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

 

The Finer Point
Not the first time I’ve heard it, though I do like the idea of a photo a day as part of a journaling approach. If I ever managed to do so, digitally via Day One would be the way I’d probably go.

A nice idea here though for placing a physical copy in the Hobonichi Techo, along with a couple of other noble aims for 2016 as well:
New Things for 2016

 

The Fountain Pen Quest
Indeed it is:

It’s a lot easier to avoid impulse purchases when I have so many good pens to chose from and can only use one fountain pen at a time

Although not the focus of the article, again some serious numbers pop up in posts such as these as far as collections go —indicative in part of how long other enthusiasts have been in this game:
Fountain Pen Contentment

 

Pens! Paper! Pencils!
I’ve enjoyed seeing Ian’s drawings on the PPP blog and also Instagram for some time now. I would also be happily guided in my choice of pencils, were to find I had some sort of ability in this area, and was inclined to pursue it. Sadly, the former is not the case, and heavily influences the likelihood of the latter.

One other thing, the image under the Selection heading is a simple one, though one of the best I’ve seen in a while — fabulous:
Guide to Pencils for Drawing

 

The Gentleman Stationer
Funny how we get caught up in our own day-to-day inks. Well, that and the fact I tend to go for long periods without buying any new ones to try.

The result? I’ve not used any of these, however have heard good things both here and elsewhere. Yes, they’ll go on the list, though I cannot guarantee when I might get to them:
My Five Best Fountain Pen Inks for Everyday Writing

 

Pen Economics
I recall a robust debate with my senior high school economics teacher about this principle, the main thrust of my argument (in attempting to refute the notion) being that each subsequent Golden Gaytime ice cream was in fact better than the previous one. Although my argument was probably a bit thin and I may have embellished the number of Golden Gaytimes I could eat, I thought I made some pretty compelling points (loved those ice creams).

Onto matters more relevant:

The underlying problem seems to be a classic case of what economists call diminishing marginal utility. That’s a technical name for something we all experience, and it’s so common that it’s baked right into our most fundamental tools. It refers to how we find ourselves less and less satisfied with each additional purchase of something.

In reality, there are probably many perspectives on this, and personally I am fairly liberal with my definition of collector or user, and would suggest most of us are both:

But, at least for those of us who are pen users rather than pen collectors, we reach a point where each new purchase isn’t any more exciting than the last one. They’re still great pens, still pleasant to use, but that level of excitement and pleasure has diminished somewhat. And once you’re past that point, it becomes something of a downhill road.

Something like this may work for you, or it may not, however if you are quite content with your collection and how you manage it, don’t overthink it:
Capping Your Collection

 

Fourfiftytwo
Another example of some Hobonichi Techo goodness:

Putting the drawings and text in before I journal is really helpful in getting over blank page syndrome. I don’t find myself stare at the page, afraid to ruin the pristine blank space, overwhelmed by expectations for what could be written

Some more fantastic images in this post too:
How I use my Hobonichi Techo

 

The Pelikan’s Perch
A great review of a fantastic looking and equally well performing pen from Pelikan.

With the Grand Place and the Vibrant Blue on the horizon, I think Pelikan is really showing that they can turn out some truly stunning pens. I only hope that the company will pace itself and not saturate us with too many of these high-end beauties in such a short span of time.

If Pelikan cannot pace themselves then I guess its up to each of us:
Review: M800 Burnt Orange (2015)

 

MacStories
Some new, or perhaps simply new to you (or me) apps for 2016.

I might poke around Airtable, and Liquid Text looks an interesting way to view sections of long documents (also recently mentioned on an episode of Mac Power Users as worth considering).

Box? I’ve been increasingly using this for storing documents in PDF format over the past 6 months or so, though I suspect it is due to the free 50GB in my account (one of those early sign up bonuses some time ago) rather than any collaboration features. That said, it seems equal to Dropbox in terms of sync and app integration, and I like the interface a little better.

Whatever you might be looking for, a few more apps for your consideration:
New Apps for 2016

 

Macdrifter
A fairly common comment by those who use the iOS app Drafts:

What about words? Where do you go if you have something to write? I’m sure a lot of people worry about where they want the words to go before they decide how to even start writing. This is a waste of attention. The most important part of writing is the act of writing, not the act of processing. This is why I start almost everything in Drafts for iOS.

