Once in a great while there arises an article of the greatest utility, something that you really appreciate, something that you go to great lengths to find again. 

Such is the pen pictured here:  I started buying the Pilot Razor Points (or some approximation thereof) many years ago because pencil would fade from coding forms, and I didn't like the way that other pens (such as the gooey-ink ballpoint variety) would glob up or stick to other papers after a time.  No pen seemed to write like a Pilot!  I got good clear lines of precise size without using some expensive graphics-arts tool that I had to maintain (cleaning and filling with India Ink or some other special treatment).  I like a good solid black line, and for programming, I love clear print.  This pen gives it to me. 

Some people probably think: "Coding forms!  My God, How old is this codger?"  From some of the coding that I've seen, a few of you should be starting with flowcharts, considering some of the bizarre logic that gets crammed into modules.  A lot of the OOPers may think I'm off the mark here, but hey, kids, I was doing OOD when most people had just discovered Yourdon.  For those of you who don't remember Yourdon, his methodologies fell under what was called "Structured Design" -- that was back in the dark day when we were all under the yoke of the masters' spaghetti. 

Also, the keyboard is good for rapid-firing expedient text -- quick emails (OED currently-preferred form) usually don't deserve any more attention than a peck-and-push (I hope that terminology doesn't extend into other disciplines).  But the keyboard just doesn't make it for non-linear writing:  When I use a pen, I've got the whole page and I can go in any direction that I want.  I saw some news story once about a guy (in Vietnam I think) who used to use typewriter keys to create pixels and he would keyboard everything from portraits to panoramas, but evidently he had to move the paper around in the typewriter to get all the right effects.  I think that really pushes the envelope on typewriter versatility, and that's not for me. 

I always liked calligraphic pens, but you wouldn't want to trust them to catch a quick message in Morse Code (OK, so I am old); they're good for making invitations or just writing a pretty letter (although even I seldom engage in that charming old social custom anymore).  But it's like the difference between an elegant carriage or vintage Rolls Royce and a shiny Porsche or something:  Calligraphic Pens are good in the hands of an artist, but for a nice line of bold print that has to corner around obstacles, you need a Pilot precise v7 fine rollingball pen (maybe not in that particular order, but you read the barrel). 

My most favorite pen was one that I bought just for that purpose:  So that it would be my favorite pen and I would break the habit of losing pens.  Whenever I visit cleptopeniacs or go somewhere where I'm apt to lose a pen, I take one of my medium BiC stic's out of my store of boxes in the drawer.  I may step up to a Pilot VBall Grip if I want something a little more presentable for those first dates with recruiters.  But my favorite pen was one of those fancy gold pens I can no longer afford since minerals are up and dollars don't buy them anymore.  It was beautiful:  And it could take all manner of ink; I liked to fill it with a turquoise tint for the day-to-day, but I could change nibs in it and put in a stout black ink for special occasions.  I think it beat most of my calligraphic pens when you consider versatility and durability. 

But it was too expensive.  As I left an apartment I rented after having turned the keys over to the landlord, I looked back into the window where I'd signed off to vacate, and there was my beautiful pen.  By the time I reached the landlord again (The Reverend Gary Grevens) he said he didn't find it.  The next occupant was my old friend Mark McKinley, and he said it wasn't there when he arrived.   If you see either one of them with a gold pen, toss something at the respective head. 

I still have my Pilot Precise V7 fine rolling ball pen, though.  And if you want to buy me a box, or just one to tide me over until somebody does, just ask for my address. 

Ernie