The Pen Addict

The Go Team

This is the team photo of the main group of pens I carry with me in my backpack everyday.  The lineup (from left to right):

- Uni-Ball Signo 207 Premier with 0.38 Lavender Black Signo RT cartridge
- Uni-Ball Jetstream Alpha
- Pentel Slicci 0.25mm Sky Blue
- Pentel Sliccies 3 cartridge barrel with 0.4mm Blue Black, Pink, and Lime Green ink
- Pentel Slicci 0.25mm Lime Green
- Pentel Slicci 0.25mm Black
- TUL 0.5mm Black needle tip
- Uni Stlye Fit 3 cartridge barrel with 0.28 Blue Black, Red, and Golden Yellow ink
- Pilot Hi-Tec-C Coleto 3 cartridge barrel with 0.4mm Black, Purple, and Sky Blue
- Sharpie Pen Black
- Uni-Ball Jetstreram Basic 0.5mm Blue
- Uni Stlye Fit 3 cartridge barrel with 0.38 Brown Black, Purple, and Orange ink
- Pilot Hi-Tec-C Cavalier 0.4mm Black
- Uni-Ball Kuru Toga High Grade 0.5mm
- Uni-Ball Signo DX 0.38mm Black
- Pilot G-2 Limited with 0.38mm Black cartridge

Since I switched over to a new backpack, I am trying not to have as many pens floating around as I did in this picture.  I'm keeping this one Kokuyo Neo Critz case for the main pens I use, and just rotate them out of here as I see fit.  I do keep one other pen case with me of pens that I need to review, but no other pens are kept stashed away in all corners of my backpack.  I need to do a new what's in my bag post soon.

Coupon Codes: Jac Zagoory Designs and Journaling Arts

In my time writing this blog, I have been lucky to strike up great relationships with readers, retailers, manufacturers, and more.  Recently, I have been exchanging mails with Jac from Jac Zagoory Designs and Cynthia from JournalingArts.com, and they are both interested in offering readers of The Pen Addict coupon codes for their online stores.

Jac Zagoory designs unique and interesting pens and other desk art.  I mean, how can you not love a Pocket PC pen, or a T-Rex staple remover?  Jac is graciously offering a 15% discount for Pen Addict readers to his online store during the month of May, using the code mayiswarm.

Cynthia runs JournalingArts.com, and as you can imagine from the name, her site carries "Journals, Notebooks & Supplies to Enhance the Art of Journaling. "  The product line is very interesting, including many great looking items that I have never seen before like this Leuchtturm Master Book Squared Journal.  Readers can use the code PENADDICT for 16% off of one purchase between now and May 28th.  You can also find Cynthia on Twitter @journalingarts.

Full disclosure: I have, or will be receiving some products to review from both of these sites.  I am also very interested in what you think about getting coupon codes from time to time for various retailers, so please let me know your feedback via comment or email.

Left-Handed Pens - What's the Best?

I received a great email from a left-handed reader that I wanted to share and see if the readers have any suggestions:

I use many pens in typical daily use and have one primary problem.  A pen may write wonderfully for the first few strokes – the tip becomes clogged with paper and that is the end of the pens usefulness.  I have learned to quickly throw them away…wasteful but more efficient.  Three pens that work fair are the Pilot P-700, the Pilot V700 and now I am trying the Sharpie Pen.  The P-700 works the best except I have been unable to find the pen in red except in a color combo pack…other colors are nice but not that nice…The V700 works okay but will clog before the P-700 and the Sharpie is okay so far except I have only seen it in black and possibly blue…

I edit documents, reports, drawings etc. and need the pens to have a reasonably fine line, not run and not bleed…I stay away from the micro tips they are almost useless for a left hand person…

I have used sharpie off and on for years, their drying out and bleed through has always been a problem…the new pen will hopefully resolve this…

Left hand people push the pen more causing the clogging of the tip with paper…

Some pens reportedly are made for left hand people such that the ink dries faster therefore not smearing…not that big of an issue…

Clogging tips are the biggest problem for me

I responded back, mentioning that the Sharpie Pen was a good choice, and in fact does come in red, green, purple, and orange besides black and blue.  But, since I'm not a lefty myself, I really don't know what makes for a good left-handed writing instrument.  Any lefty readers willing to share what works best for them?

Where Pens Go To Die

A reader emails:

Today I opened my desk drawer and saw over 50 pens I probably will never use again...(and this is only at my office desk, not including home)... Where do unlucky pens go to die? I can't seem to get rid of them because the day I try to throw it away or give it to the school supplies drive, I find a newfound respect for it but then it goes back into the black hole of pens that haven't made the cut.

Have you written any posts about this?

I have never written a post about this, but I think I did mention something in a long lost comments thread on what I do with pens I don't like or never plan on using again.  In a nutshell, I play Pen Fairy at the office.

I work with and around a bunch of computer geeks.  Heck, I'm one of them myself.  Except I'm the one in the pink gingham button-down as opposed to a black or grey t-shirt.  Not there is anything wrong with that, but it's just not my style.  So you can imagine their choice in writing instruments: generic office supply cabinet rollerball, Marriott Courtyard Bic Stic, chewed up eraserless #2 pencil, capless dried-up Sharpie, etc.

From time to time I purge my pen collection, getting rid of the ones I no longer use or plan on using to make room for new ones.  I do this at home to keep the wife happy, and at work to keep myself sane because I don't have a lot of room to spare.  This usually results in 20-30 pens probably twice a year or so.

The Pen Fairy kicks in from there, leaving some out in the open on a communal office table, and otherwise dispersing some of the better rejects on a few select co-workers desks.  Only once during this time have I overheard someone say "Where did this pen come from"?  I just grinned a bit and kept quiet.  Most of the time I see the pens scattered about, caps missing, or hanging from peoples mouths.  Oh well, hopefully they enjoyed the pens for a minute or two.

I received another email just yesterday from The Pen Guy, who has a Mercedes covered with thousands of pens, so donating them is certainly an option.

What do you do with your extra pens?

Labels: Pens

You know you are a Pen Addict if.....

1.  You have a pen cup on your desk, but it only contains crap pens that you don't care if they get stolen by your co-workers.

2.  You keep your good pens stashed away in a safe spot, away from grabby hands.

3.  You check the office supplies section of every store you are in for new pens.

4.  If they have new pens, you buy them.

5.  You start writing but you don't like how the pen is performing, you switch pens and recopy what you already had written with the new pen.  Sometimes, this is a several pen event.

6.  You carry more than 2 - ok 20 - pens in your backpack/purse.

7.  You write a blog about pens.

8.  You read a blog about pens.

Those are the ones I could come up with off the top of my head.  What else makes you know that you are a Pen Addict?  Leave some comments and I'll update this post with some of the best ones.

Update:  There are some great ones in the comments section - thanks everyone!  Here are some samples:

From ellie:
You can't understand how people can write with 1.0+mm pens.

From teabird:
Before you write a letter, you spend more time deciding which pen to use than you spend writing the letter.

From moon'slark:
You keep a moleskine JUST for your pen addiction.

From alwayswrite:
The whole Staples or Office Max staff knows your name.
You don't consider BIC stick pen a real pen.

From Kataish:
You have a favourite pen but don't tell the runners up for fear of hurting their feelings.

From nicolelynn:
You hold pen try-outs to determine which one to use for any given written item.

From Matt:
You build this thing from scratch to display pens on your office wall.

From cool:
When you keep checking jetpens everyday for any new pens that are in stock.

Labels: Pens