"Suddenly, I am taken by the urge to collect all the warm bread to be found in poetry." (G. Bachelard)
As for me, I'm suddenly taken by the urge to collect those moments in a text where a writer reveals various obsessions or attunements with the materials with which she writes. I've started to jot down quotations in a notebook - will see what patterns emerge. (This could take years...) Would dearly love to expand an essay I wrote ages ago, called "Try." (You can see it here on page 51 of the Garneau Review).
Since I began working part-time in a beautiful stationery shop my obsession with paper, pens, ink, notebooks, journals and etc has deepened. I've been collecting links to all sorts of sites run by people who are even more obsessed than I am and thought this would be a good place to share some of those intermittently. Of course, in the back of my mind I'm thinking 'blog project.' Would love to get writers to talk about their mode of getting their thoughts down. Are you qwerty-averse? paper shy? Hooked on Moleskines? An Inkophile? A typewriter addict? A fountain pen lover?
My current journal (still in decent shape even though I spilled half a glass of red wine on it) is pictured above, along with my Lamy Al-Star fountain pen (fine nib) and my favorite Lamy black ink.
I remember an article Calgary playwright Eugene Stickland wrote about his pen obsession. I'm guessing it was in a Calgary paper, but I can't remember when it was. It was funny, though!
ReplyDeleteGorgeous photo, Shawna. And I can't help but notice the similarities between your surname and the ink!
ReplyDeleteSounds like a fantastic idea for a blog project. Can't wait. But WILL wait, gladly, for the essay or essays that ultimately result, because I know time will make them richer.
I'll have to try and look that up m - thanks for the reference!
ReplyDeleteSusan, thanks. I often find myself wanting to say Lemay rather than Lamy...
So far I'm envisioning a collection of essays - fun to start collecting the research.
and paper LASTS
ReplyDeletei have over a dozen pens my friend Giorgos gave me before i left Crete earlier this month. they have the name of his taverna on them. he was pacing around saying "What else can I give you?" as if he hadn't already given us everything...
ReplyDeleteKimmy
very cool! would love to see one next time we share a plate of bacon...
ReplyDeleteThanks for posting the link to Inkophile. Love the photo of the Lamy Al-Star, ink, and journal. The sunlight and shadows give it great drama. Makes me want to whip out a journal and get to work. Thanks for the inspiration.
ReplyDeleteYou're welcome! Love your blog.
ReplyDeleteYou're welcome! Love your blog.
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