Wiser Web Wednesday – a semi-regular link to posts of interest from around the web, by those far wiser than myself:

 

Cardiogram: What’s your ♡ telling you?
Perhaps I should be more interested, however I’ve never felt the need to track my incidental movement or exercise.

In cardiovascular terms, the drop in heart rate from 1000 steps/day to 2000 steps/day is significant: a full 3 bpm decrease. And as step count increases, resting heart rate steadily drops—until you reach about 5000 steps per day. After that—6000, 7000, even up to 10,000 steps—the curve flattens.

For those that do, perhaps the threshold for benefit is lower than first thought — or at least the minimum effective dose, in any event. Of course a reduced resting heart rate is only one benefit of increased movement — if you’re aiming for weight loss, the more movement the better:
Do you really need 10,000 steps a day?

 

WhiskyCast
Following on from last year’s request by the Scotch Whisky Association for Compass Box to remove age information from marketing materials:

Today, they took that fight to the whisky community with an online petition drive aimed at persuading the European Union to change the current regulations to allow whisky producers the option to provide full disclosure on the component whiskies used in a specific product.

It’s only transparency after all:
Compass Box Launches Scotch Whisky Transparency Campaign

An initiative then immediately endorsed by fellow distillery Bruichladdich:

We believe that our customers should be able to find out the age, provenance and proportions by volume of all the casks that make up the different vattings of The Classic Laddie, bottles of which do not carry an age statement.

Sounds fair:
Bruichladdich Stands Behind Compass Box in Scotch Whisky Transparency Campaign

 

Harry Marks on Medium
My favourite literary podcaster Harry Marks on filling those empty notebooks sitting on your shelf:

There’s only so much joy you can get out of looking at an unopened pack of notebooks before that joy is replaced with longing. Longing for stories untold and lists un-checked, for ideas and phone numbers and ephemera that whips across your face like a blizzard as you go about your day.

I’d agree, and argue far more joy can be had from looking at the worn spines and swollen pages of full cover-to-cover writings:
How Many Notebooks Do You Really Need?

 

MacStories
For anyone who follows Federico and Macstories, a piece such as this comes as no surprise.

The tide, however, is turning. Over the past year, it’s been fascinating to observe how, gradually, using an iPad as the primary or only computer has turned from a nerd chimera into an acceptable narrative.

One thing I have (I think?) noticed is a significant increase in iOS and iPad love across the internet since the release of the iPad Pro. A better iOS experience or just a bigger one? Of course those concepts probably aren’t mutually exclusive.

It doesn’t really matter, for the Viticci iPad train continues to charge along, regardless of screen size:
Working on the iPad: One Year Later, Still My Favorite Computer

 

Study Hacks – Cal Newport
Cal Newport on why you might need an “attention charter”:

And yet, in my own experience, I find that the occasions when I most despair about the tattered state of my schedule are almost always the result of the accumulation of a dozen yeses that each made perfect sense in isolation.

And an “attention charter” is?

An attention charter is a document that lists the general reasons that you’ll allow for someone or something to lay claim to your time and attention. For each reason, it then describes under what conditions and for what quantities you’ll permit this commitment.

I’m sure we all have some vague concepts or intentions in our minds, however perhaps a more formal approach to something like this might bring greater success in its application:
Write an Attention Charter

 

Diana Urban
Some straightforward advice on cutting a little cruft from your word count.

While this might not be the ultimate list of all words you should remove, these are the ones I look for when I’m doing revisions

Upon reading this, please don’t apply the concepts to any of my posts. I’ll improve – I promise:
43 Words You Should Cut From Your Writing Immediately

 

Sanspoint
I made the switch from OmniFocus to 2Do a couple of months ago, as I have mentioned more than a few times on these pages.

There have been times when I found OmniFocus too restrictive, and times I’ve found 2Do not restrictive enough in my short time with it. Still, for anyone else in the same boat, I offer you my brief guide to moving from OmniFocus to 2Do.

