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Pen Resolutions Tag 2023

Posted in Fountain Pens

I had a lot of fun with the Pen Resolutions Tag last year, so I’m doing it again this year. I’m also revisiting the resolutions I made last year to see how I did.

This idea was originally adapted from Theresa is Dead’s video: OH 2021… | BEAUTY RESOLUTIONS TAG video. The Beauty Resolutions Tag originated with Mel Thompson.

I’ll definitely revisit this again in 2024.

1. What is something you do regularly in your pen routine that you will try to stop?

Answer from 2022: Stop putting off pen cleaning. Did I do better? Nope. I keep forgetting to add it to my weekly spread in my notebook. And, if it’s not there, it doesn’t get done.

Answer for 2023: Since remembering to add pen cleaning to my weekly to-do list would get me to clean my pens, I need to get better at doing that. This is, at its core the same resolution I made last year, but I’m taking a different approach to see if I have more success.

2. What is a brand you will try for the first time?

Answer from 2022: Stanford Wood Studios. Boy, did I ever hold to that resolution! I bought three pens from them. Two were commissions, one of which was my top pen of 2022.

Answer for 2023: I’d like to get a Rockster Pens pen. They use such interesting material combinations.

3. What is a brand you will let go in 2023?

Answer from 2022: Monteverde. I haven’t purchased any new Monteverde inks, although a couple I came across were a little tempting.

Answer for 2023: Maybe Lamy. I can’t say for certain I won’t buy anything from them, but I feel I’ve “outgrown” their lower end pens like the Safari/Al-Star/Lx family, and I don’t have any real interest in some of their higher end pens like their Studio, Imporium, or Dialog. Plus, it annoys me how much they overprice their special editions. I may end up changing this question next year.

4. What nib would you like to try at least once?

Answer from 2022: Secretary of de Flex nib from Kirk Spear. I bought one. It’s a fabulous flex nib, but it’s not really good for use in a notebook. I think it would be great for art or letters that you can leave out to dry. I really need to use it some more.

Answer for 2023: Everyone is so enamored of the Sailor King of Pen nib that I’m curious to give it a try, even if it’s just by testing a friend’s pen.

5. What product will you leave in 2022?

Answer from 2022: The Firma-Flex notebook. I still have two leftover notebooks that I purchased before discovering that Rhodia is making white paper goalbooks. I used part of one for notes from a class I took, but I still have 3/4 of it to go through and another blank one. Anyone want a notebook?

Answer for 2023: Shimmer ink. I tried a few this year, and they really just don’t do anything for me. If I buy any shimmer inks in the future, it will be a sample so that I can find a dupe for the base color.

6. What product will you give a second chance to?

Answer from 2022: Jowo. I’ve purchased multiple indie-made pens that take Jowo nibs, so I suppose I have given Jowo a second chance. I haven’t had any trouble with cracking housings, but the new housings don’t always fit in existing pens, which is a whole new issue.

Answer for 2023: I very rarely write off a product, so I don’t really have anything that I can give a second chance to. I think I’ll need to change this question next year, too.

7. What is a resolution for your collection?

Answer from 2022: Buy no more than 24 pens. Bwahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!!! NOPE!!!

Answer for 2023: OK, we’re going to try this again. Let’s see if we can cap out at 36 pens, as 24 was clearly over ambitious.

8. Do you have any ink or paper resolutions?

Answer from 2022: Continue reducing the size of my ink collection to get to a point where I don’t have any dupe inks. I did reduce my ink collection further, but I don’t think I’m all the way to the point of no dupe inks.

Answer for 2023: Like last year, I want to continue reducing the size of my ink collection. But, I have a different approach. I’m changing how I choose inks for my pens so that I’ll know what inks I avoid using. Those will be going away near the end of the year, or middle of the year if I have enough data by then.

9. What new pen habit or behavior do you want to adopt this year?

Answer from 2022: Display my “always inked” pens that aren’t in active use. As I’d already started doing this when I wrote last year’s post, yes, I accomplished this. But that’s kind of cheating.

Answer for 2023: I want to limit the number of pens I buy for the material alone. There are so many interesting pens being made that buying a pen just for the material doesn’t seem like enough anymore.

10. Do you have any continuing resolutions?

Answer from 2022: Buy more from indie makers; continue culling pens from my collection that don’t make me happy to own; and avoid “happy to buy” purchases. I did pretty good with all of these. I definitely bought more from indie makers — a 20.39% increase from 2021— sold several pens, and minimized my impulse purchases.

Answer for 2023: I still want to continue culling pens from my collection that don’t make me happy to own. And I definitely want to avoid “happy to buy” purchases. I won’t consider the latter resolution complete until I can say I managed an entire year without one.


What do you think of my answers? Do you have any pen resolutions? Please consider answering at least one question in the comments, I’d love to see what your resolutions are.

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2 Comments

  1. Sam
    Sam

    Your “happy to buy” or “happy to own” distinction/criterion/mantra is proving invaluable. I don’t normally make resolutions, though I had told myself to hold off buying pens for a few months at least, which (face it, Sam) is a resolution. More than once in the past few days I have been on the verge of clicking “buy” on an amazing-looking pen when I stopped myself and asked why I was buying it (happy to own or buy?), then backed off. There are a couple specific pens that I’m waiting to buy and know that it’s because I will be happy to own them. So I suppose if I have a resolution, that’s it. I don’t have a crystal clear direction for my collection and have no intention of developing one, but I can be more deliberate about being sure that every pen in the collection will make me smile.

    January 5, 2023
    |Reply
    • That’s great! Congrats on being able to apply a mantra that helps you. I know it can be difficult, but it certainly pays off in the end. 😊 I’m happy that my posts have helped.

      January 5, 2023
      |Reply

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