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Tuesday, August 19, 2008

I Love You, No. 2

Today is a writing-intensive day. Between editing an advertisement and revising a project's press teaser, I'm spending a lot of time with my No. 2 pencil.


Working in an architectural firm, my colleagues find my love affair with the No. 2 a little odd. After all, they use a variety of pencil lead weights when sketching to capture proper shade and shadow.

But that's not important to me.

Mechanical pencils are too precise, too accurate and somewhat timeless. You can't tell if you've accomplished anything because it keeps its lead supply hidden.

I want to be forced to stop to sharpen my pencil because I did something. It's satisfying to have to take a break to sharpen the point and attack a page once again.

I want to see the mark of my efforts on my hands. I love the faint grey smear on my right ring finger, covering the small callus that's there from years of holding a No. 2.

I want a trusty friend in-hand when I sit to capture the contents of my mind on paper. There's something primitive and honest about handwriting with a No. 2, transporting us to an earlier time and place.



What can I say? I love you, No. 2!

2 comments:

  1. "I love you No. 2"

    Sounds like a heartwarming scene I would love to see in "Star Trek -Next Generation" where the captain encourages the crew to reach out and share their innermost feelings.

    :)

    I love the Pentel Clic Eraser. It erases completely. Complete enough for an accountant I guess. I guess I could call it my little Enron eraser. Makes details disappear like a shredder in the basement.

    I need a blog.

    But then, I am quite sure I would have guilty feelings about not writing enough. Then, blog sites will develop personalities like KITT from Knight Rider-and start sending me phone messages and emails.

    "Kelly?"

    "What are you doing, Kelly?"

    "Why don't you ever write, Kelly?"

    "What are you doing with that eraser Kelly? I can't let you do that Kelly."

    Can you tell I have a healthy fear of technology?

    So I will stick with my Clic Eraser. You know, in Australia they call erasers "rubbers?" Had a guy in high school who was an exchange student from Australia. He asked the teacher in class if there was a spare rubber in class he could borrow.

    Life has great moments...

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  2. I love writing with a freshly-sharpened pencil. It feels empowering, like I can choose the perfect words to express a thought. So I completely understand, Shannah.

    And Kelly - wow. Yeah, you need a blog. ;)

    ReplyDelete