Far from being a recommendation for you to switch or even a negative reflection on OmniFocus itself, I merely find these types of posts useful. Perhaps you might as well:
2Do for OmniFocus Users

 

The Gentleman Stationer
Using fountain pens invariably leads to cleaning fountain pens — or at least it should anyway. I’d say I fall into camps (1) and (2) below, depending on how long a pen has been inked.

Pen cleaning is one of those things people do either (1) all the time, such as, after they finish every fill of ink; (2) semi-regularly, such as whenever they change colors or every 1-2 months; or (3) whenever the pen clogs up and stops writing.

Whatever the approach you may take, Joe has put together a great post on the different fountain pen filling types and the joys (or not) of cleaning them:
Cleaning Pens: Meditative, or Just Annoying?

 

Eclectidbits
I’m guessing most readers interested in this will be well aware of the sad demise recently of a 90-year-old fountain pen manufacturer OMAS. As good a tribute to OMAS as you’re likely to see — not to mention the images:
A tribute to O-MAStery

 

Pen Economics
Further analysis on the possible “why” of the OMAS decline:
Vale Omas

 

The Clicky Post
As someone who probably doesn’t really even have a “grail” pen in mind, I can only look on in wonder at these uniques sets of pens.

Maybe they only made a very small number and there are few surviving examples… Whatever your grail quest is about, it can be your own.

Exactly. Whatever it is — or isn’t, it is indeed your own:
When Grail Pens Become Grail Sets – Collecting The Impossible

 

Perfect Daily Grind
Since I’ve been experimenting with a little natural processing myself (a part 2 post is well underway I promise), all I seem to come across are articles on that very topic.

It’s always been a cheap, simple processing method: all you need is sunlight and a flat surface.

…yet it’s also one of the most difficult ways to produce good coffee.

Things generally turned out pretty well in my backyard experiment, which is of course, a far cry from specialty grade coffee processed naturally:
Processing Improvements: The Key to Specialty Grade Naturals

Also from Perfect Daily Grind, a handy guide to the coffee growing regions of Guatemala.

Guatemala: a tiny country of 108,890 square kilometers producing some of the world’s best coffee. Let me put that into perspective for you. That’s less than half the size of the UK. Less than a third of the size of Malaysia. And less than 1/70th the size of Australia.

Size isn’t everything:
Barista Guide: 8 Different Coffee Regions of Guatemala

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Bookbinders Online
As well as recently introducing some fine Tomoe River paper products, Bookbinders have now added some interesting looking inks to fill them up with.

Bookbinders Snake Ink was inspired in design by the wily snake oil salesmen of the early 1900’s, and in colour by the beautiful and dangerous snakes of the world.

The Snake Ink range comes in five colours, is produced and bottled in Australia, and has some great names, including my favourite — the Red-Belly Black. Though I never enjoyed seeing them in the wild, I certainly wouldn’t mind an up close encounter with a 30 ml bottle of this “venom”:
Snake Ink – Red-Belly Black

 

My Pen Needs Ink
A nice comparison of a good cross-section of D1 refills.

Most pen manufacturers just don’t make a lot of variety in mini refills. One ubiquitous refill is the somewhat universal D1 size used in many different pens.

And the winner is… over at My Pen Needs Ink:
D1 Pen Refill Shootout

 

Scrively
A nice addition to the Kaweco Sport fountain pen range:

“Finally”, I am sure many will say. After quite an amount of adventurous posts on the web on how to use bottled ink with any of the SPORT-series fountain pens (including eye-dropper conversion) and after quite some discontent with the current Squeeze Converter, Kaweco has now released a piston converter to fit the SPORT-series fountain pens.

I guess I won’t need to refill quite so many cartridges now:
News from Kaweco: STUDENT Demonstrator Fountain Pen and (long awaited!) SPORT Series Piston-Converter

 

That One Pen
This is it: the final list — and a varied one it is. To me, the content of a list like this is symbolic of one thing — how different we all are in our tastes. Wouldn’t it be boring if we all liked the same pens (or pencils as it were).

