Arthritis Hands. Etiquette Of Switching To Print As Needed?

[kealani]

I occasionally have arthritis flare ups in my hands and fingers.

With that, my normally "Business Palmer" cursive turns illegible.

 

However, my printing is very legible and nicely spaced, but much slower than my cursive.

 

It is enjoyable to me to write cursive and to slowly improve . . . .but. . . .

 

I am wondering if it is within good etiquette to switch to print on some letter corresponding for this reason?

 

Then, there might also be the fun challenge to improve my printing style as well which I've never done.

Thoughts?

 

Thanks you for you help and thoughts,

jim

 

ps: Some people have writing that looks more like printing or printing with flourishes than script and it can look great as well. But I have not tried that for corresponding.

[Sailor Kenshin]

Why would it be a problem? I certainly wouldn't mind, and switch from print to cursive myself in correspondence. Though usually it's to show off an ink/nib combo, now and then my hand gets shaky.

 

I don't think anyone else would mind, either.

[PAKMAN]

The change wouldn't bother me in a letter I recieved.

[kealani]

The change wouldn't bother me in a letter I recieved.

 

thanks for the encouragement

aloha

jim

[kealani]

Why would it be a problem? I certainly wouldn't mind, and switch from print to cursive myself in correspondence. Though usually it's to show off an ink/nib combo, now and then my hand gets shaky.

 

I don't think anyone else would mind, either.

Thanks.

I needed that.

aloha

jim

[BaronWulfraed]

Might be worth trying to learn an italic hand -- the basic hand is non-connected letters, hence may be closer to "print", but the advanced forms have some joined letters (but doesn't join all of them).

 

Write Now (Getty-Dubay)

The Italic Way to Beautiful Handwriting (Fred Eager)

[kealani]

Might be worth trying to learn an italic hand -- the basic hand is non-connected letters, hence may be closer to "print", but the advanced forms have some joined letters (but doesn't join all of them).

 

Write Now (Getty-Dubay)

The Italic Way to Beautiful Handwriting (Fred Eager)

 

Suggestions on something simple to start with?'

 

Thanks for the help.

Aloha

jim

Edited June 13, 2019 by AlohaJim

[Maccabeus]

Emily Post wrote quite a bit on the etiquette of letter writing. I do not believe alternating between print and cursive constitutes a breach of etiquette. Generally speaking, I'm just glad to get letters from my pen pals.

[BaronWulfraed]

 

Suggestions on something simple to start with?'

 

Getty-Dubay probably is the "simple" (they have texts for kindergarten and up, Write Now is focused a bit more on those who already know how to write but need something different)

 

https://handwritingsuccess.com/

[kealani]

 

Getty-Dubay probably is the "simple" (they have texts for kindergarten and up, Write Now is focused a bit more on those who already know how to write but need something different)

 

https://handwritingsuccess.com/

 

Thanks for the help.

jim

[Misfit]

You have to do what is right for your hands and fingers. What you have to say in your letters is what matters.

[kealani]

You have to do what is right for your hands and fingers. What you have to say in your letters is what matters.

 

That's reassuring.

Thanks for the encouragement.

I agree.

 

Onward

j

[Inky.Fingers]

Writing via Business Penmanship should be the most relaxing chores. Are you using mostly finger movement or whole arm movements (what they call it muscular something).

 

When I write in BP, there is no fatigue. In Italic, I tend to use more finger movement...And am trying to change that. I am working on pen manipulation, and that requires more finger movements.

 

If you are not using muscular something ...Perhaps it is time to learn full arm muscular writing?

[kealani]

Writing via Business Penmanship should be the most relaxing chores. Are you using mostly finger movement or whole arm movements (what they call it muscular something).

 

When I write in BP, there is no fatigue. In Italic, I tend to use more finger movement...And am trying to change that. I am working on pen manipulation, and that requires more finger movements.

 

If you are not using muscular something ...Perhaps it is time to learn full arm muscular writing?

 

My penmanship is "Palmer Business". I can't use arm movements because of a little nerve damage in my neck.

The first half page is usually very consistent but begins to degrade. It has also worked well to only write so much at a time and come back to it the next day or so. Sometimes I have to write on a clipboard on a recliner that's back a bit. Half sheets seem more manageable as full size sheets tend to push me to finish a page.

I print fairly legibly but, you're right, I've sent out about 5 letters that have been printed and there's a lot more finger movement when printing.

I would rather write cursive as it's more enjoyable, but not so it becomes harder for the reader.

Somewhere, there's a solution to all this. . . . . .

 

Thanks for your help.

jim

Edited June 16, 2019 by AlohaJim

[Inky.Fingers]

I see. There's a simple solution. Full arm movement is based on the pivoting point at the muscle close to the elbow. Shift this point to the wrist area. This has allowed me to use BP while standing and using small writing area instead of a dining table.

 

However it does not allow me to do flourish...Since the radius is much smaller.

[BaronWulfraed]

I see. There's a simple solution. Full arm movement is based on the pivoting point at the muscle close to the elbow. Shift this point to the wrist area. This has allowed me to use BP while standing and using small writing area instead of a dining table.

 

 

So... write as if you are using a computer mouse <G>

[kealani]

I see. There's a simple solution. Full arm movement is based on the pivoting point at the muscle close to the elbow. Shift this point to the wrist area. This has allowed me to use BP while standing and using small writing area instead of a dining table.

 

However it does not allow me to do flourish...Since the radius is much smaller.

 

Okay.

I will try that.

 

Thanks for the help.

jim

[kealani]

 

So... write as if you are using a computer mouse <G>

Good visualization.

I'll try it on my next letter out.

aloha

jim