A few weeks ago, someone sent me a link to an article sharing how absurd and idiotic it is for a person to put two spaces between type-written sentences.  << two spaces >> Apparently, it's just one of those things that someone should never, ever, ever do. << two spaces >> And then again this week, my attention was drawn to a separate article that listed the double-space between sentences as the number one sin in typography! << two spaces >> I guess it's pretty serious business that typographers are pretty serious about.

But I just don't know what to do about this information. << two spaces >> I vaguely remember having heard this debate previously -- and I'm willing to intellectually assent to the preference of today's professionals. << two spaces >> However, the larger, more consistent, more thoroughly-ingrained voice in this conversation for me is the voice of Mr. Hardesty (who we'd sometimes call Mr. Hard 'n Nasty, even though he was actually a very sweet guy). << two spaces >> He was my high school typing instructor. <<two spaces >> And because I grew up in the era when high school typing classes were conducted on electric typewriters, which had monospaced type, I was deliberately and repeatedly instructed to put two spaces between sentences. << two spaces >> And if I didn't put two spaces between sentences, my grade was docked for it. << two spaces >> So I learned the lesson early, and I learned it well. << two spaces >> And, well, you know how it is. << two spaces >> Old habits die, well, hard and nasty.

I suppose I'm going to ultimately have to break this habit if I'm ever going to be a serious writer. << two spaces >> Still, there's a part of me that can't help but wish that I could maintain this little generational tic of mine. << two spaces >> Something about it seems outdated to the point of being endearing: like the old (1985) Chevette that I drove around into the first couple years of the 21st Century... or like a turntable that plays vinyl records... or like my grandparents' fondness for the King James Version of the Bible. << two spaces >> A part of me likes the idea that these things tie me to a fixed point in the flow of history. << two spaces >> And until I can figure out some way to break the old habits drilled into me by Mr. Hard 'n Nasty, I'm just going to claim that I'm doing it to be retro and true to my generation.