This app deserves inclusion primarily because the linked post is a good one, but also because each Wednesday’s links on this blog are put together via the Drafts web capture template — set up to give me the source, title, URL and any highlighted text with simple tap of the share sheet button on my phone or iPad.

Captured information is appended to one of three current notes: Pen, Coffee, or General. Once the gathering is complete, the note in its entirety is either pasted into Ulysses (iPad) or sent with one tap to nvAlt on my Mac, depending on where I’ll be for the final clean up.

Simply an app that never gets old — or most likely fully utilised for that matter:
Getting Drafts Right For 2016

 

Scotchwhisky.com
A wishlist from the editors at scotchwhisky.com for the new year, of which this is one:

Let 2016 be the year where blends fight back. They are fascinating, and flexible; they are the product of amazing creativity, they have history, yet they are never talked about with any of the same reverence or detail that is applied to malts.

I second that motion:
New Year’s Wishlist

 

Daily Coffee News by Roast Magazine
Reading these articles always reminds me of how lucky I am to live where I live.

In short, these climatic, economic and political factors have snowballed into a perfect storm of influence dissuading young Salvadorans from the pursuit of a life in coffee farming

For many on this planet, it is just a constant struggle, and it is not hard to see why it appears there would be little hope in sight:
El Salvador’s Coffee Industry at a Crossroads

 

Cafe Culture
An amazing story. What started with this:

In March 2011 a seedling was planted 1,900 metres above sea level on a mountain on the west range of Los Farallones de Cali, Colombia.

It was the first of 18,000 seedlings to be planted on what would come to be known as Finca Las Nubes, “the farm in the clouds”.

Culminated in something pretty special late last year for the tireless workers of that particular coffee farm in Colombia:

Sasa called “time”, and with that simple word began to deliver the same performance to the workers and owners of Finca Las Nubes as he did to the WBC judges just three months earlier.

Australia’s 2015 World Barista Champion, Sasa Sestic continues his relentless drive to promote specialty coffee, and more importantly, recognise those who produce it:
Sasa Returns

 

Handground
No, I don’t expect you to read (let alone apply) all 47, however there are some interesting and helpful tips here for manual brewing based on the Speciality Coffee Association of America’s 7 Pillars of Coffee Preparation:
47 Tips to Make Pour Over Coffee Like a Barista

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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:

 

Pen Economics
After this week passing the one year mark for the site, some more insightful commentary from Dr Deans on the nature of competition in that fabulous market that is fountain pens:

But I’d say that growth in the popularity of pens, and better economic education of the community, is likely to lead to more and better-discerning consumers. As long as that continues, I think we’re likely to see brands becoming more competitive and better deals for buyers.

I also think a better-discerning consumer is not stuck in a buy, buy, buy mentality. Better deals and better decision-making would seem to be the killer combination:
Competition in the Fountain Pen Market

 

Relay FM
Canvas, a new podcast hits the airwaves on Relay FM:

Hosted by Federico Viticci and Fraser Speirs, Canvas is a podcast all about mobile productivity. Armed with iOS, Federico and Fraser will be walking through workflows, exploring the best apps for the iPad and iPhone and helping users solve problems.

Upon listening to the tone and approach of the first episode, I am looking forward to what is coming on this show. Do I need (or even want) to get really geeky with iOS? Do I use iOS for tasks simply to show they can be done? Neither on both counts.

The simple fact of the matter is that I am away from home every workday from 7am until after 6pm, and considerably more than half of the writing, research, and general doings for this blog and many other non-job related activities occurs on iOS. A good working knowledge of what is available to do these activities goes a long way in tweaking workflows and processes without having to necessarily test out a bunch of apps myself.

I’d say this should help that knowledge pool:
Canvas

 

Agile Bits
A couple of nice updates to kick off the new year to 1Password for iOS and Mac, which I use each and every day to manage my Passwords. I’ve nothing more specific to say other than this suite of apps is quite simply the most used across both my Mac and iOS devices, and are the reason I have confidence in the strength and integrity of the numerous online accounts I have. Well, at least the integrity of my logins any way.

I suspect many reading this are already aware of 1Password, however if not, or you are looking for a better solution, I’d highly recommend checking it out:
1Password

 

Matt Gemmell
Matt’s invitation to join his site’s membership, of which I have been a paid subscriber for the past year or so, having just received weekly newsletter number 47 a couple of days ago.

