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Sunday, August 31, 2014

Sunday, June 1, 2014

June 1: Happy Birthday Henry Beston

Writer and naturalist Henry Beston was born on June 1st 1888.  He is best known for The Outermost House:  A Year of Life on the Great Beach of Cape Cod, which he wrote in 1925 as he struggled with the trauma of surviving World War I.  While many veteran intellectuals turned to a destructive lifestyle (think: Earnest Hemingway), Beston sought the refuge of nature to heal his soul.

When I need to heal my soul, I turn to Henry Beston.  The Outermost House is one of those rare works that rejuvenates through introspection and observation.  Beston's work is not devoid of surmising and making judgements, though.  Beston is a critic of modernity, the machine, the oil fouling the beach from the barges, and modern civilization that outrages our sense of smell.

To my mind, we live too completely by the eye.  I like a good smell...
What a stench modern civilization breathes, and how have we ever learned to endure that foul blue air?
We ought to keep all senses vibrant and alive.  Had we done so, we should never have built a civilization which outrages them, which so outrages them, indeed, that a vicious circle has been established and the dull sense grow duller.
I understand that Henry Beston wrote The Outermost House with a pencil, and that he was affronted by the mechanical sound of the typewriter, which interfered with the rhythm of his narrative.

Rachel Carson is known to have said that Henry Beston was the only author who ever influenced her work.

You can join Henry Beston at the outermost house on the outer beach of Eastham, Cape Cod.   By Naucet light.  With the wind, the sand, the birds and the sea as your companions. 

Happy Birthday, Henry.

Saturday, May 31, 2014

Pencil Week 2014: longhand writing = learning

Dixon Ticonderoga No. 2 sharpened with a Kum 2-step long point sharpener.

May 26-31, 2014 is pencil week.  Did you know there was such a week?  I imagine that there are pencil lovers around the globe appreciating their pencils, sharing pencil lore, and engaging in pencil revelry.  Camaraderie of the pencil.  I love it.

This week The Washington Post had an article about recent research published in Psychological Science about the increased learning among students who take notes longhand versus with a keyboard.  Researchers found that students performed better in conceptual understanding and factual content when they took notes longhand during lectures.

Something is going on in the brain.

Or, are we typing too fast, and does that make us lazy?  Is it easier to just transcribe what is heard while taking notes with a keyboard?  Longhand note-taking is more conducive to summarizing the points in the lecture, which entails another layer of "thinking".  That thinking transfers to learning, remembering what is learned, and manipulating concepts makes a lot of sense. 

Yet, the researchers stated that keyboard note-takers who were asked to summarize points in their notes as if they were writing longhand didn't perform better.

As the debate continues over the loss of handwriting skills from public schools across the nation, cognitive science is stepping in with interpretations of the significance of the emergence of a heavy reliance upon the keyboard in learning.

While we deconstruct the social implications of the loss of handwriting in education, the aesthetics should also be considered.  Writing longhand is a lot of fun.  With a nice pencil, it is an experience nonparallel.

I wonder if the folks in the study who learned more by taking notes longhand actually enjoyed the lectures and studying more?

Sunday, May 25, 2014

Has the simple feat of handwriting become an act of rebellion?



This act that I am performing, writing in cursive, is accomplished less frequently these days.  I recently searched #cursive on twitter, which itself seems an oxymoron, and found numerous claims that cursive hadn’t been used in years, was forgotten, or was abandoned.  

This begs the question, who “needs” to learn the skill of handwriting in the era of the keyboard?  One opinion piece in the Washington Post entitled "Good riddance, cursive" compared the skill of writing cursive to forging horse-shoes, lute playing or jousting.  (At least those skills could come in handy at Renaissance Fairs.)

Therefore, I ask the following questions.   

Did we abandon the bicycle with the advent of the automobile?  Did we abandon painting with the invention of photography?  Aren’t bicycles and paintings some of the joys in life?  Why would we abandon a skill like cursive with the proliferation of the keyboard?  Are we merely rote machines who communicate?

That cursive is no longer being taught in many schools means that the choice of how to communicate is being intentionally limited.  Is the choice that is not dependent upon the consumption of high technology being passed over in the name of efficiency?  Of progress?

Writing cursive is an experience void of advertising pop-ups, critical software updates and background scans.  It cannot be accessed remotely or scanned by internet spiders, the NSA, or antivirus software.  In this post-post-modern era of high tech communication, the simple feat of handwriting is an act of rebellion.
Many of the best works were written longhand, from the U.S. Constitution to Henry Beston’s The Outermost House.  While these works were revolutionary in their own time, is it now the technique of their composition that is unconventional?

