[Pen/Pencil Review] Of Sorts…Thoughts and Plans
I know I’ve been a bit AWOL on the pen blog. My Day Job is an “Essential Service” and our staff are essential employees. My brain is full of all things Day Job related — I’m starting to get through the first wave of utter exhaustion and starting to regain a bit of equilibrium. I hope to start getting things back on track soon, because who knows how long the current state of affairs is going to go on.
But part of the whole “Work from Home” thing reminds me of how much crap we have accumulated – mostly because we set up a home office for me in our sunroom, which meant clearing some junk off a table. I ended up with an idea.
I have a bananas amount of pens and pencils — and I tend to get more all the time. Which gives me some “job security” I suppose. But it also takes up a lot of space. So I’m thinking of starting a give away of sorts. Going back through my pens and pencils – actually logging them in the spreadsheet I started like two years ago and didn’t get very far with (squirrel). And then, with the pens I have a lot of or didn’t use much or what have you, maybe put together some sample packs of my own to give away.
Would anyone be interested in that?
[Write the Story] A Fairy Tale in a Faraway Land
Note: My day job is eating up all my time and energy. Essential workers for the win? This is the first bit of ragged creativity I’ve had in a month. I’m not sure I got the prompt right, but this is what came out. Please be kind to each other in the coming weeks and months. Be smart. Be safe. And we’ll get past this dragon.
Prompt: A Fairy Tale in a Strange Land
Words: dragon, strike, collection guess, joke, smirk, twist, upstage, wreck, beaver
Story
Once upon a time there was a regal beaver whose dam upstaged every other dam in the land. It used every wreck and log to strike across the widest expanse of the river. But this beaver was so wrapped up in his dam that he failed to realize he was a joke among the other animals.
The beaver spent all his days working on his dam and missed the news from the rest of the forest. A dragon had come to live in the caves above the forest. The animals could only guess what the dragon would do, or when, for surely the dragon would strike at the forest. That’s what dragons do. There was only one think to do. Hide in the beaver’s dame until the dragon left.
“You want to share my home?†the beaver smirked. “You’ve made fun of my home since I began, now you want my help? Refuge in my humble collection of sticks and mud?â€
The other animals hung their heads. For the beaver had heard them after all. Now surely they would be at the mercy of the dragon.
“Of course you may come in, You’ve always been welcome. Now be safe. And when the dragon comes, he or she will also be welcome. Then we shall see that love and kinds is the best part of any community. That and a nice salmon, and maybe a cup of tea.â€
Word Count: 237
Written: 3/25/2020
[Write the Story] Alone on a Deserted Island
Prompt: Alone on a Deserted Island
Words: book review, organism, mermaid, bother, decrease, echo, grimace, inch, march, pump
Story
Greta leaned against the palm tree and tilted her face into the sun for a moment before relaxing into the shade. This was everything the mermaid told her it would be. Gentle breezes, warm sun, the soothing echo of the tide doing its inexorable march of the tide inching its way up the beach. It was amazing.
Next to her was a pile of novels the New York Book Review declared to be Deserted Island books. So when she’d run into the djinn at the Mythical Organism Convention, she bought djinn drinks at the swim up bar and pumped him for information on wishes. The mermaid bartender had suggested the location and here she was.
She put the book down a few pages in. Something nagged at the back of her mind. She wasn’t sure what it was that bothered her about this whole idyllic set up. Then, with a grimace, she shook the sand out of her sarong and headed up the hut built near the waterfall.
The lack of people and news meant a huge decrease in stress but a mighty increase in sand flees and other itchy, crawly bugs. She knew it was too good to be true. Mythical creatures were always finding loopholes. Well given the number of books she now had? She’d find her a loophole of her own.
Word Count: 224
Written: 3/9/2020
General Updates
I’m going to be later than normal for the blog posts probably for the next few weeks. Day Job is a bit busy. I’ve been (and probably will be) working some random hours for a while. So I might miss a few post – and/or they’ll be late. But I’m going to do my best to keep up as best I can.