Towards the bottom of the post you’ll see a testimonial I wrote a little while ago outlining my thoughts on being a member (which remain the same today).

There are numerous sites following these types of programmes, and at times it can be difficult to choose where to place your hard-earned money. I am happy with the choices I’ve made in this regard, and look forward to my “Monday nights with Matt” (because time zones) when the newsletter arrives each week in my inbox:
Site Membership for 2016

 

Perfect Daily Grind
In attempting to obtain more consistency in my espresso making at home, I weigh the dose going into the portafilter, and when I have a little more time (on weekends or if I’m running early of a morning), check the yield by weight as well. When I think about it however, it really takes no more time to weigh the output — it just seems like it does.

However that’s me. Making two espresso based drinks each morning (let’s not go into my weekend morning tally), one for myself and one for my wife. Any resemblance to what is being discussed in this article? None.

Suffice to say, I am very interested in a professional’s view on these types of things, and how they manage to achieve such feats in face of an unrelenting caffeine deprived mob first thing in the morning:
Weighing Espresso Shots in Service: Insanity or Essential?

 

Buzzfeed
As a coffee enthusiast, I am sure I am perhaps perceived as this guy.

Though I can assure you I’m not, it is just one of those things any enthusiast encounters on a regular basis, irrespective of the particular interest.

I speak with utmost sincerity when I say there really is no need to preface asking if I want coffee with “it’s not very good/it’s not what you’re used too/it’s only…”.

My reply? A simple yes, or no thanks — nil judgement applied, every time.

Unless of course, you are that guy:
When Your Friend Is A Coffee Snob

 

The Clicky Post
Vintage pens haven’t really been my thing, in part because my knowledge of them is so limited I’d have no idea where to start, nor what might constitute a good deal. That said, without going overboard on price, I guess that isn’t necessarily the whole point is it.

A nice piece from here by Mike, which I think probably highlights one of the more satisfying aspects of delving into vintage pens — the knowledge acquisition which results from digging a little deeper.

A great looking pen to boot:
My Vintage Parker 61 Jet Flighter Fountain Pen Experience

 

The Pen Haul
A thorough review of the Kaweco Sport Fountain Pen. I must admit to not having the same issues with the medium nib on my Ice Sport, which, along with the Classic rollerball are two of my favourite pocket pens.

Sometimes it is a shame when some of those pens we love so much get pushed down the list a little as more come into our collections. Perhaps its time to stick them back in my pocket again:
Kaweco Sport Review

 

From the Pen Cup
Although at present I sit in the don’t-own-and-haven’t-ordered-either camp when it comes to the Hobonichi Techo, I’m always interested to hear how others use them.

You never know, perhaps one day:
A Practice: My Hobonichi Techo

 

Eater
While I enjoy the odd glass of whisky, I must admit to not specifically keeping a sharp eye on the next big release — for financial as much as practical reasons.

Apparently Ireland is one place to cast my gaze, and I have enjoyed watching along on Twitter as the Waterford Distillery came together over the past year, culminating in the birth of a new single malt in December. Clearly we’ll be waiting a little while to taste the fruits of this particular segment of labour, however some general trends are forecast for both ‘ey’ and my preferred ‘y’ varieties in 2016:
Here’s What 2016 Will Hold for Whiskey

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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 Gentleman Stationer
Though we are doing far better than in the past, this is still not an uncommon occurrence in my office either, as I trudge to the secure document destruction bin with a little too much paper:

I take lots of notes on printed copies of PDFs relating to conference calls or meetings in which these documents are being discussed, so at the end of the day, a lot of trees die needlessly because most of this work product isn’t stuff I want to keep around indefinitely. In some cases, I can’t retain it because of confidentiality concerns.

The best summation of one particular use case for the iPad Pro I’ve seen so far:

I can honestly say that in my 10+ years of work life, this is the computer product that I’ve been waiting years for: a legal-pad sized electronic clipboard that has a usable handwriting function.

Now, who has that undeniable business case I can put to my boss and IT?:
Strategic Paper Replacement: the iPad Pro and the Apple Pencil

 

My Pen Needs Ink
This is a great looking notebook – that deep green is fabulous, and it sounds as though the paper performs in a similar vein.

