The cursive curse

I have long used lefthanded cursive as my form of handwriting, from notetaking as a journalist to writing down details about people’s financial well-being while working helping financial services clients with life insurance and investments.

When I first started in financial services 20 years ago, all the applications were paper. Every form said “please print.” I never did. No one ever called me on it.

Today most applications are electronic. If I am required to sign and scan something I often do it in pencil because scanning makes it permanent. It may be a form of protest, perhaps passive agressive.

I have on occasion had people look at my pencil scratch either professionally as an advisor or as a journalist and say “I can’t read that” or look at my note taking and say “how do you keep track? Yes, I use mechanical pencils. I always carry two. In case the first one runs out of bullets as well as a purpose-folded piece of paper. 8 ½ x 11 old New England Financial stationery folded in 8ths. NEF died years ago but the slightly heavier paper is perfect for the way I use it.

There have been many occasions when I don’t have a notebook and that piece of paper stands in. I number the panels for when I decipher later and usually date every one. About every 10th sheet or so I have to refold it and work on a 2nd side with panels 9 through 10.

I think it started a decade ago when I used to recap Slow Roll every week in the before times. (When we lived in Clarence and covid hadn't happened. That pandemic changed the world.)

How I came to cursive was a different matter. A high school teacher in Alden, it may have been Gerry Wild in 10th grade, gave me a C on an assignment. I was furious and asked him about it – writing was always easy for me. I could routinely turn in a first draft and ace it. Going into journalism was a way to get out of having to work.

Anyway, Mr. Wild told me the problem was my printing. “If you rewrite your essay in cursive, I will give you an A.”

“I don’t know how to write in cursive. I did it when I was young but I haven’t in years” I said (it was a matter of perspective. I am still young. Even if a friend asks how that Allstate gig is going. I say "It's OK but i struggle some with the computer." He says "that's cuz you old as fuck. Old people suck at computers.")

Anyway,  back to Mr. Wild. 

“Well I guess you will have to learn again” he replied.

I snuck into the elementary school and copied letters off the display above the chalkboard.

I wrote my essay and turned it in. He fixed my grade. Then I went back to printing. He gave me a C and made me rewrite it again. I did. I have been writing in cursive ever since.

Sometimes it’s just that one teacher who makes a difference.

Anyway, this whole little essay came to be because of a writing prompt I took from NPR today, The hypothesis is that cursive is making a comeback.

The photo above is of my folded paper and pencils with a note I took the other day when I asked a potential North Tonawanda financial services client if he had any good questions I should ask the mayor. He offered one which I dutifully recorded. Here's a link to the NPR story.

https://www.npr.org/2026/03/19/nx-s1-5669426/cursive-handwriting-school…