Spreadsheets and Databases

You may ask, what the heck do spreadsheets and databases have to do with writing? Well, for me, they can be an integral and fun part of a writing project.

I love technology. Always have. When I was a tot, my mom taught (ooh, those are very close to homophones) a science fiction/literature class at Eisenhower College. I don't think that was a frequent occurrence on college campus up until that time. Anyway, she had a whole shelf of those books - and by shelf, I mean shelves - probably 160 books or so - which I proceeded to work my way through. Classic stuff it is called now - Asimov, Heinlein, Dune (Herbert) CS Lewis, Bradbury, etc. Loved it! I am still a Science Fiction and Fantasy Fan - though I don't read except in spurts just now. Moving on, I just loved the possibilities that science and science fiction provided and provides. If I weren't in the humanities, I would be in the sciences. So, I love computers - being one manifestation of technology.

And on computers you have spreadsheets and databases! I just think the power of these two applications are awesome! I believe that it was Lotus 1-2-3 that really helped make the computer a useful item and not just a geeks plaything. That first Spreadsheet paved the way or Excel and all other spreadsheets - and despite all the fancy bells and whistles that have been added since, most spreadsheets still owe their basic functionality to Lotus. As for databases, they are just way too cool for school. But more on those when I am actually using one for  a project.

Right now, for the FB friend letter project, I am using two applications - Pages (a word processing program) into which I paste each of the letters that I write. And Numbers - a spreadsheet application wherein I track who I wrote, when. I actually have 11 columns: Number, Name, Where written (because I plan to do my Daily Challenge Peeps too - and maybe others who I just have email addresses for - like Diane and Peter and Daniel...) Date Written, Date Responded (lots of blank spaces here, sadly), Where do they live, how known, met in person (this is either blank or "not met"), Percentage Done, Total Number of Friends, and Response Percentage. Percentage Done and Response Percentage are calculated fields - I like seeing calculated fields. Yippee!

Ok, back to the letter writing campaign!