6 months post-op. Seems like it should be a milestone. My shoulder doesn’t feel so bad, but my bicep is having a heck of a time reaccilmating. Had hoped it’d be a bit better by now. Even doing light bicep or hammer curls, there’s a huge difference how it feels in the good arm vs the operative side. Surgery was on the dominant side, so one would think I’d use it enough that it would make more progress by now. My non-dominant side is still considerably stronger, even without doing all those PT exercises (though I’m sure it would be a good idea on both sides). I wake up, and the bicep is still cranky. Sit still too long, the same. Get some activity in, it's still not happy. It’s not that I think something is terribly wrong with it, but it gets old after a while. Have I mentioned chronic pain is challenging? It’s not necessarily painful, but to have so much prolonged “discomfort” gets tiresome. Sometimes it feels relentless. And to have it hardly let up, well, weak people like me can find it mentally exhausting sometimes. Sure, it’ll get better after a year. Or 14 months. Or it won’t. Can’t really ask anyone until 12 months out. Slightly humorous how much bigger and firmer the muscle feels on the operative side, considering how much weaker overall it is.
I haven’t been quite as consistent with exercises, so you could try to blame that, except it wasn't betterr when doing excessive PT. Bicep simply hasn’t been the same since surgery. Does it really take that long to recover from those 6 weeks of non-use? Bicep itself didn’t need repair. P.S. they gave me permission to be a slacker and not do PT every day after this long in recovery.
Friday, October 17, 2025
Sunday, October 12, 2025
Fountain Pens . . . going down the rabbit hole
Not long ago I composed a post why I should never use fountain pens. I’d get curious, read about them, then think naw, that’s not for me. Yet as wonderful as my Uniball Vision Elite pens are, somehow I kept thinking “is this all there is?” I kept wondering about them, since I’ve heard they are the smoothest luxurious writing experience a person could have. I’d read a bit more. . . turn away again and again.
I didn’t even finish that anti-fountain pen post before I succumbed and bought a cheap one. One reason I thought FP’s wouldn’t satisfy me was because I love glitter ink. Surely such high brow prestigious pens don’t accommodate glitter ink. I was wrong. Reading a review on Amazon, someone noted that this particular pen worked well with their shimmer ink. That was the clincher for me. A few searches later . . . what the heck, this model was so cheap, on sale and a coupon. It was so inexpensive, and came with several cartridges and a converter. I had to at least try it.
Before the shimmer ink arrived, I was already hooked. Within a week I got a set that was on sale so I could try different nibs. It came with 5. That’s part of the fountain pen intrigue. All these fun nibs that exist.
Some issues still bother me, and I’m trying to sort it out. One can’t really try these pens out before buying. This is so wrong to me, as someone who has always tried all the sample pens in office supply or stationary stores. I would roll my eyes at those expensive designer pens that cost $30 or more. How on earth could one buy a pen not having any idea how it writes? That’s insanity. I got the first fountain pen for a whopping $11, but how does one spend $100, or even hundreds, without being able to feel it first? That still seems so wrong.
I’ve found a lot of information online, mainly on Reddit. I finally understand that it’s very easy to ruin a pen by applying too much pressure to it, so one can’t really have a tester model on display. Still. I read things on how to figure out what kind of pen you want. Suggestions are, do you want a light pen or a hefty one? How the heck would I know? I can’t try anything and have no experience contrasting light or heavier pens, especially since fountains write very differently than other types of pens.
What materials would you like? Again, how would I know?
I already invested much more than intended because I craved to experience different nibs. Then I hear if you don’t really like how a nib performs, you can just spend more money on a nib-meister to fine-tune the pen to your liking. Fine “tune” is not the correct terminology. “Tuning” a pen is actually a thing, and separate, I believe. Ok, so do you buy a pen for how it feels in your hand, and have a custom grind nib completely separate? First I thought ok, you have to figure out what nib you want, then figure out what pens come with that option even available. But wait, do some buy a pen not even caring what nib it comes with because they are going to get a custom one elsewhere?
In my ideal pen world, everything would be interchangeable. You decide what pen body you like, and buy it. What fits your hand and grip comfort. Find a nib size, style, springiness that speaks to your soul. Switch, mix and match until you achieve your dream pen. Retailers don’t make money that way, though, so it will never happen. Most things are proprietary and only fit that brand. At least you can get ink separately. Still, some specialty inks perform better with certain cartridges, feeds, nibs . . . so it’s all a game trying to figure out what will work. But then you tell me after all the research I’d still have to buy something expensive and have no idea if I’d actually like it? Oh yes, that’s where you get your nib-meister. Sure, having someone customize your pen for you specifically does sound fun. But do you realize how pricey it gets?
Even if you resist getting a medium quality pen for a couple hundred dollars, there are lots of little things that can add up. Syringes or eyedroppers to re-fill cartridges. Trays, cloths and cleaning supplies you don’t mind getting stained with ink. Oh yes, ink remover, if nothing else, to clean your hands.
