[Write the Story] Something Valuable Has Been Stolen
Prompt: Something Valuable Has Been Stolen
Words: huntress, machinations, trophy, turncoat, treasure, minute, nook, historic, rock, ruin
Story
“It was right there!” Meagan jabbed a finger at the empty nook. A faint outline of dust showed where something had been disturbed.
“And you’re sure –”
Meagan cut off the question with a glare. “The Turncoat Treasure statue was there a minute ago. Now it’s not, and you are, Sergeant Casper. Do I have to point out anything else obvious, like the rock that ruined my French doors?”
Her sarcasm and the heat to her tone wasn’t lost on the detective. He had the good grace to flush a bit. He swallowed and checked his motes. “Since this is a historic structure, why isn’t there a better security system?”
Meagan’s eyes narrowed as she seethed a moment before she answered. “We have a security system. It’s a good one. Obviously, whoever checked the rock also knew how to avoid it’s one little flaw – if there’s a breach, there’s a few second delay before the klaxon. Because we have wind issues.”
“So, someone who knew the machinations of your system decided to take a trophy.” Sergeant Casper made more notes. “We’ll start with employees and contract employees.”
Meagan turned him out. She was in huntress mode. The detective would do his job, but it was her home and her responsibility. She’d take care of it.
Word Count: 215
Written: 7/19 & 21/19
[Pen/Pencil Review] Hauser 10-Piece Ballpoint Pen Set – 0.7mm
I love hitting places like Daiso for so much random things at ridiculously low prices. This set of pens was one of those lovely finds. This is the Hauser 10-piece ballpoint pens with 0.7mm points.
The Hauser pens are classic stick ball point pens in a rainbow of colors. These pens are 5.5″ long capped and 6.5″ with the cap posted. The caps are all white with the barrels being color-match to the oil-based ink. The pens are plastic with a three-panel textured grip. The cap posts on both ends of the pen securely. The clip is solid, molded plastic.
The oil-based ink is rich with the various colors – brown, black, red, orange, green, light green, blue, light blue, lavender, and violet. The 0.7mm points give a solid line. The metal ballpoint is smooth and not scratchy with a good line – even with the lighter colors.
They’re fun to have around. And they’re very affordable if you have access to a Daiso. This pack was $1.50 and more than worth the price. I do appreciate the fact that these manufacturers like their finer points and we have access to them. This way, if you lose one – or it’s swiped along the way – no one is out anything. If you like a wide array of colors, this is the set for you.
The numbers:
1. How does it work? – 1 – They’re a basic plastic, stick pen with decent oil-based ink and a decent point.
2. Grip and feel – 0.5 – The barrels aren’t that thick, but the grip is a three-panel indention that makes a touch on the narrow side, but it’s not bad.
3. Material – 1 It’s a decent quality plastic and metal pen. The cap posts securely.
4. Overall Design – 1 – They’re basic, plastic pen with a good cap and ink. They are what they are and good at it.
5. Price Point – 1 – They’re so very inexpensive. $1.50 for all 10 is hard to beat. Daiso is amazing like that.
4.5 out of 5 Bronze Pencils
[Write the Story] In the Middle of a Long, Cold Winter
Prompt: In the Middle of a Long, Cold Winter
Words: opera, redeem, razor, lungs, grace, futuristic, tread, vest, milkshake, powder
Story
“Are you sure you want to do this?” Kelly asked, adjusting Paul’s vest. “I mean, you just drank a milkshake.”
Paul gestured with the disposable razor. “Of course, it’s a futuristic opera about how to redeem the Human race. What’s not to love?”
“The fact it’s like negative a million degrees out there?” Kelly shivered. “It’s not going to be fun out there.”
Paul grinned. “Even better, darling. Light in the darkness. We have months before we see sun. Let us go make our own.”
They tread carefully through the light snow powder on the sidewalks. At least Kelly thought it was snow. It could still be ash residue. The dark patches of ice and slush made grace…challenging. The frigid air burned through her lungs. At least she wasn’t alone. Paul held her elbow and others joined their journey to the still standing theater. The yellow light pouring from windows and doors warmed souls if not fingers. It had been too long since any of them had hope of warmth, but now…love, laughter, and good music sung from the heart gave them all a spark of something new. Hope.
By the end of the third act, Kelly felt something lift that she thought broken forever. Maybe they’d survive after all.
