Pen Pals

[Jolly]

The love affair with the ballpoint...

https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20201028-history-of-the-ballpoint-pen

[Aqua Letifer]

Fountain or GTFO.

[Jolly]

And all this time I thought you were a gel-point...

[xenon]

I've never had good enough penmanship for the type of pen to actually matter.

I don't think I've written more than a few words at a time for a couple of years now.

[George K]

@xenon said in Pen Pals:

I've never had good enough penmanship for the type of pen to actually matter.

Indeed. When I was in grammar school, I had a few fountain pens that I liked. They were useless when it came to "press hard, you're making 3 copies!"

Refilling was a PITA, although I remember some plastic cartridges you could buy that would fit into your pen. But then, I remember rotary phones as well...

I don't think I've written more than a few words at a time for a couple of years now.

Same here. Looking at my "handwriting" now, and comparing it with something I wrote even after entering "adulthood," it's shocking how much I've deteriorated. I look at a piece I wrote, with a pen, in 1977, and realize that today, my writing would be totally illegible.

[Aqua Letifer]

@jolly said in Pen Pals:

And all this time I thought you were a gel-point...

Nah, fountain. Nothing fancy, though, I use a Pilot Metro that costs about $15.

[Jolly]

@xenon said in Pen Pals:

I've never had good enough penmanship for the type of pen to actually matter.

I don't think I've written more than a few words at a time for a couple of years now.

I wrote a three page letter the other day to some family in Florida. Writing inspires wordcraft.

[xenon]

@jolly said in Pen Pals:

@xenon said in Pen Pals:

I've never had good enough penmanship for the type of pen to actually matter.

I don't think I've written more than a few words at a time for a couple of years now.

I wrote a three page letter the other day to some family in Florida. Writing inspires wordcraft.

I like the notion. Very romantic. I don't even know if I can do that though.

I've trained myself to write a really crappy "cave man" version of my thoughts down , then rewrite again for clarity. Works well with a computer.. not so well with ink.

[Aqua Letifer]

@jolly said in Pen Pals:

Writing inspires wordcraft.

True. Read a handful of studies on it, and that seems to be the consensus.

I also think there's something unhealthy about using disposable, character-lacking objects for everyday tasks. It's good to have not just a pen but your pen, your coffee mug, your bike that you tuned up yourself.

[taiwan_girl]

@jolly said in Pen Pals:

Writing inspires wordcraft.

I agree also. It is amazing when you look at old speeches or even letters from ordinary people. They always seem so well written compared to today.