Focused, Episode 102: Analog Productivity with Brad Dowdy

Productivity and me don’t necessarily go hand in hand. Yes, I get it all done somehow, but in my own "can’t get there from here" kind of way.

David Sparks and Mike Schmitz had me on their podcast, Focused, to discuss how I work, and the analog tools I use for the work. Along the way, we discovered that I have more of a plan than I thought. I also learned the random notebook I keep is a Commonplace Book.

I came away from our conversation with a better understanding of my own personal productivity, and you may even glean something from our conversation.

Bonus: I spent some of Mike’s money show.

Kala Nostalgia Neon Dude Ink Review

(Jeff Abbott is a regular contributor at The Pen Addict. You can find more from Jeff online at Draft Evolution and Twitter.)

Bright blue inks are some of my favorite inks, and that hasn't changed much in the past several years. I love the way they pop and look slightly translucent in the right light, and they tend to add some joy to any piece of paper they come in contact with. One thing I haven't expected from any of the bright blue inks I've used in the past is any sort of water resistance, let alone waterproofing. With the latest blue ink I've tested, I can take that last thing off the list.

Kala Neon Dude is part of their Nostalgia series that borrows colors and imagery from the 60's and 70's. Lots of bright, in-your-face colors in this series of eight inks. The one I'm using is called Dude (or just "neon blue") and is one of my new favorites.

Dude is an intensely-pigmented ink that screams at you while still in the bottle. I remember saying "Whoa" when first getting the bottle out. It looks like something that shouldn't be possible in a fountain pen ink. There's zero visibility into the ink for all the pigment, and looks more like neon blue Gak than fountain pen ink. I was incredibly skeptical that this ink would be anything more than a marketing stunt. There's no way something that looks like that can work properly in a fountain pen nib, right? Wrong.

The ink color resembles a bright turquoise that virtually every ink manufacturer offers. It reminds me a lot of Lamy Turquoise or Diamine Turquoise, which are just a couple of inks I have on hand that come really close to this color. When writing, it looks joyful and fun. There's a subtle amount of light shading that also adds some depth to the colors. Blue inks should make you think of water, and the best blue inks make you think of the shallow tides of some tropical paradise. Dude does all of this, while also drying fairly quickly. In my tests, it's smudge-proof at around 10 seconds — 15 max.

The main attribute of think ink that sets it apart from other similar turquoise inks is that it's waterproof. I tested this out myself and can confirm that the ink lines and coloration stays in place when the paper comes in contact with water. This applies to both droplets of water, spills, and even total submersion. This is due to the high level of pigmentation in the ink formula. In my limited experience with different inks, I've never come across a truly waterproof ink that has such vibrant colors! I normally don't care about the waterproof or water-resistant properities of inks, but I'm really impressed that this one backs up the claim while being so pretty at the same time.

While the waterproof nature and bright hue are great aspects of this ink, it does take a little more effort when cleaning it out of your pen. Nothing strenuous — just a few extra rounds of water to completely rinse out all the tiny particulates the ink leaves behind. I have several non-waterproof/resistant inks that are more difficult to clean than this ink, so it's not a major concern for me. The bottom line is that I won't think twice about putting this ink in any modern pen.

One negative behavior that I've noticed with this ink is that it does not work well with highly-absorbent papers. It's a fairly wet ink, so uncoated papers tend to drink the ink very quickly, which pulls more ink out of the feed as you write. In most cases, it isn't a big deal — especially if you're writing on coated paper (like Rhodia). But for cheaper paper or uncoated paper, it can be disastrous. In my testing, Baron Fig paper performed the worst. I like testing Baron Fig because it's so unique when compared to the other paper brands I keep on hand. It's thick, but it's also very absorbent and tends to bleed and feather very easily. In the case of Kala Dude, it not only feathers and bleeds, but it also pulls ink from the feed so fast that it causes my pens to drip large dots of ink while writing with this ink. That's an impressive but inconvenient example of capillary action! So, all that to say, don't use this ink with uncoated, absorbent papers.

Kala Dude is an ink from a brand that I'd never heard of prior to trying the ink. I'm happy to say that I'm really pleased with this ink and look forward to trying other inks from the Taiwanese brand. I'm also tempted to try out the other seven crazy colors!

(The Pen Addict purchased this ink from Shigure Inks at full retail price.)

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Fountain Pens: An Argentine Perspective

Is El Ateneo the most beautiful book store in the world?

(This is a guest post from Robert E. Zink, who has spent the past few years living and working in Argentina.)

Like you, I remember my first fountain pen. Even today, the feel of a classic writing instrument in my hand still induces an experience that no other tool can produce. What I did not realize at the time was that defining myself as a fountain pen user would identify me as part of a unique worldwide community; soon, I realized just how worldwide. Seven years later and I now live in Argentina, an initial move that brought a question: Can my fountain pen life continue in this new place?

Latin culture rarely invokes images or descriptions of fine writing instruments. However, Argentina is unique among those Latin countries, which is prominently displayed in its fountain pen community. It’s yet an additional characteristic that exposes the European influence. Unfortunately, for someone like me, who lives in a rural part of the country, the fountain pen community primarily exists in Buenos Aires. It makes sense; the majority of the population and wealth inhabit the 13th largest city in the world. Thankfully, online merchandise gives the rest of the country access to this community, although minimally (because few shops sell online).

Visit the city, and you’ll find the typical brands such as Pelikan, Montblanc, Lamy, or Cross. Are you a stationery enthusiast? If so, here’s what you can expect to find:

• Pens: I’m not sure why, but Lamy occupies a prominent position. However, many of the major brands are represented in both pens and ink.
• Pencils: You won’t find many elite pencil brands, but sketching generates a presence for Staedtler. Faber-Castell also maintains immense recognition because of the popularity of their lower-end products with school children.
• Paper: Quality paper is another story. There are some beautiful handmade journals if you want a nice souvenir. But if your hope is to find something with fountain pen friendly paper, unless you’re looking for a Moleskine, your expectations are too high.

While there are a few well-known shops and collectors, the best finds come from simply walking the streets in the central area. Check out the Recoleta area (where Evita is laid to rest) on your way to my favorite bookstore in the world, El Ateneo. Enjoy your new acquisitions there while you sip a cup of espresso on the stage of this former opera house. The environment invites writing.

Ultimately, culture defines availability. Because Argentina is a land of beef, it is also a land of leather, but that craft has not worked its way into the stationery industry as much as I would like. I do have a beautiful leather folder that elicits attention wherever I go. If you are fortunate enough to visit, these make a wonderful souvenir. Generally, finding notebook covers that meet my needs or pen cases is non-existent. Cost is the biggest defining factor. A fledgling economy with 50% inflation places fountain pens into the luxury item category. Additionally, high import fees push the cost higher, out of reach for most Argentines. In an era of technology, though, Argentina is a land where pen and paper still reign.

Many people are surprised to note a thriving fountain pen community here. Overall, the average user will likely find himself/herself content. However, participation in it does mean adjusting expectations in the following ways:

• Expect to Search More: A committed enthusiast will expend a lot of energy searching for pen, ink, and paper. I once stumbled on a Visconti Van Gogh on an unknown side street only because I got lost.
• Expect to See Less: Your requests cannot be too specific, as options here are limited, especially at the higher price points.
• Expect to Pay More: Finally, expect to pay more. A non-special edition Lamy Safari will set you back about $38 USD (about $9 more than the typical price). Many of the common brands of ink also run about $4 more per bottle.

The country was in the middle of a significant economic downturn when the COVID-19 crisis hit. It will be interesting to see what the fountain pen industry will look like afterward, assuming it will survive.