Definitely one to consider:
Shinola Notebook Journal Review

 

Ink & Flour
It’s been a little while between bakes on the Ink & Flour blog, though here we see a return with some good-looking tools to kick things off for the new year.

I must admit I’ve been somewhat inspired by the new year tools posts, however not having taken any leave as yet, my current set up is simply what was left over from last year. I am hoping the next couple of weeks off will change that.

In the mean time, if you haven’t already, perhaps start here:
New Year, New Loadout

 

Science Alert
I think in many ways we (that is, the world) have been lucky to this point, in that despite stories of doom and gloom in the coffee industry in years gone by (much of which go unnoticed by the general public – in which I include myself), to date we have as consumers gone on our merry way.

It’s likely that Indonesia and Honduras’s record-breaking coffee output will dip before Brazil can fully recover from its drought. Add to that the rise in coffee consumption across the globe – particularly in developing markets such as Brazil, China, and India – and we could soon be looking at a situation where demand is outstripping supply.

I cannot help but think one day, perhaps soon, something will indeed make a big ripple in our calm pond:
It looks like a worldwide coffee shortage is inevitable

 

Sprudge
Almost skipped this link I must admit, as it provides a reminder of the fact I have yet to properly analyse and write up the results of my natural coffee processing experiment of late last year.

The method is increasingly en vogue in coffee growing regions outside of Ethiopia, where progressive coffee producers are thinking outside of the box and, in some ways, getting back to a more ancient method of coffee processing

It can be a little tricky to get right, but the rewards are there:
What Is Natural Coffee? Let’s Find Out From Counter Culture Coffee Expert Tim Hill

 

The Economist
Technology, among other things, is helping improve the quality and yield of small farms in Africa, which can only be a positive for coffee.

The first benefit is improved productivity. Farmers have been shown how to increase crop yields sharply simply by changing their techniques or switching to better plant varieties. A second is in improving farmers’ access to markets. Progress here is being speeded along by technology. In Nigeria the government has stopped distributing subsidised fertiliser and seeds through middlemen who generally pocketed the subsidies: it reckons that only 11% of farmers actually got the handouts that were earmarked for them. Instead it now directly issues more than 14m farmers with electronic vouchers via mobile phones

Upon reading articles such as these, there is also the constant reminder of how dependent such a large global industry is on so many very poor nations — or at least certain sectors of those nations:
Wake up and sell more coffee

 

Nick Cho – Medium
The genesis for this may be a chocolate scandal and the slant on coffee, however there are so many valid points here on “authenticity” and how we perceive and embrace that concept, only to turn on those who seemingly betray what is often simply our own perception — and of course our own need to be with the in-crowd.

Trendy is for brands. The human form of trendy is “popular,” in the most high school way you can define it. Popular kids are popular because the other popular kids include you in their peer group. Or is it that the other kids include you because they think you’re popular?

Much more than coffee and chocolate (though I don’t deny that’s a fine combination):
Now That We’ve Got Our Pitchforks Out, Who’s The Mast Brothers of Specialty Coffee?

 

Back to Work Podcast
You’ll also hear more analysis of the above in a recent episode of the Back to Work podcast, including the hilarious but all too common notion of those who are so “cool”, the next big thing is already “so yesterday” to them:
252: The Chocolate Boys

 

The Washington Post
I have so much to say on the modern-day office – most of which would simply be a whine, so instead, perhaps a link to some thoughts which in many ways align with my own.

The New Yorker, in a review of research on this nouveau workplace design, determined that the benefits in building camaraderie simply mask the negative effects on work performance. While employees feel like they’re part of a laid-back, innovative enterprise, the environment ultimately damages workers’ attention spans, productivity, creative thinking, and satisfaction.

Not suitable for many, too suitable for some:
Google got it wrong. The open-office trend is destroying the workplace

 

Macstories
Although I am slowly refining and consolidating the apps and processes I use (read: no longer constantly looking around), I’m always interested:
Quiver 3: A Notebook That Adapts to How You Work

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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:

Away we go with the last one for the year:

 

Writer’s Bloc Blog
With a 0.3 mm tip, these will get you into the tightest of corners in those adult colouring books piled up ready for action this holiday season — just don’t let any unattended young children open Pigment and try them on your iPad Pro:
Staedtler Triplus Fineliners Review

 

Pen Economics
A great overall roundup of the year in pens, inks, and the community, along with a little on what might be coming in 2016:
The Year in Review

 

The Finer Point
This post was timely, as I had recently added a couple of sealed three-packs of the Baron Fig produced Apprentice Time Traveller and Lightbulb Editions to the Christmas gifts of family members.

