Pen Pals

Posted on March 5, 2012 by DanielA

sailor penLetter writing is an endangered art. More people are relying on email, text messages, and other less personal forms of communication. If you yearn to practice your letter writing abilities I would suggest purchasing a Sailor pen and signing up for a pen pal program.

Having a pen pal used to be a much more popular past time. Although the internet can grant us instant connection to anywhere in the world there is still something to be said in defense of good, old fashion, letter writing. You can tell a lot about a person by just their handwriting. Email messages are terse and brief. A letter gives you the opportunity to express yourself in a longer form. Having a pen pal also allows you to share photographs and other small moments.

Another great thing about using a Sailor pen to write to a pen pal is that you can connect to people who don’t have internet access. We take internet access for granted but in many part of the world it is a rare luxury. Wouldn’t it be interesting to learn about someone who potentially has not even laid eyes on a computer?

Email is great but don’t think that it can ever take the place of traditional letter writing.

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Keeping a Diary

Posted on February 27, 2012 by DanielA

Parker rollerballMany people associate keeping a diary with an angst-ridden teenage girl. Although many angst-ridden teenage girls do perhaps keep  diaries, don’t let that turn you away from the hobby. Many great writers and thinkers also kept diaries.

Keeping a diary can be therapeutic in more ways than one. For starters writing things down helps you organize your ideas. Things will be clearer to you once you have vented them onto a page. The psychical act of writing with a quality pen, say a Parker rollerball, will sooth you. You can also go back and reflect on you thoughts, ideas, and feelings. This reflection can give you the clarity you need to meet the challenges of the future.

Keeping a diary is a great start to writing a book. You can write down your ideas, record the parts of your life you will use, and generally practice your writing. Even if it never gets published you can say that you did it. At the very least you can leave it for future generations of your family to understand their heritage and our era.

So grab a Parker rollerball and start keeping a diary. Just make sure you keep it somewhere safe until its ready to see the light of day.

And if you’re really uncomfortable with the idea of a diary, just call it a journal.

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Keep Track of Your Good Ideas

Posted on February 21, 2012 by DanielA

parker rollerballIdeas seem to pop in and out of one’s mind with such fluidity that it is impossible to keep track of them all. Unless, of course, you have a Parker rollerball pen. Then, you can record your ideas and see if they stand the test of time. When we record and reflect on our thoughts, we unlock their true potential. It’s the spontaneous, creative side of our brains that shoot out the thoughts and it’s up to the analytical side of our brains to decide which are valid and which should be scrapped. You cannot reflect, however, unless you first record.

All great thinkers kept pens on their persons, while awaiting good ideas. Newton though of gravity while he was napping under a tree. Thank god he had a pen on him, before he forgot the whole idea. Einstein kept a pen and pad by his bed so he could record his night ideas and reflect on them in the morning. Doing this is a great way to organize your thoughts. You never know when a muse will smack you over the head with a million dollar idea. Any second could be a Eureka moment.  Don’t let it pass you by; make sure have a Waterman rollerball to record your ideas.

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Pens for Games

Posted on February 13, 2012 by DanielA

aurora pensHaving a good pen is important for staying mentally sharp. Why? Games like Sudoku, word jumbles and crossword puzzles are scientifically proven to boost mental acuity, improve memory, and help stave off Alzheimer’s disease. Your enjoyment of these games is greatly improved by having a quality pen, say a selection from aurora pens, to play with.

Using a pencil for writing games is just not satisfying. Sure you can erase if you make a mistake but that usually rubs out the printed ink and after two erasures the eraser becomes a useless, jet black sponge. A quality pen, like a parker rollerball, feels good in your hands and makes writing and game playing more enjoyable.

Everyone should have a pen on them at all times, as Larry David so hilariously points out. If you get bored you can grab a paper and do the crosswords, whip out some paper and do an ink sketch, or just vent your thoughts on paper. You also never know when you will need to write your signature or fill out a form. Don’t waste your time with a cheap pen that will explode in your pocket and ruin your outfit. By one quality pen and use it for the rest of your life.

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Mash Notes for Valentine’s Day

Posted on January 31, 2012 by OrenS

Parker RollerballWith Valentine’s Day just around the corner, romance seems to be on everyone’s minds. It is the perfect opportunity to approach the special someone. Maybe, you have your eyes on a cute co-worker? Perhaps, someone who belongs to your gym or book club? Regardless of the situation, a classic mash note is a great way to seduce someone for Valentine’s Day.

A mash note needs to be written be hand. You will not get a very warm response from a coldly printed love note. Even if your handwriting isn’t great, write it out by hand. Choosing a good pen like a Waterman Rollerball or Parker Rollerball is a good start. Write legibly, of course, and play to your strengths. Maybe, a poetic ode to the person’s beauty? If you don’t have a way with words, maybe a simple note and a nice ink sketch. If that doesn’t work, you can always quote some love poems by Eliot or Yeates.

Mash notes are great because they create an instant intrigue. Secretly slipping someone a note is very seductive, more so than emailing them or approaching them. A good love note can go a long way in winning over someone’s heart, so start working on yours today!

