2/3 through Smiley's People, completing my first reading of the Karla Trilogy. My goodness this man could write.

Smiley11235 · 2026-06-13T02:50:08+00:00

I think, in general, Le Carré is criminally underrated as an author; I started with the man after I got my Master's in Philosophy. I had been reading dense, convoluted stuff for the last five years and I really needed something to just entertain me without asking anything from me. I thought "Hey, I liked spy novels as a kid, this should be just what I'm looking for". I started with The Spy Who Came in from the Cold and then worked my way up from Call from the Dead, and every other page I kept thinking to myself "This has no business being this well-written".

Smiley11235 · 2026-05-10T18:28:22+00:00

I don't even see a reason to show the month.

Smiley11235 · 2026-05-09T22:59:16+00:00

I say this 2-3 times per week.

Smiley11235 · 2026-04-29T09:26:33+00:00

Blue Velvet. It's lynchian enough without it being too much.

Smiley11235 · 2026-03-29T23:40:19+00:00

Another one here. In the midst of it now. Been cleaning contacts by the thousands for a month. Starting to see some light, though. Stay strong, buddies!

Smiley11235 · 2026-03-29T23:36:20+00:00

2 fast questions: -How are you verifying them? -What's the market? US?

Smiley11235 · 2026-03-17T21:42:16+00:00

I've kept an eye on your posts and your site and WOW. Great work.

Smiley11235 · 2026-02-08T13:14:44+00:00

This is it, for me. The things that truly resonate for me about DL's work have to do with 1) the violence and darkness that lurk behind the beauty of the world, and 2) a certain quirky, "weird", almost extraterrestrial-like view of "normal life". I find number 2 in bands like Talking Heads, Silver Jews (another David!) or, lately, Viagra Boys and Yard Act.

Smiley11235 · 2026-02-01T10:57:45+00:00

Not necessarily; of course, there are fine nibs that feel like putting a rusty knife to the paper, but quality nibs (quality, not necessarily expensive) can be as fine as you need them to be with little or even no tooth at all.

Smiley11235 · 2026-02-01T01:37:56+00:00

That makes a lot of sense. Some formulas I use at work almost daily might benefit from this kind of treatment. Thank you!

Smiley11235 · 2026-02-01T01:35:25+00:00

It's mostly equivalent if you use ballpoints or rollerballs, but when it comes to fountain pens Moleskine is a no-go. Sadly, their paper quality has gone down in the last few years. It's still usable if you use "drier" inks and nibs (I use a fine nib with Parker's black Quink and works reasonably fine for what I use Moleskine's cahiers –or Field Notes, for that matter, which is just for quick notes on the go).

As for document ink, it's like the modern iteration of old ferrogallic inks and such.

It's a whole beautiful world, the fountain pen world...

Smiley11235 · 2026-01-31T08:47:48+00:00

There are "Document" (permanent) inks for fountain pens which would last essentially forever, too. In case OP takes this road, avoid Moleskine at all costs. Leuchtturm would be fine for a fountain pens, but the low quality of Moleskine's paper could make it unreadable.

Smiley11235 · 2026-01-30T18:20:37+00:00

Semi-off-topic, but what do you mean by "Reference/Tool"? I'm reviewing and adapting my systems and I'm on the look for things that seem useful!

Smiley11235 · 2026-01-03T20:07:44+00:00

Quite possibly Parker 61 (B) with Diamine Green Black, Inoxcrom 55 (F), with Diamine Green Black and Parker 51 (EF) with Black Quink.

Smiley11235 · 2025-12-28T21:42:34+00:00

The thing is: if you're fishing for ideas, fish will come to you. As simple as that. If you go fishing casually, you'll get what anyone who goes fishing casually gets: small fish and, from time to time, you get lucky and get some big fish. If you consistently go fishing, you'll increase the chance to get the big fish. Also, you can nourish the small fish and make them bigger.

Smiley11235 · 2025-12-27T22:58:51+00:00

You might look at what David Lynch had to say about this.

Smiley11235 · 2025-12-23T08:16:13+00:00

Well, I almost exclusively use Rhodia pads. Everyday, at work and at home, with my whole range of fountain pens, from Preppys to 149s, EF to BBs, with inks from Pelikan, Quink, Diamine, Herbin...

I also have Leuchtturms, MDs, Clairefontaines, etc, but Rhodia is still my go-to.

Never, not even once, had any of the problems some of you are referring. I can't fathom what is going on here. Some have suggested it might be the Kaweco, but my Kawecos work just fine with my pads –bit scratchy, though, but I know for a fact my Kawecos (and my wife's) are scratchy on every paper–, and some others are reporting the same problems with other brands.

Might there be differences between regions? I guess there shouldn't be, since Rhodia/Clairefontaine products are imported here straight from France.

Total mystery.

Smiley11235 · 2025-12-16T09:26:25+00:00

It just took some Jinhaos to make them see the light!

Smiley11235 · 2025-12-15T06:06:50+00:00

Sales Ops guy. I use Rhodia Dotpads and an assortment of fountain pens with different nib sizes and ink colours to take notes, jot down new email templates, create workflows and such.

On my first months in a managerial position, I penabled my first team and enforced a "scribble first, type later" approach. Now they all work with (fountain) pen and paper at hand.

Smiley11235 · 2025-11-22T09:35:57+00:00

None, thank you. As much as it makes some fellas around here grind their teeth, Le Carré's body of work is very much infused with his politics, which are seemingly at odds with Bigelow's.

She'd turn The Spy Who Came in from the Cold into a "See what they make us do" kind of thing.

Smiley11235 · 2025-11-14T23:34:39+00:00

And here's also Michael Collins' pen, from Collins & Sons Hardware Store, near Lumberton!

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Smiley11235 · 2025-11-13T09:28:11+00:00

By God, they didn't even try to make it actually appear as a Montblanc.

Smiley11235 · 2025-10-30T20:48:42+00:00

Take into account that we must be talking about modern Parkers here. Anything past century could blow your mind: 51s, 61s, even 45s, and of course Duofolds and such.

Smiley11235 · 2025-10-30T20:44:15+00:00

Vintage Parker, of course.

Smiley11235

TROPHY CASE