The Write Event

Shapes of strokes—only two

There are only two shapes of strokes that are found in handwriting. Strokes are either straight and curved.
Much of copybook consists of curved strokes; most of the straight ones are downstrokes. Others, at first glance appear straight, but actually have a very slight bend.

Let me ask you—which stroke shape looks stronger and which weaker?

Below are 8 letters:
you will see curved strokes where you would expect to see straight strokes as well as the reverse. Yes, that is important to take note of. (Look at your writing and see if you can identify your pattern. Is your writing more curved than angular (straight) or more angular than curved? Or an even mixture?

1. straight t stem, straight bar, slightly downward sloping
2. curved bar, unlike copybook
3. a curve & an angled stroke going to the right
4. curved but compare curve with #2
5. straight lead-in on an s structure
6. curved s almost entirely
7. curved bowl on the g and a straight downstroke
8. curved g that looks like a figure 8 (see the number "8" above it?) This is called the "figure 8" g.

How about doctors' handwriting?

What's with all this talk about doctors' writing? Is it true that they write more illegibly than the general population? Well, I can't speak for the whole of humankind so I will give you the answer that my pharmacist just shared. I asked, "What percentage of doctors' writing on prescriptions is very difficult to read?" And— "Do you ever have to call the office to clarify what it says?" The answers? "30%+ are impossible." "Yes, we have to call." That actually was better than I expected. I'm glad to hear that many physicians write just fine. Good thing. A lot of them are out there doing surgery! And all of them write prescriptions.

Now for a war story: a few years ago my primary physician added a suggestion to something he gave me to read. I could not make it out. I faxed it back to his office with my note, "What does this say? I cannot read it." The office person called me and laughingly said that she had to go in and ask him. He had a little trouble reading his own writing.

A year or two later, the same doctor wrote a prescription for my husband's medication, which the pharmacy 'read' as a different medication (close in name to the other one.) When I picked it up and realized it was not the right one the pharmacy had to call the doctor—and you know the drill. I was not a happy camper. But I wanted him to talk to him in person. So, the next time I went in for a physical I calmly brought it up and reminded him of the two incidents. I suggested that he clean up his act before something else happened. He was not a clear verbal communicator either, usually cursory and vague. I had to pull most information, which I was entitled to know, out of him piece-by-piece. We are no longer with the same health plan. I can only hope he slowed down to write more legibly. I doubt it. (His writing also showed a high degree of feeling self-important. Wait till we get to how to find that in handwriting! :) )

In that same facility I went to an eye doctor, who had the clearest writing imaginable. She explained everything willingly, in great detail and with an anticipatory overview of future possibilities. She was a marvelous doctor. We had quite a discussion about handwriting. Hers confirmed not only her analytical skill but her willingness and ability to explain complex things simply. That is a gift.

There are ways to improve illegible writing. After receiving training I have worked with some clients to correct it, at least to get to the point of readability. Nobody says you have to have beautiful handwriting. The first thing to do is remember it is considerate to make writing legible. Second, slow down. Third, make sure every middle zone letter part, which should go to the baseline, actually reaches that point, so that each letter is defined. Just those three steps may help enough.

Scribbles & writing of children

I recently had the delightful experience of talking with a very poised 12 year friend today. I have known her since she was born. About 8 years ago she was 'taking notes' during a meeting we all attend. I saw one of the sheets of paper she had written on and knew I had to have it. I asked her mother and her if I could keep it. It showed remarkable development at that age. I began to use it during every presentation and a college class I taught from that point on.

She had drawn a series of large V shapes lying on their sides and at first I thought it was a series of Vs done in one continuous string. But that was not so. She had used dark pink paper so at first I missed seeing that she had used 6 or 7 separate crayon colors. She had made one complete V, then changed colors for each of the V shapes in succession. Each V joined perfectly with no breaks showing. For a child of school age it would have been amazing to see such skill but for a child of 3 or so it was astounding. Her manual dexterity alone was remarkable. But it was more than that. Her thinking process was very advanced; she showed evidence of exploratory probing and strong analytical reasoning. (Things we will discuss later.)

I was curious about what her writing shows now. So I asked her mother for an example of her writing to see. I see that she has the same analytical and reasoning ability she showed at the young age. She thinks clearly with a direct approach to problem-solving and she is highly attentive to detail.

