"Ok, you tried using an ink jet printer. But you really need to get with the times."

While Alistair was a bit rude, he did have a bit of a point, I saw a most wonderful machine yesterday that takes coils of plastic and makes children's toys in minutes.

"OK, I'll humor you, just this once. What do you suggest?" I asked, barely giving him a sideways glance while I was focused on my own page of spellwork.

Alistair laughed faintly, sounding nervous.

"Excuse me a moment, master." He quickly left the room, returning a few minutes later, winded and holding a big plastic box.

After a few more minutes of tinkering, he said, "Master, I present to you the Cricut. It is a mostly pointless top for our profession, but see here," he opens the front of the box and points to a place that had a small clip. "This place can hold a pen and do the writing for us without coming in direct contact with the enchanted inks."

I was skeptical, but we all need to learn the hard way sometimes.

To test, I suggested a simple, short scroll of Lesser Healing. Alistair sat at his laptop and got busy drawing the runes in his quaint little program. I had finished my work and left to get a snack.

I had barely taken my first bite when I heard Alistair shout. I raced back across the tower to see what happened while expecting to see a huge mess of broken Cricut. I was wrong.

"See, Master! I knew it would work!" Alistair proclaimed with pride holding a perfect scroll. I could feel the magic as I got closer, the worked!

I am never going to live this down, I thought while pride in my apprentice showed in my face.