Thanks for understanding.
[Pen/Pencil Blog] Revisit (sort of) of the Pilot Hi-Tec-C Maica – 0.4mm
I bet you realized there hasn’t been a pen blog this week. You would be right. Day Job is eating my brain this week – along with the suddenly blooming ornamental pear trees and a bunch of other things. Hello, Spring. Nice to see you. Anyway, in the group of pens I got for Christmas way back when, there was a black ink sampler from JetPens. About four of those I had already bought/reviewed in the past. So with these weeks of brain eating stuff…I may rerun a one of them. Like today. I give you the Pilot Hi-Tec-C Maica. Still iffy on the no clip thing.
—————–
I just found a pen I picked up from JetPens.com a while back that I haven’t reviewed yet. It’s another in the Pilot Hi-Tec-C line. This one the Maica line – which is a “fashion” type stick rollerball pen. The fashion part is in the logo medallion and the point size on the smoky cap.
It’s also a chance to revisit this pen again. I’ve wrote about the Hi-Tec-C before in other points and colors. This i. I really do like the Pilot Hi-Tec-C line – in any color because they do points like 0.4mm (and smaller). It runs almost 6.50″ with the cap posted, and 5.75″ capped – which is just a shade longer than others in the line. This pen has been comfortable in my hand in other incarnations and remains so now.
This one is black ink with a smooth line. The grip has dimples that allows for a better grip – there is a little bit of a ledge that can dig in, but it’s in a good place for comfort. The barrel is about half transparent but with black accents.
The cap has a faceted dome on the top of the cap. There’s a small loop on the cap, but no clip. The cap has some detailing and posts securely to the back of the barrel.
It’s a pretty pen. It’s a solid pen for so fine a point. And it’s relatively affordable but only available online through places like JetPens from Japan.
Now to the numbers:
1. How does it work? – 1 This pen works well. The ink flows well and it’s comfortable.
2. Grip and feel – 0.5 – The grip is actually textured into the plastic with dimples. For the kind of pen it is, it’s okay. It does have a ledge near to the grip that can dig in.
3. Material – 1 This is an inexpensive, plastic pen. It is what it is. It’s a serviceable specialty color gel ink. It’s got some nice detailing.
4. Overall Design – 0.5 -It’s a good pen for everyday use. It’s a go-to pen. Pilot makes a good pen. The cap doesn’t have a clip, it’s got a small loop.
5. Price Point – 1 – For a possibly disposable pen (though it does have refills) and the fact that you can only order it from JetPens, it’s not the least expensive pen on the market. It’s $2.50 a piece. It’s not that bad, and it’s refillable and comes in lots of colors.
I give it a 4 out of 5 bronze pencils.
[Write the Story] A Good Reason to Be Afraid of the Dark
Prompt: A Good Reason to Be Afraid of the Dark
Words: killer whale, depraved, janitor, bargain, dye, fool, heap, kick, praise, quilt
Story
“You look like crap, Anna, how much sleep have you gotten?â€
“Ten hours. I’m fine, Jerry,†she poured coffee on top of a heap of sugar.
“Over how many days?â€
“Three? Four?†She took a pull, hoping for a kick start to something like energy. “I’m fine.â€
“You’re not. What’s going on with you?â€
Anna shivered “I don’t know, but I can’t close my eyes. Every time I lay down, I see…him. I know I’m a fool for letting him still get to me. He’s goen. Justice was served. But…â€
“But you think you somehow got the wrong end of the bargain?†Jerry led to a couch and draped a tie-dye quilt over her. “you were so brave during the trial. You did everything in your power to make sure he never hurts anyone again.â€
“Then why do I still see him?†She like the praise but she was too tired to believe it. “Why can’t I turn off the lights? Whenever it gets dark, I can hear the song. His song. Over and over.â€
“Like this?â€
Suddenly Jerry morphed into a killer whale in a janitor’s coveralls. He let out a depraved whale song that sent terror streaking through her nerve endings. She clawed her way back to consciousness.
