A dyslexic without Microsoft Word

Where would I be without Microsoft Word?

It’s a team-building day. There’s a flip chart in front of all the groups. Someone is about to be nominated as the scribe. I’m sweating. I hope it’s not me. I sit still, silent, holding my breath.

Thank God! It’s someone else. I exhale deeply and prepare to crack a joke.

In moments like these, I can’t describe the sheer fear that washes over me. Spelling words like conscious or relevant? Forget it. Is that an "a" sound at the end of ant, or is it an "e" sound? I still don’t f@*king know. The difference between certain sounds completely escapes me.

I know tricks like "big elephants always understand small elephants" for because. I know calendar because the icon sits on my screen. I remember register because I write it every day on the whiteboard. But what about the other 171,476 words in the 2024 2nd edition of the Oxford English Dictionary?

How Microsoft has helped me…thanks Bill.

If I can’t spell a word, I avoid it. My mind instinctively jumps to an easier alternative. But using tools like Microsoft Word has encouraged me to take risks with more complex words. The immediate feedback I get from the program gives me the confidence to expand my vocabulary—words I know I have but find excruciating to write down.

When I was 12 years old, I started learning to touch type. I remember those sessions vividly. The teacher played some hypnotic cassette tape while we followed along and practiced. About two years later, when MSN Messenger became a thing, I got fast at typing. Now, it’s second nature.

Typing hasn’t improved my spelling, but at least no one has to see my handwriting.