Regarding pens

There is something particular about writing with a particularly good pen. For my Bar Mitzwa, I received – among a number of other items –  an Elysée Globetrotter gountain pen which, for years after was my go-to pen for writing exams. There was something about the balance, which let me write for longer, with less effort, and less pain.

The pen is mightier than the sword, they say. Like the sword, good pens have a certain weight to them, a balance, and an elegance. Though significantly more costly than a cheap pen, a good pen takes abuse like you wouldn’t believe, and delivers your hand to paper like a trusted servant.

These days, I rarely use the Elysée anymore, though I cannot imagine wanting to part with it. Nor do I use any other fountain pen, for that matter. They are nice, but do not fit the bill for my purposes. I want something with more reliability, in the hand, and during travel. A good ball point pen with refills fits that purpose nicely.

These days, most of my writing is done with a Mont Blanc Meisterstück LeGrand Rollerball, a truly delightful pen with which to write. Though my penmanship is not something I would boast about, I still write a fair bit, and many drafts of blog posts have been written in pen, rather than on a keyboard.

As a student, I have found a good pen and notebook to be invaluable companions during my study sessions, and studies show a link between brain activity and handwriting, suggesting that  handwritten notes may serve to reinforce the knowledge contained in the notes.