Discover the artistry behind handcrafted pens from Stanford Pen Studio and how unique textures in Midori paper can elevate your writing experience. The hosts humorously delve into a tech CEO's quirky note-taking habits, emphasizing the importance of personal stationery choices. They explore innovative journaling tools and effective strategies for digital archiving notes, while also offering insights for a listener entering veterinary school. Plus, they discuss the whimsical world of stationery enthusiasts and the projects on the horizon!
The Stanford Pen Studio illustrates the power of storytelling through their hand-painted pens, showcasing unique artistic styles that encourage personal connections among stationery enthusiasts.
Sam Altman's note-taking advice promotes practical, basic notebooks over fancy materials, emphasizing that quality paper enhances the writing experience in a tech-dominated era.
Deep dives
Exploration of Stanford Pen Studio
The discussion highlights the Stanford Pen Studio, a South African husband and wife duo specializing in hand-painted pens. They focus on storytelling through their designs, utilizing various artists who each bring unique styles. Their recent product line, the Entwana collection, features eight pens representing different creatures, each illustrating creative artwork. One particular pen showcased is a dragon-themed piece, emphasizing the importance of craftsmanship and personal connection among stationery enthusiasts.
Review of Midori MD Cotton Paper
The hosts delve into the Midori MD cotton paper, noting its softer texture compared to traditional writing paper. This softness slightly widens the ink lines when using finer nibs, a detail that matters for those with particular handwriting styles. While the paper enhances ink vibrancy and sheen, making it visually appealing for swatching, it may not be ideal for everyday writing tasks. Ultimately, it serves as a specialized paper for those looking to highlight ink characteristics rather than an all-purpose writing option.
Sam Altman's Note-Taking Insight
Sam Altman's insights on note-taking include advocating for spiral-bound notebooks that allow for easy page removal and organization. His preference for using basic notebooks encourages a practical approach to capturing ideas, although his habit of crumpling and discarding pages has raised eyebrows among enthusiasts. Altman emphasizes the importance of good-quality paper while suggesting that over-fancy materials detract from the writing experience. Despite controversy around some of his methods, his endorsement of analog tools in a tech-driven world is seen as refreshing.
Recommendations for New Stationery Users
The hosts discuss recommendations for those entering the world of stationery, particularly for items like journals and inks. The importance of understanding personal preferences when selecting notebooks and writing tools is stressed, as different users have unique writing styles. For users moving to new locations, such as students studying abroad, it’s suggested to prioritize taking familiar, high-quality pens or inks over lifting the burden of heavy shipping. This personal touch helps beginners build a connection with their materials, fostering a deeper appreciation for stationery.
Brad discusses new products on his desk from Stanford Pen Studio and Midori, and he and Myke dig in to the analog leanings of one of AI’s biggest proponents. We also tackle your Ask TPA, where Brad has more questions than answers.
This episode of The Pen Addict is sponsored by:
Squarespace: Save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain using code PENADDICT.
Enigma Stationery: Shop online with code PENADDICT24 for a free gift and discounted shipping on orders of $50 or more.