Many people will have a problem of hoarding notebooks so I am not alone, and my stack is probably much much smaller than most, but to get a real idea on how bad it was I decided to write a post on the number of used and un-used notebooks I own

I’m sure none of us are under the illusion a shortage of pocket notebooks will occur any time soon (limited editions aside I guess):
Used versus Un-used pocket notebooks

 

The Pen Company Blog
Mental illness is a widespread issue that thankfully has seen a little more recognition and discussion in recent times.

Mind suggest ‘shifting your focus‘ as one of several self-help solutions, and creative hobbies are great for this in the combat of stress, anxiety and depression in some people. Using fine motor skills is excellent too, as it requires such accuracy and concentration.

I myself have not dived into the adult colouring phenomenon (finding writing here the perfect relaxation), however there are many who have. While the management of stress, anxiety, and depression isn’t the only benefit of such an activity, if it is of assistance for some, that can only be a good thing:
Why is Adult Colouring So Popular?

 

The Well-Appointed Desk
Another look in the rear-view mirror to 2015 and some thoughts on what’s ahead from The Desk.

Holler, if there’s something particular you’d like to see more.

Nothing in particular Ana – just keep doing what you do best — gettin’ “it” done:
Looking Back and Moving Forward

 

Leigh Reyes. My Life As a Verb.
Were I a casual observer — and compared to some in this hobby, sometimes I feel I might as well be – I’d agree with the following sentiment:

When a market is diversifying, it’s thriving. On that basis, 2015 was a healthy year for pen addicts everywhere — an especially happy observation to make in the fountain pen segment, which is almost two centuries old.

Another view on the pen year gone by, with only a couple of days for the ink to dry before we turn the page to 2016:
2015: the pen year in review

 

Pen Addict
Another one? Yes indeed, and why not – this time a few of the Pen Addict’s faves from 2015:

These are the products I got the most enjoyment out of this year. They didn’t have to be new this year, just goods that I used and loved and stood out in a very crowded desk

As good a time as any to think about what stood out for you over the past year perhaps:
My Favorite Products Of 2015

 

Perfect Daily Grind
The highlight of my coffee consuming year came in the form of the Elida Estate Green-tip Geisha from Panama.

Here, the producer of that fantastic coffee talks about some of the challenges in growing the all-conquering Geisha varietal:
Geisha Coffee according to a 4th Generation Panama Producer

…flowing nicely into our next link, also from Perfect Daily Grind, looking at the rewards that come from growing at altitude.

The main reason that higher elevation coffee is more sought after is the taste. When well-cared for, high elevation coffee will produce the more acidic, aromatic and flavorful cup of coffee that we love, while lower elevation coffee tends to have a lower acidity with little character in the cup

Although not the only component of developing flavour, altitude certainly plays its part:
How Does Altitude Affect Coffee and its Taste in the Cup?

 

Colonna and Smalls
The coffee capsule market. There is no denying its presence or effect on the coffee landscape. From a specialty coffee purveyor on the students in some of the classes they run:

More often than not we discuss how they have an Aeropress and buy coffee from such and such, and use scales etc. Then comes an apology.

I’m sorry but for the office and for espresso type drinks I have a Nespresso machine. I am not overly enamoured with the results but there is a lot about it I like.

A common sentiment across the globe I’d say. Here, said specialty purveyor is entering the capsule market. The results? We’ll have to wait and see:
Capsules

 

Interconnected
An argument for plain text as much as a nod to the possibilities of Ulysses depending on your particular requirements.

But I’m a purist: Since losing a bunch of data in the 1990s, I’m distrustful of other people’s file formats. Plain text is the way to go, no Word docs. I want formats that I can extract words from, even when I’m down at the level of reading bytes retrieved from broken hard drive platters. It’s happened.

