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. 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 …