(Ugly) tools of the trade

At school they made us write copy-book script with a fountain pen because it was important. I've never used a fountain pen in my working life and while I don't dislike using a fountain pen they aren't actually much use in day to day life. In virtually all my adult life - including several years at university being able to type has been far more useful and been an important skill.

In my job I need to make notes as I go. I've used various methods but I find a spiral bound note pad works best and while I've used pens from time to time I find a simple HB pencil far cleaner and more practical. So today's back blip is the pointy end of a Staedtler Noris 120 HB pencil, this one was even made in Great Britain, the current ones are made in Germany. I had a colleague who was most upset when I bought a HB pencil, as an artist he was used to the softer pencils for drawing, but the HB is much neater for scribbling notes.

I've also found this 5 mm size box/graph paper better on my eye than regular lined or blank paper. It turns out this style of paper is very common in France, so I can easily get it from supermarkets or stationary shops - or my mother-in-law's stash of stuff.

I've saved you from my ugly notes, but this pencil may or may not be ugly depending on the eye of the beholder.