My ADHD brain in blog form.
Posted in Storage
Recently, I purchased a Raymay Detecool Pen Case after watching a JetPens video (Detecool segment starts at 0:16). I wasn’t sure how it would work out for my pens, but I was very pleasantly surprised.
After using it a few times, I can happily say it’s my favorite traveling pen case. Here’s some of what’s so great about it.
Link to JetPens photos: https://www.jetpens.com/Raymay-Detecool-Pen-Case-Gray/pd/30952
Posted in Fountain Pens, and Non-Fountain Pens
The other day, I watched a video on Theresa is Dead’s YouTube channel covering The Eyeshadow Palette Tag. It was an old video, from a year ago, and based on an idea from Allie Glines and Samantha March. However, it occurred to me that I could have fun with it — with some modifications — for fountain pens.
Some of these questions were hard for me to answer, but, let’s give it a try.
At the time of writing (9/5/21) my newest pen is the Retro 51 Wings of the Monarch fountain pen.
I decided not to get the rollerball version last year, and regretted it. So, when a fountain pen version was released a few days ago, I jumped on it. No regrets here. It’s stunning, and I already did a Makeup Monday look with it.
Posted in Paper
Three years ago, I wrote about my favorite notebook at the time, the Franklin-Christoph Firma Flex. It remained my favorite notebook for years, until, sadly, it was out-of-stock for an extended period of time late last year and early this year.
In that time, I went looking for a replacement notebook. This was partially because I wasn’t sure if the Firma Flex would ever be available again and partially because I’ve been looking for a notebook with paper that will better show ink shading.
Fragonard is the first perfume brand I’ve ever liked enough to purchase multiple items from. Find out what makes it so great.
Posted in Ink
Wow, I didn’t really think I’d do another of these. They’re a bit time consuming. But, I came across this pair, and knew I had to share. I’ve decided to leave off the chromatography strips, as they take the longest, and don’t tell you anything about how the inks look coming out of your pen.
Jim found Maruzen Eternal Blue a while back when a local pen peep was selling off some ink. He fell in love with it, and went out of his way to find a second bottle on eBay. It’s pretty hard to get a hold of, so I was pleasantly surprised when I discovered that one of Taccia’s new Jean inks is a near perfect dupe.
This one was trickier to scan, since there is some sheen, so I also took a photo.
Maruzen Athena Inks Eternal Blue
Price: $40?
Bottle Size: 50ml
Price Per Ml: $0.80
Availability: Maruzen store in Japan or eBay
Taccia Navy Blue Jeans
Price: $18
Bottle Size: 40ml
Price Per Ml: $0.45
Availability: Readily Available
Posted in Non-Stationery Reviews
Well, this is the last 2021 DC Pen Show post. I’ve milked it for all it’s worth. But, it’s been fun taking a more in-depth look at my haul. I haven’t really done that before.
Brandon Lee of Modern Chocolatier is a bit of a fixture at the DC Pen Show, typically seen next to Ryan Krusac‘s table. This year, however, he was up near the entrance, which made it easier to make multiple visits.
Brandon had 20 flavors with him, and I ended up getting all but 2 — Curry Lime and Habanero.
While it will be a year (assuming COVID stop the world again) before I can have more, I’d like to share my thoughts on the various flavors. And it will serve as a good reminder for me to get my favorites next year.
Posted in Fountain Pens
Well, here’s hoping this is the last Jowo update. I’m honestly getting a little tired of Jowogate — my blog is meant to be a fun space — so I don’t know if I’ll write additional posts even if there is more information in the future. Time will tell.
Anyway, Jowo finally released a statement. I’ve included it below in case you don’t want to check their Instagram. In an interesting… coincidence (?), their website is down reading only “Diese Seite wird derzeit aktualisiert. Bitte haben Sie noch etwas Geduld,” and their contact information. Which, according to Google Translate means, “This page is currently being updated. Please have a little patience.”
Posted in Fountain Pens
Ah, my ARTUS. It’s a magnificent work of art that mesmerizes me every time I use it. The layers of paint give the design a seemingly endless depth. Every time I look at it I see more details.
Posted in Fountain Pens
While I certainly think it’s worth reviewing some of these pens I picked up at the 2021 DC Pen Show, this post is really just an excuse for pen porn and penabling. You’re welcome. 🙂 I’m doing these in the order I bought them at the show.
As usual, click on any image to view it larger.
Only interested in certain pens? No worries, jump to specific reviews.
Posted in Fountain Pens
Once again we interrupt our scheduled programming on the 2021 DC Pen Show for a special bulletin on Jowo issues.
After my last update, I received comments and messages about the too-tight housings. So many, in fact, that I decided to measure my nib housings. Clearly, I’m not the only one who’s experienced the super-tight housings.
So, being the data nut that I am, I carefully measured some of my housings. The results were inconclusive at best. Let me start with disclaimers.
