(Jeff Abbott is a regular contributor at The Pen Addict. You can find more from Jeff online at Draft Evolution and Twitter)

A few weeks ago, I wrote about the fun you can have with Pilot's affordable Petit3 brush pens. It was my introduction into the world of brush pens, and I'm glad that Pilot offers a pen of such value at such a great price.

Well, I feel pretty much the same way about the Petit1 series, the fountain pen version. The Petit1 pens have the exact same body as the other Petit line of pens, as well as the same unique color options. I know everyone has different opinions about what fountain pen is best to start with, but I think you can't go wrong by recommending a Petit1.

The Petit1 wasn't my first fountain pen purchase, but it was toward the beginning of the whole slippery slope (Thanks, Brad). I bought a couple of Petit1 pens along with a couple of Platinum Preppies to try out the Japanese nibs that Brad and Myke were talking about so much. Looking back, I won't recommend either of those pens for people who are trying to get a good feel for standard nib sizes of Japanese pens. They just vary too much in size, probably due to the price and lack of more stringent quality controls. Long story short, I didn't care for the Preppies, but loved the Petits. They were fun, easy to write with, and could go anywhere.

I've had my share of dud nibs so far, and I've even learned how to work on them to resolve minor issues. But I'm always impressed by the Petit1 pens because so far I've had a 100% success rate from the factory. No adjustments necessary—just clean, smooth, effortless writing from the beginning. I've spent a lot more money on other pens that have been so frustrating due to nib problems. When I think about the Petit1 and the quality I've seen from Pilot, I just can't fathom how other manufacturers can let so many problems out of the factory and onto the shelves. But, I'm starting to rant.

The Petit1 is a small, pocket-sized pen that is very similar in size to the Kaweco Sport line. Very small when capped, but ergonomic when posted. The range of colors you can get with the Petit1 is one of the most attractive features of the pen. Each pen comes with one cartridge of ink that matches the color of the pen. Surprisingly, Pilot even sell extra cartridges for these pens. Yes, they only fit in the Petit1, but it's still a nice option considering these are priced as disposable pens (actually, they look like standard Pilot cartridges that have been shortened). I'm sure you could even convert these pens to an eyedropper system, but I haven't tried it yet.

One of the things that delighted me about this pen when I first got it was the clear feed. When you pop the ink cartridge in, you can watch the ink creep its way up the small wick inside the feed, and the color spreads to the outer edges of the feed. I enjoy it...maybe a little too much.

These pens write well. They're smooth and dependable. In my experience, even though these are listed as a "fine" nib, they vary from (Japanese) fine to medium in practice.

Despite being thin plastic, I've never had one of these break, which is definitely a major selling point over the Preppy. Every Preppy I've owned has cracked from normal use.

Overall, I can't recommend these pens enough. At $3.80 a pop, you can even go crazy and order all eight colors at once.

The Airfoil Click Pen is not Grant Takara's first Kickstarter rodeo. He has lived the ups and downs of funding with his previous project, the original Airfoil, and is back with a pen design that has already proven to be a winner.

This model differs from its predecessor in two major ways. The first is obvious: This is a click pen instead of a twist pen. It uses the popular Schmidt mechanism that many Kickstarter projects before it have used. It is a solid, simple, attractive, and an excellent choice for any machined pen.

The second major change, and the most important, is the reshaping of the barrel. The original Airfoil had a fin-based barrel, which, while extremely beautiful, was not functional for longer writing sessions. Early reviewers of the original model (I was not one of them) repeatedly made note of how uncomfortable it became and Grant took that feedback to heart when designing the Airfoil Click.

To steal directly from the product page, the barrel has been streamlined. The fins are gone, replaced by a smooth barrel with cutouts on each side that fulfills Grants vision of aircraft geometry as part of the pen, and also serves to reduce the overall weight. My first reaction when I saw this pen was to think of the Uni-ball Jetstream barrel cutout and now I wonder with if that is an aviation based pen too. It is named Jetstream after all.

I'm really impressed with the prototype Grant sent me. If I was forced to pick nits I would like to see the barrel seam connect more flush between the two halves, and the edges on the grip ridges could be softened just a bit, but overall this is a solid product.

The Airfoil Click is available in aluminum (natural or anodized in several striking colors) and titanium. There is even the ability to pick the finish on your clip bolts and push mechanism, which I don't think I have seen anyone offer before.

Thanks again to Grant Takara for sending me this prototype for review and be sure to check out the Airfoil Click Kickstarter project.

Weekly sponsorship slots are now available at The Pen Addict, with the assistance of my friends at Syndicate Ads.

What does this mean, and why the change? I have long term plans for this blog, the podcast, and my work at Nock Co. to be my life. I want to do more, I can do more, and I want you to come along for the ride. This is the first step in making dreams become a reality.

Did I up and quit my day job all of a sudden? No...not yet anyway. But I think I can make a go at this and be successful. It is going to take time, and the time to start is now.

My primary focus with the blog has always been to be as reader friendly as possible. That's why you won't see, and will never see, things like Google Adsense, SEO-style writing and self linking, truncated RSS feeds, etc. I respect you, the reader, too much to put you through that.