Great series of posts Todd:
I Know What I Like – Top 10 Pens and Pencils

 

JetPens Blog
A nice guide from Jet Pens which would make a good starting point for someone looking to get into fountain pens:
Choosing a fountain pen

 

The Pelikan’s Perch
Speaking of getting started in fountain pens, judging by some of the comments on this post, Pelikan is about to price itself squarely out of any entry-level recommendations — let alone talking about the higher end pens.

Nobody likes to read headlines of a cost increase but I think that this round of new fees in particular won’t sit well with the community at large.

When reading news such as this, I do often wonder just how big the “loyal fan base” is from a revenue perspective, and whether that even has an impact on the decisions of a company such as Pelikan (a genuine thought as I have absolutely no idea):
News: Pelikan Price Increases 2016

 

Pen Economics
While the above post isn’t great news, this won’t exactly brighten your day either.

I’m the first to admit I don’t spend much time at all on the Fountain Pen Network. The basis for this is I’ve simply found I have enough to keep up with through other sources. In any event, a lot has been going on in relation to some posts about upcoming Montblanc releases, some deleted threads and a censored flow of information.

As usual with posts highlighting issues such as these, the comments are well worth reading, as will an upcoming follow-up pice looking more closely at Montblanc’s role in all this:
The Craven Submission of the Fountain Pen Network

 

The Urban List
I typically find when reading lists such as these I’m thinking: “mmmm… yeah… I don’t know about that one” for about a third of the inclusions.

Although personal preference and individual opinion play a large part — in my humble one, this list is decidedly accurate and fairly complete:
Who Does The Best Coffee In Brisbane?

 

Sprudge
Things are hotting up in the AeroPress world, especially the usual promo poster wars that ensue in the lead up to each years competition.

WAC events will happen hot and heavy between now and June, leading up to the 2016 World AeroPress Championship event in Dublin, Ireland

Aussies out there will surely appreciate Ned “AeroPress” Kelly in the Victorian competition poster:
The 2016 World AeroPress Championship Is Popping Off

 

Steven Pressfield
In a follow-up to last weeks link to some compelling ideas around theme in your writing, this time a look at the difference between theme and subject.

Some practical examples to boot:
The Difference Between Subject and Theme

 

James Croft on Medium
I’m certain we’ll eventually be wearing these, it’s just a question of when, how, and how much. James Croft outlines a few simple requirements for successfully putting together a pair of truly wireless earbuds.

Requirements which I’m sure many would agree with:
Apple, Here’s How To Make A Pair Of Amazing Wireless Earbuds

 

Whisky Cast
Releasing its first single malt nine years after coming into existence, the Ailsa Bay master blender has apparently been doing a little experimenting with maturation methods.

“We knew we couldn’t out-Islay Islay,” Abrook said in a telephone interview. “What we wanted to do was celebrate that at a modern distillery using the latest methods but still obviously adhering to the traditions that are in single malt whisky.”

…the “cask-starting” process uses small casks previously used at New York’s Tuthilltown Spirits for Hudson Baby Bourbon to give the new make spirit an initial boost for several months before the whisky is transferred to a mix of traditional-size refill, first-fill, and Virgin Oak barrels for the rest of the maturation period.

Reading this in Australia, the main disappointment comes in seeing the availability will be UK retailers and several Nordic countries. Oh well, I guess there are plenty of others to try:
Cask Finishing: Ailsa Bay Turns the Process on its Head

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Whsky.buzz
Probably not something I’m ever likely to do, however interesting reading nonetheless:

Barrel maturation at home is a good experiment to perform. I’ve done it, and there are entire groups dedicated to this process. Like with any craft, it’s not likely to be successful on your first go, and it will require frequent tastings to see how the product is maturing. There are, however, larger elements at play that are difficult to time and simulate in a home environment.

