Day 2 -- D T

Memorize D and T. These examples are short but the ones you pick for yourself will be 40-45 minutes long:

• To cut down the risks to health which remain, those of us who can do so may give aid by giving money to special financial funds for the fight against some malady. Although the money so given may not pay for more than half of the cost of some vial for the laboratory, that helpful vial may put an end to the malady.

becomes:

• To `ut do`` the `i``` to hea`th `hi`h `emai`` tho`e o` u` `ho `a` do `o ma` `i`e aid `` `i`i`` mo`e` to ``e`ia` `i`a``ia` `u`d` `o` the `i`ht a`ai``t `ome ma`ad`` A`thou`h the mo`e` `o `i`e` ma` `ot `a` `o` mo`e tha` ha`` o` the `o`t o` `ome `ia` `o` the `a`o`ato``` that he```u` `ia` ma` `ut a` e`d to the ma`ad``

Take breaks as needed. Everyone has a different attention span, usually from 20 to 45 minutes. My own seems to be about 30 minutes. Find your attention span and then take breaks accordingly.

Day 3 -- N S

Add N and S to your stash. Keep it very slow and let good habits develop.

• Although the normal work of the usual crime sleuth may even rid society of an influential foe, the analytic work of the health sleuth is more crucial to more men and to the world, for the goal of such work is to rid the world of any malady that is the foe of health.

becomes

• A`thou`h the no`ma` `o`` o` the usua` ``ime s`euth ma` e`en `id so`iet` o` an in``uentia` `oe` the ana``ti` `o`` o` the hea`th s`euth is mo`e ``u`ia` to mo`e men and to the `o``d` `o` the `oa` o` su`h `o`` is to `id the `o``d o` an` ma`ad` that is the `oe o` hea`th`

If you can hook up your keyboard to a computer at times, so much the better, since it will be difficult to check your work without paper or screen output. Mac and Windows convert readily to the Dvorak layout; DOS is a little harder, but doable. I have a Mac at work but I found it easier, at this stage, to take an old keyboard to a different room and practice when I had the spare time. Have a DOS machine at home but didn't convert it to Dvorak. I disconnected the keyboard and practiced on that. Used my Mac at work to check my progress once in a while. It's handy if you can arrange it.

Day 4 -- P .

Add the P and the period (.) to your potion.

• Maybe the majority of us blame work for lack of vitality or vigor when the blame belongs to lack of play, for play does have the quality of giving us vigor for both play and work.

becomes

• Ma``e the ma`o`it` o` us ``ame `o`` `o` `a`` o` `ita`it` o` `i`o` `hen the ``ame `e`on`s to `a`` o` p`a`` `o` p`a` does ha`e the `ua`it` o` `i`in` us `i`o` `o` `oth p`a` and `o``.

Keep a beverage handy at all times. Coffee, tea, Pepsi, or even water will do fine. Refrain from, or at least go easy with alcohol during the 40-days (1 hour a day for 40 days).

Day 5 -- , ;

For our next number, the comma and the colon.

• To play any game; to play any game at all, that is apt to do the player harm is to display lack of wit and lack of mentality, but it is not one bit more neurotic than the big mistake that smart men make when they do not play any game.

becomes

• To p`a` an` `ame; to p`a` an` `ame at a``, that is apt to do the p`a`e` ha`m is to disp`a` `a`` o` `it and `a`` o` menta`it`, `ut it is not one `it mo`e neu`oti` than the `i` mista`e that sma`t men ma`e `hen the` do not p`a` an` `ame.

Don't skip days. If that is impossible, then try very hard not to skip more than 3 or 4 days total during the 40 day training period. And, of course, you don't count skipped days as part of the 40 days. You need 40 full days. If you skip too many days your time begins to encroach upon 2 months -- too damned long for a typing program if you ask me.

Day 6 -- L? "

Let's do the L, the question mark, and the quotation mark.

• Is it trite to write that it pays to play? Bill said, "So many busy men and women and so many boys and girls lose sight of this truth that it may help to cite some of the usual arguments." That's Bill's opinion, of course.

becomes

• Is it t`ite to ``ite that it pa`s to pla`? `ill said, "So man` `us` men and `omen and so man` `o`s and `i`ls lose si`ht o` this t`uth that it ma` help to `ite some o` the usual a``uments." That's `ill's opinion, o` `ou`se.

Do not, under any circumstances, skip more than 1 day in a row. If you find that you must skip 2 days in succession for some frivolous reason or other, then you should plan to learn the Dvorak keyboard at some other time -- you're not ready yet. If something truly traumatic happens causing you to skip 2 days in succession (earthquake, war) then that experience itself will probably interfere with your concentration and you should postpone your program until the arrival of better times.