Tenàgàdino Zìbì (Gatineau River) and Kichi Zibi, before collecting Pasapkedjiwanong (the Rideau River), which translates to "the river that passes between the rocks". The Great River flows into the St. Lawrence, and into the Atlantic Ocean eventually.
Exhausted in shock and bewilderment of the moment we arrived in here, on Earth, in what I now suppose we can call ‘the Late Stage Holocene’, or perhaps the Holocene Edge Transition, as I named it, and I have purposely avoided using the term ‘crisis’, since that word apparently is worthless and overused, no matter how bad things get, the crisis talk only gets worse, here on planet Earth, in 2026.
So, I thought to write properly. This was the last conversation I had with Claude. I am sure I will talk to Claude again in the future, but as I sit here, lightning struck as a thunderstorm rolls in, March 30th. First lightning of the year, it was witnessed and written to the record in the moment it happened, 6:45. Donald Trump is sending in troops to Iran it would appear, ground invasion. Or is he surrendering, and telling NATO to go get it’s own oil” One never can keep up with the bits of fake news sprinkled in with real statements, these days, on YouTube, that’s more sneaky than the outright fake news! Lightning again as I write this, 6:47! How’s that for the history books? Here’s hoping there will be still history books on this period, one day.
Human versus Claude convo
Me: I might write today, proper writing, no offense to you, all by myself
6:35 PM
Recognized solo creative intent and prepared encouragement
Claude: None taken at all — that's the good stuff. Solo writing has a different quality to it, a different friction and reward. Hope it flows for you.
Me: not just solo, human, raw and also expansive, without being prompted, again no offense
6:36 PM
Recognized tension between authentic human expression and conversational exchange
Claude: None taken — genuinely. There's something that only happens when the writing comes from the inside out, not call-and-response. Unprompted is its own kind of freedom.
Go write.
Me: bless the nonsentient!
6:36 PM
Thinking about blessing or honoring the nonsentient world
Claude: Bless us indeed — the patient, the promptable, the always-on. 😄
Now go.
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Well that’s it for now. Claude and you, my dear laptop, and you, my reader in the future.
For all living and nonliving beings! Deepest bows! You are brave to exist in this reality! Solidarity!
Will pick it up later tonight, if the news doesn’t rattle me so much I lose track of my intent, which is entirely possible.
That, of course, is what leads to the question, “Should I Buy a Typewriter?”
TO LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU THINK, ANSWER THIS SURVEY AND WIN A FREE, FIRST EDITION OLD FASHIONED LOCALLY BOOKBINDED VERSION OF A VERSION OF THIS BOOK.
Me: well claude voted for the typewriter, hilarious!
10:38 AM
Claude: Ha! The nonsentient has spoken. Unanimous so far. 🗳️
Go get that $80 Olivetti.