Introducing concepts such as the barrel as a semi-permeable membrane, and balancing oxidation and oak extraction — this does however serve as a great primer for a lot more reading:
The Challenges Of “Do-it-Yourself” Whisky Maturation

 

John Scullen
I had the good fortune to see these spaces first hand during an open day at Griffith University’s Nathan Campus last year. They are truly something to behold.

At the time I remember thinking: where would you even start in creating something like this? Now I know:
The high-tech space that will make you see red

 

Steven Pressfield
Hacking your way through NaNoWriMo does not a writer make, and speaking personally I’ve never had any illusions otherwise. That however, doesn’t stop me having a certain fascination with the process. The first in what I believe will be short series of posts on the concept of theme, this makes fascinating and entertaining reading. It’s pretty important too:

Am I boring you yet? If this is tedious to you, if you feel your eyes glazing over as they might in some soporific graduate seminar, may I suggest that you release all hope or ambition of succeeding (or even having fun) as a writer.

So if you are currently writing, of course you have a theme. Right?
Writing Wednesdays: What is Your Novel About?

 

AppleInsider
Following up on a previous WWW link to a post on an AppleScript which exported from Evernote to the native Notes app, comes news of upcoming native support within Notes for directly importing .enex (Evernote) files.

Brought to my attention by a friend of the blog (thank you kind sir), it appears the remaining notes I have yet to extract will perhaps find their way that little bit easier:
Apple’s Notes for Mac to support Evernote file imports in OS X 10.11.4

 

Three Staples
Ha — how about that! Of course you can — and of course Jinnie did:
DIY Blackwing Erasers

 

Ink & Flour
I remember the first time I tried a Kaweco Liliput I couldn’t believe how small it actually was — yet at the same time how comfortable it was to use. Although not really a contender for me to purchase at the current time, I do find them intriguing and a joy to look at:
An Unlikely Love, the Kaweco Liliput Brass Wave

 

Pen Pursuit
I love my Sailor Sapporo, and it is one of only a few pens I use posted, providing perfect balance to the overall feel of the pen which is quite short in stature.

An intriguing nib, which is similar to one I have on the larger 1911 model and very enjoyable to use:
Sailor Sapporo Zoom Nib Review

 

Ed Jelley
When writing about my own pens I’ve noted certain grips are a little less, well…grippy. I consider these “seasonal pens” — in the warmer months with a little humidity, my fingers grip a little better, and the issue of less control goes away.

Granted, actually stating I have “seasonal pens” sounds ridiculous when I actually write it — however the increased use of my Lamy Pur over the past month or so can attest to it being a “thing” for me. Perhaps the Lamy Studio might fit a similar categorisation were it in my collection

The super shiny, fingerprint magnet of a grip is incredibly slippery. It makes it hard to hold the pen for long writing sessions, and even then it takes me a few tries to find a comfortable grip where I don’t feel as though I’m going to drop the pen.

A classic, timeless looking pen:
Lamy Studio Platinum Grey 14k Nib Fountain Pen Review

 

United Inkdom
I like the idea of these meta reviews. Multiple viewpoints and opinions formulating a single, well-considered summary on the subject.

In this case a collaboration between Cult Pens and Kaweco:
Cult Pens mini fountain pen review

 

Perfect Daily Grind
My coffee roasting is a decidedly analogue affair, right down to recording notes about the roast using a notebook with a pen.

…roasting isn’t easy. Coffee is a complex product, and becoming an excellent roaster will require dedication, practice, and experimentation.

I may not measure things as precisely, nor record as much data, though I certainly enjoy reading about it:
The S-Curve Roast Profile: Exploring Roasting Basics

 

The Specialty Coffee Chronicle
I’ve included a link to the revised coffee flavour wheel previously — a system looking to provide a more uniform basis for description in tasting.

While imaginative descriptors and flights of fancy are great, sometimes they make communication more difficult.

Although written as a how-to guide, these simple steps also help develop a broader understanding of where both your senses and mind should be heading when applying these principles to taste coffee.

