
Living dangerously: the Nakaya makes it to work
This first week back from break is a shortened four-day work week. I’ve decided to forgo a full contingent of six pens. So, I elected to stick with my five currently inked pens. The set is already well-balanced with respect to ink color and nib size.
A consequence is that the Nakaya will be called into action at work. This is a nervous proposition. I’m unsure how the lacquered pen will hold up in a work environment that is chock full of hand sanitizer and caustic cleaners. Careful. Very careful.

Thinking through pocket notebooks
My partner’s parents moved last week. As a thank you, my father-in-law offered me my choice of pocket notebooks. I put careful thought into three disparate notebook sets: Field Notes Resolution, Story Supply 407, and Baron Fig’s quarterly planner.

Hunting for a replacement golden record
This week’s palette is heavy on earth tones. It’s a step away from my typical comfort zone. Dusty blues and greys tend to dominate my ink choices. Subdued hues keep me calm (calmer?) during hectic work days.
I’ve been hunting for a brown ink to replace my “perfect” brown for months. Colorverse’s Golden Record was it, but that ink was part of an old limited edition. Golden Record is a a burnt-orange-brown at its darkest. It’s a lovely gold at its lightest. Excellent shading brought out the best of both shades.

An afternoon at the pen spa
One of my local pen shops ran an outdoors pen sale. The tables were spaced out to encourage proper physical distancing. A handful of people from my local pen group attended.
I offered to run a pen cleaning station during the event. Folks would drop their pens off with me to be cleaned while they shopped and chatted. How great would it be to pick up a new bottle of ink and have your pen cleaned and ready to be inked right away? We called it a “pen spa.”