[Pen/Pencil Review] Rerun – The Leuchtturm 1917 Notebook
I apologize for the rerun – but this is a transition week into a new job and had some Real Life stuff raise its inevitable head. So, I’m going to rerun this review because after a year (mostly because I used it for a lot of writing samples), the notebook is nearly full – I need to work a short story into the last few pages – and about to be retired into my archive.
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Normally Monday is reserved for pens and pencils – but occasionally I stray into other forms of office supplies. The week of Thanksgiving I not only had the lovely surprise of the set from Pentel, but discovered I’d won a Leuchtturm 1917 from Steve Duncan at www.RecordingThoughts.com. So this week, a German made notebook I probably never have discovered on my own. The Leuchtturm 1917 is made and designed in Germany and distributed in the US and Canada by Kikkerland Design. As the name implies, the Leuchtturm company has been making stationary since 1917.
The Leuchtturm 1917 has table of contents pages, stickers, and numbers on the pages to keep all your thoughts and projects. There’s a bookmark ribbon and an elastic band to hold the notebook closed. This notebook is 5.75″ x 8.25″. It’s thread bound in a yellow tan synthetic leather. The pages are printed with blue dots so the pages can be used as either lined or graph paper. The paper is 80 grams, acid free, and claims to be no bleed/ink proof.
So…not sure what “no bleed” means. Ink doesn’t go all the way through to the next page, but you can see through the paper, so it would be harder to write on both sides of the page. The paper is nice. It feels rich and isn’t slick feeling. It has some perforated pages and an expandable pocket. I’m looking forward to using it.
The Numbers.
1. How does it work? – 0.5 – It does have a thread binding and purports to lie flat. And it does…if you open it to the middle. I’m still afraid of breaking the binding. You can see ink through the paper.
2. Look and feel – 1 – It’s solid. The notebook feels nice. It looks great. It’s all color coordinated between the cover and the elastic and the ribbon. It’s a nice looking/feeling notebook.
3. Material – 0.5 It’s got GOOD paper but not great paper. The Rhodia notebooks have thicker, higher quality paper. But it’s better than a lot of other notebooks. For a book that purports to have “details make all the difference” – that’s one of them. I’m okay with thread bound bindings, but I’m always afraid of breaking them at the front and back – because I have.
4. Overall Design – 0.5 – It’s a really good notebook overall. It’s a bit nicer than the Moleskine, but not quite as nice as Rhodia. But the ability to find them make them a bit scarcer.
5. Price Point – 1 – This is not a cheap notebook. These will run about $20 for this size. That’s in line with Rhodia and Moleskine. For someone looking for this kind of higher end notebook, the price point is in line. I’m glad I won this one, because it’s not something I splurge on.
3.5 out of 5 bronze pencils.
[Pen/Pencil Review] The Parafernalia Revolution Mechanical Pencil
The Parafernalia Revolution mechanical pencil was a strange and interesting thing I found at the Dallas Pen Show that I bought for Jimmy – he’s the pencil dude in the family. This was the “big” purchase, but it was totally worth it.
The Perafernalia Revolution mechanical pencil is made in Italy developed by Sergio Carpani in 1978. The architectural design of the pencil commemorated the Beaubourg in Paris. This pencil has thirty-one pieces from aluminum. This pencil is made of out of cylinders creating the triangular, weirdly ergonomic design. It has no eraser, but that’s not a huge deal. The plunger also caps the tube for lead refill – it’s a sturdy cap. Takes a hefty pull to get it out.
I found it weird to write with, but I’m not a huge fan of triangular. But it’s super cool looking, and not for me. It’s for Jimmy. He loves stuff like this. It also came with a nifty wooden stand. It’s measured in millimeters – 113Lx12Wx12H – which converts to about 4.45″ length by about 0.5″ diameter. So it’s a bit narrow but light and fun.
This pencil uses standard 0.5mm pencil lead. It’s a lot of fun, and functional. It’s also on the expensive side, these run $30. So you’re paying for basically a piece of functional art. It’s a great gift.
The numbers:
1. How does it work? – 1 – It works like it’s supposed to. It’s a mechanical pencil. It can be refilled with standard pencil lead.
2. Grip and feel – 0.5 – It’s a little narrow and light. It’s a bit on the short side and triangular, so it’s weird but kinda cool.