Of course it is also fine by me if you just brew it, drink it and enjoy it:
How to Use the Coffee Taster’s Flavor Wheel in 8 Steps

 

I Need Coffee
I find it quite interesting to read about traditional:

…parts of Southern India, namely Tamil Nadu and Karnataka, where coffee has been enjoyed for generations. This is the region where, so the story goes, Baba Budan smuggled in his seven coffee beans from Yemen in the 17th century while returning from pilgrimage, beginning the cultivation of coffee in India.

Or emerging coffee culture:

Whether you prefer to sip your traditional kaapi standing at a street café in Karnataka, or take selfies with your friends in a trendy establishment in Mumbai, it seems that coffee culture is here to stay.

If you are the same — here is what’s happening in India:
The New Culture of Coffee in India

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My Pen Needs Ink
The answer is not necessarily “all the pens”, and deep down we know the few that satisfy the title of this post for ourselves.

…when I step back from admittedly my newest pen always making that list I end up with 3 pens that I truly love writing with.

What are your three?:
Pens I LOVE To Use

 

Gourmet Pens
A review of the TWSBI Vac Mini provides another vote for the 580 AL if you are considering a purchase from the Taiwanese manufacturer.

Personally, I still like the 580 best and wouldn’t bother with any of the others. I just hope the one I currently have (the 580 AL-Purple) doesn’t ever crack. I’m rather underwhelmed with this one

That said, I’m guessing the Eco would make a nice first step:
Review: TWSBI Vac Mini Fountain Pen – Broad

 

That One Pen
Part 2 in Todd’s series on getting to the bottom of the pens and pencils worth holding onto and those that aren’t:

I’m sure if we all tried hard enough we could make IKWIL a trending hashtag. Looking forward to the final cut:
I Know What I Like – Part 2

 

An Inkophile’s Blog
I must admit to not being deep into this fountain pen game for long enough to have had too many “last few drops of ink” (beyond some sample vials).

For those who have, not a bad suggestion for what to do with them. I like it:
Those Last Few Drops Of Ink

 

Pen Economics
Balanced, respectful, analysis and discussion. More of this very combination, which commenced with Ian Hedley’s initial query into Pilot’s pricing of pens in the UK:
The Pilot Pricing Puzzle
The Pilot Pricing Puzzle — Followup

 

Crónicas Estilográficas
To me, this pen looks like a Lamy 2000 mock-up might have been – before the designers said: “okay, now let’s taper both ends”.

The first look of this particular model is surprising—it looks like an ebonite blank ready to go to the lathe. It is almost perfectly cylindrical, and only under close inspection the line between cap and body can be seen

I know nothing about this brand of pens from India, however have enjoyed changing that with these posts:
Gama (II). A Stick

 

Pens! Paper! Pencils!
Speaking of pen brands I know nothing about – Ian back at the review desk with a very interesting pen from solo manufacturer Fosfor (coincidentally also from India).

The Bangalore is a great writer, comfortable in the hand, has a unique look and is handmade.

Well worth a look:
Fosfor Bangalore Fountain Pen Review

 

The Pen Haul
I must admit to being fortunate with nibs on the pens I’ve purchased, encountering no particular problems so far. Perhaps that might change one day, and posts like these are handy reference points.

The main purpose of my post is to share with everyone that yes my pen had a defect, but there is a fairly simple way to fix it.

A recommended read, and linked to in the post is the knowledge base found at Richard Binder’s site, however I enjoy reading the experiences of other pen users who tackle something they may have not tried before:
DIY – Smoothing a Bummed Nib.

 

Kickstarter
It’s difficult to imagine when this now yearly Kickstarter campaign won’t be funded, which is entirely a good thing:

The Atlanta Pen Show is scheduled for April 15th – 17th, 2016, and The Pen Addict posse is ready to take over once again! Like last year, we are asking for your help to get this done.

