What is the right size for my pen collection?
I return often to reflections on how large or small an “appropriate” collection of fancy pens should be. A recent spate of reflections by blogs I enjoy reading have similarly returned to this topic. Many aspire to small, intentionally-curated collections.
Should I also aim for a similarly minimalist assortment of 10 or 12 pens? Pens that have each been carefully chosen so that each one speaks to a particular part of writing that I enjoy? My forever 10?
Minimalist and utilitarian approaches are appealing. Minimalism is a practice which shapes multiple spheres of my life. My writing style (outside of this blog) is influenced by authors who are notable for their stingy word use — the likes of Vonnegut and Hemingway. My aesthetics, as well. This blog’s design is a fitting example.
My take is still in-process. I’m not sure how large or small I want my collection to be. What I do know is that my collection needs to serve my needs.
Analog tools help me to navigate a constellation of symptoms. They slow me down. Focus my thinking. Help me stay productive during working hours. And find joy in my personal hours.
The combination of ADD, a penchant for overwork in the service of my students, and perfectionism create an intertia I have to overcome to start working. My collection encourages me to start writing, to start thinking — and then to keep going. All is well once I’m “in it.” Getting started is the challenge.
I have a fairly large collection of pens. 57 as of this post. Does my collection serve my needs? What should change? Smaller? Larger? Swap in something different?
Three notions surface as I reflect on whether the size of my pen collection serves me.
Curation. The difference between collecting and accumulating. Diversity in both engineering and style. Balanced against needless overlap.
Rediscovery. Playing with a pen I forgot I own. Bringing fresh eyes — a fresh hand? — to an old pen keeps writing a fun endeavor.
The Joy Draw. The ability to see each of my pens often enough that each has the opportunity to draw me in. The “Ooh! I want an excuse to use that!” factor.
February: you are my month for thinking each of these through.
This week’s Inked Tines update includes my most recent currently inked writing tools.
Toolset
Pens. No single pairing stood out to me this week. I spread the love, so to speak, across six of this week’s seven pens.
Wing Sung 601 (EF) — Empty. Continued to be my go-to combo for scratch notes. I also toted this pair around for pocket notes — and a four unplanned meetings with other faculty. Scratch notes, meeting notes, reading notes, lesson plans, marking papers, some poetry.
Lamy Safari (B) — Empty. My primary journaling combo this week. I also used this pen for notes in a meeting with a student’s parents . The snap cap makes for quick and quiet jottings. Journaling, meeting notes, pacing headers, lesson plans.
Pilot Custom 74 (EF) — Feed. Another pairing that has grown wetter as Rikyu-cha has lived in the feed. Wet enough to write comfortable while offering a hairline EF line. Fun combo. Pocket notes, detailed lesson pacing notes, reading notes, some paper marking.
TWSBI 580-ALR (Hybrid Predator) — 1/4. This combo was made for one another. Writes well every time. Shimmer remains prominent. Best to leave horizontal though. Meeting notes, lesson plans, lecture notes, reading notes, journaling.
Montblanc 146 (EF) — 1/2. This pair grew wetter and smoother as the week wore on. Great European EF line for taking detailed notes. Chushu is not a fan of Mildliners: smear city. Task management, lecture notes, lesson plans, some scratch notes.
Franklin-Christoph 31 (M-SIG) — 1/3. Sabimidori is quickly becoming a favorite ink. As a pair, this combo is wet and reliable. The generous “M” lines make this a heading and journaling writer. Journaling, lesson, plans, lecture notes, D&D prep notes.
Visconti Homo Sapiens (F CI) — ?? This combo vacationed in the penvelope this week. Writes fine, just turned to other options. Reading notes last Sunday and Monday.
Notebooks. Work bujo. Musubi Cosmo Air Light 83 (A5). Twelve more pages are home to various spreads and notes from my week’s teaching. Next week starts on page 94.
My usual two-page weekly spread houses both my teaching schedule and my running task lists. All written with the Montblanc. Grey ink. No fuss. No distraction.
Four pages of lesson plans. Two one-page outlines for my students’ explorations. The first tapped Brane and Chushu to walk through Plato’s Euthyphro.
