Black n' Red A4 Journal

When it comes to pens and stationary stuff I am rarely surprised.  It’s sort of simple:  if you have seen a few pens in your day ("in your day?"  What am I- 80 years old?)  you/I can judge a book by its cover in a minute.

I can spot a cheap pen from a mile away and it kills me when I see people who spend a lot of time writing suffering with a trade show giveaway or a pen found in a box in the basement.  Bad pens are easy to spot, journals are a little more difficult.   An unlined journal that runs away yipping when faced with fountain pen ink might be perfect for someone out there… and on the other hand…a lined, heavy-weight, bleed-proof journal would not be appreciated by someone who uses those CVS pens.
So when I was sent a journal from the awesome fellas over at  www.officehero.co.uk  I was skeptical.  I felt like I had been there before.  I thought..here’s a big lined journal that wouldn't hold up to anything.  I was wrong. Introducing the Black n Red A4 sized Smart Ruled Journal. 

So I started off with a Pilot G2 in .38 to do make a few lists. No surprises there.  I have a work journal (that I really need to review and love but it’s my to do , thoughts and  reminder book) one thing I was missing was a notebook for meetings and phone-call notes with.
Then one amazing thing happened.  I grabbed a Waterman with some Sailor Black ink and BAM! This paper held up to my heavy handed inky doodles. Like…really held up.  No idea this paper would be this good. It does not bleed. At all.  I can’t believe the versatility.

You have seen my doodles in the past and occasionally they get a little sloppy and something that might someday resemble some sort of homemade Copperplate Script.  I am not aiming for perfection in penmanship,  just something that looks cool to me.  Suddenly this notebook started filling up with my inky rants. It was a pleasure to use this paper.  

Size does matter and when it comes to A4 paper I can appreciate breaking out of the 8.5 by 11 “ rut and expanding a bit. As always,  click for better views.  I like having the vertical lines as options.  Checkboxes, dates, whatever.  There's also a ton of info on the first and last couple pages,  personal info, a calendar, rail schedules, etc. Good options.

And the more I think about it.  This is the first hardbound journal that i have used in a while.  It's easy to be able to throw it into the computer bag and not worry about creasing the covers.   Here's the details from the experts: Black n Red casebound hard back book with Smart ruling system for organised note-taking. features left-hand column for bullets or numbering and two right-hand columns for actions and deadlines. High quality 90gsm smooth paper for minimal show-through.-

So,  I like it.  I really like it.  If you are looking for a big sturdy notebook that can hold up to ink...you have another choice, check out Office Hero and the Black N Red. Now I am going to go work on my Copperplate and watch Shawshank.

Seth

Winner Winner Chicken Dinner

How appropriate to do a giveaway on post #250 for me!!!  We should have cake.  Instead we have what I think might be the first video reveal ever in the world of pen blogging.  You might want to watch your volume.  I was having a Kanye moment.

Uh, oh.  I told you it was heavy.  It looks like you low # people are in trouble.  This was a box of pens from Grammy. (Everyone remembers Grammy right?) I probably went through this box at one point and pulled out all the good ones and the box was still  full of ballpoints.  More on those later.

Here's what I found.  They are all ballpoints and no,  I do not write with them and that's the reason they are tucked away in a box in the basement.  Maybe someday they will get some use or I can donate them to a good cause,  but for now they remain happily curled up in a box. Well except for the fact that I had to count them...and count them I did.

Those are piles of 10 except for the pile of three in the center. Breaking out the abacus,  I come up with 24 piles and 3 to spare. Go ahead count them just to be sure...also,  I am really curious how many of you went out and filled up a shoe box with pens just to see what kind of numbers we were looking at here.  I did find a few decent pens,  some mini's, a few Cross's and some other fairly newer ones that aren't going back in the box.  Oh...that's 243 by the way.

Here's the deal,  don't hate the pen blog, hate the rules.  I stated that the contest ended at Midnight Eastern on Friday (last Friday.) Sorry,  a few of you missed the deadline.  I am just trying to keep it fair.

So, Aaron from HMMMMMMM is the winner at 250!   Only 7 off and remember I said you could go over.  Shoot me your details and I will get the prizepack out too you.

What was in the prizepack you ask? (Or actually,  now that you haven't won you probably already closed the browser and moved on but - anyway but if you are curious:)

Ta da!  Yes, that's a Pilot Explorer in there. Now you wish you had thrown all your pens into a box to see what you would have come up with. And that Blue one is a Fountain Pen. I might have a few more things to throw in there, this is just what I grabbed to shoot.  Aaron... enjoy it.

And Dad to Liberty Lover of Pens wins the backup prize just for being scientific about this.  An Explorer is on the way to you also if you shoot me your details.

So...post number 250.  Wow. Thank you guys for supporting me and reading my blog.  I really appreciate the comments, feedback emails and clicks on the AdWords.  I do have some plans for this thing and hope you stick around for the ride.

Enjoy what's left of your weekend.
Seth