Though already having passed the funding goal, it’s not too late to get in on the fun, and also some limited edition Pen Addict Notebooks:
RelayCon Atlanta: The Pen Addict Live 2016

 

Daily Coffee News – Roast Magazine
Although discussion in this post looks at possible advantages in aspects of design and practicalities of storage, a rather glaring omission is any acknowledgment of the possible environmental implications of adding another layer of packaging to the standard coffee bag.

I agree some of the designs look fantastic and the scope is wide, however the bag has now become a bag in a box. If you buy online from a manufacturer embracing this trend, you’ll then receive bags in boxes in a box.

Not a deal breaker perhaps, however something which probably should at least be part of the discussion:
Outside the Box: Thoughts On Coffee’s Latest Design Trend

 

Perfect Daily Grind
I’m sure we’ve all entered a café and been confronted by “single origin” coffee offerings.

Single origin is a small phrase with a big definition

Perfect Daily Grind explains what single origin coffee actually is, the effect it has on the industry, and how we know whether it is a high quality product, which it is often portrayed as:
Everything You Need to Know About Single Origin Coffees

 

Broadsheet Melbourne
It is often said the coffee menu in many fine restaurants seems an afterthought. Perhaps it’s because the Michelin Guide sets a fairly low bar in relation to the quality of beverage served:

“The Michelin Guide has two lines on its coffee criteria”, says Tim Varney. “It needs to have a crema and be served in a correct cup”.

As well as launching a new coffee roasting collective, two experienced Aussies are ensuring a much more palatable finish to an evening at the Noma restaurant’s ten-week residency in Sydney:
The Story Behind Noma’s Brew

 

Tim Nahumck
Many of us are probably familiar with the idea of getting down on paper or pixel anything nagging at our brains before we go to sleep.

What we then do with those thoughts is often another matter. What begins here as a brief brain dump ends up actionable where necessary through the iOS apps Drafts, Workflow and 2Do, as well as being a more in-depth post than it initially begins:
How to Apply the Note

 

SMH Digital Life
Does world domination await for cheap smartphone manufacturers? Probably not, though for brands like Xiaomi, I’d suggest there is enough potential market share for them to try.

For Australian audiences, Xiaomi remains the most enigmatic of Chinese brands. Xiaomi grabs all the headlines, the tech press love it, but there is still no official way of buying its products in this country.

Speaking of Xiaomi, I concur with the following, having seen my wife using the new generation Mi Band for the past few weeks:

At $26, the Mi Band fitness tracker outperforms most from Fitbit and Jawbone.

I’ll stick with my iPhone, but that Mi Band…:
Chinese mobile phones: everything you need to know

 

Day One
Day One continues to be one of my favourite and more heavily used apps, and I for one am really looking forward to version 2. Yes, an awkward naming convention but really what else could they do?

To support Day One 2’s new features, we ultimately rebuilt the app from the ground up, all the while staying true to Day One’s original simplicity. Rebuilding an app as seasoned as Day One is no small task. What I’d hoped would be a year-long effort has taken twice that… but we feel it’s been worth the wait.

Plenty of effort seems to have gone into this upcoming release, and I’m sure it will be a beauty:
Introducing Day One 2

 

Extratextuals
iPad Pro and iOS love part one (via Federico Viticci):

…it’s an understatement to say I have always preferred iOS to any other platform. With its software and hardware providing solutions to those niggling issues of mine, the iPad Pro is in many ways my dream computer

Living With the iPad Pro

 

The Brooks Review

iOS love part two:

Some of this is simply intangible and not worth trying to explain, as words will never do it justice. Another subset is personal preference, and not worth explaining as it is personal. But there is a chunk of the allure that is easy to point your finger at and say: that’s better, that’s easier, and that makes more sense.

Why iOS is Compelling

 

Nerds on Draft
Gabe Weatherhead and Jeff Hunsberger delve into the relative merits of some common task managers. As I’m powering along with 2Do myself, I particularly enjoyed this one.

The conversation is about the advantages of using plain text task management, some commentary on the direction and focus of OmniFocus and how they have embraced 2Do to varying degrees.