The second turns to Sabimidori to outline how I introduced my research students to making transcriptions from their interviews and observations.
Process outlining
The final two leaned on Brane (for headings) and Rikyu-cha (for details) to sketch out a lesson for faculty on diversity, belonging and fitting-in. It’s fun to get to teach educators again.
The remainder are meeting notes. I switch pens and inks to separate out each student’s version of the events I meet with them about. Future me appreciates easily searching.
Journal. Stalogy Editor 1/2 Year (A6). I wrote one journal entry this week. Five new pages. A6 pages. Which translates to two-and-a-half A5 pages.
I tapped three pens for the cause. The Lamy and Franklin-Christoph for my reflection. And the TWSBI for a poem. An original poem. Artsy.
Commonplace. Elemental Paper Iodine (A5). A shame Elemental was unable to carve out a workable foothold in the notebook market. This is one pretty, and well made, home for notes.
Posterity never looked so good
Five new pages bring my current commonplace notebook to page 95. Bwahaha.
The grey ink records exact words from Pomerantsev’s book. I like to remember the original context of a quote before I use it in my teaching or scholarly writing. Doing so keeps me from mis-quoting to serve my current argument. Accuracy through self-trickery.
The colored ink stands out easily against the muted grey. Colored lines are my thoughts on each passage. They also make each passage quickly searchable. Color with purpose.
Written dry. Both the Wing Sung and the Lamy Safari gave up the ghost this week. I took a quiet moment when the Wing Sung ran dry. That was my final fill of Rose Noir. Job well done, Monteverde.
The Lamy ran dry while journaling on Thursday night. I suspect evaporation contributed to the quick emptying. Either way, the combo made for enjoyable long-writing sessions and forgiving jotting during meetings.
The 74 is also down to its feed. I make a healthy amount of detailed notes. In the margins of papers, my own manuscripts and printed readings. During meetings. While sketching out lecture notes. While drafting posts for this blog. This combo saw a lot of love these past two weeks.
To those who are empty: we ink in your honor
Newly inked. I behaved this week. Points earned.
The collection
Incoming / new orders. It’s done. I finally ordered my custom nib from FP Nibs. While expensive, I requested an outlandish amount of customization.
Ordering on their website was easy. Email communication has been clear and professional. So far so good.
I’m telling myself this Jowo nib will be easily swappable across pens, and so is worth the expense. Plus: we all deserve to treat ourselves time and again.
Outgoing / trades or sales. No movement.
Currently reading and listening
Fiction. The final chapters of Jacques’ first book, Redwall, wound down my Monday night. I read 222 pages of Redwall last week. Worth it.
The story is surprisingly complex. A jaunt through what have since grown into fantasy tropes — with the added color of European-woodland species taking on their quirks and strengths. I’m fairly confident teenager-me did not get to reading the book. Although, I have read others in the series.
I quickly started the next book, Mossflower, that same night. This is a second book that is new to me. In all, my evening reading sessions traveled another five chapters.
Jacques’ second book starts in a dark, down-trodden mood. Tyrants and prisons. Dumas meets Orwell’s Animal Farm. Very different from Redwall. Interesting turn.
Nonfiction. This is Not Propaganda is read, annotated, and added to my commonplace notebook. It has a home on the bookshelf at last. Onward.
The Where’s Waldo of cover designs
I started Adam Serwer’s collection of political essays, The Cruelty is the Point, on Sunday. I’m on my first read-through. A quick, pencil-only skim through the book. My goal is to sketch out Serwer’s thesis, and the arc of his argument.
An interesting blend of history, journalism, and political commentary. Although, I’m finding Cruelty to be a heart-heavy read.
Music. I discovered Enzalla through a personalized Spotify playlist called, tellingly, Chill Mix. He’s playing on repeat as I write this post.
Enzalla blends my two favorite types of productivity soundtrack: orchestral and lo-fi. Enzalla is an Italian artist with whom I’m still just acquainting myself. Atmospheric. For those who like synthetic instrumentals alongside their lo-fi beats.
Kid friendly. mnml approved.
You’ve made it all the way to the sleepy penguin. Thanks for reading :)
