Tools of the Trade
Hello everyone, I thought I would share
another piece with you, in the “things you did not know about me” vein. Today’s
piece is called “Tools of the Trade.”
Would you scrape ice off your windshield
using a loofa sponge? Would you play a piano concerto on a kazoo? Would you
perform surgery with a pair of fingernail clippers? Would you climb Mount
Everest with only a rubber band to support you on your climb? No, of course
not. You would use the right tool for the right task. As I am a writer, my tools are
pen and paper, and occasionally a computer keyboard.
I have forever loved writing pens and stationery.
I love a good quality pen with good quality ink writing on good quality paper.
If you watch a good pen go with good ink across a good piece of paper, you can
see the ink soak into the paper. It’s almost like watching an ice skater
gliding across the ice, achieving the perfect line with the blades on her
skates.
While I currently do not have a stock of good
stationery, I do have a healthy stock of greeting cards. I have birthday cards,
Christmas cards, every day cards, blank cards, cards with inspirational quotes
and more. I love to write a hand written letter in a blank note card, to write
a greeting in a birthday card.
I also have a healthy stock of writing
pens. A friend visited my house recently and asked me why I had-and needed-so
many pens. I told him, “I am a writer. I need to write.” The truth is that
having so many pens is a wonderful thing. I can pick out a note card to send to
someone, and pick an ink color to match. It gives personal correspondence an
added touch of elegance.
It makes sense that writers would have an
affinity, or a fondness for a fine writing pen. I once gave one such pen to an
author friend of mine. He was incredibly touched at the gift. He said he had
always wanted such a pen.
Looking back I have had this love of pens
and stationery for a long time. That should have given me the clue that I was a
writer. However, I did not discover my writing gift until five years ago. But I
have always loved fine writing instruments and fine stationery.
I find that while I do write with pen and
paper, I write my poetry on a computer the majority of the time. As much as I
love fine pens and fine writing paper, I like a good keyboard as well. The
keyboard I am using now has shallow keys and makes writing very difficult. It’s
like dragging a horse and cart through five inches of mud. When I write on my
laptop at home, I have a wireless keyboard that I use instead of the keys on
the laptop keyboard. The laptop keys barely have any rise in them at all. If
I’m doing anything on my computer that requires me to write, I always use the
wireless keyboard.
If you are like me and happen to love a
good pen on a good piece of stationery, I have some suggestions for you. I love
Papyrus for their stationery and cards:
As far as pens go, I do not favor any brand.
I use ballpoint pens and rollerball pens; I prefer to use roller ball pens, for
the boldness of the lines. I have used Pilot Pens before; their Varsity
fountain pens are my favorite:
…as well as Uniball pens, the Vision
Elite series…
As far as fine writing instruments are
concerned, (a fancy way to say the word “pen”), I only have a couple of those.
One is not identified with a manufacturer; the other is a pen and pencil set by
Cross….
I have always wanted a Waterman pen. I remember
that the writers of the television show “Friends” were in an advertisement for
the company; the ad showed that all of the writers of the show used a Waterman
pen to write the show. “Friends” is my favorite television show ever.
There is a company that sells both fine
writing instruments and stationery, called Levenger. They sell ballpoint pens,
roller ball pens, fountain pens, ink, refills, fine stationery, agendas,
calendars and more.
I recently ordered a copy of the Levenger
catalog. It arrived in the mail last week. I eagerly opened the pages of the
catalog. My eyes danced through the pages of the catalog. I savored every page.
I would love to purchase one of their fine writing instruments. Yet I do not
take thinking of making such a purchase lightly. I know pens such as those, fine writing instruments, can cost hundreds if not thousands of dollars. Fine craftsmanship comes at a price.
The Pelikan Soveran M600 Vibrant Green Fountain Pen
$595 at Levenger
If you are looking for quality
stationery, I recommend Papyrus. They make greeting cards and stationery that
are refined and elegant. They have retail locations and have their greeting cards
in Target stores.
Some other wonderful brands are Crane and
Company:
And Kate Spade:
And many wonderful cards and stationery
items can be found at Hallmark:
Artwork © Peggy Jo Ackley
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