[Pen/Pencil Review] The Milloo Minos No2 Backpack
This week’s pen blog isn’t a pen, but it came from an online pen store. For quite a while I’ve been looking for a great bag for work. I love leather. I thought I was probably looking for a messenger bag, but then during Thanksgiving weekend, this bag made itself known. It’s the Milloo backpack from Tokyo Pen Shop. A backpack. I wasn’t looking for a backpack, so what was it about this backpack that made me take notice? The video in the product description – and Kimberly, one of the owners, talked about how she’d been on the search for a perfect leather backpack and found this one.
I picked the Milloo Minos No2 dark brown backpack. The Milloo line is handcrafted in Athens, Greece. It soft cow leather, not hard, with sturdy feeling straps and handles. It’s got a great, slouchy feel but also sturdy. The bag is HUGE. It’s approximately 1’5″ tall and 1’4″ wide. When I put it fully, it covers my whole back but comfortably.
It holds A LOT. Like a lot. I got one of the last (if not the last) neutral lining bags, they also had a floral lining. There’s a slightly padded computer pocket with a leather strap. I can get my 15†Dell in the pocket, but it’s taller than the strap – but not taller than the bag. I have several letter size notebooks in there now, a pen bag (actually the zipper bubble wrap bag Tokyo Pen Shop sent a couple of pens in), a “tech†bag with charger cables. A camera is in the leather phone sleeve. There’s a zippered accessory pocket that I have some stuff in. There’s also two side, exterior zipper pockets. The zippers are all metal and sturdy.
The only “knock†or thing I would change is the top zipper. I kinda wish it zipped open a little wider, but I can get everything I need in there relatively easily. I think I’m going to love this bag. The straps are comfortable, the top handles make it easy to grab and go. I will put a coat of Leather Love on it (a beeswax leather conditioner I got from Naturecraft at a renaissance festival to keep it soft and waterproof).
The Numbers.
1. How does it work? – 1 – It’s an amazing bag. Soft, comfortable, beautiful, easy to carry.
2. Look and feel – 1 – It’s gorgeous! It’s functional. It holds all my stuff while looking gorgeous and solid.
3. Material – 1 – It’s cow leather from Greece with solid metal zippers.
4. Overall Design – 0.5 – It’s functional. It’s beautiful. It’s huge. It could be one of the best bags of all time. I would like the top zipper to open a bit wider, but it’s still amazing.
5. Price Point – 1 – This bag is $185 – which is a lot, but still quite affordable for a leather backpack, especially one this size. I’ve seen smaller leather bags go for a lot more than this. It’s totally worth it – especially since it came from a small business. Please check out Tokyo Pen Shop.
4.5 out of 5 bronze pencils.
[Pen/Pencil Review] Reindeer Bird Christmas Ballpoint Pen
It’s not a holiday season without at least one funny novelty pen. This one was from the last trip to DAISO. It’s silly and fluffy and cheap. I had to have it.
This is a fluffy brown, duck-billed, flamingo thing wearing reindeer antlers and a jingle bell ball point pen. The ink point is a 0.7mm because the Japanese like their fine points.. The pen is about 8 inches to the top of the head of the bird and 9.5†to the top of the antlers. It has a “foot†as a cap that allows it to stand up.
For a novelty pen, it does write fairly well. The barrel is narrow and there’s a twist in the feather/fluff body – but that is well beyond the thumb web when you hold it. The ink flows well and it’s just adorable.
Because it’s goofy, it doesn’t matter if it last long. It’s a great little holiday pen that was super cheap, so if it doesn’t last long, it’s no big deal.
The Numbers.
1. How does it work? – 0.5 – It’s better than I expected. It’s decent ink and flow. It’s thinner and longer than I like, but it’s fun.
2. Look and feel – 1 – It’s not bad for a novelty pen. It’s long, but fairly well-balanced for all of that.
3. Material – 1 It’s inexpensive plastic with a fluff and decoration.
4. Overall Design – 0.5 – It’s an adorable novelty, not an overly functional pen.
5. Price Point – 1 – This is from DAISO. It’s $1.50. Enough said.
4 out of 5 bronze pencils.
[Write the Story] A Deal with the Devil
Prompt: A Deal with the Devil
Words: regime, album, torch, lodge, highway, sandy, rune, contract, token, suit
Story
Sandy was at the literal highway crossroads. She stood beside her car staring at the signs. Her GPS had fritzed and her phone battery died within seconds. Darkness descended as rapidly as a torch being extinguished.
