Author Archives: DELively

Once More Into the Breach

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I inked up a pen I haven’t used in a while to decide if I really want to sell it.

The problem is, this isn’t always as easy as it sounds.

For the first step, I merely hold the pen again and decide if I like how it feels. I’ve tried that with several pens and decided, in a couple cases, I still didn’t like how they felt. They remain in the to-be-sold case.

After a pen passes the “yeah, that doesn’t feel so bad” test, I have to decide on the ink. This creates a new problem.

I chose a newly acquired ink for the pen I resurrected today. Thus far the ink and the pen don’t seem to be playing nicely together. This means I’ll eventually have to clean the pen out and try it with a second ink. If it fails again, then it’s sayonara for the pen. On the other hand, if it passes, then, well, that’s when things get complicated.

I have a couple pens I like a lot. By this I mean I appreciate how well they are made and I like writing with them, but they’re simply not my style anymore. Fore example, if anyone wants to buy this pen, email me.

Those pens might get one last chance, but they’ll probably go.

The pens I do like get to live on. Which means they get used for a while and then filed away for future consideration.

Pen Pineapple Apple Birthday

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It started when I went to buy an apple. A few of my former students were gathered around the apple display and acting suspiciously. Well, it seems suspicious in retrospect. It turned out I almost ruined it all, and I wasn’t even trying.

Then, later, I went to say hello and they all vanished into their room. Keep in mind, things such as this have happened to me before so I wasn’t that surprised.

Then, several minutes after lunch, my former students crashed my new class. They marched in to the P.P.A.P music and presented me with my presents: an apple and a pineapple. They said I already had pens so they didn’t need to buy me those. I said there was always room for pens but they didn’t get it.

They showed me my card but wouldn’t let me have it because not everyone had signed it. (Note: they were signing the card and that’s whey they all ran away; at least that’s their story and they’re sticking to it…)

I got the card later and then I became a prop for several photos. (Note: because my students are still in high school I can’t share the pictures.)

It was sweet they all remembered. But now I’ve been reminded and, well, yeah.

 

All Work and Some Gab

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Except for a much needed conversation with an old friend, I spent a good portion of the day working on things that needed to be done. You can blame a broken computer mouse for that.

Because the mouse was broken I wasn’t able to waste much time playing games. The mouse would do basic stuff, but it occasionally decided to break free of it’s programming and scroll any which way it wanted. This was especially true in the game. As I was trying to scroll in to target an enemy, it was scrolling out as if to say “haven’t enough tanks died today”? That was usually followed by me dying so you can guess the answer to that question.

This meant I got some writing done, on a couple projects, and even did a rough outline of the course I start teaching tomorrow. However, it’s left me drained for any real ideas for this post. If I were smart, I’d write nothing, but the habit is too well ingrained now to stop easily.

I have more reviews coming up as I finish using a couple notebooks and consider putting a couple pens out to pasture. (I’ll describe that thought process in a future post.)

Until then, let this count as a place holder.

Meet the New Observer, Same as the Old Observer

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They let him wander for a while, which was pretty funny, but he was also pretty cool, so I felt kind of bad when I found out he’d wandered.

While he was there, I made a student do push-ups today; but I did them too, just in case. This will probably come back to haunt me.

Today, at the school where I work, we were observed by a representative of the company for which I work. (Long story.) Because I threw a temper tantrum a few years ago, I got to pick the day he showed up. (An even longer story.)

However, when he arrived, he didn’t bother to contact either us (the teachers) or the main office. As a result, we went to class while he was apparently wandering around the school.

After I finally found the representative, I led him to my class. He seemed nice enough, but he is new management, which means he should be scanned, so to speak. One of my students had  not brought his textbook which meant he had to do three push ups. However, this student apparently had never done push ups before, and I had to show him what to do.

(Note: This is the first time I’ve ever exercised in class.)

(Second note: This is not the first time I’ve exercised.)

I find the observations amusing. I’ve been teaching, in some form or another, since 1989. I’ve been in Japan for 20 years. The observer has been in Japan for eight years.

Still, he was pretty cool. I was especially impressed he used an analogue notebook rather than a laptop computer for taking notes.

Maybe someday I’ll see his report. I’ll probably ignore it, though, but I’d like to see it. Especially because of the push ups.

 

 

Writing Without Mercy

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My students in my evening university class are wondering what happened.