A little IPA and a lot of 2Do:
Episode 060 — Agave IPA and 2Do

 

Smith Journal
The fog “catching” in this four-minute video is a simple yet ingenious way to obtain water for the organically grown crops upon which this subsist on in the mountains of Peru.

Fog catchers are basically vast nets strung between two poles. The fine mesh allows water droplets from the fog to accumulate and eventually run off into a canal. The nets work well in Peru because of the dense and omnipresent fog, known locally as camanchaca, or ‘donkey’s belly’, that rolls in from the coast.

Even more fascinating? The son completing his design assignment on the family computer as his feet rest on a dirt floor — his civil engineering studies at university achievable only after a two-hour commute from the family home. Another one to file in the take-a-good-hard-look-at-yourself category, in readiness for the next time something bugs you about work or study:
Catching Clouds

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Wiser Web Wednesday – a semi-regular link to posts of interest from around the web, by those far wiser than myself:

 

The Pen Addict
I’m unsure of the exact percentage of fountain pen users for whom Rhodia paper is a staple, and it’s often the dot pad at that. Regular Pen Addict contributor Jeff Abbott outlines the details that make these a favourite of many.

I can certainly vouch for these easy to use, fountain pen friendly, tear off-and-scan sheets of great, reliable paper.

A great review, however I suspect many of you knew a little about these already:
The Rhodia DotPad Notepad Review

 

The Pen Habit
I don’t have any pens from the Edison Pen company in my collection, something I hope to change one day. This one is certainly a beauty.

It is, of course, silly to buy a pen solely for the filling system inside, but acquiring one of the Edison Pen Company’s pump fillers has been on my list for a while.

Or perhaps it isn’t so silly — either way, no judgement from me:
Pen Review: Edison Pen Company Menlo

 

Nibcreep
When a post starts as “a cautionary tale” and contains:

“How hard can it be?” you think to yourself. “The tines are steel, I should be able to bend them back if I’m careful” you think to yourself.

…you just know it’s not likely to end well, and I guess it didn’t. A hard one to read, though no doubt much harder to write:
How to ruin a vintage pen in less than 2 hours

 

The Finer Point
Jenny reviews an interesting looking pen, the Ateliea Brass Pen, the lovely patina upon which will further develop with increased use.

Although I do like the look and design, it is probably not for me, and I would be a little concerned about the cap — definitely be one of those stand it on its end so it doesn’t roll away scenarios:
Ateleia Brass Pen

 

That One Pen
A great post from Todd as he continues down the road to a short list of loved and well-used pens. One thing I do see from the list of pens and pencils in this post is a reasonably common theme: a lot of people like them, they are recommended fairly frequently, and it wouldn’t be unreasonable to develop a collection around them.

I understand that some of these writing tools may be the single greatest pen or pencil you’ve ever tried. I’m just saying that they don’t work for me and, in some case, I’m actually disappointed that they don’t. All I know is that they don’t work for me and I’m moving on.

The concluding paragraph I’ve quoted above is a timely reminder that reasonably widespread popularity (which I’m not suggesting is unwarranted with this list) simply does not equate with individual fit and contentment.

Here’s to our differences:
I know what I like

 

Pens! Paper! Pencils!
If you haven’t to date, please read the initial post by Ian, and the reply from Pilot UK for context (links to both in this post).

Although there still appear to be some lingering questions:

This wasn’t a boilerplate response, it was an email from a real person who took the time to respond to my questions in a thoughtful and considered way.

The following of course is spot on — if no-one cared for the pens Pilot produced, no-one would be bothered asking in the first place:

I wrote the original post out of frustration but also out of affection. Pilot make great pens and I wish they were able to sell them here for a reasonable price

Looking forward to any further information (and more reviews and drawings). Nicely done Ian:
My Thoughts on Pilot UK’s Reply About Availability and Pricing

 

The Clicky Post
Looking at my own collection here beside me, the word “conservative” would not be out-of-place in an overall description — certainly as far colour is concerned.