I suggest that you save some samples written by the young folks in your life, especially your own children, and add to them year by year. See if you see changes as they mature. Even scribbles of little ones offer clues about how their minds work so as soon as a toddler can hold a crayon you can begin your experiment.

The slope of the baseline

The previous post explained what the baseline represents. Again, it is the line of reality. What about when the line as a whole goes upward or downward?

Before we discuss that I will say that interpretations of handwriting are related to directional movement. For example, the natural direction of writing words on a page is to move to the right; you can only get there, the destination, by going forward toward the right edge of the page. How far you go before you stop the line and proceed to the next line is not a conscious decision. You don't plan it. You stop when you feel like it. Most writers leave some space. We are speaking of writing on typing paper. (If you are writing in an imposed restricted area, like a postcard, your use of space may not be typical.)

Direction can mean up, down, forward, back and/or going diagonally in of those directions.

Forward = progress toward the future, implies risk. You haven't arrived there yet so the future is unknown

Backward = maybe hesitation, being pulled to the past, to the familiar, where you have been. A regressive movement

Up = reaching upward (upper zone has to do with concepts, philosophy, theory, which are above the mundane.) You are getting away from the line of reality, the baseline. Mentally going into the upper zone means you are reaching above the ordinary and the usual happenings and thinking of everyday life (the middle zone) and you become more mentally adventurous by searching out higher ideas. (I would measure how far that stretch really goes in a given sample.)

In the case of the baseline itself: when it slopes upward on the diagonal it indicates the elevation of mood, which we term, "optimism." (A caution here: too much of anything, even in handwriting, becomes an extreme. so, exaggeration of the slope written upward all the time, may be a forced kind of optimism.)

Down = related to the baseline, it means just the opposite. If a sample shows a strong downward slope and the same occurs in many writing samples from the same person consistently most of the time, it may be anything from pessimism to possible depression. (Many of factors are considered. Use strong caution here.) If it shows just here and there and comes and goes it might reflects fatigue. (Don't assume you can tell for sure.) Watch the behavior and see if you pick up voice tones or spoken meanings that suggest any of this.

When tails on descending letters ( y & g, etc.) go downward in considerable distance from the baseline it indicates a desire to seek change from the ordinary. The writer is moving away from the everyday mundane activities (middle zone) and shows a desire for more activity. It could be more of a familiar activity or more of varied activities, meaning a desire for more variety as well as more change. (We have to look elsewhere for that indicator.) A person who seeks change may like to go to the same cabin in the woods every weekend; another person who, not only seeks change but also seeks variety, may be bored going and doing things in the same old place. That writer wants to explore new experiences, including adding more social contacts to the mix. (We will talk about that later.)

As you see, there is a great deal of symbolism involved with analyzing handwriting, which equates to common sense. In English we have many ways to use words that way. We say, "Cheer up!" not "Cheer down." We say, "downtrodden," "on the way down," "down-hearted," when we mean sad or unfortunate. We speak of feeling encouraged as "being in high spirits" —well, you get the point about "up and down." The same is true for progress, "Charge!" means move forward, "Fall behind" means regression.
If you stay where you are? "rooted" we might say. (It is a description of what is, not if it is good or bad.)

Thus, I look to see where each stroke of the writing begins, where it goes, and where it ends. Just by studying the writing direction I can begin to evaluate the state of mind, how even-keeled, how much a person will risk, and the person's potential for change. Handwriting holds clues about where and how far a writer is comfortable going or not going.

There is one paradox about line slope that remains a mystery. In the case of suicides, optimism has often been found in notes written before the tragedy or in the final farewell. Is it because once the decision has been made it reflects something other than sadness or depression? A sense of relief? I don't know.

The baseline—represents how we relate to reality

Baselines tell a lot about a writer. We might describe that aspect of writing as the balance beam, the line of reality, home base. It is the starting point of many letters.

Of itself it can be extremely straight, even with no lines on the paper. Imagine unlined paper: if you draw a line under the first letter of a line of writing and another line under the last letter on the same line and then connect the two lines with a ruler and find that every letter hits the pencil line at every possible point, then you have a rigid baseline.

Writers who always strictly adhere to a printed line or a self-formed baseline on unlined paper have a great need for inner control. There is a degree of rigidity in the personality (how much is determined by evaluation of other things.) Nonetheless, it takes a lot of energy to maintain that exacting measure of self. Adapting easily to change imposed upon them could be a challenge. Maybe not as difficult if they decide on the change.