The mild-mannered teacher who gave them moderate amounts of homework during the last term has suddenly given them as much homework in two classes as he gave them in two weeks last term.

Unfortunately for them, the new course is intended to develop both reading and writing fluency and reading and writing speed and that means lots of writing and then even more writing. For example, they are required to write 150+ words a day in a journal. They can choose the topic, although I sometimes give them a topic that serves them for one day’s worth of journal.

On top of that they have readings, including reading scrolls that force them to read quickly and graded readers that force them to read, well, whatever reader we happen to have on hand.

Unfortunately, it also means more work for me. None of us will find mercy, I guess.

I’ve Got a Pen I’ve Got a Headache

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My students thought I was about to sing. They don’t know me that well.

Because it’s done by a Japanese comedian, the P.P.A.P. phenomenon has hit Japan without mercy. It’s on the news. The singer is all over the variety show ecosystem. His costume was a big hit over Halloween.

Students of all ages at the school where I work are singing it. It’s in the phase where students will spontaneously burst into the song. It’s got the point where I’m ready to start using pencils because the singing starts every time I mention the word pen. (Ah, but PENcil. Never mind.)

The only good thing about the P.P.A.P. phenomenon is that it will go away quickly, at least here in Japan. The Japanese public will make something ridiculously popular, especially unfunny comedians, but that intense popularity guarantees that the interest will fade away quickly.

By contrast, the Gangnam Style fad barely made a ripple here, although that may be because of Japan vs Korea rivalry. Although I remember some university students singing it at one point, and even having a dance contest, I don’t remember seeing it on TV even once.

Today, when I was looking for my pen I said “I’ve got a pen.” The entire class suddenly went “Whoa” and watched me. I hammed it up by saying “What? I’ve got a pen? What?”

Now I’ll have to see how long I can use that trick to get everyone’s attention.

 

Dragging Out the Week Early

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This week gets the pleasure of being my busiest week of the term. It’s already time for it be over.

The school where I work is starting up after a break. My evening class is starting up. My Sunday class is starting again, I have high school club and, just to rub salt in the wound, the company I work for is sending an observer for my last class of the week in order to tell me how to teach. Something like that.

That means tonight’s and Thursday’s entries will be tokens. This is complicated even more by me having to catch a later train than normal earlier tonight.

Now it’s off to bed.

Field Notes Sweet Tooth–Longish Term Review

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I gave the blue ones away to our girls. As of today, our youngest doesn’t know where hers is. That pretty much sums up my reaction to the Field Notes Sweet Tooth Quarterly Edition.

For their quarterly editions Field Notes will, on occasion, attempt to shock its subscribers to the point that they begin to reconsider their subscriptions. They’ve changed the size, changed the shape, and used plastic paper that seems to work with only one or two ballpoint pens.

For the Sweet Tooth edition they did a good thing (offered a notebook with blank pages); a neutral thing (added perforations to the pages); but then did something that made the notebooks unusable (made the pages the same color as the cover).

When I got them I tested out a few pens and quickly realized that although the 70# paper was fountain pen friendly, the red only really worked with black ink and inks with sheen.

I quickly gave the blue ones (aka Blu-Raspberry) away and then tried to think of a use for the Redish and Yellow (aka Tangy Orange and Banana Split, respectively). I finally decided to use them in my class by making them the books for any “yellow cards” and “red cards” I give out. I can hold up the notebook, announce the card and then write the students’ names in the book.

The Banana Split and the Tangy Orange with a special warning stamped on the front.

The Banana Split and the Tangy Orange with a special warning stamped on the front.

In my system, three yellow cards equals a red card which equals homework. I will also give them out to an entire class during special activities where no Japanese is allowed. (The record: four red cards.)

The yellow and red card are noted. When three yellows become a red, they get crossed out.

The class yellow and red cards are noted. Please note the perforations. (Also: the colors are reasonably accurate here.)

That’s about all I can think of for ways to use this book. Some people use them to leave notes, others actually enjoy them for the artistic possibilities.

Although some of the experiments on the quarterly editions have been surprisingly good, (Arts & Sciences and Byline) this one is disappointing. The colors are great, but I’d rather see the colorful cover and blank pages; or to see lines or dot-grids that match the cover.

Once their gone, I’ll need a new red and yellow card system, but I won’t miss the Sweet Tooth much.