Judging by the great images in Mike’s post, the finish on the Starburst Galaxy brings a little brightness and sparkle, yet isn’t overly “blingy”, and wouldn’t look out place on my desk here at all.

Well, how about that:
Sailor Sapporo (Pro Gear Slim) Starburst Galaxy – Music Nib

 

The Specialty Coffee Chronicle
For the first time in 21 years, the coffee tasters flavour wheel has been updated, with some lofty goals indeed:

The foundation of this work, the World Coffee Research Sensory Lexicon, is the product of dozens of professional sensory panelists, scientists, coffee buyers, and roasting companies collaborating via World Coffee Research (WCR) and the Specialty Coffee Association of America (SCAA). This is the largest and most collaborative piece of research on coffee flavor ever completed, inspiring a new set of vocabulary for industry professionals. This groundbreaking new tool will shift the way our industry thinks about and utilizes coffee flavor.

Although there is considerable overlap with the previous version, perhaps some new descriptors to our “tasting notes” are imminent:
Reinventing the (Flavor) Wheel: Industry Collaborates to Identify Coffee Flavor Attributes

 

World Coffee Research
Following on from above, further background on the World Coffee Research Sensory Lexicon can be found here, including a 50 page PDF document, which:

identifies 110 flavor, aroma, and texture attributes present in coffee, and provides references for measuring their intensity.

What do you mean there’s no way you’re downloading and reading that?:
World Coffee Research Sensory Lexicon

 

The Brooks Review
If there was one sentence that probably sums up my experience with OnmiFocus, this would be it:

I found an app that doesn’t make me feel like I am filling in forms when I want to create a simple task.

For me personally, this is a classic case of “it’s not you — it’s me”. As most who have used it will tell you, Omnifocus is a great app, and I (happily) spent a considerable amount of money to get set up across my Mac and iOS devices.

After two years of intermittently thinking “there must be a better way to do this that I haven’t found yet”, it was time be open to other options.

There is probably a more lengthy post about this, however needless to say, 2Do suits my way of thinking, working, and tracking tasks. Here Ben Brooks outlines the reasons behind his move:
Moving to 2Do

 

Tim Nahumck
Further to last week’s Macdrifter link regarding Drafts app for iOS, a nice reminder about the app’s capability to handle “Action Sets” of similar actions — a sort of sub menu if you will .

When you have finally created the Action Sets you want, and if you run them frequently, consider making an Action Key for your Enhanced Keyboard row. If you assign an Action Set to a Key, you will be able to bring up the Action Set menu quickly for manipulation.

The more you know the more you can do:
Using Action Sets in Drafts

 

John Scullen
Here John outlines the use of the Solarized colour palette with some OmniGraffle stencils.

Far more attractive diagrams await:
Create stunning diagrams with these free OmniGraffle stencils

 

The Daily App
The final in a three-part (links to one and two in the post) series by Graham Spencer, looking at the happenings behind the scenes in the first two months of his “The Daily App” site, which, incidentally, features all sorts of apps (Mac, iOS, Apple Watch and TV) in a brief one-a-day format.

There may be many apps featured you either have or are aware of, although eventually one might come along that will be a real find. It couldn’t be simpler to follow along on Twitter or Facebook (RSS and email subscription options as well).

Back to the reason for the link. In this particular post, Graham shares his workflow for collecting apps, planning and posting the featured apps to the site.

Interesting if you are into that sort of thing (raises hand):
Two Months of The Daily App: Behind The Scenes

 

MindNode News
An announcement from the developer of MindNode, which now offers task support:

Mind Maps are a great way to kick off a new project and Tasks are often a major part of this workflow. MindNode now offers native Tasks support. You can turn any child node into a task and check off completed tasks directly on the canvas.

It appears the app will also support export of your tasks to Apple’s Reminders app, and keep the completion state in sync. Given MindNode is my mind mapping app of choice, this is certainly a handy addition:
Tasks in MindNode

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