Addicted to Stationery
Dear Lord, what is happening to me, stuck up in my mountain eyrie? I missed National Stationery Day (April 24th)! OK, so I'm not in the UK at the moment, but really that is absolutely no excuse for a stationery addict like myself to let the day pass unrecognised.
I love stationery, I have particular notebooks that I like to use, but being a penniless scribbler in Spain I have had to forego those for a while now. Stationery in Spain is EXTORTIONATE! Even the most boring, bland, basic notebook (spiral bound, wide lined - you know the kind) can summon a 5 euro note from my purse. I have had to resort to said notebooks, but purchased from the Chinese bazaar where I can get three for the aforementioned paper currency. It is a sad state of affairs.
For my travel journals, written usually on a train or in bed in a random hotel, I like the ones from Paperchase. They have wipe clean covers (handy when you slop your coffee over it) and pockets in them, ideal for saving your entrance tickets, beer mats, postcards and other paraphenalia one picks up whilst travelling. I have one left...only to be used for a big journey I think. My sister bought me a rather fancy number at Christmas to record travel details. It is Italian, with a leather thong to keep the book from falling open and pages becoming crumpled, and has sections. This is a bit of an issue, it means I have to organise my thoughts and my thoughts like to be unconstrained. I have used it, and it did make me remember to note down important things like hotel names and prices...it has its uses.
When I write my books, I write with an ink pen. A Parker. I like to use blue ink. This posed a problem when I almost ran out. I could not find them anywhere in my area - it would have meant a journey to the city, just for cartridges. A timely trip to Italy saw my ink levels restored to a safe measure when we stumbled across an old fashioned toy and stationery shop in Spoleto. The ink wasn't expensive either, as long as you do not count the air-fare.
My ink pen has had a little rest; the second of my City Chronicles travelogues, A Little Bit of Italy is with the editor, but soon the pen shall have to spring into action to complete the trilogy. I shall give it a little service and replenish my ink stocks (though Spoleto may be a stretch too far this time). I have already purchased the spiral bound notebooks - planning will start next week for Crossing the Bosporus. In the meantime I need to find a reliable, reasonably priced ink source...wish me luck.
I love stationery, I have particular notebooks that I like to use, but being a penniless scribbler in Spain I have had to forego those for a while now. Stationery in Spain is EXTORTIONATE! Even the most boring, bland, basic notebook (spiral bound, wide lined - you know the kind) can summon a 5 euro note from my purse. I have had to resort to said notebooks, but purchased from the Chinese bazaar where I can get three for the aforementioned paper currency. It is a sad state of affairs.
For my travel journals, written usually on a train or in bed in a random hotel, I like the ones from Paperchase. They have wipe clean covers (handy when you slop your coffee over it) and pockets in them, ideal for saving your entrance tickets, beer mats, postcards and other paraphenalia one picks up whilst travelling. I have one left...only to be used for a big journey I think. My sister bought me a rather fancy number at Christmas to record travel details. It is Italian, with a leather thong to keep the book from falling open and pages becoming crumpled, and has sections. This is a bit of an issue, it means I have to organise my thoughts and my thoughts like to be unconstrained. I have used it, and it did make me remember to note down important things like hotel names and prices...it has its uses.
When I write my books, I write with an ink pen. A Parker. I like to use blue ink. This posed a problem when I almost ran out. I could not find them anywhere in my area - it would have meant a journey to the city, just for cartridges. A timely trip to Italy saw my ink levels restored to a safe measure when we stumbled across an old fashioned toy and stationery shop in Spoleto. The ink wasn't expensive either, as long as you do not count the air-fare.
My ink pen has had a little rest; the second of my City Chronicles travelogues, A Little Bit of Italy is with the editor, but soon the pen shall have to spring into action to complete the trilogy. I shall give it a little service and replenish my ink stocks (though Spoleto may be a stretch too far this time). I have already purchased the spiral bound notebooks - planning will start next week for Crossing the Bosporus. In the meantime I need to find a reliable, reasonably priced ink source...wish me luck.
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| Stationery, both good and indifferent, ready for the next book |
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