January’s New Pens and Ink

New Year spells new beginnings, new hopes, new wishes. I say New Year brought me new pens. *Wink.* Some people welcome New Year with fireworks, 12 fruits, or money in their pockets. I welcomed 2009 with three new pens! While my brothers were busy setting up fireworks, I was busy inking my Schneiders with my new Waterman South Sea Blue and polishing the Hero616 that Sir Butch D. gave me during last December’s pen meet.

The Waterman ink is a delight. After using Inoxcrom’s blue and Quink’s blue-black, this turquoise from Waterman is a new experience to write with that the moment I inked my black Schneider Base, I wrote endlessly on my Moleskine and completed three pages in a flash! (Photos to follow later, including pages of my Molie where I wrote with my PR Copperburst.) But what’s also exciting is my Shchneider Base fountain pen. This German pen, inexpensive and so elegant in its design is a joy to write with. Its medium nib writes smoothly sometimes I forget I’m writing with a fountain pen! Here are some photos of the New Year’s stash:

Delight, joy, ecstasy. That spells ink, fountain pens and notebooks for me. The bottled ink is Waterman South Sea Blue, and the pens are: Hero616, Schneider Base Medium in white and black barrels.

Ink and pens on the notebook my friend Sonny sent me all the way from Singapore as Christmas gift.

Ink and pen pageantry. My ink stash: Quink black and blue-black, Waterman South Sea Blue, and Private Reserve Avocado and Copperburst. Coming early next week: Noodler’s Concord Bream!

5 Random Thoughts While I Ate Lunch

1.
What ink should I get next? Pink or orange? I already got some dark ink shades: black, blue, blue-black, brown, and green. And just last week, I got myself a bottle of Noodler’s Corcord Bream, a blue-violet ink from a fellow FPN-P member. So what should I get? Pink or orange?

2.
After Haruki, who could be my next?

3.
I need new bookshelves for all the Murakamis I got last year. I’d also love to display my shotglasses and toy firetrucks. Then maybe I could get someone to customize a bookshelf-cum-display case for me. Lovely.

4.
I need to write more.

5.
Why do beautiful couples separate? Why?

A Confession

WARNING: This post is overly imeldific. So if you’re overly sensitive, shoo away. ;)

I love shoes, especially sneakers. I wear sneakers everyday, I collect them, and I have more than 10 pairs at home. I try to wear them on rotation, or whenever my shirt color calls for a particular pair of sneakers. Aside from sneakers, I also have two pairs of running shoes and several leather loafers which I meticulously take very good care of. For my sneakers and rubbers, I clean the soles and rubber linings using mild detergent and a soft brush, then I leave them propped on a rug to dry. For my leather shoes, I use a special cleaner I bought from a local supermarket. All my shoes are returned to their original boxes after cleaning. I do this to ensure that they are well protected from dust, and also for organizing. (Just so I do not forget which pair of shoes went to which boxes. I’m a freak when it comes to organizing my stuff and that includes my shoes.)

Lately, because of the rains here in tropical RP, I’ve been considering getting a pair of reliable Boots. I can wear sandals when I’m outside because I also have a couple of pairs, but I can’t stand it when my feet are exposed and not socked within closed shoes. It’s very uncomfortable. I’ve been on the lookout for a good but inexpensive pair to wear when I go out so I do not expose my canvas sneakers and leather loafers to mud and rainwater. We’ll see if I’m in luck in the next few days.