I for one am looking forward to the release of the Ulysses iPhone version to complete the picture. Then, Wiser Web Wednesday could be produced entirely on the bus. Actually that’s not true, as I could be doing that already, but prefer listening to podcasts, taking a few notes and generally daydreaming — which incidentally appears to be what I am doing now — it’s about the link, not me:
Ulysses and other apps for writing

 

John D Cook
An interesting take on the positive effects of automation:

Suppose it takes you an hour to write a script that only saves you two minutes later. If that two minutes would have derailed your concentration at a critical moment, but it didn’t because you had the script, writing the script may have paid for itself, even though you invested 60 minutes to save 2 minutes

Eventually reaping rewards through time saving is one thing; mental energy at critical moments is another — and one that I had not really considered. If you do consider it a little, this provides an even more compelling reason than merely saving time:
Automate to save mental energy, not time

 

MacStories
This is a great piece on screenshots and the apps we use to enhance or manage them.

Regardless of the context, every screenshot is fundamentally about communication. But sometimes, a quick screenshot isn’t enough — you want to call out a feature or perhaps you have so many screenshots you need a tool to manage them.

Also, it again highlights the fickle nature of the app market now that Skitch for iOS (my annotator of choice) will soon no longer be supported by Evernote (reportedly most features will be available within the main Evernote app I won’t be using). An alternative being just a few taps and a download away:
A Screenshot Is Worth a Thousand Words

 

Larry Salibra
This is not new, however I’ve included it here because it works a treat.

Whatever the reason, you’ve got a lot of Evernote notes and you want to move them to Apple Notes and you don’t want to do it by hand.

As my migration from Evernote to the native Notes app continues, I had been manually clearing things out and deleting many I no longer need or have never referred back to. I am now pretty much left with a few hundred I’d like to export over.

Did I say this works a treat?:
How to move notes from Evernote to iCloud Notes

 

Roads & Kingdoms
As the year wears on, at times I fleetingly wonder about my overall energy and productivity. At least I have time to wonder:

The standard work day of a Japanese lawyer starts at around 10:00 a.m. and ends around 3:00 a.m. the next day, Monday to Friday. That’s already an 85-hour workweek, but it’s also usual for lawyers to work an additional ten hours on each Saturday and Sunday

Although, I’d have to question the effectiveness and efficiency produced in at least some of those hours:
Japan’s 105-Hour Workweek

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From the Pen Cup
There are no Vespas in my household, and I do not typically buy pens to match anything in particular, however I must admit Mary puts forward a compelling argument for doing just that.

Did I look around for something brown or olive green after I read this? Might have.

The Karas Kustoms Bolts, the Nock Co Sinclair, great photography and handwriting — it’s all here for your reading and viewing pleasure:
Everywhere Carry: Nock Co. Sinclair and Karas Kustoms Bolts

 

Too Many Inks
A high price for an ink? Yes. Too high? Maybe, maybe not — it all depends on your perspective and reasons for buying of course. Collect them and want it? Enough said really.

Two things on this. One — I actually think it is a pretty great colour; two — I’d argue it is better value than perhaps a rare set of Field Notes.

Again — perspective and reasons:
First Use: Montblanc Mahatma Gandhi Orange

 

Alt. Haven
It is the time of year for lists, and there is no better place to start than with pens and inks of course. Kicking things off are Junee’s lists of favourites for the year:
Top 5 Favourite Pens 2015
Top 5 Favourite Inks 2015

 

The Fountain Pen Quest
Some initial thoughts on the Visconti Homo Sapien Bronze Age. As Ray indicates, there are a few points to note if you are thinking of buying one yourself, though overall, I’d say he is glad he did:

When taking notes for work I use big words since they take longer to write. When I’m not taking notes I’m doodling. At night I look for things to write.

A more detailed review is planned in a few months, which I for one am looking froward to:
This Just In: Visconti Homo Sapien Bronze Age

 

Goodwriterspens’s Blog
Not owning any of the restoring kind, I’ve not had any pens restored to this point in my pen journey. Something I hadn’t really thought of though, are the rights or wrongs when the practices of the restorer are questioned by a customer. Perhaps neither of course, and it is simply a matter of opinion.

That said, here, the restorer provides some sound rationale which makes sense to me about the methods used and reasons for using them:
Restoration Practices

 

The Gentleman Stationer
I recall looking in earnest (you know — staring really intently at a web browser pointed at an online stationery store) at these pens when I dabbled in a couple of multi-pen variants, thinking they represented a fairly stylish version of said multi’s.