I didn’t even finish that anti-fountain pen post before I succumbed and bought a cheap one. One reason I thought FP’s wouldn’t satisfy me was because I love glitter ink. Surely such high brow prestigious pens don’t accommodate glitter ink. I was wrong. Reading a review on Amazon, someone noted that this particular pen worked well with their shimmer ink. That was the clincher for me. A few searches later . . . what the heck, this model was so cheap, on sale and a coupon. It was so inexpensive, and came with several cartridges and a converter. I had to at least try it.
Before the shimmer ink arrived, I was already hooked. Within a week I got a set that was on sale so I could try different nibs. It came with 5. That’s part of the fountain pen intrigue. All these fun nibs that exist.
Some issues still bother me, and I’m trying to sort it out. One can’t really try these pens out before buying. This is so wrong to me, as someone who has always tried all the sample pens in office supply or stationary stores. I would roll my eyes at those expensive designer pens that cost $30 or more. How on earth could one buy a pen not having any idea how it writes? That’s insanity. I got the first fountain pen for a whopping $11, but how does one spend $100, or even hundreds, without being able to feel it first? That still seems so wrong.
I’ve found a lot of information online, mainly on Reddit. I finally understand that it’s very easy to ruin a pen by applying too much pressure to it, so one can’t really have a tester model on display. Still. I read things on how to figure out what kind of pen you want. Suggestions are, do you want a light pen or a hefty one? How the heck would I know? I can’t try anything and have no experience contrasting light or heavier pens, especially since fountains write very differently than other types of pens.
What materials would you like? Again, how would I know?
I already invested much more than intended because I craved to experience different nibs. Then I hear if you don’t really like how a nib performs, you can just spend more money on a nib-meister to fine-tune the pen to your liking. Fine “tune” is not the correct terminology. “Tuning” a pen is actually a thing, and separate, I believe. Ok, so do you buy a pen for how it feels in your hand, and have a custom grind nib completely separate? First I thought ok, you have to figure out what nib you want, then figure out what pens come with that option even available. But wait, do some buy a pen not even caring what nib it comes with because they are going to get a custom one elsewhere?
In my ideal pen world, everything would be interchangeable. You decide what pen body you like, and buy it. What fits your hand and grip comfort. Find a nib size, style, springiness that speaks to your soul. Switch, mix and match until you achieve your dream pen. Retailers don’t make money that way, though, so it will never happen. Most things are proprietary and only fit that brand. At least you can get ink separately. Still, some specialty inks perform better with certain cartridges, feeds, nibs . . . so it’s all a game trying to figure out what will work. But then you tell me after all the research I’d still have to buy something expensive and have no idea if I’d actually like it? Oh yes, that’s where you get your nib-meister. Sure, having someone customize your pen for you specifically does sound fun. But do you realize how pricey it gets?
Even if you resist getting a medium quality pen for a couple hundred dollars, there are lots of little things that can add up. Syringes or eyedroppers to re-fill cartridges. Trays, cloths and cleaning supplies you don’t mind getting stained with ink. Oh yes, ink remover, if nothing else, to clean your hands.
Wednesday, October 1, 2025
Why I’ll never be a fountain pen enthusiast
I love pens. I have tons and always find an excuse to get more. But alas, I don’t think I was meant to be a fountain pen person. It’s not that they are bad, but probably not a good match for me. Where shall I begin?
Pros – Versatility and Customization
There are lots of enticing ideas about fountain pens. If nothing else, the idea that you can choose almost everything separately. You get to choose your pen body, ink, and nibs – what’s not to love? With traditional pens you have to hope someone else made the perfect combination that speaks to you. Example: I see so many variations of the classic blue pen color. I’m not talking about rainbow sets with lights and darks. I’ve figured out I prefer a darker blue. What happens when you find a pen that feels and writes great, but the color seems “off” to what you’re used to? Drat. Fountain pen? No problem. Get whatever specialized ink your heart yearns for.
Cons
Filling your own ink. I can be clumsy. It’ll probably get worse with age and arthritis. Filling my own ink sounds like a disaster waiting to happen. You can get pre-filled cartridges, but then the price goes up, and available choices may go down.
Regular internal pen cleaning required. Again, I’m seeing ink everywhere. Possibly stains that stay on one’s hands for days or else require nasty smelling chemicals to get them off. No thank you. You hear about good pen inks being permanent or archival. Not sure those options come with fountain pens, but yikes.
Price. Oye, don’t get me started. With all this customization, comes increased prices – nibs especially. Let’s acknowledge that a nice fountain pen body can easily cost more than $100. That’s only one piece of the puzzle. The biggest component to smooth writing is the coating on the nib, but it’s all a mystery. The primary material of the nib costs the most. It seems likely the more you spend on the nib material, you’ll have opportunity to get a better coating. If someone points me to a place that will re-coat whatever inexpensive nib you got and transform it into a dream, I’d love to hear about it. Otherwise from what I read, steel nibs are “eh”, titanium are a bit better, and gold are the dream. But at $200 for only the nib, that’s quite out of my price range. All things considered, I’d be the person who wants at least 3 different types of nibs for thicknesses . . . Yeah, that’s not going to happen.
