A Peek at the Pen Cup: New Year, New Me Edition

Posted on by Laura

pen cup

You know how some people love New Year’s resolutions? Yeah, not me. But you know how some people love pen-cleaning? Okay, also not me. But, you know how some people are procrastinators, and they will do anything to avoid a disagreeable task? Me!

So over the last few days I’ve avoided cleaning off my desk by cleaning out my two pen cups instead. Instead of the long, hard slog that desk-cleaning would entail, I’ve chosen to redo my roster of inked pens. Fun.

“New Year, New Me.” Or, at least, New Year, new pens and inks. Plus, I’m down to one pen cup now. Wow.

pens in pen cup

I know, all this excellence and accomplishment is probably intimidating. But I did keep some holdover pens. And not even out of laziness, but out of “I still like these.”

Here’s what has stayed inked: Lamy Safari with Pelikan Brilliant Black (as always); Pelikan M710 Toledo with Papier Plume Pecan; Pelikan M200 with Papier Plume Bayou Nightfall; Pelikan M600 with KWZ Warsaw Dreaming; Parker 75 with Waterman blue; and Parker 75 with Waterman blue black.

Also in there are two Parker Jotter ballpoints. I like them, and they give me something to hand to those people who look at my desk, look at my pens, and desperately ask, “Is there anything I can use to sign this form?” (Those people are relatives, which is why I cater to their whims. Occasionally they feed me.)

For the new pen, I decide to do another ink from Ink Dips, an occasional series where I randomly pick an ink sample from a bag of leftovers. Fun.

So I stick my hand in a bag of leftover ink samples, close my eyes and pull out … Caran d’Ache Ultra Violet. The first Ink Dip of 2018. Ta da.

Now, here’s the thing: I very much like Caran d’Ache inks, but that one is a purple sort of color. I am an honorable person. But this is the first Ink Dip of 2018, and I don’t think purple is a nice thing to do to people (at least, not to me). Especially early in the year, before I’ve had enough coffee. So I cheat, and pick again.

And this time, I pull out … Callifolio Violet. Also purple.

2018 is trying to kill me, and it’s only Day Two.

I say a word, which happens to be a swear word, and I pick again. This time it’s Callifolio Inti. That one is golden yellow, not purple, and looks very nice. Though if this were Russian Roulette I’d already be doubly dead. Not fun.

But I am an honorable person, and don’t have many pens inked, so I find three Pelikans, enough for all these inks, even the purples. I tell myself, “I can do this. The Pelikans will pull me through.”

But can I do this? Two purples in a row?

I don’t know that I can. At least, not without resorting to huffing.

So I go back in the ink area and spend another half hour searching through many other ink samples, to find a special ink. The one I have in mind is ink that’s no longer made, that people seem to love, but I’ve never tried. My friend sent me a small sample of this ink, just so I could try it.

And I put it somewhere really safe. “Somewhere safe” means “I have no idea where.” Duh. But, finally I find it. I pick a beautiful Pelikan for this special ink, too.

Pelikan M620 Stockholm and Montblanc Racing Green swabs

Montblanc Racing Green, finally. In my Pelikan M620 Stockholm.

I’m up to four new pens. Also, I’m not huffing yet. So, a modestly successful New Year, so far.

15 thoughts on “A Peek at the Pen Cup: New Year, New Me Edition”

  1. If you used the purple inks to fill your pens, but never write with either, isn’t that still a cheat?
    🙂

    Admittedly, I’m a purple person, so your aversion is confusing me. I suppose if it is widespread, I’ve been horrifying the recipients of my cards and letters for years now!

    I also tend to match ink color to pen body color, so I usually have a blue, a purple, and a red, at least. As a serial enthusiast, though, these things go in waves. I also like to mix the last of the blue with the next fill of purple and watch the letters change as I write through the refill, but I know that’s kind of perverse.

    The only color I avoid is black/grey. It bores me. But I have a grey pen, and my OCD inclines me toward matching, and then I get all discombobulated.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Yes, that’s the perfect word: I probably have developed a slight “aversion” to purple ink (in my own pens). No reason, just personal taste. I used to use and like purple ink, until one day, I didn’t. (I suspect the lingering effects of Diamine Eclipse, a black purple that I loathed instantly, and loathe to this day. Other people enjoy Eclipse, though, and it might be a good match for your gray pen.)

      But I always enjoy seeing purple on a letter from someone else. I even use purple myself on occasion, and have some I like very much. In fact, Papier Plume’s re-released Mardi Gras Indians was one of my favorite inks of 2017.

      But do not worry — everyone else in the entire world loves purple. Also, they hate the Lamy Safari. #$^%(*@!!!!!

      I used to avoid black ink, too, and for the same reason: boredom. But I got into gray inks, and then black. Now I find black ink restful, and easy, as opposed to dull. It’s all how you frame it. 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

  2. There is the humor, and I smile. I don’t have new surprise inks to blind pick. I do have a pen cup now though. It doesn’t have slots in it for a few pens, so I just put one pen in there. I don’t want my pens to get scratched. That pen was a gift, and it is my new Boston Safety Pen. I love the pen, and the cup. My daughter got me the cup on my birthday. I may try to put some sections in the cup, I haven’t decided yet.

    Liked by 3 people

    2. When you say, “my new Boston,” do you mean you got a vintage Boston? Because, wow. My eyes are popping out. Those are fairly rare, which isn’t a term I throw around casually. I actually have a friend who has quite a collection of those. I got to play with one with gorgeous metalwork and a wonderful nib.

      Liked by 1 person

      1. Noodler’s-Boston Safety Pen. Definitely new, but based on a vintage design. The pen was a gift from a friend. I received it on the 30th of December. I actually prefer this design over the vintage ones. It uses o-rings and no cork seal, thank goodness for that. It is made of ebonite, and the pen is fantastic in my opinion! I’ve wanted one ever since I saw the video.

        Liked by 1 person

  3. Uuh, you are one brave woman!!! Diamine Bilberry, sometimes Damson, is the most purple-violet-lilac I can stand, anything else always ends up in my lil son’s pen, a KaWeCo Sport he has always inked up with something purple-ish and is mostly written dry within few days, as he uses it in school (3rd grade).

    Happy New Year!

    Liked by 1 person

  4. For me it’s 5 inked pens. My letters are 5 leaves, 10 pages. Hence 5 pens. My inks are usually green, purples, reds. Sometimes blue and turquoise. Not randomly chosen. Some of my bottles are languishing. Perhaps I should try blind

    Liked by 2 people

    1. Wow, that is a really cool system.

      I find my randomly chosen Ink Dips interesting: I’ve found some inks I really like, and changed my opinions on at least one I thought I didn’t like very much. However, sometimes you get a real dud, and sometimes you don’t really like the ink. But it’s kind of a nice zen thing, too. 🙂 That said, when I get busy, I go back to my basic roster, which is something along the lines of black, blue, second blue, third blue, second black. 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

  6. Interesting to see what you have chosen to keep in the pen cup, as we start the new year! I have done a similar exercise, to get the “currently inked” number down and it is now looking quite sparse with (ahem) just the ten at the moment.

    Liked by 3 people

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