Contrasted at the other extreme, when there is no predictable baseline, in that it looks and is erratic? Such writers can be intractable people (again we must consider other factors) but for sure we can say that evenness of temperament is not their strength. Adhering to a strict routine would be a challenge too. They would not do well at assembly-type, monotonous work. Expect some changeable behavior as well and if extreme there will be great fluctuations in mood. They can be easily distracted and blown off course by events or emotional situations, especially if other factors of the writing also reveal a propensity for unpredictable and frequent change.

In the middle is a bouncy baseline, an undulating but still fairly even one. (Most of the letters touch the line, missing here and there or the line looks slightly wavy.) Such writers have a good balance between control and total release. It is the most common baseline to find. It implies versatility, flexibility, and some 'give' in the personality. If others things are supporting, these writers can go with the flow and adapt to changing circumstances without getting far off track.

Granted this measurement is a judgment call for you. But it is fairly easy to see with the eye, especially the extremes as described here. The baseline is a very important element. I will mention it often because all three zones are measured in relation to it as well as slant and other things.

P.S. If you would like a more accurate view of handwriting buy a small plastic protractor during you shopping travels. It will help you understand the meaning of slant and other things as we go along. Slant will come up soon and I will be referring to degree measurements on a protractor.

Zones-the clue about where the writer 'lives'

There are three zones to be considered in analyzing handwriting. They are middle, upper, and lower. For our discussion we are considering the English language.

The middle zone: consists of all letters, strokes and placements in the area of the small letters. For some examples: e-i-o-u-s-m-n
We are also considering the only the part of other letters that fall in that area: y-g-d-h, etc. (ignoring the extenders going either up or down, such as, the upper loop on an "h" or the lower loop on a "g.")

The middle zone may show a lot of variation in size of letters, some larger than others, some clear and some not so clear.

The upper zone refers to any letter above the area of the middle zone, typically the upper extenders of letters, such as: t-stems, the letters l, h, d, b, etc. (Note that the letter f, if made copybook style, is represented in all three zones.)

The lower zone refers to any part of a letter below the baseline. Tails on y-g-p-etc.

Even a novice in the field of handwriting analysis can apply the following principles when looking at a piece of handwriting. Please remember, this is not a "good-bad" judgment call; this is an appraisal of personality of what just is there.

If used correctly it will help you see where people "live" and you will have a better idea how to communicate with them, especially if your main focus is different. (I will explain this as we go along in the future.)

Looking at the three zones:

The middle zone represents the immediate, the here-and-now, and implies an interest in what is going on in the present. When that is the predominant zone in the writing, and the writing is clear, the writer deals less with theory and more with taking care of mundane matters. That is not a put-down; paying attention to the mundane can be a very valuable asset. (As you might surmise, this is often the most defined area in the writing of teenagers. And so where is their focus in life?) Often, such writers' strengths are useful in work that requires focus on what is happening at the moment. Bank tellers, waitpersons, accountants, salespersons need this kind of orientation to do well. They are good at taking care of business as it happens. (Check the "thank you" on your next bill/receipt at the restaurant. I always smile at the "Nordstrom handwriting." I have done work for the store and it is consistently true to see middle zone emphasis.)

The upper zone indicates a reach into higher areas of interests beyond the present, mundane things of life. Conceptual imagination, theoretical leanings, inventiveness (as in new ideas, not just innovation or revamping of what already is) and perhaps a spiritual quest. By the latter I mean such writers may speak a lot about what their spirituality means to them, not just practice their view of what it means to them in a practical way. They discuss the concepts.

Predominately upper zone writers are not as common to find. Such people can sound quite philosophical and like to brainstorm. They also can give the impression of arrogance, as though they are above 'mere mortals' who just don't 'get it.' (Of course, actual evidence of inflated vanity must be there to arrive at that conclusion. That is the conclusion when d and t stems loom upward and measure 3-4 times higher than the height of the middle zone letters. It is even easy to pick up with the eye, because they look out of proportion. I would measure carefully and do a count for accuracy.)

There can be religious or spiritually-minded people who are predominantly middle-zone writers and are also very devout. But, they may speak more about their activities surrounding their beliefs, rather than discuss the beliefs themselves even though they hold them dear. Middle zone writers are not perceived as being particularly speculative or conceptual in the way they express themselves.