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Handwritten Notes

Posted on January 30, 2012 by DanielA

Parker RollerballHandwritten notes and letters have become more meaningful in the age of information technology. It seems no one takes the time to send letters through the mail, slip someone a saucy note, or pen angry editorial letters. Everyone loves receiving a handwritten message, especially ones smoothly written out with a Parker Rollerball.

A good pen can be the difference between childish chicken scratch and elegant penmanship. When we see a handwritten message the first thing we notice, before we even start reading, is the handwriting. Handwriting is actually a fairly accurate depiction of someone’s character. From a daydreamer’s elongated script to the terse roman letters of a to-do list, handwriting is a fun personal quirk. One that we see less and less of, unfortunately.

You should always carry a Parker Rollerball with you. When you have a spare moment on the bus or at home, write someone a letter. It is a much more personal way than reaching out through email. Your warmth will be depicted not only in the message but in the way it is written. You will also be more satisfied than you would be sending an email. Hand written notes are much better for bar room flirtations than awkwardly stumbling with cell phones to exchange numbers.

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The Importance of a Signature

Posted on January 24, 2012 by DanielA

sailor pensSince the dawn of email, electronic cash deposits, and increased typing, hand written writing has been in decline. Kids are learning to type earlier and earlier, cutting into years of practice writing in roman and cursive letters. It may seem that signatures are on the way out, but they are more important today than ever.

People with simple or easy to copy signatures are more likely to fall prey to identify theft. In the world of cyber-crime it is easy to steal someone’s identity and impersonate him online. One of the last lines of defense is someone at the bank noticing a signature radically different than those on file. That is why you should always carry sailor pens, aurora pens, or other high quality pens. Practicing your signature and using a good pen can be a good protective measure.

Not to mention people judge you on your signature. It may seem arbitrary but they do. Pulling out a cheap disposable pen and making a sloppy mark on a document is not going to impress anyone. Using a quality pen and leaving a legible mark lets people know you have done this before. I doubt anyone has lost a business deal because of a sloppy signature, but having a good one certainly makes a positive impression.

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Sailor Pens Open Different Channels

Posted on January 9, 2012 by DanielA
sailor pens

81-9085-220 SAILOR Professional Gear Black Slim Rollerball Pen 24K Nickel Chrome Plated * 0.5mm

Sometimes when your creativity well dries up, it can be hard to keep going. You may not see a point, or you may simply feel like it’s not worth it; like you have nothing left to write. Some would say to keep moving those Sailor pens, that you’ll never get anywhere unless you push yourself. And in a way, they’re right.

The key is to do something different. If it’s a slog editing what you’ve written, try writing. If you have nothing to say try editing. If you feel sick of what you’re looking at, write something different: diary, write poems, or try your hand at a new short story.

You may be surprised at how easily the words come through a different channel. Your Sailor fountain pens will still write easily if you want them to. All you have to do is add something new to the equation.

After you realize that you’re capable of something new, then you can return to the original project that got you down. And when you do, you shall be invigorated and inspired, more confident in your powers to produce something great. So take those baby steps, every day, keep going, and if you can’t just redirect your energies.

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Living Off Your Parker Rollerball

Posted on January 2, 2012 by DanielA
parker rollerball

DS 35853 Parker Solid Sterling .925 Silver Esparto Fountain Pen M 35853

When you get to the point where you feel like sharing with people what you write with your Waterman pens, you may consider a way to live off of your writing. You can submit stories into contests, but there are also ways to make serious money, or rather, let people pay for you to live.

There are many available fellowships, grants, and even low-residency programs available for the aspiring writer. This allows you to take a few years to write and learn the craft, all the while not having to work.

Most fellowships are competitive, however. They usually require a few letters of recommendation, some basic test scores, your college transcript and a well-polished manuscript. But after a few years of writing with your Waterman pens you may be confident enough to face the challenge and reap the rewards. All it takes is a lot of hard work, dedication and the desire, which can be monomaniacal, to be the best.

So if you want a break from the real world, from your nine to five job, and you love writing with your Waterman pens or any other pen, whether it’s a Parker rollerball or Aurora pens, look into these programs.

 

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Parker Rollerballs For My Non-Linear Thoughts

Posted on December 27, 2011 by DanielA
parker rollerballs

00313 Parker Urban Metallic White Chiseled Ballpoint Pen Black Ink 1774703 S0911460

I’ve been writing for a while with my Parker rollerball pens. Now that I’ve written an autobiography, I’ve been thinking about writing a non-linear narrative, one that uses memory to more deeply explore themes of storytelling, love, and loss. The climax of the story comes in the middle, and my protagonist’s realization comes at the end.

In the building process I’m able to revisit certain memories and dissect them, noting that during the original telling of the story, I thought it was a dream, when it was in fact reality, or that the original memory was actually two distinct memories, or that my original thoughts about such a memory were in fact, covered up by shame and humiliation. This kind of narrative exploration would have to come later in the story or in brief acknowledgement throughout.

It also allows for two (or potentially more) different voices — the protagonist’s and the author’s. The latter is able to reflect on his actions as the protagonist in his own story, to confront and resolve issues with his younger self that lead to another level of conflict within his struggle.

It’s complicated stuff. Luckily, I have a lot of refills for my Parker rollerballs.

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