Maybe tomorrow would be different.
Word Count: 215
Written: 2/27/2020
[Pen/Pencil Review] Retro 51 Pen World Fountain Pen Update
A few weeks back a couple of weird things happened when I reviewed the Pen World Retro 51 fountain pen. I had a few issues with the nib at the time – the ink flow struggled. I posted by review, and was almost immediately contacted through Twitter by Retro 51 to have it sent back for repair, which I did. Like A DAY before they announced that the leadership of the company was retiring and the company would shut down in the next six months.
I had no idea how long it would take to get it back — given their circumstances. However, I heard back from them late last week and the pen came back today. Choice Templin managed to straighten the nib as much as possible and has the ink flowing smoothly and without skipping. I’ve tested it myself and it’s now the pen I thought it should be (which is why in the previous review I took that tack – that the nib was damaged somehow). Choice did offer to help me get another nib if this did not meet my expectations. (It does.) There was still some ink in the nib, so the Kaweco Royal Blue I put in it isn’t showing up yet.
I did a quick writing sample and liked what I felt, I’ve gone on to work on a chapter rewrite with it. It’s smoother than I would’ve thought it would be, given it’s a repair. With this kind of customer service, I’m even sadder to see this company go away. I understand why they are, but I’m sorry for it.
It’s a good pen. I look forward to working with it now that it works for me. I would get one of these while there’s still some out there to get. I know they’re doing their last runs, and I can’t wait to see the last few designs.
Retro 51 — GREAT PENS!
The Numbers.
1. How does it work? – 1 – This is a solid pen. Good length with a variety of nib sizes. However, my nib has some issues that I will either somehow figure out how to fix or replace. This one skips and scratches. EDITED: NOW WRITES SMOOTHLY!
2. Look and feel – 1 – It’s a classic Tornado design. It has good weight; the design is lovely. And did I mention IT GLOWS IN THE DARK!
3. Material – 1 – It’s a solid metal pen with secure clip. The design is like a resin wrap—maybe vinyl? But doesn’t feel like it’s going to chip or peel.
4. Overall Design – 0.5 – It’s a good length and diameter. The weight is solid. It’s a good-looking pen. The nib issue is one that I’ll have to correct, and I’m not sure how much that’s going to cost.
5. Price Point – 0.5 – For a collectible, it’s reasonable—and this a limited edition For an everyday pen? It’s not cheap. This is not limited edition and runs $95. It is refillable by either cartridge or the converter so you can put any good ink it.
4.0 out of 5 bronze pencils.
[Write the Story] A Mistake that Costs Someone’s Life
Prompt: A Mistake that Costs Someone’s Life
Words: Everglades, bulletin, fiend, crew, floss, humor, grease, kiss, link, notice
Story
“You fiend! I can’t believe I let you talk me into this!†Kayla went for humor.
“Oh, come on, Kayla, it’s not like I asked you to crew a boat in the Everglades during alligator mating season.â€
Kayla narrowed her eyes at Ted, hiding a glare in the guise of shading them from the sun. “Okay. So here we are, what now?â€
Before she got her answer, Ted’s foot slipped in a spot of grease on the floor of the boat. His head kissed the side rail and he went over the side.
Hours later, Kayla sipped coffee on the pier bought from a candy floss vendor. She knew the police and Coast Guard had put out the bulletin for Ted. She also took notice that they didn’t seem hopeful he’d turn up – at least not in one piece or anywhere near the marina.
“Are you okay, ma’am?†a young officer asked.
