Fountain Pen Favorites for September 2015

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It is hard to believe that this is already the last day of September. But I guess it’s sinking in. Chicago’s weather just turned from summery to frosty, too. To console myself about summer’s end, here are a few pen and ink favorites from this month

1. The Pink Pelikan. I still can’t help marveling at my luck. Pelikan made a pink M600 fountain pen. And I have one.

2. All of the Shimmer Inks. I am so impressed by every one of the ten Diamine Shimmertastic inks, all of which I tried in September. And those came right on the heels of J. Herbin’s 1670 Emerald of Chivor, another new favorite. I never would have thought I’d like these so much.

3. Postcards! That vintage postcard of the old Chicago Stadium really made my day. I wish I had time to learn more about vintage postcards. With the photography, the history and the occasional kitschy appeal, these are right up my alley.

4. The Never-Ending Story. Try this. Take a pen with a Japanese extra-fine nib, insert a large ink cartridge, and see how long it takes you to empty. I inked my Platinium Carbon Desk Pen with Carbon Black ink before Labor Day, and it still looks three-quarters full. I won’t be shocked if I am still writing with it on Halloween. Oh heck, I won’t be shocked if I’m writing my Christmas list with it.

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Photo by Dafne Cholet, Flickr, used under Creative Commons license.

Monday Morning Quarterback, September 28, 2015

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Looking back on the previous week, having learned a few things.

1. Biggest Challenge. I am not the world’s biggest fan of the color purple. So deciding to make last week “purple ink week” was daunting. Did I even own more than two purple inks? Would I start to loathe purple? Could anyone last seven days using purple ink every single day?

2. Biggest Relief. Using purple ink turned out to be not just doable, but very nice. Purple ink was good for editing and cheery in letters. My daughters liked it. Both iron gall Gummiberry and Sailor Kobe Tamon Purple Grey were dark enough to be perfectly acceptable for work. I liked using these inks.

3. Biggest Reminder. It’s good to to keep trying new things. Life’s more fun that way.

4. Biggest Lesson. Nothing to do with pens or inks. Did anyone see Pope Francis stopping to bless and embrace a boy with cerebral palsy in Philadelphia? I happened to see this, and I hope I always remember it.