Word Count: 210
Written: 7/15/19
[Pen/Pencil Review] The LEGO(tm) Pen – 3-Pack
It’s time to get back on track. I was off kilter last week, muddled through and now I’m back – or at least back-ish. Trying to get everything back to kilter (whatever kilter actually is). So, pens! Let’s talk about pens. This week, we’re taking a look at LEGO™ pens I picked up at Half-Price Books a few weeks ago.
This was a 3 color pen set – black, red, and blue – for $6.99. These pens are the definition of “stick pen”. Capped, these pens are 6.25″ long and with the caps posted they’re 6.75″. They’re 0.25″ on each side, because they’re LEGO™ bricks. There are ink color matching panels just above the grip and below the post. The upper color panels are the interlocking brick pieces. They can attach to each other quite strongly. The caps also post securely.
The grip has some tapering leading to the steel point. The points are a 0.7mm or a 0.8mm with gel ink. The points are scratchy and the ink stutters – they may just need some time to “break in” or the ink is old. I’m not sure. The pen is narrow and with all the angles it’s not a comfortable pen – at least not for me.
They’re fun for the novelty aspect. They’re fun for short run writing. But for the long haul, I have others that I like much better.
The numbers:
1. How does it work? – 0.5 – They’re useable, but have some issues. The barrel is narrow and all angles. The ink may be old or just scratchy.
2. Grip and feel – 0.5 – There are no ergonomics. This pen is a solid plastic. The edges are rounded, but it is a square pen – it’s an odd feel.
3. Material – 1 It’s a decent quality plastic and metal pen.The cap posts securely.
4. Overall Design – 1 -It’s weird and odd and cool all at once. But it’s not comforatable
5. Price Point – 0.5 – It’s expensive. These run $6.99 at Half-Price Books – most of that is for the LEGO™ name. It’s not for the faint of heart.
3.5 out of 5 Bronze Pencils
[Write the Story] A Spy on the Job
Prompt: A Spy on the Job
Words: apostle, kitty, myriad, investment, republic, crimson, flint, postern, original, field
Story
Kitty Carone slipped through the postern gate out into the field beyond the stone ramparts of the monastery. She ditched the crimson cloak she’d worn as she’d navigated the myriad corridors, avoiding apostles at every turn.
A whistle, much like a bird but off, drew her attention to the left. The signal. She hurried from shadow to shadow until she reached the stone-colored ground car in the gulley between flint walls.
“Was it worth the investment?”
Kitty gave the gentleman in the driver’s position a baleful, sideways glance. “It’s good to see you, too, Simon. I’m fine, by the way.”
“You know I know you’re fine or you wouldn’t be here. Now, tell me. Was it worth it?”
Kitty reached into a pocked and pulled out a crystal drive. “The original plans for the attack on the Republic’s state house. Conversations between conspirators. Names, dates, and contacts.” She watched the scenery speed by.
Simon took the drive with one hand. “It’s good work. We’ll extract…”
“Not yet. I need a little more time.”
“What for?”
“Weapons dealer. Drop me off here.” She put an address in the navigation system. “In an hour, we should be able to move.”
“You have an hour.”
Word Count: 202
Written: 7/4/19
Note: Kitty Carone is a character I created a while back and always like to bring out to play every so often. Her original story is called “Justice Survives” and can be found in my new collection The Astronaut Stole My Sharpie and Other Stories available on Amazon right now.
[Pen/Pencil Review] Zebra bLen 0.5mm Blue Ink
This week’s pen is a new design from Zebra. I picked this up at Kinokuniya on the way back from my Favorite Ex-CoWorker’s wedding. If we’d thought it through, we’d’ve left for the wedding earlier and stopped on the way UP. But this one is something interesting…and I’m looking forward to working with it more to see if it lives up to the design hype.
The Zebra bLen is a team-up between Zebra and a design company, Nendo. It’s supposedly designed for those of us who use pens for long periods of time. Tokyo Pen Shop does an unboxing video on it. They talk about how it’s designed for artists, designers, and writers to be comfortable for long periods of use. And they do it without being bulky. It’s…interesting.
This pen is about 5.5″ long retracted and about 5.75″ long with the tip extended. This is a typical length for a retractable pen, but that’s where it stops being “typical”. This pen touts having a brass weight close to the tip to lower the center of gravity. It’s slightly wider than an ordinary retractable pen, but not as wide as say a Dr. Grip or other “ergonomic” pen. The grip is a softer rubber/plastic than the upper barrel. And though you can refill the pen, there’s no ridge or bump where the two parts of the barrel connect, leaving a smooth, even surface.
