Saturday, August 6, 2016

Pens and pencils




I really like a fine line black pen. Lately I have had very little luck with pens i.e. not writing when I need them, or skipping. (Did you ever do the little circles to get a pen to write, on something important?) I like to have a pencil around to grab for surety.


I’m reminded of the story of NASA spending hundreds of thousands of dollars for a pen that would write in zero gravity, when the Russians simply took mechanical pencils into space.


Anyway the problem with pencils lately for me it seems the little sharpeners would get the pencil about sharp and the lead would break in the wood. I bought 4 or 5 sharpeners and none were satisfactory. I seem to have problem getting things to work for me.

Okay here I digress.  I uploaded an entry once about not being able to get a  can opener that worked. I was chastised by several women that I just did not know how to operate them.  Referencing their husbands who could not operate a can-opener.  Some of you sweet ladies who read the entry, hinted it might be intentional ‘ignorance’ to keep out of work. So lemme tell you, I now have an opener that works and it was a 98 cent jobber-do.


(Look at that sharp point on my last Darnell's const. Pencil)
Now back to the sharpeners. I am now the personal owner of a crank pencil sharpener, $8. I bought one in Walmart that has a vacuum base that attaches well to the table, voila, I now have instant sharp pencils.  I feel like I am back in Mrs. Grill’s 7th grade. Difference is I do not have to ask permission to sharpen the pencil nor will I have to stay after school and wash the chalkboards or dust the erasures.  So there!  Age has its benefits, my own ‘REAL’ pencil sharpener, one like God created for schools!


I am a new man, this is great.  (Age has a way of allowing one to be thrilled about even a pencil sharpener!)
Nite Shipslog

PS: There is writing and reading. I just read that reading 3.5 hours a week will extend your life expectancy.  Neat!

*********  ********  *************
 1954 SkyLark Buick
1955 Dodge

9 comments:

I'm mostly known as 'MA' said...

I agree pens do not seem to last like they used to, and as far as pencils go, I like the mechanical kind. I don't like to sharpen pencils. I do remember the type you describe and I'm sure i had one at some point. If reading expands life expectancy, I should live forever. I do love to read. Hope you both have a Happy Sunday there!

Paula said...

I can't remember the last time I used a pencil. Businesses doesn't seem to give out pens like they use to for advertisement.

betty said...

I like a certain type of pen, haven't been able to find it for a bit though. Seeing the pencil sharpener you bought sure brought back memories!

Betty

Mevely317 said...

I think Tom still has one of those sharpeners with the suction bottom out in his garage!

There's little occasion anymore to use a pencil, but now I'm a little nostalgic for the mechanical ones my dad would bring home from the ProForce. Black and unassuming they were imprinted, "Property of the U.S. Government" (or A.E.C.). Sure, technically it was stealing ... but they were as common in my classmates hands and mothers' purses as a roll of lifesavers.



Mevely317 said...


I dunno the details, but a Pox(!) on anyone who would suggest you were shirking your kitchen duties. A 98-cent opener?!
(Being a left-hander, I've messed up more than one can-opening exercise.)

shirl72 said...

That is funny Mrs. Grill was not my teacher but she came to my mind. I have a good pencil sharpener and it is an old table one. I don't use pencils any
more it is the computer or typewriter. Things have changed and we have to move with the times.

Rick Watson said...

I bought a quality fountain pen and that's what I us most of the time. When it gets low of ink I slip in another cartridge and I'm back in business.
R

Lisa said...

I prefer a pencil over a pen. I also took pencil drawing classes. I love to sctetch. You made a good choice on the sharpener. Even the electric sharpeners dont make the cut.

From SC sand
Lisa

TARYTERRE said...

I like your NEW acquisition. I remember back in the day when a sharpener was not to be found, i'd sharpen my pencils with a knife. Did you ever do that? CAN OPENERS are always breaking here, hand held and electric. So 98 cents was a steal.