Category Archives: Random

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.

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.

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.

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.

 

Retro 1951 Tornado EXT Custom Fountain Pen–Long Term Review

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If it weren’t for the nib, I wouldn’t own this pen any more.

I’ve written before about my problems and pleasures with the Retro 51 Tornado EXT that I got from Massdrop and I have to admit, I’m surprised that I not only still own it, but that I still use it regularly. For some reason, I can’t quit it.

The Retro 1951 Tornado EXT on a Field Notes Byline. The ink is Stone Road of Gion.

The Retro 1951 Tornado EXT on a Field Notes Byline. The ink is Stone Road of Gion.

I still hate the narrow, slippery section. I’ve been disappointed that regular use hasn’t made it any less slippery. It’s not as off-putting as the scrawny neck on other pens, but it’s still annoying.

I mostly keep it because I like the nib too much to part with it. The medium Schmidt nib is terrific. It’s smooth and wet enough that it handles even relatively dry inks, such as Kyo-Iro Stone Road of Gion with little trouble. It also works well on different types of paper.

The pen itself has held up well. It hasn’t developed any creaks or loose bits, despite being dragged around in a Nock Co. case almost every day since I bought it. The herringbone finish hasn’t worn off either.

Because the nib is good, the pen gets used mostly for testing different kinds of ink. It’s also great to use as a lender pen for people who’ve never used a fountain pen before. The steel nib can handle inexperience better than a gold nib can.

A close-up of the Schmidt nib and Stone Road of Gion ink.

A close-up of the Schmidt nib, the slippery section, and Stone Road of Gion ink.

If it weren’t for the section, this pen would be in my top five writers. Because of this I’m tempted to send it to a pen maker for a section modification. Until then, I’ll keep using it and hope the slipperiness wears away.

 

The Course You Choose May Not Be Your Own

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Our oldest is at the phase of her high school career where her high school is forcing her to make choices. These choices also effect She Who Must Be Obeyed and me.

At hour oldest’s school 11th graders are required to choose the course of study that will carry them to the course of study they hope to follow in their university careers. Against the better judgement of She Who Must Be Obeyed our oldest thinks she wants to follow the physics course.

Although I think this is a good idea there are a couple of issues: 1) her study habits are not the best; 2) math is not her best subject and physics requires lots of math; 3) the math will reach a level where all SWMBO and I can do to help her is clap our hands and lead cheers to inspire her; 4) She seems to think we’ll hire a tutor to help her; 5) I get the feeling she’s chosen it because one of her friends is going to choose it; and 6) I’ve got the vague sense that she’s chosen it because SWMBO is against it. In fact, this choice has prompted a couple long arguments between the two.

Either way, I encourage our oldest to choose a more difficult path, and physics is a good jumping off point for other kinds of science, but I also realize (as does SWMBO) that there’s going to be a lot of fighting over rules and study habits. This means there may be an iPhone 6 available for purchase sometime next year and that my WiFi is about to get a serious password upgrade.

 

Marks and Malaise

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Finished the final marks for the Sunday classes I teach, then couldn’t be bothered to do much else of anything.

This is as predictable as getting a migraine and/or a cold on the first day of a vacation. However, in the case of the post-marking, end-of-term malaise, I often horrify myself enough by what I don’t do the first day that I end up doing something the next day.

Today, though, I ran through a bunch of small projects and even managed to sell some ink. What I didn’t do was write very much, but I also didn’t play much. It was just a day to sit and do very little but what could be accomplished without having to actually get up and go get it.

In the end I did a few things that were actually useful, including some writing and some organizing. Tomorrow is another day, of course, but I’ve said that before.

Butt in Chair With Boring Translator Speak

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Marking essays is hard enough as your eyes and brain glaze over after several badly written works. However, when you throw in online translator based writing you get something that looks like English but isn’t and that induces headaches surprisingly quickly.

Today I worked out the final marks for my evening class. That task involved marking a few essays I’d either recently acquired or had put off marking for much too long.

The problem with translators is that students think they produce English when what they actually produce is 90% gibberish mixed with occasional brilliance (rather like this blog, at least with the gibberish part…)

I find I can only make it through a few machine translated essays before I need a break involving coffee and or a game based on WW2 era tanks.

Eventually I finished (both essays and tanks) and managed to get everything entered in the spread sheet. Now I get to relax. At least until Sunday, when I’ll have more final marks to prepare.

 

 

Ten Ideas But Not Much Point

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It seemed like a good idea. Now it needs some modification

For the past year and a half (ish) I’ve been writing a “daily” list of ten ideas on select, or random topics. They were intended to be part of a morning practice, but for a while they’ve become an end in themselves and it’s time to change them.

Part of the problem I have is that 1) I have no plan to follow up on the ideas and 2) for the past few months the ideas have become an end unto themselves (kind of like this blog) and writing them has taken up time that could be spent on other things.

Because of this, I’ve decided to implement a few new rules.

First, I’ll only write the ten ideas in the morning. Once lunch rolls around, it’s time to focus on other writing.

Second, if I miss a day, I will not attempt to fill the missed days before moving on.Instead, I’ll just start from the current day. Until now, I’ve attempted to catch up by filling in days I’d missed before moving on to the next batch of ideas.

Third, once every couple of weeks, I’ll select ideas at random and attempt to mix and match them with other ideas. After that, I’ll toss out the notebook. (After a quick, cursory search, though.)