Link Love: In the Bag

I love that pen and paper people are often on the same wavelength — whether its a week filled with the same pen reviews (sometimes coincidence, sometimes a new product release) or posts about a world event (like daylight saving time last week). This week, Philofaxy provides a printable PDF with all the time zones globally to help make sense of the time disparities resulting from every country handling DST differently.

But other moments of “it’s like they are reading my mind!” happened with two other posts. Parka Blogs did a comparison of three brands of digital tablets for creative uses and Gentleman Stationer wrote about his Travel Carry (post of the week below).

I suppose I should take this moment to announce that I will be at the Atlanta Pen Show next week. I’ll be helping my dear friend Lisa at the Vanness Pen Shop table.

As a result of my first trip (and first pen show) in over two years, I’ve been reconsidering my travel carry needs. Unlike Joe, I’m a bag collector — constantly on the hunt for just the right bag for just the right situation. I move back and forth to work everyday which requires a certain amount of everyday items that get transported back and forth. I don’t necessarily carry my laptop back and forth everyday but I do take my notebook/planner, my pen case, AirPods, wallet, keys, lunch, etc. I’ve been researching bag options that can work for work and as a “personal item” bag for travel. I am waffling right now between using my current go-to, a Fjallraven Totepack No. 1 or Rickshaw Bags Soho Tote (sm/med) or the old stand-by, a Timbuk2 Messenger. The Fjallraven is pretty good, especially if I do need to take a laptop but the long, vertical design mean many items tend to fall to the bottom making them difficult to retrieve. The Rickshaw Soho is pretty good all around but is a little small. I wish I’d gone ahead and purchased the large Soho which would have given me a bit more space and might even hold a laptop. If anyone has a recommendation, pop it in the comments.

I’m also doing more drawing at work and the possibility of upgrading my four-year-old 10″ iPad Pro is real. Parka Blogs post was interesting and helped solidify that I need not jump ship from Apple but I do need to decide which model iPad is the best cost-to-value option for me. Most importantly, I need to upgrade to a model that utilizes the new Apple Pencil that charges magnetically. My model is old enough it only charges when plugged into the Lightning port sticking precariously out of the end of the iPad like a very unstable popsicle.

Post of the Week:

• Travel Carry, Part II (via The Gentleman Stationer)

Pens:

• Another Shade of Green: Welcoming a New Pelikan (via Chicana Writes)
• Icon, maker or lux? (via UK fountain pens)
• The Onoto Scholar was worth the wait (via UK fountain pens)
• Going the full sentimental (via mnmlscholar)

Ink:

• KWZ Standard Grey Lux (via Fountain Pen Pharmacist)
• Vinta Inks Collection Pastel Blue Shimmer Julio 1991 (via Fountain Pen Pharmacist)
• Van Dieman’s Enchanted Woods (via Mountain of Ink)
• Diamine Eau de Nil on Leuchtturm1917 (via Inkcredible Colours)
• currently inked (via Ink Sharks)

Notebooks & Paper:

• How to Use Small Notebooks (via JetPens)
• Kokuyo Jibun Techo Biz Diary April 2022 Start Review (via The Pen Addict)
• Using a Planner When You Have No Plans (via Planner + Fun)
• Mind wandering? Bienvenue! (via Nero’s Notes)
• How I end a journaling notebook (via mnmlscholar)
• Today I Got To:__________ (via From the Pen Cup)
• Paper Mind Bank Paper Notebook for Fountain Pens (via Gourmet Pens)

Art & Creativity:

• 100 Moons // Emil (via Baum-kuchen)
• Best portable tablet for artists in 2022. iPad, Samsung or Microsoft (via Parka Blogs)
• Messing Around (Literally) with Caran d’Ache Pastel Pencils (via Fueled by Clouds & Coffee)
• The pandemic became a catalyst for creative burnout. So how do we move forward? (via It’s Nice That)
• Luke Brookes on the death of Instagram and what has helped him to become a successful illustrator (via Creative Boom_
• 33 Letters for Ukraine: A fresh type challenge is launched on Instagram to show solidarity with Ukraine (via Creative Boom)
• Kei Endo Creates Highly Accurate and Detailed Survey Drawings of Japanese Hotel Rooms (via Spoon & Tamago)
• How to become a graphic designer at home (via Creative Boom)

Other Interesting Things:

• Can iPhone Photography Look Professional? | Iceland Field Test (via Carryology)
• 2022 Baltimore Pen Show Recap and Report Card (via The Pen Addict)
• Times Are A Changing…. (via Philofaxy)
• State of the Collection: My Franklin-Christoph Fountain Pens after Baltimore (via The Gentleman Stationer)
• Blank Canvas by Potter’s Triangle Bookstand (via Tools and Toys)

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