Your cursive notes, letter, or draft manuscript are analog.  In the era of digital communication, data centers and wireless networks that are powered by electricity, with their own networks and resource consumption needs, analog may be the last impediment to efficiency or progress.  But hasn’t progress always been a blind faith in an unknown future without questioning whether it is desirable, beneficial or sustainable?

I am going to form my thoughts and write them down by the natural morning light, not the glow of the computer screen.   

In my act of sedition against efficiency and progress, I challenge the dominance of digital communication and the impact that it has in our own future.  I am writing cursive.

Friday, May 23, 2014

Pencil Smackdown: General's Kimberly 2B vs. all the Palomino Blackwings

A historian and scholar of art and tattoos accustomed to the Blackwing needs a pencil for the archives that doesn't have an eraser.  I do not have a huge collection of wooden pencils, and I am more of a mechanical pencil gal, but I thought maybe the General's Kimberly 2B might suit.

How does the Kimberly compare?  Being a fan of 2B lead, I only have the Kimberly in 2B.  Writing with it is enjoyable.  The point is quite long-lasting.  The graphite is not as dark, but the pencil makes a wonderful noise on the paper (one sheet of paper on my wooden clipboard, shown).  The graphite does not smudge, except just slightly from very deliberate rubbing.

The Blackwings, all three, are favorites for wooden pencils and are well loved by many.

Left to right:  General's Kimberly 2B, Palomino Blackwing 602, Blackwing Pearl and Blackwing.

The side-by-side comparison of the Blackwings to the General's Kimberly makes me second-guess my earlier suggestion. Perhaps it would be better to get a saw and cut the ferrule off the Blackwing?

Oh, what we will do to and for our pencils! 

Monday, May 19, 2014

Sharpening a Palomino Blackwing Pencil


 The Palimono Blackwing, the relaunch of the famous Blackwing pencil.
The Palomino Blackwing, the relaunch of the famous Blackwing Pencil. 

  



Kum makes a special pencil sharpener with the Palomino Blackwing brand.  It is a 2-step long-point sharpener.


Getting started sharpening the Palomino Blackwing pencil with the Kum Palomino Blackwing sharpener is an exciting experience.

The wood comes off the pencil in a delicate curl.

The curl makes a crown.  The sound of this sharpener cutting the wood is fantastic.



When the lead hits the stop, we are done with the first step.  Notice that the blade did not cut the lead,  only the wood.  Notice how the blades are replaceable?

Next we sharpen the lead with the second blade.  It only takes a few twists to put a fine point on the pencil.

All done.  A perfectly sharpened Palomino Blackwing pencil.





Saturday, May 17, 2014

Mechanical pencil with heart and soul


I recently chanced upn an opinion piece from The New Yorker, written in 2012 by former staffer Mary Norris, about her pursuit of the perfect pencil.

While ultimately she landed upon the Palimino Blackwing, which is a wonderful pencil, she made a statement in her piece that has set me back:  "Someone at the office suggested I try a mechanical pencil, but I found it soulless."

I am sure that there are plenty of pencils in this world, not to mention mechanical pencils, that are difficult to find a personal connection with.  That said, I am saddened by such a blanket statement.  Who would say such a thing about a pencil?

To Mary Norris, author of My Life in Pencils, if you are ever googling yourself and happen upon this, I would like to introduce you to my pencil soul mate.  It is a mechanical pencil.  It is the Alvin Draftmatic.

I have written many thousands of pages with an Alvin Draftmatic, so I know it well.  I prefer a bold line, so I use a 0.9mm lead, and I change out my lead based upon the weather conditions and the type of the paper I am writing on. 

The Alvin Draftmatic has many fine qualities:

It is the exact proper weight, size and dimension for my hand.

The plastic barrel warms slightly while being used and feels like an extension of my mind, not a tool.

The knurling is perfectly milled and does not cause calluses on my fingers, even with extensive use for days (or weeks, or months) on end.

The clip is easy to remove (I don't want a clip on my pencil at all).

If the paper is right, I am using a good wooden clipboard, I am comfortably seated, and I have the proper lead, I can write for hours in complete joy without hand fatigue.

I trust this pencil.  I have used it for years and it has not failed.  The mechanism has not broken.  The pencil is solid, sturdy and dependable.

Finally, it is a pleasure to write with.

In my view, that is the making of a pencil soul mate.

Not all mechanical pencils are created equal.  The Alvin Draftmatic is a mechanical pencil with heart and soul.

