Journals – Chronicles of a Fountain Pen

World Stationery Day

Posted on April 26, 2023 by Danny Watts

Let me begin with credit where credit is due. The quotes used in today’s post are the unintentional courtesy of Gray Summers. Who in my humble opinion, has a way with words beyond equal.

World Stationery Day is an annual event observed every last Wednesday of April – HEY, that’s today. Stationery is used for written correspondence and is an important part of the correspondence. Since prehistoric times, humans have made use of a wide variety of implements to write letters, convey messages, or preserve information. Today, stationery still plays a major role in our society despite technology.

“This joy in providing the experience of seeing ink simply appearing on paper. No thought” is given to the magic before my eyes. ~ Gray Summers

This day was established in 2012 to help make sure the art of writing would not go extinct. Embrace the effort of writing, though less practical than other methods of communication.

“We take the pen, the ink, and the paper for granted. We assume they will perform with little to no thought given to the alchemy associated with each.” ~ Gray Summers

You can celebrate World Stationery Day with a visit to a local stationery store, or handwrite a letter, poem, or greeting card. And don’t forget to mail or share your work. However, if you are crafty I have other options – read on.

“Does this ink/pen/nib combination suit the paper within? Will it ‘letter feather’ and bleed spidery web-like into surrounding spaces? Will it show an unwanted echo script, a reversed ghostly imagery, through to and on the back of the page? Useless to use.” ~ Gray Summers

For the crafty, super geeky, and those looking for a more personal touch – might I recommend handmade paper, envelopes, faux gold leaf, antique paper, or ink.

Add some pizzazz to your journal. I found a simple and easy way to decorate your journal with a touch of gold, welp faux gold leaf that is.
Making antique/old looking paper is as easy as a cup of tea or 12.
Why recycle when you can make your own stationery, yes I’m talking about making your own paper.
Learn more about the jeans of homemade stationery.
Handmade envelopes are always the right size.
With all the handmade stationery, where can you store it? Save the covers from old journals.
Ready to see if that stationery is fountain pen friendly? Before you reach for that favorite ink, consider making your own ink. (I would only try these inks using a dip pen)

What did you do on this day?

Collection, Stories

A Journal of Pens, For Pens, About Pens

Posted on February 6, 2023February 9, 2023 by Danny Watts

I never intended to write this post. I started writing a different but ancillary post; however, as I got into the details I felt there was a back story to be told first. As I began work on the back story, it became evident that the back story had a back story. Yes, I got to chasing that rabbit and down the hole… where is Alice when you need her? An example of my suffering from BSO syndrome (Bright Shiny Object). Anyway….

“And if you go chasing rabbits
And you know you’re going to fall
Tell ’em a hookah-smoking caterpillar
Has given you the call
Call Alice
When she was just small“

—Grace Slick

Let’s begin with a question, do you keep track of your pens? You know, like in a list, or a catalog? Maybe you are using Excel, journals, index cards, or the ever favorite – nothing at all? Thus starts the first of 4 posts about my struggles with pen collection management.

At one point I considered keeping a journal, one with letter indexes – there are plenty available on Amazon. But no. Instead, I opted for a simple journal. Borrowing from bullet-journal discipline, I created an index so I knew what pens I had and the page detailing each. As pens were sold I simply crossed that pen off the index.

The journal came with some benefits, it allowed me to use my pens, plus I could be creative. It also came with the advantage of I could add information as needed, make use of various colors, and maybe add some doodles.

Journals by their nature are flexible, easy to use and enjoyable as long as you don’t take them too seriously. In this case, the page is clearly titled identifying the pen. I’ve added statistics, who I bought the pen from, when, and how much. A section detailing repairs, servicing, and general observations seemed like a good idea. Each page does not need to contain the same data.

I originally, set aside 15 pages for each of the popular pen manufacturers. Deciding this was dumb, I switched things up, adding the index. The index eliminates the need to dedicate a specific number of pages to the letter “P.” Simply find the pen in the index, get the page number, and ta-dah.

Alternatively, I’ve also tried using a journal based on my modified version of the Cornell Note-Taking methodology. The left side or column is usually dedicated to cues, keywords, or comments, instead, I listed the pen and manufacturer. The note section (the right column) associated with that pen contains a paragraph or two detailing the pen.

Since that journal did not contain an index it was difficult to find a specific pen, that solution was short-lived. Yup, long gone into the recycling bin it went. I found the picture above to help illustrate the principle. Do you keep track of your pens, and ink options, if so what means do you manage them?

Next, I will discuss my digital solution transformation (back story #2).

Stories

Doodle Journal

Posted on December 19, 2022December 19, 2022 by Danny Watts

Stress Relief & Memory Recall

What a surprise, it appears doodling offers health benefits, primarily stress release. It is said that our brains work better with the structure of coherent stories, but sometimes there are gaps in these stories. Doodling helps fill these gaps by activating your brain’s “unfocus” synapses, giving your “focus” synapses a break, resulting in increased creativity and problem-solving. Doodling has also been shown to increase memory recall by as much as 29%. Feel free to doodle away during that next “important” conference call, plus it makes you look like you are taking copious notes.

Doodling along the way

Why am I back on the topic of doodling? Welp, my current journal is nearing the end. Once that is reached, the journal will be unceremonially tossed into the recycling bin. With it will go a bunch of doodles. In an effort to avoid thinking too hard (it is December), I’ve decided to share some doodles before they become lost to memory. and the recycle man.

**Need vs Want is always the root of the problem**

**Itsy-Bitsy spider, ok it looks like an ant**

Don’t worry, I’m not giving up my day job. I hope you enjoyed this glimpse into my insanity. I am considering starting a journal just for the doodles. I guess we will see what inspiration finds me in the new year.

Don’t forget, if you are feeling “stuck,” can’t concentrate, or your mind is wandering … it’s time to doodle.

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Stress Relief & Memory Recall

Doodling along the way

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