The lower zone has to do with activity, material imagination (assessment of resourcefulness) biological needs, social needs and things along those lines. A predominant lower zone suggests an interest in activity, including perhaps financial rewards, and social activities. (The whole of the story does not solely depend on finding elongated formations; we also need to consider how the strokes are formed, as to looping versus straight strokes when the tails look like sticks.)

If all three zones are represented in a single handwriting it is considered balanced. (Ms. Copybook writes that way. But hey, who wants to be as perfect as she purports to be?) The average person will usually have one or two zones showing up more prominently. Many people have a healthy middle and lower zone development with less height in the upper area, although it is still represented. That fits with the activity-driven world we live in. In the moment and lots going on.

How will knowing some of this help you in communicating more successfully? Well, if you are dealing with a middle zone writer, make your subject matter and the way you present it match the way they process. They are interested in information relevant to NOW. Skip the theoretical, keep your explanations clear and in that time-frame and they will be more inclined to pay more attention.

So, with this in mind, look at your own and others' writing and see what you find.

The page as an environment

The page of paper and the instrument used to write becomes the choice environment of the writer. Sometimes the natural size of writing has to be adapted to the area available. If you are writing on a postcard and attempting to squeeze in all the info you can in that space you may pack your writing tighter than you usually do. But given the freedom to do it your natural way your writing will be your usual style and the spacing pattern will be typical. (Yes, your writing may be changeable, according to mood and other things.)

Let's imagine that any writing we discuss from here on out is executed on unlined copy paper (8.5 X 11inches.)

All of us have a comfortable place to begin writing on a sheet of paper. Try this experiment next time you meet with a group. Give out sheets of copy paper. Without explaining more, tell them that you want to dictate one paragraph and have them write it on the paper. (Speak slowly and steadily enough to accommodate the most deliberate person among them.)

After they have finished take a look at the variations among the writers as to point where they chose to begin to write on their sheet. Look also at how much space they took up and how the margins look. Do writers start right at the very top of the paper (that's a conscious choice since you told them it would be a short piece.) Do they leave a very large upper margin by starting say, 3" down—or does it look just about 'right?' Is the writing large, small or about medium size?

Check the side margins? Are they even or jagged? Do they go straight down the page at the same distance from the edge? You are bound to see differences when you compare them.

When you begin to write on a page, forming lines of writing as you go, several things are happening simultaneously. First, you are forming a baseline, which is a very important aspect of writing. According to copybook, all letters either begin there or pass through that actual (if lined paper) or imaginary line, "the baseline."

Let's assume you are writing English: if you start writing at the left wherever you choose and move across the line at whatever speed you wish, obviously time as going by. In other words, it is later when you end the line than when you began it. It is like a journey. You have a starting point and a destination.

Considering each single line, we can say that the left side of the page represents the past (it's where you came from) and the right side of the page represents the future (where you are heading.) The left side also indicates self (it is closest to you); the right indicates a reaching out from self toward the unknown and also to others. These principles relate to all aspects of analyzing handwriting since all measurements of strokes and placement are figured in relation to the baseline. A very important fact to remember!

The "ideal" copybook example shows all endings of words headed to the right. None end leftward. That is seldom the case in normal writing. Almost all of us show some regressive strokes. Yes, it is common sense that they are indications of being pulled backward in some way. Usually the emotions are being impacted by events that occurred before the present.

Handwriting can also show evidence of bringing the past along with you as if dragging the past along as 'baggage.'

The writing of infamous Ted Bundy, the serial killer, showed a strong example of what I mean. (Sorry, I tried to copy his sample here and I was not successful.) He had approach strokes leading into most of his words. They were heavy, inflexible straight strokes coming from as much as almost an inch below the baseline. (Imagine the word, "so" being written in cursive. If it started from way below the baseline as a diagonal straight stroke you will have a picture of Bundy's.) It is as if he were dragging a heavy load along as he began each word. He was. This stroke stands alone as an indicator of the strong resentment he held, revealing how much the past influenced him. He was a complex person, showing a mixture of some positive and many very negative traits.

I don't believe his propensity for trouble would have gone unrecognized if his handwriting had been analyzed early on. Could anyone have predicted the murderous course he chose? No. But, the rating score of almost 100% for resentment and also for repression alone would have signaled possible trouble to come. The fair-haired boy's image would not have held. Unfortunately, he fooled a lot of people; many ended up dead at his hands.