As Joe mentions, it is a fairly slender pen, which I don’t mind – particularly in a pen that for me, won’t see any sustained writing sessions either. I would though agree with this:

Where the Sharbo X will kill you, however, is on the gel refills, if that’s your preference.

Yes, they aren’t that expensive, though at volume? It certainly adds up. So in the end I didn’t buy one, but boy, I still very much like them.
Zebra Sharbo X: The Premium Multi Pen

 

The Pelikan’s Perch
Nice to read what might be coming — both in online shops and therefore subsequently through my Instagram and RSS feeds next year. Where they won’t be heading is through the post to my mailbox – I’ve certainly more than enough pens to keep me going for a little while (still plenty to write about that’s for sure).

Good odds that many of these beauties will be store bound in the new year:
Rumor: What to Expect in 2016

 

Peninkcillin
Value can mean many things, but surely a $2.50 fountain pen which provides a writing experience like a… well… a decent fountain pen would fit anyones definition of the word.

A thorough and informative review, which will surely lead you to check for some change down the back of the couch and perhaps pick one up:
Baoer 507 fountain pen review

 

Pens! Paper! Pencils!
As Ian states, although better known for their pencils, Tombow do make some great fountain pens. The Tombow Object fountain pen I own is a great pen indeed, and this Zoom 101 looks fantastic.

This is one of the best pens no-one has heard of and has firmly, and unexpectedly, become of my favourites.

Well worth considering it would appear:
Tombow Zoom 101 Fountain Pen Review

 

CRS Coffeelands Blog
The final in a daily eight part series on modern slavery in Brazil’s coffee sector.

This is not about 15 coffee estates in Brazil that appeared on the government’s Dirty List.  It is not about the more than 400 workers who were rescued from those estates by Brazilian labor inspectors.  It isn’t about calling out Brazil because we found evidence there is slavery in its coffee sector—modern slavery is everywhere.  And it isn’t really even just about coffee.

Mentioned in an earlier post was also the fact that conditions are not necessarily worse in Brazil, just that the country has better governance and transparency on such matters, which can only be a positive thing.

A fascinating read from start to finish on a topic that absolutely is not just about the coffee industry:
Slaves in Brazil’s coffee sector. So, what?

 

The Sweethome
When you first start taking more of an interest in coffee, you begin to see the same recommendation from just about everyone “in the know” — its all about the grinder. If you are going to spend some money, “spend it on the best grinder you can get”.

Is that the most expensive grinder? Not necessarily, and again, one of the trends you begin to see is the outstanding reputation of Baratza’s range of grinders. I myself had my eye on this very model for my filter brewing needs, until I was fortunate enough to win its big brother, the Vario, in an Instagram competition.

Please note though, as the post states, the Virtuoso is best for anyone “not making espresso”. Any other forms of brewing? Do not spend any more money. In Australia, distributor Five Senses currently have the Baratza Encore for $AUD205.70 — noted to be a close runner-up to the Virtuoso, yet a bit easier on the wallet.

This is one of the best comparison reviews backed up with data and rationale I’ve seen (and not just because I agree with the conclusion):
The Best Coffee Grinder

 

The Whisky Topic Podcast
Yes, an interview with a micro-biologist involves a little science, however the conversation was far broader than that. As brand ambassador and micro-biologist for Highland Park and The Macallan, Nicolas Villalon does a pretty good job.

Really enjoyed this one:
40: Highland Park & The Macallan with Nicolas Villalon – “To add insult to injury, my boss was paying for them!”

 

MacStories
I’ve used Skitch for my iOS photo mark ups for quite some time. Again, whether we are talking apps for email, photo mark ups or anything else — simply further evidence of a very fickle market:
Evernote Ending Support for Skitch on iOS

While at Macstories, check out King of iOS Federico Viticci’s list of must have apps for the year. There are 50 apps in this list — yes 50 (43 of which are universal for iPhone and iPad). I’m not about to recommend you try every one of them, however even if you pick up one or two, perhaps it’s been worth it:
My Must-Have iOS Apps, 2015 Edition

 

MindNode Blog
I love the ease with which mind maps come together on MindNode, and I probably should use it more than I do.

Here, a couple of reminders why:
MindNode for iOS Hidden Gems #1

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