As I wrote the other day, each fountain pen I have was bought for different reasons or for different attributes (beginner, demonstrator, flex nib, long cartridge etc). On top of that, each pen performs differently. What follows are my observations and comments on some of these attributes and performance. Some of these thoughts are personal and subjective whereas others are statements of fact about each pen.
1. Lamy Safari + Relatively cheap + Beginner indentations to assist pen holding + Replacement nibs easy to install, and relatively easy to buy + Smooth and comfortable to use - Somewhat cheap feeling/looking - Proprietary cartridges ^ 2.
A couple of months ago I mentioned that I was reading in the early part of Luke’s gospel using Search the Scriptures to guide my reading and questions. I’ve since completed that, done some reading/studying in 1 Peter using a different method and have recommenced Search the Scriptures reading in Genesis.
In just the second week of readings from Luke I came across three instances where the Bible text didn’t accord with what I been told it meant over the years.
My first use of a fountain pen (aside from the obligatory use of ‘cartridge pens’ back in primary school in the mid-70s) was around October 2015. At the time I was doing some journaling along with my Bible reading and recognised that my handwriting was pretty ordinary. I did some research1 and came across the idea that writing with a fountain pen can improve one’s handwriting because you generally slow down a little and take more care with the letters being formed.
For some reason every six or twelve months I tend to switch Linux distros. Some of that history can be read here, here, here, here, here and here.
My mid-2021 switch has been from Fedora 32 running Gnome 3 to Arch running i3. What precipitated this flip? A couple of things: a new release of the Gnome Desktop Environment had been released and Fedora seemed a little slow (to me) in making it available in their stable branch.
Over the past week-and-a-half I’ve been spending time reading the early stages of Luke’s gospel. I’m not reading aimlessly or randomly but have begun using Search the Scriptures - which is a book first published in 1934 and revised in 1949 and 1967 that seeks to encourage regular, systematic Bible reading and study.
The material in Search the Scriptures covers the entire Bible and contains studies to take exactly three years if it is used daily.
We’re looking at the eleventh stanza of Psalm 119 - verses 81 to 88 prefixed with the letter kaf. This will bring us to the half way mark in the Psalm.
These verses, from the NASB®1, interspersed with my comments are:
81. My soul languishes for Your salvation; I wait for Your word. Interesting to see the words ’languishes’ and ‘wait’ in this verse. It runs counter to the idea common in Christian (and other) circles that we always need to be doing something.
We’re looking at the tenth stanza of Psalm 119 - verses 73 to 80 prefixed with the letter yod.
These verses, from the NASB®1, interspersed with my comments are:
73. Your hands made me and fashioned me; Give me understanding, that I may learn Your commandments. Begins (as all sensible thinking should) with an acknowledgement of God’s creatorship2 and, therefore, a prayer for understanding. Here the understanding is sought to enable the Psalmist to learn the commandments.
We’re up to the ninth stanza from Psalm 119 - verses 65 to 72 prefixed with the letter tet.
These verses, from the NASB®1, interspersed with my comments read as follows:
65. You have dealt well with Your servant, O LORD, according to Your word. An interesting phrase or concept - that God has ‘dealt well’ with David. Equally interesting is David’s observation of this state of affairs. We can rely on the fact that God will deal with us is accordance with His word.
We’re up to the eighth stanza from Psalm 119 - verses 57 to 64 prefixed with the letter chet.
These verses, from the NASB®1, interspersed with my comments read as follows:
57. The LORD is my portion; I have promised to keep Your words. The word translated as ‘portion’ is the Hebrew cheleq (H2506) which refers to an allotment, inheritance or portion. The verse is a declaration of intent. The word translated as ‘promise’ is the Hebrew amar (H559) and can be read as to say or to speak, to call out or declare, to promise.
We’re up to the seventh stanza from Psalm 119 - verses 49 to 56 prefixed with the letter zayin.
These verses, from the NASB®1, interspersed with my comments read as follows:
49. Remember the word to Your servant, In which You have made me hope. An interesting turn-around in this verse where David asks the Lord to remember His word. Is this word the general revelation of God’s will to the Jewish people as David would have received it (the Torah or first five books of the Bible)?