3. Material – 1 – It’s aluminum – light but durable because the tubes are hollow and architectural.
4. Overall Design – 1 – I like it. It writes. It’s functional. It’s really cool looking and comes with a nifty stand.
5. Price Point – 0.5 – It’s not cheap – it’s $30 – but it’s meant more for a cool gift and display piece than every day, but it can be used. So if you need something fun, or impressive. This is it.
That’s 4 of 5 bronze pencils.
[Spotlight Post] Day Job – So Long & Thanks for All The Fish
Today’s supposed to be a Spotlight Post day. A day where I pick someone at random and say nice things about someone else, but today it’s a bit different. Today is my last day of work at my current job. I started this job two years ago because I had to – and needed one. I met some good people along the way – and now we’re all going our separate ways. There’s a wee bit of anxiety – though I’ve accepted another job that starts on Wednesday… they’re still finalizing paperwork, so the “Report here at this Time” email hasn’t been sent yet. But it will come. Then the new adventure starts after two days of between jobs vacation.
I wish I could say I’ll miss my old job, but in all honesty, I won’t. This place is a shadow of what it once was run by a person who does not value the human component. People, in his mind, are tools to be used, discarded, and (maybe – eventually) replaced with someone/something cheaper. And though I got paid to write – in a casual dress environment – that’s no longer enough. I will gladly brush off (or buy some new) my more professional attire for a job that values my skills and my humanity. I am NOT a stapler. Oh, and the DRAMA, I will not miss the drama.
![IMG_3003[1]](http://www.rhondaeudaly.com/wp-content/uploads/IMG_30031-e1415373073973-225x300.jpg)
Frankly, today is kinda sad, too. But not for the normal reasons. I will miss my lunch buddy, Leo – the Catahula/Chow mix puppy I’ve been walking at lunch. Today will be our last romp. I will miss seeing the crazy pup grow up into a Wild and Crazy Dog – but that’s about it. A couple of folks have said they’ll miss me – but for the most part my two-weeks-notice has gone, by-and-large, ignored. The days of taking a person leaving out for one last lunch are LONG gone. People here now keep their heads down and hope they still have jobs next week.
I’m glad to be leaving on my own terms (instead of waiting for the axe to fall) – even if something weirdly bizarre happens and the new job completely blows up in my face (yes, I have job-related trust issues) – I’m done with this place. It’s served its purpose. I’ve learned new skills. I’ve made at least one good friend – who got out before me (though not her choice). It’s time to move on, to celebrate the new adventures (we closed on our house last Friday – we’re not moving, we bought the house we’ve been renting – and now new job).
![IMG_3001[1]](http://www.rhondaeudaly.com/wp-content/uploads/IMG_30011-300x225.jpg)
I’ve written up all my procedures. I’ve shown some co-workers what it is I do (when I can – work flow has been kinda spotty). I’ve done provided so many more resources for figuring stuff out than I had when I started here. I’ve done what I can, it’s up to them now to move forward. Hopefully these newer, cheaper models have a problem-solving skill or two. But soon, it won’t be my problem anymore. I’m taking my ball (literally) and going home at 5 pm – and maybe even symbolically shaking some dust off my shoes when I go.
In the immortal words of Douglas Adams… “So Long, and Thanks for all the Fish.”
[Writing Post] Adaptations are NOT as Easy as You Think
Last week was a major milestone for an author I know and admire – her Young Adult novel series became a web series on Geek and Sundry. Yes, I’m referring to Rachel Caine and the Morganville series. Jimmy and I were backers of her Kickstarter campaign to get this done, and I’m so thrilled for her to see it finally come to fruition with the backing and support of Felicia Day’s Geek and Sundry channel. And though I know she doesn’t need defending… I read the comments and wanted to kinda smack some folk. (NEVER, EVER read the comments, I know.)
There are challenges to adapting books to visual media. Heck, there are challenges in adapting books/stories to ANY other media. Unless you have infinite time (which no one does) no book can be word-for-word/scene-for-scene adapted. Things that you can do in your head and on the page just CAN’T be done on screen. For one, if you have a character that wears white? Yeah, you can’t shoot that easily. The lighting necessary for the cameras will cause that costuming to be a pain to shoot, keep clean, etc.
Screen time is expensive – pixels/paper is cheap. Long discussions and explanations are great (sometimes – debatable) in a book, but need to be boiled down to ESSENTIAL bits for screen. I adapted a story once to a script – there was a three sentence paragraph to answer a question that, when you looked at it, boiled down to “Yes”. Guess what goes in the script? Because again… time. You do what you can with what you have available. Compression has to happen to make sure the story stays on track – both in dialogue, scenes, and even characters. Caine addresses some of this in her backers’ updates.
