2015 Collection: Sporadic Notes from The Toy Factory #3 Penning Perspective

Penning Perspective

"Being employed full-time for the last 27 years; the first five in the toy factory as seasonal/part-time, I'd forgotten idle-time's effect on my psyche over a prolonged winter lay-off, and as a result, how writing became so integral to my everyday; a lifesaver.

During those long isolated days over winter, alone as I was, I was drinking, mostly beer, with a few meals interspersed during the day. Homemade stews and soups, steaks, hamburger, pork chops, fried potatoes, bacon, eggs, and a good amount of bread found its way into my body -- and out of it -- when I started writing if only to keep myself sane.

I had no ambition to do anything with it. No objective to sell my work to magazines or publishers. Being before the time of personal computers and cellphones, and not owning a TV, writing was simply a cheap activity that I could do on a 24/7 basis. All I needed was a pen or pencil, preferably narrow-ruled 5-subject binder notebooks when I could find them, or good quality unlined paper if I could not.

I had favorite pens too, Bics mostly, until the 'roller ball' Parker pens came out. After those, I began using (and still use) the Pentel V5 fine point; that I observed with interest over the years, were the favorite choice of hand-writers.

But pens don't fare well in subzero temperatures. On the other hand, mechanical pencils aren't bothered by 30-below, which makes them pretty utilitarian, if not so one's fingertips."

https://palmvilletownshipmn.blogspot.com/2018/11/pen-point-2018.html

(Knew I had used this image some place before!)

Comments

Joe - Wednesday's Child said…

I like the Uniball Vision Elite - smooth with a wide trail of ink.

March 27, 2022 at 10:06 AM

WannaskaWriter said…

I bought four of the Uniball Visions recently. It's difficult to find the Pentels locally, and even on-line, 'Fine' is difficult to get. I used to prefer extra fine, but it doesn't matter anymore. But one thing I maintain, I don't let just anybody borrow 'my pen.' "You're not going to scrawl on cardboard with a pen I write with!" used to be my mantra. Yes, they thought me weird at the toy factory.

March 27, 2022 at 3:37 PM

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