MUJI Fountain Pen–Long Term Review

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After over eight months of fairly regular use, I’m still not completely sure what I think about the MUJI Fountain Pen. But I mostly like it. Mostly.

The outside of the MUJI Fountain Pen.

The outside of the MUJI Fountain Pen.

I don’t like the sandblasted texture, which feels a bit like scratching your fingers across a chalkboard the first time you touch it. However, the texture does a great job of hiding finger prints and absorbing dings and scratches.

The tiny clip on the tiny cap looks like a joke, but it’s tight and fits most shirt pockets (if you’re a men’s L or XL anyway) but the pen is long enough that the small clip causes the bottom to swing around too much.

I don’t like the rubberized finials as they only seem to get dark and dingy looking.

Pulling the cap on and off is annoying and, at first, gives you more of that fingernails on a chalkboard feeling. On the other hand, once it’s posted, it’s secure and won’t fall out.

The tube-in-a-tube design is very strange, but it does keep the fingers away from the nib, although it forces you to keep your fingers back farther than you may find comfortable.

Close up of the tube-in-a-tube design and the knurling.

Close up of the tube-in-a-tube design, the Schmidt nib, and the knurling.

The knurling is slippery at first, which is odd, but I’ve gotten used to it.

In the end, what sells this pen is the Schmidt nib. It’s smooth and just wet enough that it can leave impressive marks on student exams without bleeding through the paper. I’ve marked hundreds of exams and essays with it and always miss it when I’m forced to use something else. It could just be that I like Parker Quink red ink, which is dark and not pink like a lot of other reds, or that I just like the notion of marking exams with a fountain pen.

The nib does seem a bit small and out of proportion with the rest of the pen, but it’s one of the best writers I have. I even forgive it being slightly too narrow.

Also, after months of regular use, all the parts still seem as tight as when they were new. There’s been some finish wear around the bottom of the cap, but that’s out of sight most of the time.

I’ll keep using the pen, and I recommended people try it. I can’t recommend it as a first fountain pen, but it is worth getting, along with a converter, for people ready to make the leap to bottled ink. The tube-in-a-tube design also lets people fill it without worrying about having to grip the inky part.

Penxo 2mm Lead Holder–Long Term Review

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Note: According to feedback on Kickstarter, many Penxo backers have not received their products after more than a year . This may explain why the Penxo staff have not responded to my question about availability. Despite this, I’ve decided to review them as they are available used. I would, however, refrain from making any pre-orders.

I didn’t really have plan for using the Penxo 2mm Lead Holders when I backed the Kickstarter. Now, over a year later, I still don’t have a plan for using them.

The Penxo is an awesome design (it won a 2015 Reddot Award for design) and that’s part of what convinced me to back the Kickstarter. They hold 2mm lead sticks in an aluminum body that is 5.38 inches (136.6 mm) long but weighs less than an ounce. I like that you can see how much lead is left and quickly swap the lead your using for a new version or different color.

The lead is extended by pressing on the body inside the groove and letting the lead drop to the writing surface. The lead is returned by pressing on the body and then pressing the Penxo down. This technique looks really cool, however, it takes some practice and failure to do it well probably drove many users away. Lately I’ve found that I do it automatically, I’m even learning to do it without having to reposition the holder much, but there was some frustration and swearing involved early on.

(Note: I do not blame the designers for this, only my own lack of coordination.)

A pair of Penxos in Galactic Gold and Stealth Grey.

A pair of Penxos in Galactic Gold and Stealth Grey.

I chose Galactic Gold and Stealth Grey for no particular reason, but think they look great in person. The  anodizing has held up well, at least on the gold, which has been beaten around in a pen cup. The grey has spent a lot of time in pen cases not being used.

Details of my Penxo Lead Holders.

Details of my Penxo Lead Holders. There are no scratches after a year.

The Penxos shipped with an eraser and a crap lead pointer that I quickly replaced with a better version.

The main issue I have with the Penxo is that I have no real use for it. It has a great design and is fun to play with, and I do try to use one of mine at least once a week, but it doesn’t seem like something I’d use if I were a professional artist or architect.

Even leaving it around as a gateway drug for others to play with hasn’t worked out that well as the technique involved in extending and retracting the lead requires some practice. People try it, but the lead doesn’t extend and they have to pass it back to me.

I hope the company manages to meet all its orders and gets back in business. Maybe, by then, I’ll have figured out a use for mine.