Just this one note – to those who complained the webisodes were “too short” (and should’ve been longer) and/or they should’ve “waited until they had more money” – don’t. Just don’t. Unless you’re ready to throw the hundreds of THOUSANDS (to millions) of dollars it would take to make 30 min – 1 hour episodes you want at them right now? You don’t get a say. The fact this crew made what probably amounted to a total of an hour of show for $80K? Astonishing. Yes, it was chopped up into little bits – the first episode did feel rushed and a little awkward (what first episode of ANYTHING doesn’t?) but it settled and got better, and I hope they get more opportunities to continue to tell the story.
So if you like the books, or vampires, or just some fun watching – go check out the Morganville Webseries on the Geek and Sundry Channel. I love the books. I am entertained by the web series. I’m super happy to have made a little bit of it possible. And now… I have to get back to work, I have a short story deadline approaching…
[Pen/Pencil Review] UZI Tactical Glassbreaker Pen #7 – Gun Metal
I have some of the best people in my life… I really do. I couldn’t do most of what I do without their encouragement, support (and occasional enabling). This is one of those times. My Most Awesome Friends, John and Susan Husisian are just the best. At Fencon, they gave me this week’s pen (sorry it’s taken so long to get to it). This is a pen I’ve seen on various websites for years and have been intrigued by but never bought… The Tactical Glassbreaker Pen #7 by UZI. If you ever, ever doubt that a pen cannot also be a weapon – this one will not only take you on with Words, it’s ACTUALLY a weapon as well.
The UZI tactical pen looks like a textured, classic pen just on its own. This one is the Glassbreaker. The barrel is made from gun metal aircraft aluminum. It has a really sturdy pocket clip attached to the threaded glass breaker in the cap. The pen-like end is an aluminum point that will put a hole in just about anything. The cap posts securely on the tactical end revealing the writing tip. You can probably also use it as a sap or to weight a fist. It really is a weapon as well as a pen. Though I have to admit, I’ve not used the weapons aspect of this pen. I’ve not needed glass or a person broken.
The ball point ink comes in a standard (probably 1.00mm) Parker-style refill – but is also compatible with Fisher Space Pens (which I should do that conversion since I still have at least one Fisher refill). But the pen writes well. The ink is smooth. It’s long and heavy (aircraft aluminum, hello) and feels bit top heavy when the cap is posted. The pen when capped is about 6″ long and with the cap posted, it’s nearly 6.5″ long. The cap does snug up tightly and there are some ridges that can dig in.
But it’s a well-made, multi-functional instrument. It’s not cheap, but it’s not expensive for the quality (from what I’ve seen on line – mine was a gift and I’m not asking), the composition, and the fact it’s refillable. It’s also a great safety measure if you’re looking for personal safety device that’s easy to carry and not a blade or firearm.
The numbers:
1. How does it work? – 1 – It works like it’s supposed to. It’s a ballpoint pen that writes well, with dark, even ink. The defense element seems sturdy and ready to do its business
2. Grip and feel – 0.5 – It’s a very long barrel compared to many pens – especially with the cap posted. There are ridges that can dig in. And it does get top heavy.
3. Material – 1 – It is airplane quality aluminum – which makes it solid, not to heavy to write with – but like it can go distances.
4. Overall Design – 1 – I like it. It writes. It’s functional – in many ways. I feel pretty tough using it. It’s kinda just awesome
5. Price Point – 0.5 – It’s not cheap – but not expensive for a multi-function and the materials. It runs between $21 and $24 online. It is refillable. It is a weapon. That’s not a huge price, but it will be an investment.
That’s 4 of 5 bronze pencils.
[Spotlight Post] Happy Halloween
HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!! I’m starting my day with this…I’m sending my name to Mars via NASA. You only have through tonight.
I should have something awesome to share with you today – but there are (and have been) serious distractions this week. So… Let me give you some links to great ways to stay distracted (without me getting on a soap box about stuff – that’ll wait until next week).
And if you’re looking for some awesome (no calorie) treats – let me recommend…
If you’re into Haunted Houses: Check out Dark Hour Haunted House in Garland
The Morganville Vampire Webseries on Geek and Sundry – This link is to Episode 1 – but there are six episodes. This is great fun based on Rachel Caine’s series.