The barrel actually elongates into almost an oval as it moves up to the clip and pusher. The oval end makes the plunger wider and easier to click. The plunger cap flows into the clip that is accented with color on the shaft – at least with the white barrel versions. These have color-matching and point size on the plunger. There are also black and gray barrels.
The bLens come in 0.5mm and 0.7mm in red, blue, and black inks – the black and gray barrels come with black ink. The ink is rich and dark, which I’ve come to expect from Zebra’s emulsion gel ink. It’s just an amazing pen. I’m probably going to have to get more of them. At least I know Tokyo Pen Shop has them, and they’re not that expensive.
The Numbers.
1. How does it work? – 1 – This is a solid, utility pen. The white barrel line comes in the three primary colors and has a good solid line with smooth ink. The weighted tip and balance make it easy to work with.
2. Look and feel – 1 – It’s average length with a slightly wider than average diameter. The grip is comfortable. The line is thin but strong. It is sleek, smooth and comfortable.
3. Material – 1 – It’s a mostly plastic utility pen. It is what it is, and it’s solid for what it is. The clip is metal and plastic and strong.
4. Overall Design – 1 – It’s actually a new design and innovative (which is difficult for pens like a retractable gel).
5. Price Point – 1 – They’re between $2.50 and $3.00 – depending on where you get them, but they’re only available online or a shop that gets their stuff from Japan – like Tokyo Pen Shop or Kinokuniya. They are refillable, come in the basic colors and in at least 2 point sizes.
That’s a 5.0
[Write the Story] Stranded in a Foreign City
Prompt: Stranded in a Foreign City
Words: Baptist, assets, cupcake, showcase, neurology, workaday, pine, cushion, assistant, firmament
Story
“All I wanted was a cupcake.” Eva plopped down on the pine bench.
“We’re in Versailles,” Andy, Eva’s assistant, said. “At a neurology symposium. What makes you think there would be cupcakes?”
Eva sighed. “It’s France? They have exquisite food. Cupcakes fall in that category.”
“In a workaday, North American mindset maybe, but French pastry chefs are no mere cupcakes unless it is a showcase now far above the rest of the pastries they can be.”
Eva grinned. “By all the stars in the firmament, I’ve not heard a more passionate sermon since this old Baptist preacher I once knew.” She heaved herself up from the bench. “Come on, Andy, it’s time to go home.”
“I have a couple of assets to check in with before we get to the airport,” Andy said.
“Assets.” Eva snorted. “You sound like a bad spy novel. Or a bad spy period. Hurry. I’ll meet you at the station.”
#
Eva stood inside the train car heading to the airport. She watched Andy rushing to the closing doors. He’d cut his time cushion too short. She warned him. Stern, suited men surrounded Andy as she pulled away. He knew the risks. He would pay the price.
Word Count: 202
Written: 6/26-27/19
[Pen/Pencil Review] Spoke Pen in Green with Black Ink
This week’s pen was an unexpected gift from Jimmy. He got it from the good people at Spoke Pencils and (now) pens. I think it was finally a replacement for the pencil he gave me a while back that I gave back to him because it works with his Pentel P-205 collection. This pen was designed with the guys at Spoke Pencil with Brad Dowdy from ThePenAddict.com and Nock cases. This may have been part of their Kickstarter because Jimmy’s a huge supporter of Brian Conti.
The pen, like the mechanical pencils, are machined aluminum with anodized satin colors – mine is (shockingly) green. The pen is 5.5†long capped, and 5.15″ uncapped. The cap has a solid magnetic fastener with a black steel alloy clip. The cap does not post. That’s the only drawback. The aluminum body is hexagonal with cuts that let you see the black interior barrel – so you have a color contrast. It’s tapered for a finger grip. It’s pretty well balanced – good weight without being “heftyâ€.
The grip is etched, ribbed shiny titanium – light and strong. The grip fits a standard gel pen refill – this one comes with a Uni-ball 0.5mm Signo UM-151 refill in black ink. The grip is long so you can grip it at several points without the ridge where the grip meets the barrel from digging in. And, honestly? DARNED COOL LOOKING. And apparently, they have stands? I don’t’ know if they come with, but hey, that’s something to keep in mind. But, they’re “artisan†pencils. They are not cheap.
