I Love My New Keyboard! And Other Divine Tips About Tools

My new keyboard is a Tactile Pro, and worth every single cent of its expensive price (thanks for paying for it, my lovely supporters, winkwink). The teeny-weeny one that came with the iMac gave me pain in the wrists in just two days and made my arms feel like pretzels, even at rest. And the new keyboard makes lovely clickety sounds, just like the keyboards of real authors!

More seriously, I have learned the lesson that proper respect for one's work requires proper tools. As good ones as you can afford. When I was working on the kitchen I bought a miter saw for those really tricky cuts the moldings required. Sadly, I went for the cheapest possible model, with plastic tightening screws. They broke with the third cut. Then I had to go back and argue with the store and so on.

The same applies to most all tools, including the ones we all use daily to clean or cook. If you respect your own work, get the tools that make it easier. I bought an ergonomic broom, for example, because of my weak lower back. That purchase, about twenty dollars, means that I don't get a day of ache if I sweep for more than five minutes. Money well spent, right?

This may not apply to something you do only once. But the small improvements in life, when added up over time, make a big difference for me. A good big pot, a good set of kitchen knives, a good drill. And if you are lucky, you have to buy them only once, which is good for the environment, too.