This morning, I stood before the Grand Pen Repository, poking through the drawers, unable for many minutes to decide which to use.
I could claim, with some truth, that I was heavy and stupid from the early hour and several nights of less than adequate sleep. The reality, however, is that between my own foolish demands for novelty (which I somewhat unfairly project upon the readers of this nonsense– I know at least one of you revels in the diversity of my pens, but I cannot call this a duty) and the bewildering assortment of pens, I am driven to literal distraction.
I used that one only two weeks ago. That one is a pest to clean. Dare I refill that one’s cartridge? Oh, right, that one’s not fixed yet. I haven’t made up a web-page for this one.
[SFX: Sound of several whistling kettles reaching a boil, followed by a brief, damp explosion]
I have with some regularity threatened a culling of my herd. There are pens that I bought for silly reasons, others that I find uncongenial to my hand, still others that are yet another of that model. I can, with a little effort, invent a reason why I must keep any or all of them, but the rational being deep inside me (poor, starvling beast!) will remind me that the reason is invented. I have proven experimentally and through research that a single fountain pen is sufficient– I’m not anxious to cut back quite that dramatically, but it’s possible to survive such a state.
I need to, frankly, just get off my duff and get down to business. Pull pens from the Great Repository, nominate them as for sale, post some announcements in appropriate places, and not act like a wet git about sending inanimate objects of not very long acquaintance out of my life.
That’s a great plan. Entirely feasible. Will I do it? I make noise about it publicly, as a way of making the world in general my overseer, theoretically generating a big, imaginary whip-cracker who will be extremely disappointed if I don’t follow through. This should work… but I guess the figure is entirely too diffuse to cause me as much urgency as I hope. I know many people look at this page each day, but I also know that not one of them will appear on my doorstep, kick me in the shin, and shout, “Get to work!”
Actually, one might, but it’s over a two hour drive, so the chances are slim.
Lacking any other sort of coersion, public declaration of intention is the best I can manage. If anyone out there has a suggestion on the topic of lighting a (non-literal) fire under an indolent proto-hoarder, I’ll be happy to hear it.
Today’s pen (mine! mineminemine!): Parker Duofold
Today’s ink (shared with some freedom): Lamy blue
…and shortly after I finish posting this, I notice that the page for today’s pen not only indicates that it’s for sale, but has a ridiculous price appended to it. I’ll be editing that away fairly directly, and examining the template I use for my pen pages. I will also take it as a sign from some unseen agency that I’d better get serious about flogging some pens.