Seeking ‘Warmth and Personality’ in the World of High-Priced Pens | New York Times

Nice write-up about the London Pen Show in the New York Times:

The consensus among these attendees was that putting pen to paper is more meaningful than typing on gadgets. “I feel more disconnected from the information that I’m trying to capture when I’m typing it versus when I’m writing it,” Ms. Staton said.

The pen dealer Roy van den Brink-Budgen, 40, said there is “real warmth and personality” to writing by hand. “I think even if you don’t submerge yourself in it from a collecting point of view, I think writing with a fountain pen adds maybe that extra few percent to even the most mundane writing.”

Agreed. Wholeheartedly. However, I do have to disagree with the following:

Mr. Minhas, 53, has been collecting pens for more than 25 years and owns so many he is known by some in the international pen community as “the one-man pen show.” He believes that some pens are meant to stay on display, preserved as heirlooms for the next generation. “Pens of this quality you don’t really write with,” he said. “This is art of the highest quality.”

I love Sarj Minhas’s collection (and I came this close to buying a couple Montblancs from him at the California Pen Show earlier this year—and plan on actually doing so next year, because, seriously, his collection is beautiful), but I have to respectfully disagree with him here. All pens are for writing. Even the most beautiful, artistic, expensive, hand-crafted ones are still tools for writing. Pens are for writing.

Explained: how you will get into vintage fountain pens | Extra Fine Writing

You will not intend to buy Old Pen. You will attend the pen show intending to buy ink and washi tape, but you will wander too close to Old Man’s table and become ensnared in his web. He will ply you with a haunting rime of days long past, its lilting melody transporting you through the mists of time to a simpler era, and before you know what is happening you are holding Old Pen, Old Man encouraging you to “just try it out” with a twinkle in his eye.

Yep.

Thinking Analog – The Brooks Review

It’s possible that this is the best ‘hack’ I have.

The way this works is simple: use a notebook and a pen when you need to work through a problem of any kind.

Not a tablet with a stylus. Not a notetaking app. Not a pencil. Paper and pen.

What we believe in.

Paper Apps Galaxy: Mini Notebook Space Adventure Game – Boing Boing

A few years ago I wrote about a fun paper, dice, and pencil solo game called Paper Apps Dungeon. The creator just announced a new game.

Looks fun! What a lovely idea. The other Paper Apps games look great too.

The Typewriter Revolution blog: Notebooks I have known

Bob Sassone was curious to know more about the notebooks I use. So here is a rundown—of interest, maybe, to readers who love to write by hand (I suspect there’s a significant overlap with typewriter lovers).

A nice rundown or interest to readers here. Also highlighting because Typewriter Revolution is a blog worth following a well.

Fun facts about the BIC ballpoint pen (video) – Boing Boing

Some interesting history and details here. I learned a thing or two.

A good assistant to your future self – Austin Kleon

He touches on why I keep a diary, why I keep it on paper, and the magic of keeping a logbook. The mundane details can bring back sublime memories, and what you think is boring now may be interesting in the future: “What seems bland when you write it down… will seem epic in thirty years.”

What we believe in.