Wednesday, May 7, 2014

Farley Mowat's spirit will live on forever

I am so fond of Farley Mowat that I named my cat after him.
It is with sadness that I have read about today's passing of acclaimed Canadian author Farley Mowat.

I am so very fond of Farley and his books that I even named my cat after him.

And while the feline Farley Mowat is purring on my lap, I will pick up Sea of Slaughter and remark on the courage of the author and his regard for the natural world.  My copy of the book is heavily marked with a pencil, and will undoubtedly be marked up even more.

Farley was a pencil person too.  He is apparently a contributor to the book Minutes of the Lead Pencil Club.  That book is now on order.  It will move to the top of the stack of books to read.  I'm really looking forward to it.

While Farley's life stretched for nearly a century, his spirit, his wisdom and his words will live on forever.


Wednesday, April 30, 2014

5th grader on Alvin Draftmatic: "It stands out from other pencils"


My young friend Bruce recently changed to a new elementary school where he is now learning the art of longhand writing.  I can't imagine that kids don't learn cursive in schools these days, but it is true.

Since Bruce is learning cursive, I thought it would be a much more enjoyable experience if he had a proper pencil.  I got him an Alvin Draftmatic 0.9mm and a package of 2B lead.

Bruce likes the pencil.  He wrote me the most wonderful card.  I am certain that this is the best card that I have ever received.

Saturday, April 26, 2014

Koh-I-Noor Rapidomatic 0.9mm Review



Upon the recommendation of a family friend, I ordered a Koh-I-Noor Rapidomatic 0.9 mm pencil.  It seemed to have many of the qualities that I appreciate in my standard and favored pencil, the Alvin Draftmatic.  It has an elongated lead tube that allows me to see what I’m writing, fine knurling that provides a good grip without making my fingers calloused, and a thin barrel that is easy to hold.

I appreciated the concept of having a separate pencil for HB lead than from 2B lead, so I could easily tell the difference in my pencil case.  (The one flaw in the Alvin Draftmatic is that the lead indicator spins and is not useful at showing which lead is actually in the pencil.)

I was reluctant to write my thoughts until I gave the Rapidomatic a fair trail run, and I am glad I did.  This pencil has a problem that is now driving me crazy.  I may even remove it from my pencil case (it is that serious).

The lead advance seemed to be working fine for the first few weeks, but after less than heavy use the lead advance mechanism within the pencil began to fail.  Pressing the lead advance button at the top of the pencil numerous times doesn’t push much lead through the pencil.  I actually have to grab the lead and pull it out manually with my fingers.

Koh-I-Noor, why have you broken my heart?

This pencil has a second problem, though it is less serious.  The clip was very hard to remove.  Clips on pencils may be a pet peeve singular to me, but I really man-handled the pencil to get that clip off.  I ended up scratching the barrel as the clip was pried off.

Getting my hands on this pencil was also really hard.  Why?  Are they no longer manufactured?

Now that I think about it, and as I am writing this with the Koh-I-Noor, my hand is starting to cramp.  I am seeing impressions from the knurling on my fingers.  I am holding this pencil way too tight.  This is not the experience of pencil writing that I am looking for.

Sorry Koh-I-Noor.  The Rapidomatic can’t touch the Alvin Draftmatic as my favorite pencil.

Tuesday, April 22, 2014

Unplug for Earth Day challenge: pick up a pencil


My dear friend Mark has told me countless time that true "environmentalists" use computers for writing because it saves paper.

There is some legitimate and expert accounting that could be done to measure the impact of writing with a pencil and paper versus writing with a computer.  A life-cycle analysis of the raw materials needed and pollution emitted from the manufacture, transport and end-of-life processing for the tools of the trade:  laptops, pencil leads, the paper itself, and the energy needed to run computers, factories for making computers, paper, pencils and lead, and recycling systems. 

This is not such an accounting of the costs and benefits (and externalities) of keyboarding vs. longhand writing.  This is about feeling grounded and breaking a task (or joy) down to the basic elements of written communication.

In invite you to pick up a pencil. (Mark, please just entertain me here.)

[For full disclosure, and to be kind to the earth, I am writing this on 100% recycled paper and I am reusing paper that has something printed on the other side that I no longer need].

Your pencil was designed, through a deliberative process over centuries, to write well and feel comfortable in your hand.  If you are accustomed to keyboarding, extended writing may feel tiresome.  If it causes your hand to cramp, you are holding your pencil too tight.  Relax.

Step away from your computer and your desk.  Grab a clipboard or a large book for a writing surface.  Lean back against a mossy hill and enjoy the relaxed posuture that is impossible sitting at a desk.

