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now for something completely different.

posted 10/02/08 03:34 PM | Viewed 270 times

Every once in a while, I try to change how I do little things.  You know:  brush my teeth with my left hand, drive to work in a different way, break routines to see if I can think more creatively.

Recently I looked down at my notes, saw the same old brand of pen I always use, and it was lightbulb time:  you know what? I'm switching to pencils.

It's also partly in honor of Jim Lilly, one of my mentors when he was a Senior Vice President from U.S. Clearing (formerly a Quick & Reilly subsidiary). He used to always carry around a bunch of No. 2's. One day I asked him: why do you use so many pencils?  And he just smiled a huge smile and said straightaway:  "Because I make a lot of mistakes!" To me as I was coming up through the ranks, this sent a clear message - here was this very powerful guy, saying something really humble. Pretty cool, no?

I started with your standard Dixon Ticonderoga, then Rich (our COO) introduced me to WholeFoods' Woodies.  I like those even better:  they're made from organic wood and unpainted, which (I'm guessing here) is more biodegradeable.

I'm really digging pencils now -- and I'm not alone. I'm wearing down those nubs fast.  So the next logical question was:  what's the best eraser?  I went straight to the source and asked Jim, so listen up, back-to-schoolers!


------ Forwarded Message
From: Jim Lilly
Date: Sat, 29 Jul 2006 12:00:59 -0500
To: 'Donato Montanaro'
Subject: RE: In your footsteps

 

Hi Don , You made the right move ... The best brand of eraser is Pink Pearl. I learned that from my 2nd grade teacher, Sister Mary Mussintouch. - JFL

 

-----Original  Message-----
From: Donato Montanaro
Sent: Thursday, July 27, 2006 7:06  PM
To: Jim  Lilly
Subject: In your footsteps
       
       
Hey JFL -  I hope you are well, my friend.  I wanted to let you know that about three weeks ago, I invoked your name, and made a huge shift in how I do business.  I'm now using #2 pencils, like you always did.  I thought you'd enjoy that!

Here's the next question: do you have a brand of eraser you recommend for supplemental scrubbing?

Be Good,
Don

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Edited by bigdog at 10/02/08 03:34 PM
6 Comments
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Anonymous
Posted September 08, 2006 (03:00AM)
I use the $.10 student store special Dixon Oriole over here! And I've been using the same Pearl eraser since the tenth grade(7 years). I mean the same exact one! It still has the inscription from my fifth period neighbor who gave it to me: ''Hi Daniel, my name is Leslie =) <3''

Oh, and last time I went in a pool with my clothes on I forgot to take my cell out of the pocket...DOH! Hope you didn't make the same mistake.

Thanks for the great service and support

Daniel

Daniel
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Anonymous
Posted September 10, 2006 (03:00AM)
I tried an experiment at work where I tried to not use any writing implements at all. I attempted to record everything directly into my laptop. It was hard, although I realized it could be done. What led up to it was the realization that I was eventually recording everything twice, once in long hand and once into the laptop. We didn't have tablet pc's at this job. I still like the idea, and I try to do it at home, but it's even harder there as I have no printer. I send everything to Fedx kinkos if I need a hard copy.

There's got to be a better way. I know the technology is out there, but I don't own the portable equipment yet. I have heard that computers have really not made out lives easier, because we always want more information.

Ernest Hemingway used pencils when he wrote, standing at a lecturn. I tried the same thing to see if it would make me a nobel prize quality writer, but it didn't work. There must have been more to his success than just the pencils.
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bigdog

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bigdog
Posted September 26, 2006 (03:00AM)
Guys, these comments are great! Thanks for sharing.

I have some new experiments along these lines cookin'...but I want to save the surprise for the blog. Stay tuned!

As for the long-lasting eraser, Daniel, talk to Jude Stewart, my blog editor. She waxed rhapsodic about a collection of colored erasers shaped like little animals she got in grade school. The nuns used to sell them out of a broom closet during lunch. As I recall the lone survivor from her collection was a green squirrel...
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Anonymous
Posted September 27, 2006 (03:00AM)
I’m a big fan of the “clicker” style erasers such as this one: http://www.officedepot.com/ddSKU.do?level=SK&id=264407&D=2%20erasers&No=10&Dx=mode%20matchallpartial&Nty=1&Ntx=mode%20matchallpartial&Ntt=erasers&N=100000&uniqueSearchFlag=true&Nr=100000&Ntk=all&An=text

I find the white vinyl erasers result in a cleaner erase, and the pen-line form factor is convenient for carrying around.

Of course, I’m an even bigger fan of the tablet PC, since I’m a huge believer of storing everything electronically (I scanned every photo I’ve ever taken- so now everything is backed up and now immune to fading, water, fire, loss, etc.). And of course, you won’t kill any trees using a PC (but perhaps you’ll burn some coal from the local power plant for the electricity).
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mpc220

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mpc220
Posted October 02, 2008 (04:37PM)

I don't know about you guys and your pencils.  Nothing quite feels as nice or writes as well as a Pilot 0.7 mm gel pen.

 

 

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Posted October 03, 2008 (11:17AM)
I'm with you there, mpc220. Since my most recent cornea transplant about 22 months ago, I find I rely more and more on the Sanford "20/20" easy-to-read pen. Designed especially for the visually impaired, these write big and fat like a Sharpie marker (which I also love) but manage not to bleed through to the other side of the page - magical!
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