Posted in Fountain Pens
I picked up five nibs at the 2021 DC Pen Show. Of those, one was a standard Jowo #6 with a horned skull engraved on it from Carolina Pen Co. While it’s a fun nib, since it doesn’t have any modifications beyond the engraving, I’m not including it in this review. But here’s a fun picture. 🙂
Posted in Fountain Pens
Once again we interrupt our scheduled programming on the 2021 DC Pen Show for this special bulletin on Jowo issues.
Things have moved quickly since I decided to write about the Jowo nib housing issue. Because of that, I have two updates for you today.
I can’t call this Jowo’s response. This is Meisternibs’ response. It’s a good response. Brian acknowledges that the issue is more severe than they thought and provides a temporary, easy fix.
The following was copied and pasted from Meisternibs.com on 8/17/2021 at 4:20pm to preserve the message for future readers.
Housing Issues
On behalf of Meisternibs, I would like to recognize the issues that have been occurring with nib housings.
We truly appreciate all of the feedback from penmakers and consumers so that we can make the best decisions and offer the best products. We have been aware of and have considered all of these issues since they were initially reported.
In the beginning, this issue seemed to be isolated to a very small percentage of our nib housings. However, after receiving reports over the last 7 days (not only from penmakers but also from consumers) we now understand that this issue is larger than we had originally thought.
We believe that this issue is related to a few faulty batches during the injection molding process of nib housings. We also believe that the issue has already been addressed and fixed months ago and that no faulty housings are currently being shipped to our penmakers or consumers.
However, please understand that a faulty nib housing from our facility would have come from the overseas factory, then to us as a distributor, then to a penmaker, and then to the consumer. This period between manufacture and consumption means that faulty nib housings from months ago could still be out there.
Considering this, we have made sure that we have replacement housings available to all of our penmakers and consumers as needed. These housings are from the latest moldings that we have tested thoroughly. Anyone who possesses a faulty housing is welcome to request replacements at no charge from Meisternibs.
If this is the case, please email brian@meisternibs.com. Please include a photo of the problematic housing and a shipping address. If you can provide a photo, we will send you a replacement and we will cover the housing cost and shipping cost. If you cannot provide a photo, we will only ask you to cover shipping costs. Photos are preferred so that we can have as much information as possible regarding this issue.
The above verbiage outlines the most accurate information that we have as of today (8/16/21). As more updates are available, we will post them here.
Rest assured that we are working very hard on this issue to ensure quality control. If anyone has questions, I am always available at the email listed above, or you can use our contact form.
Lastly, I would like to address the "radio silence" that I fully understand has been frustrating. The truth of this matter is that I have never had a means for mass communications besides this website and emails. When Meisternibs began more than 12 years ago, social media wasn't exactly what it is today. Meisternibs caters primarily to penmakers. So when Meisternibs was formed, penmakers became quickly aware of us despite the lack of social media outlets. So even when social media became as large as it is today, we truly did not need it for visibility. Bottom line...I am (and always have been) available for all communications via email or the phone. As these issues have occurred, I believe that every penmaker will attest to fast responses and attention to their needs. I will kindly ask consumers to not confuse a lack of activity on social media with a position of indifference. I have always been available with fast responses via email to all customers, be it penmaker or consumer.
Thank you
Brian at Meisternibs
But it’s not the response I was looking for.
Posted in Pen Shows
I now return to the scheduled DC Pen Show Programming.
As I mentioned in my experience post, I’m also reviewing the 2021 DC Pen Show. I’m surprised I haven’t reviewed it before. For those unaware, Bob Johnson passed away, and his sister has taken over the show organization. She appears to be more willing to bring in additional help.
Of note, I won’t be as “harsh” as I general would be. With the combo platter of minimal planning time due to COVID uncertainties, a new person running it, and the limitations due to COVID, the show deserves some leeway. Because of that, I’ll likely review it again, next year (or whenever COVID restrictions have been completely lifted).
Posted in Fountain Pens
We interrupt our scheduled programming on the 2021 DC Pen Show for this special bulletin on Jowo issues.
My next post will be back to DC Pen Show fun, but I felt that Friday the 13th was the perfect day to post this.
Over the past year (ish) the number of posts I’ve seen about cracked Jowo housings has steadily increased. What started as an occasional post has turned into multiple posts per week, from makers and buyers alike. This clearly isn’t a small, single batch issue, it’s a manufacturing problem.
I recently went through my own Jowo nibs and found around 10 cracked housings. I don’t remember the exact number, nor did I keep them for later documentation (lack of foresight on my part). However, in checking my nibs again last night, I found two more cracked housings.
Posted in Pen Shows
You all know how much I’ve been missing pen shows. I can’t say how great it was to go to the Washington DC Fountain Pen Supershow (AKA DC Pen Show). I intend to write a few posts related to the DC Pen Show, this one covers my general experience at the show. Still to come are my review of the show, and some reviews of what I bought. It was so lovely to see pen friends and chat with everyone throughout the show.