“Can I help you?â€
Sandy nearly jumped out of her skin. A person in a high-ended suit eased into the edge of her car’s headlight beams. “Where did you come from?â€
“A lodge not far from here. If you like, I can take you there.â€
Hackles rose on the back of Sandy’s neck. Was this stranger’s skin red? Why did this feel like a track on an Eagles album? All she could really see was the rune tie pin glowing in the headlights. “Why do I feel there’s a catch?â€
“The Regime Lodge does require a token contract.â€
“Let me see.â€
Suddenly several pages of tiny print appeared on her engine hood. She took out her reading glasses. “Oh, come on now, a soul clause? Just for a hotel stay? You have to do better than that.â€
“But…but…â€
“N. No. You did not hide this well enough. What kind of lawyers do you devils have working for you. My associates do better than this. When your boss wants real contracts have them call me. I’ll show you a real deal with the devil.â€
Word Count: 219
Written: 11/25/19
[Pen/Pencil Review] The Pilot Precise V5 Multi-Color 10-Pack
This is a day late because 1) Thanksgiving Week; 2) much work/life balancing; 3) we went to see Never Surrender: A Galaxy Quest Documentary last night. WORTH IT! So I’m doing a wee bit of revisit. This week is the the Pilot Precise V5 extra fine in ten colors – because COLORS.
These are 0.5mm – hence the V5 – but it’s still a decent point. They’re still one of the sturdier needle tip points – which I’ve come to embrace because of the V5. The ink is liquid so there is drying time. There always is. The ink is richly pigmented and flows well from the tip. The lines are smooth and the ink dries quickly on paper with minimal smearing. The only one I don’t use on a CONSISTENT basis is the yellow – which is good for underlining and such but harder to read on its own, but still a lot darker than other inks of the same color.
The pen is about 5.5″ long capped and close to 6.25″ with the cap posted. It’s light but well-balanced. The barrel has transparent panels to let you see the ink level. The cap and barrel color matches the ink. The clip is metal and strong. You will break it free of the plastic before you break the clip.
This set is not refillable. I picked up this set at Target. It runs $15 retail, but you can get them on sale, which for ten pens, that’s just over a $1 a piece (don’t make me do math). They’re solid, workhorse pens and totally worth the price.
The Numbers.
1. How does it work? – 1 – This is a solid working pen. The ink is well-pigmented. The point is relatively solid for a needle point.
2. Look and feel – 0.5 – It’s a basic stick pen. There’s no real ergonomics. It’s all plastic with a clip that could snap off if you mess with it too much.
3. Material – 1 – It’s plastic and metal. Solid, but basic.
4. Overall Design – 1 – It’s functional. It’s an average length stick pen with a decent point and ink. It’s refillable and eco-friendly
5. Price Point – 1 – This pen is affordable and refillable. It’s a good deal. $15 for 10 – or less if you find them on sale.
4.5 out of 5 bronze pencils.
[Write the Story] Someone is Hiding in the Linen Closet
Prompt: Someone is Hiding in the Linen Closet
Words: grandfather, canoe, pear, cakewalk, blouse, assignment, stampede, present, dinner, slurp
Story
“Grandfather will be here in an hour.â€
That was the cue for the stampede. I felt a tug on my blouse as I took off down the hall. The others scattered to find every present the old man had ever given us. Let them dig out the canoe or the Faberge pear—we didn’t even rate an egg.
“Donna, wait for me.â€
I couldn’t stop but I also couldn’t ignore the tiny, piping voice of our littlest family member, Darla. I scooped her up as I went. No one knew my plan, avoidance was a cakewalk when you had a plan.
I threw open the linen closet door an all but threw Darla inside before scouting the area and pulling the door closed behind me. I almost missed the yelp as Darla landed on someone else. I tapped the flashlight on my phone, not wanting to risk the overhead light. “Mom?â€
“Shush. If we play our cards right, we can hide here until time for dinner. If we slurp it up, we can be gone before coffee.â€
“Mom?â€
“Your assignment is to listen for anyone coming. I’ll entertain Darla. And how do you think you learned this?â€
Hidden memories surfaced. The holidays would never be the same.
Word Count: 207
Written: 11/19/19
[Pen/Pencil Review] Yookers Yooth 549 Scarlet Red Refillable Fiber Tip Pen
This is the second pen I picked up in New Orleans. This one from Scriptura, which is more in the Garden District. Scriptura is more of a stationary/paper store with a few pens. I was going to pick something up anyway, but this week’s pen caught my eye near the register.
This week’s pen is the Yookers Yooth 549 Scarlet red felt-tip pen. There are four different sizes of fiber tips – from 0.8mm to 1.4mm in .2mm increments. The 549 Scarlet has a resin body with a chrome metal clip and an ergonomic plastic grip. The cap is secure and posts pretty well. The pen is 5.5†long capped and 6.14†with the cap posted.