Comfort. This might seem less important, but still worth noting. I tend to prefer somewhat soft cushiony pen bodies. Those narrow hard pen shafts? Not for me. I dare you to find a super good fountain pen with a body like that. There are supposedly a couple “ergonomic” pens at the lower end of the quality scale. I see no reason to spend even $30-60 on a poor quality fountain pen that feels comfortable in my hand but otherwise feels not so great to write with. Then there’s the idea one needs to write with the whole arm and shoulder – not merely the hand and wrist. Idk that I want to re-learn how to write and use that much energy. I’m sure it’s possible, but. . . is it worth it? I’ve tried a cheap disposable fountain pen, and been able to write my traditional way, so it might be possible but . . . When I had my shoulder surgery, it was quite convenient that I could sort of write with only my hand, since that’s the only thing I was allowed to use for several weeks. Had I written in traditional fountain pen style, I would have been out of commission for months. It might still be very uncomfortable writing with the whole arm. Not sure I want to spend money on a pen just to find out I don’t like writing with it in the first place.
Meanwhile, there are still scads of pens I’d like to try and don’t have enough money to. Unless someone wants to sponsor me to review pens and stationary, so every purchase is free or tax deductible, my writing habit is already expensive enough. It was interesting to try the Pilot Precise Varsity fountain pen, but I think I’ll call it good. There are many other low level disposable pens and I probably shouldn’t even entertain the idea of testing those out either.
Anyone else keep score how many more cons there are to pros? I rest my case.
Pros – Versatility and Customization
There are lots of enticing ideas about fountain pens. If nothing else, the idea that you can choose almost everything separately. You get to choose your pen body, ink, and nibs – what’s not to love? With traditional pens you have to hope someone else made the perfect combination that speaks to you. Example: I see so many variations of the classic blue pen color. I’m not talking about rainbow sets with lights and darks. I’ve figured out I prefer a darker blue. What happens when you find a pen that feels and writes great, but the color seems “off” to what you’re used to? Drat. Fountain pen? No problem. Get whatever specialized ink your heart yearns for.
Cons
Filling your own ink. I can be clumsy. It’ll probably get worse with age and arthritis. Filling my own ink sounds like a disaster waiting to happen. You can get pre-filled cartridges, but then the price goes up, and available choices may go down.
Regular internal pen cleaning required. Again, I’m seeing ink everywhere. Possibly stains that stay on one’s hands for days or else require nasty smelling chemicals to get them off. No thank you. You hear about good pen inks being permanent or archival. Not sure those options come with fountain pens, but yikes.
Price. Oye, don’t get me started. With all this customization, comes increased prices – nibs especially. Let’s acknowledge that a nice fountain pen body can easily cost more than $100. That’s only one piece of the puzzle. The biggest component to smooth writing is the coating on the nib, but it’s all a mystery. The primary material of the nib costs the most. It seems likely the more you spend on the nib material, you’ll have opportunity to get a better coating. If someone points me to a place that will re-coat whatever inexpensive nib you got and transform it into a dream, I’d love to hear about it. Otherwise from what I read, steel nibs are “eh”, titanium are a bit better, and gold are the dream. But at $200 for only the nib, that’s quite out of my price range. All things considered, I’d be the person who wants at least 3 different types of nibs for thicknesses . . . Yeah, that’s not going to happen.
Comfort. This might seem less important, but still worth noting. I tend to prefer somewhat soft cushiony pen bodies. Those narrow hard pen shafts? Not for me. I dare you to find a super good fountain pen with a body like that. There are supposedly a couple “ergonomic” pens at the lower end of the quality scale. I see no reason to spend even $30-60 on a poor quality fountain pen that feels comfortable in my hand but otherwise feels not so great to write with. Then there’s the idea one needs to write with the whole arm and shoulder – not merely the hand and wrist. Idk that I want to re-learn how to write and use that much energy. I’m sure it’s possible, but. . . is it worth it? I’ve tried a cheap disposable fountain pen, and been able to write my traditional way, so it might be possible but . . . When I had my shoulder surgery, it was quite convenient that I could sort of write with only my hand, since that’s the only thing I was allowed to use for several weeks. Had I written in traditional fountain pen style, I would have been out of commission for months. It might still be very uncomfortable writing with the whole arm. Not sure I want to spend money on a pen just to find out I don’t like writing with it in the first place.
Meanwhile, there are still scads of pens I’d like to try and don’t have enough money to. Unless someone wants to sponsor me to review pens and stationary, so every purchase is free or tax deductible, my writing habit is already expensive enough. It was interesting to try the Pilot Precise Varsity fountain pen, but I think I’ll call it good. There are many other low level disposable pens and I probably shouldn’t even entertain the idea of testing those out either.
Anyone else keep score how many more cons there are to pros? I rest my case.
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