Javier Grillo-Marxuach’s The Middleman: The Pan-Universal Parental Reconciliation Graphic Novel Table Read. So much awesome in one video.
Also in Graphic Novel – [asa]1497442656[/asa]
Stay safe tonight and all nights
[Writer Post] Tyler Rose City Comic Con
Last weekend was Tyler Rose City Comic Con (called thus because apparently Portland, OR has a Rose City Comic Con about a week before). This is a second year Comic Con – so there were some hiccups and growing pains, and the organizer looked kinda shell-shocked when we left. But in good ways. You see, for only in its Second Year? It’s completely outgrown its venue. Next year they’re “Gonna Need A Bigger Boat”.
A Dr. Horrible Team. It was AWESOME.
I wasn’t sure what to think about this show going in, because 1) I still kinda think of Tyler as “small town” when it’s NOT. They have 100K+ population. 2) It’s new. But it allowed me to hit my Coffee Roaster Away From Home, and we don’t need a hotel to do stuff in Tyler. And the table fee was really reasonable, so the risk was minimal, and some of the named guests who were supposed were acquaintances.
There were some logistical hiccups, but George and Jennifer did their utmost best to fix what they could. I get the feeling this second year was a magnitude bigger than last year – which is a fantastic problem to have . The issue is keeping track and making that work. Which, after some jiggering with charts and tables and smoothing some feathers, we settled in for a decent show that possibly broke some fire codes. “Bigger Boat” syndrome.
Underdog and Polly – I had the theme song stuck in my head all weekend.
We did miss seeing Mike Grell – and hope his health continues to improve. But thoroughly enjoyed seeing Timothy Zahn when it wasn’t my responsibility to make sure he had everything he needed for a good show. I did ply Timothy Zahn and, artist, Jeremy Clark with cookies. I traded Zahn cookies for cheese. Clark, well, we gave each other hard times at North Texas Comic Book Show and I promised him cookies to make up for it. I pay my cookie debts. 😎
My Superhero Buddy – Tugg! Hope to do more shows with him.
I almost felt sorry for the actors who were there, though. They lined the back wall of an exhibit room – most were RIGHT across the aisle from Tugg the Bull Terrier – Tugg is an amazing rescue story and now comic book hero. And…well, dog. Tugg brought his brother Ajax. There were longer lines for Tugg and Ajax than Colin Baker at some points – because… DOG. Even I took Puppy Breaks when I could. Tugg’s people are the Ovards and they’re super-awesome folks with a non-profit called Tugg’s Pink House of Wuff.
Tugg TOTALLY STOLE the show – with the Rocket Fizz folk.
Saturday was packed. I probably could’ve made more money if people could move better in the aisles, but I did okay. I’m not disappointed at all. It just seemed slow to me, but movement was difficult. The costumes were awesome. I got to know my neighbors and made a friend in Brian Raif – he’s putting his books out on his own – he’s good folk. I have his book in my bag and am looking forward to reading it. Sunday, sales were about equal to Saturday – but in different configurations.
The Dark Side Sock Hop – I WOULD TOTALLY wear the Wampa Skirt (not poodle, wampa)
And though the attendees started dwindling Sunday afternoon, there were still a good number of them doing panels and such until close to the end. I still don’t get why some vendors start packing up and out about 3-4 pm when the show doesn’t end until 6 pm (with Dire Warnings about not packing out early – though some probably had permission). I’m just one of those people, I guess, that believes if I’m contracted to do something I need to do it, AND if I’m one of the Last Vendors Standing, I can get those last minute “hey, I still have money” customers.
Multi-Regenerational Doctors…
I really do look forward to seeing what they do next year. The hiccups aside – those are growing pains – this was worthwhile enough to give it another shot. Hopefully next year I can talk them into letting me be on panels now that they’ve met me. 😎
[Spotlight Post] Questions and Comments
It’s Spotlight post day – and again, I’ve got nothing…
Granted, I’m adjusting to new schedules and responsibilities. But… I’ve also been struggling to come up with topics/people to feature here.
So, I know I’ll still spotlight people/organizations as things occur – like (sadly) memorials. But, on a week to week basis…I’m not sure what to do here long-term.
Please, give me some ideas of what you might want to see here. I want to keep going with this piece of the blog… so let me know. Tell me what you want me to talk about, and I’ll do my best to accommodate.
This is a time of change, let’s make it a good one.
Tags: changes, Comments, Future, Questions