What is rather unique about this particular pen is that the pen is refillable with fountain pen ink. The fiber tips take standard ink cartridges or a standard ink converter. Scriptura only had one 0.8mm in stock, and it was the demo. I bought the demo because—fine point girl, right here—it had black ink in it. When that ran out I changed to the Private Reserve Vampire Red that I also bought there. That’s where I found a wrinkle. The tip stopped working for me.
I thought maybe it was because I hadn’t used it in a week or so. Yookers is on Facebook and I left a message about this issue and if there’s something I could do. They actually got back to me relatively quickly, moved the question to email, and walked me through the steps to fix it. I took out the Vampire Red and soaked the tip in hot water for 10 minutes then flushed the tip. After that I put a more generic ink in there, all was well. They did say that some pigments can clog a tip. This is one of them. It works just fine now. And the lovely customer service person who talked me through this greeted me from the South of France.
Yookers does sell replacement tips – which I intend to get one or two more. They also have some nicer models that I would also like to try out. The resin ones are quite affordable and they have a luxury line that’s not overly expensive either. Please check them out at Yookers.com.
The numbers:
1. How does it work? – 1 – It works like it’s supposed to. The tip is smooth and solid. It doesn’t bend or feel flimsy. The barrel is light but well-balanced. The cap snaps securely. It works well with most inks – now that I know that some don’t work and that if the tip DOES feel like it’s dried out to soak it in hot water. All good
2. Grip and feel – 1 – They make an effort for ergonomics. The grip has an almost spiral grip ridge and there are rounded steps to the tip. It’s a comfortable diameter. It feels good in the hand.
3. Material – 1 – It’s resin and chrome. It’s light but solid and it’s what you pay for.
4. Overall Design – 1 – So the tiny knock is the cap. It takes significant effort to get the cap off. It does post, but I would like some snap to that that isn’t there on this one, but it still posts. I love that it’s refillable with fountain pen ink.
5. Price Point – 0.5 – The Yooth resin pens are $12. That’s not super cheap but it’s not Bad. The nicer, “luxury†ones run between $45 and $55 which is also pretty good. The Yooth link is one for the “everyday carry†collectors. And I’m glad I chose it.
That’s 4.5 of 5 bronze pencils.
[Pen/Pencil Review] Graphite Pencil + Paper Store
I know this is a day late – Day Job has been a bear. So this will be quick. This past weekend, Jimmy wanted to do something different…spontaneous even. We headed up to McKinney, Texas, on Sunday afternoon. First we hit up our friends at Carpe Diem Comics, and did our part to make it not be THAT day. Also, we finally got some Pancake (the shop dog) time, since we haven’t seen him since he was a puppy. Then we went to a new store a couple of blocks away that Jimmy had heard of — Graphite Pencil + Paper.
This store is just what it says – pencils and paper. FUN pencils and FUN paper, but just that. No pens. Maybe that will change down the road, maybe it won’t. But for now, it’s AMAZING and rare. We don’t have many strictly stationary stores like this anymore – they’re like independent book stores now. The store has some great ideas and some great people running it. I didn’t get pictures of the store this time around.
The owners are educators who want to help bring back the art and science of cursive writing. They have wooden pencils, mechanical pencils, lead holders, and things to use them on. They are trying to make writing FUN again with high quality pencils and fun notebooks and paper. They have an upper space to have classes for journaling and letter writing. There’s a manual typewriter in the front window to type a letter or poem, and if you do write a letter, I think they even said they will mail it for you.
This store also has a nook in the back to sit, read, write, and relax. But what’s also cool? There’s a wooden box near the register with a coin slide like at laundromats — you put in a quarter and you get the pencil you see in the photos. There are two “gum ball” machines – one dispenses a plastic bubble with an eraser, the other has a pencil sharpener. The money from those machines goes to an educational foundation grant to help educators.
So if you’re in the northern reaches of Dallas — or just want a fun jaunt, go check this place out. I believe they’re officially opening this weekend, but I would check before going.
[Write the Story] Time Travel
Prompt: Time Travel
Words: hurricane, email, launder, pastry garlic, staff, germs, gallery, brace, share
Story
“Welcome to Infinity Enterprises. I am Claudia. I will be your concierge during your planning. Allow me to escort you to the gallery where you will choose your destination.â€
I followed Claudia into a long hall with screens embedded into the wall flickering with scenes. Claudia settled me in a private booth with a beverage and a savory pastry redolent with roasted garlic. I still wasn’t sure why I was here. The email just said it had to be at this place at this time.
“There’s a message for you, but first I need to verify your identity.†Claudia very efficienty and painlessly extracted a DNA and blood sample.
“Making sure I don’t share any germs?†I asked.
