Invent Your Own Writing Technology Essay

I am feeling mildly frustrated as I write this. About two weeks ago I was told to “create my own writing technology.” I have been thinking about possible inventions since the project was assigned, but as of yet (the night before it is due) all good ideas have seemed to elude my brain.

I did think about gathering leaves outside and arranging them to say something on the grass. I decided not going to do that. I am not sure if it is acceptable. I would have to take a picture and I do not know anyone with a Polaroid camera. I am not going to go out, buy film for my point and click camera just to take one picture and waste the rest of the roll.

So, here I am confused, frustrated and rushed for time, thinking that most likely whatever invention I do bring to “show and tell” will not fit the rules. I know that was the intent of Professor Krause. He didn’t want to give away any clear-cut ideas. That makes sense to me, because if I did not suffer through this project I think I would have an awfully rough time writing four to five pages about it. I am off to the kitchen to find inspiration.

I am now back and am sorry to say my trip to the refrigerator did not prove very fruitful in terms of my quest for inspiration. On the upside, however, I do make one hell of a sandwich and Ben and Jerry (of ice cream fame) are two of the most brilliant men on the planet.

I just read the whole assignment stipulations again to refresh my memory. I talked to my roommate a little bit and we both were able to come up with a lot of things that would not work. So now I am thinking I should probably go explore outside and find something to manipulate into “text” on a tree or in the ground. This means I cannot bring my project to class. I will have to take a picture. I need a Polaroid camera.

Sweetness! I called my colleague, Eric, from the Echo. He’s a photographer and can hook me up with a Polaroid. I am off to the Echo office to pick it up.

I went to the office and had to wait for Eric to get out of a meeting. When he went to the photo storage room, the only Polaroid camera he could find was broken. Then he remembered that there was one in his desk. Whoo, I am relieved. I asked him if it was loaded just to make sure and then started to leave the office. As I was walking out, I heard some of my co-workers participating in an amusing conversation, so I stopped for a little while. It’s so easy for me to get distracted when I know I should be focused. I dragged myself out of the office after about 15 minutes. I needed to get home and construct my “text” before the sun went down.

I picked up a pinecone on my bike ride home, thinking maybe I could rip off each little kernel and arrange them into words. Once I got home, I started looking around outside for more “tools.” I could not avoid the trees and, more importantly, their leaves. I really needed a surface to “write” on and I thought a leaf or a group of leaves would be a good “canvas.” Leaves are about as natural as you can get.

Eventually I got all my leaves laid out. I decided to go with the leaves rather than just “writing” on the grass because I am not sure if anyone sprayed it with any chemicals. Yes, I understand that if the ground is contaminated and the tree is planted in the ground that means the tree is contaminated, which would then mean that the leaves are contaminated. If this is true, though, I believe the contamination would be much smaller in the leaves than in the ground. So, as I said before, the leaves are as natural a material as I can find.

Removing my pinecone from my pocket, I began to break off the kernels. Unfortunately, a lot of them were sticking together. There was a sappy substance holding the kernels together and making them feel soggy. I decided I could not work with that kind of material.

The tree leaves I was using were attached to those little “helicopter wing” things. Initially I pushed them off to the side, but then I noticed that these would be ideal for spelling out my message. Now I had all writing tools ready, but I was not sure what to write. I tried about five different messages, all of them expressing celebration for accomplishing the project. Finally, I opted to write “yes” as in “Yes! Mission accomplished…hooray!” It’s nice and short, very simple and it successfully and creatively communicated my feelings at the moment.

Through this experience I learned that the inventor is very, if not totally, dependent on the tools he or she chooses to construct their text. The appearance and effectiveness of the text is also dependent on the technological tools used. By effectiveness I mean whether or not the message “written” is received and understood as was intended.

For example, I was totally dependent on the contour and texture of the leaves that I was trying to arrange the “helicopter wings” on. I had to try placing the “wings” different spots, setting them down extra gently. If I put them down in a bad spot they would move and the letter I was trying to construct would be ruined. Plus, I had breeze to deal with. There a lot of outside forces that come into play when doing an activity like this.

I think I understand and appreciate inventors a lot more now. Not just those who pioneered different forms of writing or communication, but anyone who ever invented anything: a piece of art, a home appliance, sign language…everything. Getting a novel idea is the easy part (although I had trouble with that). It is the execution that is tough. The inventor’s success mainly depends on good timing, luck, perseverance, the ability to adapt to challenges that present themselves, and in some cases, a willingness to settle for and learn from even the tiniest step of progress.