The tools of writing are now conforming to your body.   Your mind can now disconnect from the rules of grammar and spelling that impeded the flow of thoughts on most computer typing interfaces.  You can always clean it up anyway on a second pass or during transcription to a computer.

Before you know it, you may prefer this too much to turn to the keyboard first.


Sunday, April 20, 2014

My pencil case; a cradle for every pencil


When you love your pencils like I do, you can't have them rattling around in the bottom of your handbag, or worse yet, left at home in a pencil cup.

A pencil case that gently cradles each pencil so they don't roll off a table top.  It will also prevent pencils from getting lost, as an empty sleeve means that you still need to put your pencil away.

In my pencil case, I keep 2 mechanical pencils.  Right now it is loaded with an Alvin Draftmatic 0.9mm with 2B lead and a Koh-I-Noor Rapidomatic 0.9mm with HB lead.  (2B lead is for writing on rainy days and HB lead is for using on sunny days).

I also have a stick eraser.  This is because I would never use the eraser that is included on the end of my pencil, except in emergencies and under dire circumstances.  An eraser isn't really necessary, but its a little extra just to make me feel special and prepared for anything.

The fourth slot in my pencil case is for lead.  I don't use the barrel of my pencil to store extra lead for several reasons.  Extra lead makes a rattling noise inside the pencil that sends me to distraction when writing.  Lead can get jammed in there, potentially leading to anxiety.  Also, I prefer to load my lead down the front of the tube at the writing end (I'm a muzzle loader), and not through the breach, so I don't even want to pull the cap off the end of my pencil...ever.

If you tape two packages of lead (Pentel Super High Polymer 15 pcs) end to end, it fits nicely in my pencil case.  When I need to refill my pencil, I have the lead right there.

My pencil case, shown here, is an Aston Leather Finger Style Quad Pen Case.  It comes in several colors, and I have it in tan.  I have been using this pencil case for several years and I have nothing but positive things to say about it.

Tuesday, April 8, 2014

A case against clips on pencils


Why do most (read: all) mechanical pencils come with some sort of clip?  Is this to attach the pencil to a sheet of paper?  To clip the pencil to a shirt pocket?  To keep the pencil from rolling off a desk?

The clip on a pencil is an irritant.  It rubs against my hand while writing and causes chafing.  Irritation and chafing are not qualities that I enjoy in a pencil.

I recently received the pictured Koh-I-Noor Rapidomatic 0.9mm pencil after a glowing recommendation from an acquaintance who delightfully was in to pencils.  The first step to preparing the pencil for use was removing that nasty clip.  I must confess that it was really hard to get the clip off.  I needed to use a pair of vice grips, a flat-head screw driver and needle-nose pliers to pry the clip off, and I damaged the pencil (see below). 


 Maybe there is a better way to get clips off of pencils.  If you know a better way, please leave a comment.

In the meantime ...

Dear pencil designers and manufacturers,

I lovingly request that you consider making pencils without clips.  I do not use a pencil as a paperclip.  I do not keep my pencil in my shirt pocket.  The worry of a pencil rolling off the top of a table is not nearly as problematic as the chafing that comes from longhand writing with a clip rubbing against my hand. 

Thank you!

Sunday, April 6, 2014

Lead sweet spot


There is a sweet spot that I look for when it comes to choosing which lead I will load into my pencil.

It starts with a look outdoors.  Is the sun shining?  Is it raining even the slightest bit?  Does the air feel crisp or damp?

The humidity will affect the amount of moisture in the paper, which changes the paper's texture.  In my opinion, this is the most important factor when selecting a lead.

Most often I write with 2B lead.

In Delaware, where it is humid most of the time and rains often, even a cheap coarse paper (like a 30% recycled content computer paper from Staples) will absorb enough moisture as to affect my pencil's performance.

Humidity will change the feedback that the pencil gives as it  marks the paper.  This sensation is one appreciated by the sound of the pencil's scratch, the vibrations at my fingertips, and the sharp tap of the lead as I dot an "i" or use punctuation.

If the air is dry and the paper is similarly cheap I lean towards an HB lead, which performs quite like the 2B on damp days.  A dry, crisp, coarse sheet of paper is ideal for that coveted hand-feel and sound that I look forward to in my longhand pencil writing with HB lead.

Things get complicated when the paper is finer.  Smooth, high quality paper (even if 100% recycled content) feels slicker, prompting me to choose 2B lead if the paper is well made, even on dry days.

Choosing a lead is an individual preference, but my sweet spot ranges from 2B to HB depending on the paper's quality and the humidity.  Happy writing.