“I’m not sure.†Kayla sipped. “He was there one minute, then just—gone.â€
“I know it must be hard, but boating accidents happen all the time. Just one little mistake…one misstep is all it takes.â€
“Yes. Yes, of course. The grease. He really should’ve been more careful.â€
“Indeed. We see a lot of links between carelessness and accidents. Don’t blame yourself. There’s nothing you could do.â€
“I won’t, and I know.†Kayla kept her head down. She wouldn’t, couldn’t give anything away now.â€
Word Count: 235
Written: 2/19-20/2020
[Pen/Pencil Review] Zebra Sarasa Grand – 0.7mm
This week’s pen review is another Zebra Sarasa. This one is the Grand in what Zebra calls navy blue, but I would call a dark teal. This is one of Zebra’s “business†class pens. This one I picked up at Office Max/Depot in Tyler, Texas as part of the birthday acquisitions.
The Sarasa Grand has a great black gel ink. This one comes in the 0.7mm point with a metal, cone tip. The ink is the Zebra Rapid Dry Ink. The ink is smooth and doesn’t smear much. It writes quite well. It’s refillable with the Zebra JF-0.7 Sarasa Gel Refill. This is a water-based ink but is fade resistant and does dry really fast. I’m likely to change out the ink to do one of the JF in a smaller point – like maybe one of the 0.5 or 0.3 mm from one of my other pens, just to check it out. But the 0.7mm isn’t bad. It’s thick and dark and rich.
This pen has a solid brass barrel with a beautiful paint job. The barrel color is beautiful. The barrel threading is on the inside, making the barrel smooth and ridgeless. The clip is a solid metal spring clip that is strong. The only quibble to the clip is that it come up higher than the barrel – not quite as high as the plunger but high enough to maybe get in the way.
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, and it’s well balanced and has a narrower diameter and the plastic Sarasa pens. The clip is sturdy and strong even though it’s plastic with metal mechanisms. There are some grooves in the grip area but the smooth barrel doesn’t have significant ergonomics.
This is not the cheapest of the Zebras, but it’s not an expensive pen – especially since it’s easily refillable. It runs $8 at the box office supply stores and outlets like JetPens (the finer points seem to run a bit more expensive for some reason) a little over that on Zebra’s website.
The Numbers.
1. How does it work? – 1 – This is a solid workhorse business pen. It’s more expensive than other Sarasas but not overly expensive. It comes in several colors, styles, and point sizes.
2. Look and feel – 1 – It’s average length with a good diameter. There’s not a huge amount of ergonomics.
3. Material – 1 – It’s a solid metal pen with some heft for the size because of the brass barrel.
4. Overall Design – 1 – It’s a lovely metal pen with good color and solid, quick drying ink.
5. Price Point – 0.5 – These things are relatively inexpensive for a business pen. It’s $8 – roughly – and refillable. So it’s that weird point between an investment pen and one that can be stolen off a desk. I won’t let mine go easily.
4.5 out of 5 bronze pencils.
[Write the Story] A Lifelong Bachelor Visiting Married Friends
Prompt: A Lifelong Bachelor Visiting Married Friends
Words:
Tick tock, factory, zoology, arrest, broadcast, comb, divorce, flap, harness, gaze
Story
Todd glanced at his watch. The mechanical tick tock of the second hand, usually soothing, seemed to broadcast his reluctance to leave his truck and go knock on the door. He delayed further by doing a quick comb of his hair, but then had to go. With a snap, he was free of the driving harness and heading to the porch.
He could hear the kids through the walls as he pushed the bell. He felt a little like he was about to walk into a zoology experiment as the door opened. He plastered on a smile and held the bottle of wind out like a shield.
“Hey! You’re here, come on in. Dinner’s about ready.†George wund the door wide.
“What’re we having? Smells great.â€
“Tamales! Got the kids going like a whole factory line. It was glorious.â€
Todd followed George into the kitchen, trying to ignore the chaos around him. Kids screamed and ran, a dog bolted through the door flap. Carmen, George’s wife, seemed on her last nerve.
“You’re here,†she said. “Already.â€
Todd was about to answer when she arrested him and George with her gaze. “Make any kind of comment and I will divorce and give you custody of the kids.â€
Glorious wasn’t Todd’s word for it. What had he gotten himself into?
Word Count: 218
Written: 2/12/2020