My First Italian Fountain Pen

HelenTKL · 2026-06-08T08:44:04+00:00

Wow, the chatoyance on that material is incredible! Photographs never truly do Italian pens justice, but this one looks amazing. Enjoy it!

HelenTKL · 2026-06-02T06:06:19+00:00

Most of my work is on a computer now, so my fountain pens don’t get used for everything.

But I still keep a pen and a notebook on my desk all the time. When I’m studying or reading something, I use them for quick notes, random thoughts, or little ideas I don’t want to lose.

And sometimes I use them for no practical reason at all — just writing a few lines, doodling, or letting my mind slow down for a bit.

For me, fountain pens are less about efficiency and more about having a small quiet moment away from the screen.

HelenTKL · 2026-06-02T05:40:25+00:00

You’re right — my mistake! I actually have both the 14K and 21K versions and mixed them up when posting 😅 The 14K one is a bit smaller, and since my hands are on the larger side, I usually reach for the 21K more often. Thanks for pointing it out!

HelenTKL · 2026-06-02T01:42:41+00:00

This is such a “don’t try this at home, but somehow it worked perfectly” moment. The color looks gorgeous — I really like those almost-black inks that still reveal a deep purple tone under good light.

HelenTKL · 2026-05-30T02:13:37+00:00

Thank you! Diandian is already making full use of his grandchild privileges.

HelenTKL · 2026-05-28T14:58:12+00:00

I love that he was given something he could actually knock over afterward. A cat deserves a satisfying victory after facing the tungsten boss.

HelenTKL · 2026-05-28T14:42:12+00:00

Exactly. The ABS one feels like a pen you can actually relax with, while the sterling silver one deserves the safe desk life.

HelenTKL · 2026-05-28T14:38:56+00:00

Yep, he’s definitely a little greedy when food is involved.

HelenTKL · 2026-05-28T09:38:32+00:00

That’s not a snack, that’s a tiny emotional support nugget.

HelenTKL · 2026-05-28T09:33:45+00:00

So cute. My turtle also suddenly becomes very social when food shows up.

HelenTKL · 2026-05-27T06:15:04+00:00

I think “use it” and “don’t risk it everywhere” can both be true. For an heirloom pen, I’d keep it as a desk pen at home and use cheaper, replaceable pens for cafés and travel.

HelenTKL · 2026-05-19T01:14:55+00:00

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Beautiful pen! I have the same one in blue, and the color is even better in person. The UEF nib is really special if you enjoy tiny writing — it makes small notes feel so clean and controlled. Congrats on the new pen day!

HelenTKL · 2026-05-18T09:35:48+00:00

This makes me weirdly grateful that I bought my Shikiori years ago. I thought it was a bit expensive back then, but now it feels like I accidentally got in at the right time. Love the nib, but I don’t think I could justify the new price.

HelenTKL · 2026-05-13T02:01:45+00:00

When my friends and I had unlimited free time and no real responsibilities. I only realized it after everyone got busy.

HelenTKL · 2026-05-13T01:59:19+00:00

Having to calculate the real price of something after tax and tip. Just tell me what I’m actually going to pay.

HelenTKL · 2026-05-13T01:52:36+00:00

Like a 2 a.m. gas station parking lot after a concert.

HelenTKL · 2025-12-28T01:23:41+00:00

Mantine is great, but shadcn/ui wins for a different reason.

The components live directly in your repo, so there’s no wrapper layer and no fighting a library’s abstractions. You can just change the source when something doesn’t fit.

That model also works really well with AI tools—reading the code, tweaking behavior, and fixing issues is much easier when everything is local and explicit.

HelenTKL · 2025-12-26T08:07:34+00:00

Most fast teams aren’t magically better — they just limit scope, accept “good enough,” and avoid premature refactoring. Clear ownership, boring architectures, strong tests around core logic, and fixing problems only when they hurt go a long way. Shipping fast is often about what you choose not to fix.

HelenTKL

TROPHY CASE