This was the first time I’ve attended the DC Pen Show on a Friday, so I can’t say how different it was to normal, non-COVID years. However, in comparison to what I’m used to from the DC Pen Show, this year felt rather empty. There were additional vendors arriving throughout the day, though.
I was at the show from about 9:30am to about 1:15pm; leaving early after accomplishing my main missions. I needed to pick up Jim to go back for the unofficial Pen Show After Dark hangout, and I didn’t want to be stuck in traffic. And anyway, there were still two more days.
My first stop upon arrival was the registration table. I’d heard a rumor amongst the DC Pen Crew that a Weekend Trader Pass allowed you to bring a spouse. Turned out it was true!! So I picked up my badge and a badge for Jim (we were very thankful for that later). Then, because it was still so early (only about 9:38), I sat in the lobby for a bit. But by 9:52, I couldn’t contain my excitement anymore and snuck into the smaller room.
Posted in Fountain Pens
This seemed like an apropos time to share this post, with the DC Pen Show going on and other pen shows (hopefully) to come later this year. Lots of us sell pens to give us bigger pen show budgets. That’s probably why I’ve seen some posts recently wondering how to decide which pens to sell. If you’ve never sold a pen, the first one can certainly seem like a wrench. And the occasional posts about seller’s regret wouldn’t help that feeling.
I give my sales significant thought, specifically to avoid that horrible feeling. On the hope that it might help someone, I’m sharing how pens end up on my “for sale” list. I love being able to sell a pen to pay for a new one. I want to make sure that I’m very clear that this post is about how to choose what to sell once you’ve decided that you want to sell pens. It’s not about telling anyone that they should sell pens.
Posted in Cat
Today marks one year since we decided to keep the kittenses. Not much has changed since I posted Ritz’s and Dante’s stories. However, as I’ve been marking major anniversaries, I wanted to write something for them.
Despite their nearly full-grown size, the boys are still kittens at heart. Their food meows are still higher-pitched and kitten-like. Their appetites, especially Ritz’s are still overactive. Ritz who’s still growing at a fairly steady rate, always thinks he’s starving, and believes everyone’s food is his. I know many cats do this, but imagine an average cat times 10.
The boys are also both roly-poly in the way kittens are. It’s so cute, and I hope they never grow out of it.
Posted in Book Blogger
by Candace Fleming, M.T. Anderson, Stephanie Hemphill, Lisa Ann Sandell, Jennifer Donnelly, Linda Sue Park, and Deborah Hopkinson
Genres: Historical Fiction, Biographical Fiction, Tudor, Young Adult
Release Date: May 1, 2018
Pages: 388
Purchase from: Amazon
My Rating: ★★★★☆
☆☆☆☆☆ – Did not finish
★☆☆☆☆ – Hated it
★★☆☆☆ – Disliked it
★★★☆☆ – Okay
★★★★☆ – Liked it
★★★★★ – Loved it
Read the full explanation of my book rating system.
If you were one of King Henry VIII’s six wives, who would you be? Would you be Anne Boleyn, who literally lost her head? Would you be the subject of rumor and scandal like Catherine Howard? Or would you get away and survive like Anna of Cleves?
Meet them and Henry’s other queens–each bound for divorce or death–in this epic and thrilling novel that reads like fantasy but really happened. Watch spellbound as each of these women attempts to survive their unpredictable king as he grows more and more obsessed with producing a male heir. And discover how the power-hungry court fanned the flames of Henry’s passions . . . and his most horrible impulses.
Whether you’re a huge fan of all things Tudor or new to this jaw-dropping saga, you won’t be able to get the unique voices of Henry and his wives–all brought to life by seven award-winning and bestselling authors–out of your head.
This is an intimate look at the royals during one of the most treacherous times in history. Who will you root for and who will you love to hate?
Posted in Fountain Pens
I’ve had several people ask me how I use all my pens. I went through a few methods before I settled on the current one. It seems to be working pretty well. I’ve gone through 4, maybe 5, rotations with it so far, and I don’t see myself changing it any time soon.
The base of my strategy is separating my pens into categories. It doesn’t really matter what the categories are, you just don’t want more categories than the number of pens you’ll have in use. I keep 5 pens inked — not including my always inked pens — and split my pens into “Less Expensive” (under $250), “More Expensive” (Over $250), and “Indie Pens” categories.
Posted in Non-Stationery Reviews
Game: SumSudoku
Creator: Conceptis, Ltd.
My Rating: ★★★★★
Download: Google Play | Apple App Store
It’s been a while since I reviewed an app, but I’ve been playing this game for ages. SumSudoku is Sudoku, but with an added requirement. Throughout the 9-square grid are shapes, generally between 2 and 5 squares, that have a total the numbers within have to equal.
