A long time ago in a galaxy now lost unto us, the Fontifier offered the web the opportunity to make anybody’s handwriting into a font (it looks as though they’re charing $9 for it now). This morning, Leigh linked to a site where Pilot (the pen people) will make a web font out of your handwriting, so that they’ll allow you to email messages sent in your “handwriting” (I don’t yet see a way to download and keep your writing).
In my case, both the old and the new made something of a dog’s breakfast from my writing. The software had a hard time with my swashes and elevation of glyphs with descenders. But the really impossible element was letterspacing; my flowing hand was broken up into discrete units (understandable) and set far apart from the other glyphs, so any trace of continuity evaporated.
I’ll try again, probably, using a block-letter approach. Others who have less flowing handwriting will probably do very well. At the moment, though, my Pilot handwriting-type is not only not ready for prime time, it’s not ready for 4:30 AM with overfull ashtrays and empty bottles, spilled wine, and the beginnings of a hangover.
The electrician told me to be home from 800 to 1300. He has 22 minutes to go, but so far there’s been no sign of him; some things are the same in the US and the UK. What you hear is the sound of my teeth gnashing.