I used to write a lot. Then I wrote on occasion. Then I wrote only when needed. The number of pens I have has nothing to do with the number of words I commit to paper. This doesn’t stop me, however, from accumulating more pens, for many reasons that have almost nothing to do with writing. …
When the ballpoint took over, fountain pens graduated to the special shelf, where they hung out with the fancy china. From everyday tools, they became markers for significant occasions. Â Back then, people favored fine points, for compact writing on lightweight onionskin, perfect for letters in the mail. Then medium and broad nibs took over the …
I’ve worked with brands for 25 years. That’s 52,000 hours of figuring out how to make brands engaging, persuasive, convincing – and ultimately, worth a place in someone’s life. The new Esterbrook has caused consternation among pen people. To me, it is an emerging story of the power of a brand, even after its original owners have gone, because of the meaning it holds for the people who love it.
For the first time, My Life As a Verb has a guest blog entry. Thank you, Karlo. <3 Leigh has an Omas 556/S that needs no help from Marol to look slick. It exudes cool like Gianni Agnelli in a bespoke Caraceni. The 50s Italian Fine moves better than Jagger, laying down hairline curves with …
My favorite Omas is a vintage one, a 556/S. It’s the slinkier, Continental version of the Parker 51. What I love about it is the nib – a classic flexible Omas nib with tremendous softness. I found an Extra Flessibile nib on an Omas Saffron being sold on the Green Board. It’s nothing like my …
It was a struggle, but I managed to reduce the number of pens in my bag to five. I brought home a soft pen roll from Paris in June last year, and I haven’t used it till now because, come on, how could I possibly take just five pens to work? Still, my right shoulder …
I only have two. I reviewed my Omas Milord Arco when it arrived. I thought I’d lost it, just two weeks ago, when it wasn’t in my bag or in any of my usual storage places. I couldn’t work. I couldn’t eat breakfast. The Mottishaw-modified pen turned out to be in my toiletries box. (No, …
My intense flirtation with iMovie 08 continues, even if I had to restart the application thrice during editing. I had not realized the mpeg-1 format my Sony Cybershot N50 uses was incompatible with iMovie. Thank the galactic overlords for Visual Hub. It was a simple drag-and-drop from iPhoto (which selfishly imported both jpegs and mpegs …
As you can see, the doodlebots are out to play. This was drawn using my Omas Milord Arco with an extra-fine nib modified for flex by Mr. Mottishaw, loaded with Noodler’s Kiowa Pecan.
Actually, it’s eleven, but one of my pens is back at the shop, waiting for a nib exchange. I bought more than ten modern pens this year, many pre-owned, and while I liked them all well enough in the first place to buy them, inevitably favorites emerge. The Pilot Bamboo didn’t make it to the …