“Leave the staff alone and brace yourself.â€
I leapt to my feet because the voice that just scolded me? It was my own. And yes, coming out of the shadows was—me? Only a little—older? “What? I thought you weren’t supposed to cross your own time line.â€
The other me waved that off. “Storybook stuff. No real basis in physics. But we don’t have time for that now. You have to do something for me—you—us.â€
“What?â€
“You’re going into the eye of the hurricane and laundering a lot of money.â€
Before I could say anything, the other me shoved a tablet in my pocket, opened a portal, and shoved me through. When I stumbled out, I was in the past. Now to figure out how to get home and what I needed to do.
Word Count: 255
Written: 11/5/2019
[Write the Story] Five People from Completely Different Backgrounds Seated Together
Prompt: Five People from Completely Different Backgrounds Seated Together
Words: Vietnam, stakes, sequel, club, lens, draft, perpetual, otherwise, groom, hidden
Story
I had no idea what to expect as I approached the hidden door to the club I’d only heard rumors about. But I had been invited twice – one person provided an address, another a password. Above me a camera lens tracked my movements. I looked up and said, “Perpetual sequel.â€
After a long moment I heard a click and a whir and a heavy door swung open. A large hulk of a person gestured me inside and the door clanged shut behind me, fluttering my neck hair with the draft.
I was gestured toward a hostess who led me to a table with two other people. Two more were added a moment later. I never felt more out of place.
“Where are the high stakes tables?†the man to my left asked. His clothes, accent and features said he was from Vietnam.
“There’s gambling here?†I asked.
“There’s everything here, otherwise, what would be the point?†The man to my right drawled in a Texas accent before turning to the woman next to him straight out of Cosmo. “So I said to my groom, that horse has one more race in him, let’s win.â€
“I was out of my depth, and I knew it. But then the lights dimmed and everyone focused on the stage.
“Welcome to Eternity, the last club you’ll ever need.â€
Word Count: 224
Written: 10/15/19
[Pen/Pencil Blog] The Diplomat Traveller Flame
I missed last week because of Day Job stuff, but it’s all starting to wind down a little bit, so here we are. This is one of the really cool pens I picked up in New Orleans a couple of weeks ago (though it feels like it was longer than that). This one was from one of the nicest pen stores in the US, Papier & Plume in New Orleans. This week’s pen is the Diplomat Traveller fountain pen in the Flame coating.
I’ve never had a Diplomat before. I’ve seen and read about them, but never bought one. Mostly because they’re higher end and usually out of my price range. When talking with the good folks at Papier & Plume about something nice but relatively affordable they showed me starting with “now, this one is uniqueâ€. And they are correct. It spoke to me. It came home with me. The Flame line is new to Diplomat and beautifully done.
The Traveller Flame is 4.6†long without the cap; 5.33†capped; and 6.2†with the cap posted. The barrel is metal run through fire and lightly varnished with a strong “snap capâ€. You have to tug HARD to get the cap off this pen, which protects the nib. The sturdy, stainless steel nib is a relatively fine point “Medium†– which I love. It’s also flexible enough to feel agile and doesn’t feel that scratchy. The The shiny metal clip is lovely and strong. The top of the cap has the enameled logo in the top.
The Traveller Flame uses standard ink cartridges or a converter. It will hold two of the short ones in the barrel if one is already seated for use. These are part of my “nice†pen collection. Not super expensive, but not inexpensive – these run $52 retail – so that’s about what you pay at Papier & Plume or Goulet or another type of place. Not so expensive you don’t want to use it, but expensive enough you won’t leave it out on your desk or loan it to a friend.
The numbers:
1. How does it work? – 1 – It works like it’s supposed to. The nib is smooth and solid. The barrel well-balanced with a good feel. The nib feels strong, like it won’t bend if you’re heavy-handed writer. The cap snaps securely – very securely – but the posting is a little iffy.
2. Grip and feel – 1 – They make an effort for ergonomics. Though there’s not any “grippy” parts, it’s all smooth plastic, the grip is designed to fit comfortably in the hand. There’s a small ridge where the grip meets the barrel, but it doesn’t dig in.
3. Material – 1 – It is an amazing metal barrel with a stunning fired finish with a touch of varnish. It’s light but comfortable. The clip is metal with elegant sweeps.
4. Overall Design – 0.5 – So the tiny knock is the cap. It takes significant effort to get the cap off. It does post, but I would like some snap to that that isn’t there on this one, but it still posts.
5. Price Point – 1 – It’s $52. That’s not super cheap but it’s not Bad. It’s just more than some people are willing to pay, but a LOT less than others of this class. Diplomat is one of the “Luxury†lines. This is just one of the ones for the “everyday carry†collectors. And I’m glad I chose it.
That’s 4.5 of 5 bronze pencils.