Many people show indication of feeling like they are being imposed upon and as a result have some degree of resentment in their handwriting. I have yet to see any other example of it that equaled Bundy's.

Here are the basics of analyzing personality

Personality assessments are very interesting to prepare. They can be very short and to the point, covering some basic essentials or they can end up being very long reports. It all depends on the need of the client and the purpose of the analysis.

A novel idea is to order brief analyses for guests at corporate or social events. The host or hostess collects samples from prospective guests and forwards them to me along with payment by snail mail. (Ideally I prefer to work from original writing although it is not always posssible.) I analyze the samples in time to return all the individual analyses to the host but each one is sealed so that each person only reads his or her own. Most of the time everybody ends up sharing theirs. It amounts to a strengths and liabilities summation plus my comments about the outstanding traits in each writing. It really says quite a lot about a person. The idea has been a very popular with guests and I love to do them.

When I do a regular analysis I usually tell the client (the "you" in what follows) what to expect by saying something like the following:

"A personal analysis identifies the personality traits you have and explains how they interrelate. It begins with how your emotions influence you and how you deal with your feelings. (Do you stuff them? Do you impulsively react to most things? Do you control them externally so that you appear placid and controlled while feeling quite the opposite inside?)

Next, comes the pattern of your thinking: how you learn and reason and the pace of your processing. That factor alone accounts for a heap of a lot of problems in communication. Consider this: Methodical thinkers cannot speed up the step-by-step pattern that is natural for them, which frustrates quick thinkers when they give instructions and expect immediate comprehension with no repetition necessary. (Imagine that mix in the home environment between spouses and with the kids.)

How well can you analyze what you learn? Is your imagination well developed so that you are resourceful or do you tend to see things as "black and white" and run out of options to consider? What traits help your thinking process (say, directness, broadmindedness, fluidity) and which ones may fog your brain (how about pessimism, prejudice, indecisiveness?)

Next, your motivation and follow-through evaluations. How much will you risk or do you play it safe? Will you finish what you start in sequential order or will you have a lot going at once and get scattered? Do you procrastinate a lot? How about social and communication skills—how clear, direct and forthright do others perceive you to be?

We can't leave out your anxieties and the defenses you use to cope with them—whether to adapt to get along, to resist by fighting back or to escape by seeking to get away. Most of us have some combination of all three. (Welcome to the human race.)

The report will give you an unbiased appraisal of your traits—unlike the observations of those who feel sure they 'know' you or others who size you up quickly and don't bother to know you at all.

An analysis describes you non-judgmentally. It helps you appreciate the best about yourself, so you can build on your strengths. Then you can use them purposefully to act instead of just react. It presents non-strengths without distorting, minimizing or exaggerating them. But, there's no call for a special makeover. You already are one-of-a-kind with unique gifts. This just gives you a fresh look at the person you are right now. You can take it from there, and use the insight any way you wish."

So, that's a very basic outline here of what comes out in an analysis.

In this web log I won't be covering the full story on handwriting analysis. It is too visual a study to do that. But I will offer you an overview of some of the things I have mentioned in this post. The main thing I must always remember—and you too—what counts is to get the full picture of all the traits before attempting to evaluate them and rate their influence. A single indicator rarely means much by itself. I'll let you in on a few of them that can stand alone. Signatures aren't one of them.

Oops! there's one more thing I should have included

There is one thing I failed to mention in the last post. Chronological age cannot be determined either. So, I request that information from the writer of a sample for analysis. The reason is you cannot always judge age by looking at the writing. Some grownups are very immature and show juvenile handwriting and once in a while a child's writing will show amazing maturity. Also, it is really great to see a steady hand in a very old person. Recently I saw the writing of a 90 year old and I would have never guessed her age from her writing. It was strong and well-formed. So that is why I want to know a person's age. (It is not legal to ask for the age in personnel work.)

About a year ago I led a series of classes on the basics of handwriting analysis and one of the students brought along her niece who was 11 years old. I didn't know she was coming. The others were three lessons ahead of her so what a surprise to have her ask some of the best questions of the group! She was even logically anticipating some steps before we got to them. Of course, I asked her for a sample of her writing, which confirmed her exploratory mind and superb analytical reasoning. I heard that she is a challenge to her teachers and parents as well.