The numbers:
1. How does it work? – 1 – It’s a great. I might someday debate Brad Dowdy about the Uni-ball Signo UM-151 being the best ink refill ever, but it’s a really good ink. The cap is secure but easy to manipulate. It’s easy to refill. Everything you want in a pen.
2. Grip and feel – 1 – They fixed the grip problems with the pencil – they’ve been making the grips longer and better balanced without the ridge digging in. There’s nothing soft and squishy about the pencil – it’s all metal. They have made an attempt at ergonomics, but it is what it is.
3. Material – 1 This is high-quality anodized aluminum. It’s sturdy but light. The point and cap seem solid and bright. It does seem to be top notch materials.
4. Overall Design – 0.5 – The knock is simply because you can’t post the cap. Otherwise, it’s very “engineered†looking. It’s sharp, it’s well-designed. It’s pretty while being utilitarian. BrianConti and Brad Dowdy put a lot of thought and work into this. They get credit for that.
5. Price Point – 0.5 – They Are. Not. Cheap. I got this one for a gift, so bear with me here. Jimmy was an early supporter – so I have no idea what HE paid – which probably isn’t what’s on the site. The website will sell these for $55-60 – if they’re available. I’m only knocking a half point off because they’re artisan. This is not something you can get in a store. They’re art work. Oh, and they have stands. If the stands come with them in price, then you do have a piece of functional desk art.
I give it 4 out of 5 Bronze Pencils
[Write the Story] A Child’s Dream Literally Comes True
Prompt: A Child’s Dream Literally Comes True
Words: high school, captivate, portfolio, argyle, witness, fertile, eyebrow, pentagram, thirsty, guidance
Story
Peter waited in the wings of a moderately-sized auditorium full of people. Not just people, but peers, all there for this moment. His Moment. That’s when the butterflies began.
“You’re awfully nervous.†The familiar voice seemed to speak directly in Peter’s ear. “Worried you’re taking credit for my work?â€
Peter brushed the voice away. “Go away. I don’t hear you.â€
“Hmpf. Cheeky child.â€
Peter clutched his portfolio closer to his chest. The voice had been with hm since the pentagram and now was his ever-constant witness to…everything. But he didn’t have time. He was on. Peter strode out onto the high school stage. The audience’s fertile imaginations giving him a dose of confidence. He set the book down and straightened his argyle bow tie and went into his schtick.
A guidance councilor brought out a child, about ten, to the cheers of the captivated audience. He studied the child, a girl in rainbow colors. He gestured over her eyebrow. “What is it you dream about?â€
“Right now?†she squeaked. “I’m kind of thirsty.â€
“No,†Peter said. “Something bigger.†With a low incantation and gestures, a pink unicorn appeared with a saddle and streamers. She squealed in delight. The audience erupted in a beautiful cacophony. Maybe the deal he made wouldn’t be so bad after all.
Word Count: 215
Written: 6/18/19
[Pen/Pencil Review] Pilot Precise V5 RT – Classic Colors
I often do revisits of pens or different versions. This is another Pilot Precise V5 RT (retractable) in a classic color 3-pack – red, blue, black. That I picked up on a clearance table at Staples when I “needed” to get a narrow-ruled legal pad for a job thing – because I have preferences about office supplies that I don’t foist on other people. 😎
These pens hold up to the heavy-handed writers like me. This is a 0.5mm – hence the V5 – but it’s still a decent point. I have no idea if I have become less heavy-handed over time, or needle points really are sturdier. Either way, needle-points are something I’ve come to appreciate.
These pen is about 5.5″ long and has a decent retraction mechanism. It’s light but well-balanced. 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 barrels are plastic with classic lines and color matching designs. The grips are rubber with dimples that make them relatively comfortable .
This is a good workhorse pen that has a price point, so if it’s stolen off a desk, it’s no big loss. It’s refillable so you can use them a good long time. I believe I picked these up on sale for just a dollar or two – so either they over-bought or maybe there’s going to be a design change?
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 – 1 – It’s a basic retractable pen. There’s a nod to ergonomics. The clip is metal, so that’s solid.
3. Material – 1 – It’s recycled plastic with a metal clip. It is what it is. These are classic colors and designs.
4. Overall Design – 1 – It’s functional. It’s an average length retractable pen with a decent point and ink. It’s refillable and eco-friendly
5. Price Point – 0.5 – Though this pen is refillable, I don’t know that many ever do. If you get them on sale, they’re a good deal. Otherwise, I think they can range in price that makes you have to think.
4.5 out of 5 bronze pencils.