The Stationery Cupboard

[CrazyDuchess]

A number of us here have a love of pen porn and wanted to know if there was a grubby little corner you could stick us into??

And if MN wanted to create special personalised pens for us as well we will love you forever...

Ummm I'd take you all out for the blue

You and whose army?

I didn't mean scare each other. You need to scare the rest of MN with your fountain pen themed threads, like the Sporners did. That's what got them their own topic.

I've entered too.

I'm trying to properly learn shorthand so could really do with a nice new notebook!

Sorry stealth, fell asleep far too quickly last night! Post-it kitty is on both Amazon and staple websites

Haha very true

Polka what's the shorthand for?

Well, when I was little DSis and I used to use a secret alphabet to write notes to each other, but it was pictograms so slow to write. We'd been talking about starting to do it again, but we've both forgotten a lot of the letters so would have to relearn.

Also, I'm starting a role that will involve quite a lot of minuting and I can't record the meetings and won't always be able to use a computer, so I thought learning shorthand seemed a good solution to both problems!

And learning at the same time as DSis adds an element of competition

Ooh, so he is, Lemon - Amazon wishlist just got even longer.

Polka Ooh, I like it. Have never tried myself but been interested in its uses as it's like another language but assumed that had died out due to computers and speedy typing.

You can 'easily' get up to 120 wpm and it has been written at 250 wpm apparently (Pitman New Era, the one I'm learning), so it's faster than typing. I suppose the disadvantage over typing is that you then have to write it out again, but then again it's much more portable than typing and probably easier to record conversations.

I'm not up to that yet - I haven't learnt all the sounds, but I'm finding it surprisingly logical

But I think a new pen and notebook would really help

Now all I need is a job that requires me to learn it and a new notepad and pen to write it down on! :)

Good luck with it and let me know how you get on.

Polkadots, I did do shorthand many years ago and do a lot of minute taking (two meetings tonight and two on Monday and I've got another two next Thursday), but I've found that a - I couldn't read my shorthand back (even when I was in practise!) and b, it's just as easy to write normally. This evening I used my new purple Lamy and ink!

I do write detailed notes for the meetings before I start and give the Councillors all the information so that all they have to do is decide action a or b so actually I don't need the shorthand any more. But detailed briefing notes is the way to go!

Polka - what I should have said was that the best thing to write shorthand with are good quality HB pencils into a spiral bound reporters notebook - one with the spiral at the top. Then you write working your way through the book but just on one side of the paper and when you get to the end you turn the book over and work your way back. I was also taught that you never never tear a page out of your pad as it might have something vital on the other side!

You should have at least half a dozen beautifully sharpened pencils with you when you take dictation in case they break and / or go blunt as you must never inconvenience the dictator! Well that is what I was taught at secretarial college!

Ah, thank you Pigeon. My book keeps going on about a fine-nibbed pen, so I thought it was a desperate need! I'll carry on in pencil then (I did wonder how to easy it is to do fine/heavy lines in ink). And find some nice reporters notebooks too.

At the moment I'm finding it easier to read than write, but I presume that's just practice. I must need to find my own dictator

I don't know if it will work out, but I thought it might be fun to learn anyway - it's been ages since I learned something for the sake of it rather than because I needed to!

Have just put 'cartridges' on my shopping list as have been using my trusty old Scheaffer M this morning using a cartridge prob from back in uni days....

Could I please ask a stationery question? I love using my fountain pen but on most pages it leaks through. What notebook/paper is good enough for fountain pens?

Thank you
x

Dalek

If your ink is leaking through and staining the next page i would imagine the paper is quite cheap or has a high wood pulp content, or is possibly made from recycled paper?

Many years ago, when i was learning calligraphy and using dip pens etc, I was told that papers made with a high cotton content should work best with fountain pens. maybe try that?

seeyounearertime - thank you for your reply - do you happen to know which brands of notebooks have paper with a high cotton content?

I've just been reading about Notepads to follow up on your question Dalek

yes, i am that sad...

Here is a couple websites that can help:
www.bestfountainpen.com/cool-journals/
www.jetpens.com/blog/our-favorite-notebooks-for-fountain-pen-use/pt/32
www.nibs.com/Accessories-Notebooks.html

seeyounearertime - thank you so much - it's my birthday soon - going to compile my wish list

Dalek xx

No problem Dalek

Also..... shameless bump it for anyone with stationery issues.

Dalek in the unlikely event you need any more links for notebooks on top of the lovely selection seeyounearertime gave, here is another one

Goulet Pens paper reviews

You can spend so much time on these websites.....

Here's a fun pencil link: Pencils