An introduction to graphology—the study of handwriting

Welcome to my web log. May I invite you to take a journey with me into the world of handwriting analysis? If you follow the signposts I will point out along the way you will gain some new and, I hope, fun insight into what makes you tick—as well as get some clues about some of the other people in your life.

I think that few people know much about how this works or if it works. A lot of people are downright skeptical. That is understandable, considering their limited exposure to the facts. For example, when I have been on programs, especially on television, the host wanted me to quickly analyze handwriting— not explain the basis of it. But we have much more time here so I will give you a look inside the world of graphology, which is the generic term for the study of handwriting.

Would it surprise you to learn that hundreds of traits are revealed in everybody's handwriting? When I tell people that they often quickly say, "Oh, my handwriting changes all the time. You can't analyze mine because it's never the same." Not so!

Since handwriting is just another one of your habits, you probably seldom notice how you do it. Of course, at times you may consciously observe that your writing looks different. Not surprising, since handwriting reflects changes in mood or personality, whether they occur often, rarely, or happen suddenly as a result of some emotional trauma or show as a result of age or illness.

Every time that you write anything you leave behind three messages and only one of them is intentional.

The first message is your reason for writing—the actual content of the meaning you are trying to convey. Since handwriting is also communication, the degree of your legibility shows your consideration for whoever will be reading what you wrote. Sometimes it depends who is going to get the letter. For example, while Mom may struggle to decipher a hastily written sloppy note from her kid, that same kid will certainly take great pains to write clearly if his letter must be addressed to the IRS. Just shows it can be done.

Only this first message can be compromised, whether done consciously or unconsciously. For example, a person could write, "I love you"—but not really mean it at all. The other two messages will contain the truth, although uncovering it will require the skill of trained experts.

The second message you leave behind is that you are the writer. This fact is revealed in the physical characteristics of the structures, spacing patterns, and placements you execute on the page. It works like this: As your brain directs your hand your nervous system influences the speed, smoothness and size of the formations you make. So, you produce telltale writing characteristics as unique as your fingerprints. No one can exactly imitate your writing because no one can inhabit your brain and become you. That's the reason why your signature is required and accepted worldwide as the legal verification of your identity. You will never write your name exactly the same way twice and yet, even though it varies, the trail of your identity will show up in your signature. It also shows up in all the rest of the writing you do. (As many perpetrators have learned the hard way—forgery does not offer long-term self-employment.)

The third message is the personality traits that are encoded within each of the frozen graphic structures on the page. In other words, those idiosyncrysies in your writing mean something. Handwriting is a form of silent body language that not only tells that you were the person who wrote something but also reveals details about your personality and character.

What makes it most interesting is that handwriting can be analyzed after death since it survives it, so it is possible to 'know' people you actually never met. (I have not met many of the live people whose writing I have analyzed either. In time I will tell you some of their stories.)

I have had an active professional practice for almost 20 years and I have done thousands of analyses for business and private clients, as well as doing seminars throughout the United States and Canada, and teaching private and college classes. All that experience eventually led me into training to be a personal coach and now handwriting analysis is an adjunct tool I can use with my coaching clients, if they choose to. Initially, it helps me see if I am a good match to work a client and also it makes it easier to get to know someone more quickly.

Later, I'll tell you more about the forensic science of questioned document examination. In the past, I have done a lot of that work too.

At the outset I want you to know that handwriting analysis has absolutely no connection with psychic phenomena. Period. And, conclusions aren't based on intuitive 'knowing' or gut-feelings. They don't come out of the air. They are based on logical principles and careful evaluation of the whole of the writing.

It is both a science and an art. It is a science because it is based on measurements. It is an art because the analyst produces a unique word-portrait of the writer––not just a generic description, which would seem to fit any number of people.

I hope this subject will fascinate you as much as it does me. If you choose to check back here, in the meantime, I suggest you prepare a sample of your own writing. Just write three or four paragraphs about some interest you have: past, present, future. Write in your natural style on white unlined paper, using a pen of your choice.

Then, also write this sentence in cursive as well: The quick brown fox jumped over the lazy dog.

Sign and date the page. Keep it in a safe place to refer to. Then as we go along you can look to see what you find in your writing. If I get a little smarter in the tech department I hope to scan some things to show you.

Meanwhile, welcome!