With a weekly sponsorship, there is one featured advertiser for the week, and I have a say in who it is. This pays respect to the advertiser in that they have the focus for the week, and pays respect to the reader in that you aren't getting bombarded with nonsense.

There will be more to announce in the coming months. Thank you all so much for your passion and support in reading this site for all these years!

If you have a product or business and would like to sponsor The Pen Addict, head over to the newly created Sponsor Page for all of the details, or get in touch if you would like to book directly or have any questions.

I made a big announcement yesterday but for many readers this one may be more of a surprise. My Saturday Ink Links post will be no more.

These two decisions coming down at the same time was pure coincidence. They have been working their way through my brain at the same time, each on their own separate path. It just so happened that the time to make these changes was now.

The original intent of Ink Links was to share pertinent links I found online related to pens and paper. At the time I started doing it there wasn't much activity in the stationery blog arena, so it was a discovery process for me as much as sharing what I found with readers.

As the years went by and stationery blogs began to sprout, I wanted to be sure that readers of my blog knew there was great content being created and where they could find it. Ink Links became a staple of my blogging schedule and to this day generates a great amount of feedback and fellowship between readers and bloggers alike.

It's hard to stop doing something that has been so successful and so beneficial to me and to others but the timing feels right. Ink Links has become stale, repetitive, uninspired, and no longer poses a challenge. I used to enjoy the hunt for the next great product or blog, but expressing that in the form of an Ink Links-style post has turned into a robotic case of "I link you. You link me. We're a happy family!" I no longer see this post as being a value to the reader.

So, what is next for the Saturday time slot? I'm still figuring that out, but I have some ideas. I want to create content that is useful and meaningful while still remaining true to my strong belief in sharing and promoting others in this wonderful community I am lucky to be a part of. You can be assured that discovery will be a big part of it.

I'm not going to lie - I'm going to miss putting this post together every week. But the time is right and I genuinely look forward to what is next. Thanks for coming along for the ride.

One of the staples in my vast pen arsenal is the Zebra Sarasa Push Clip. Many of you have seen a Zebra Sarasa at your local big box retailer, and while it is a good pen, it is not the same as the Push Clip model.

The primary difference between the two pens is the sharpness of the refill. For some reason, the refills in the Push Clip model lay down a sharper line than similar sized standard Sarasa models. The edges of the line are cleaner, and that is important to me. It makes for better looking handwriting for sure.

Secondarily, there is more everything in the Push Clip line. The recent stocking of the 0.4 mm Red Orange model at JetPens is a prime example. The full lineup includes tip sizes at 0.3 mm, 0.4 mm, 0.5 mm, 0.7 mm, and 1.0 mm AND in a rainbow of colors for each size. On top of that, they are retractable, have a nice rubber grip, and a binder-style clip that can fit on small or large items. So, if you want to grab a red orange 0.4 mm retractable pen with a clip, Zebra has you covered.

0.4 mm is the sweet spot for me in the Push Clip lineup. I keep several colors handy in every spot I write at, including both my home and work desks. Red orange gets heavy use at work marking up documents along with blue black, which is one pf my primary writers. I can't say enough positive things about this pen and for about two bucks it is well worth checking out.

(JetPens is an advertiser on The Pen Addict and I received this product at no charge.)

Chadwick Parker and Joe Huang are the masterminds behind BIGiDESIGN. Their highly successful pen lineup features beautiful designs and the highest quality materials. Their latest pen - the Ti-POST Raw Pen + Stylus - is the epitome of what BIGiDESIGN is all about.

The Ti POST RAW Pen + Stylus is a solid titanium pen in a timeless raw finish. It accepts just about any refill you can throw at it without the need for any modifications or hacks. The cap posts nicely on the back with or without the removable stylus tip. This pen is built to last and pass down to future generations to come.

Head over to BIGiDESIGN and check out the Ti POST RAW Pen + Stylus plus the rest of their wonderful pen and accessory lineup. Use the code "penaddict" at checkout for $5 off your order over $50. All orders come with FREE WORLDWIDE SHIPPING! Be sure to choose the US or International site depending on your location.

My thanks to BIGiDESIGN for sponsoring The Pen Addict blog this week.

The further I get away from the 2014 XOXO Festival the more I realize what it was truly about. The conference was great, the social activities were a blast, but the people I met - that is what is going to stick with me the most from my trip out to Portland.

I spent a lot of time hanging out with Sarah from Candyspotting (SHE CUTS PAPER WITH LASERS!!!) who served as a gracious host and official Portland tour guide, along with her wonderful family. She also challenged the way I think and opened my eyes to so many things. We made fast friends, and have been in touch frequently since XOXO to discuss what we took away from the festival. That is what it is all about.

Sarah knows full well that the readers of The Pen Addict are Field Notes junkies and she was kind enough to offer up her sealed 3-pack of XOXO 2014 Edition Field Notes for a giveaway. How cool is that?

Here is how you can win one of the most unique Field Notes editions I have ever laid eyes on:

1. Leave one comment on this post anytime between now, and Saturday night at 11:59 PM Eastern Time. You are limited to one entry. This contest is open to US and International readers.

2. For this contest, I will pick one winner at random from the comments section of this post. The comments will be numbered in the order they are received, i.e. the first comment is #1, the second #2, and so on. The Random Integer Generator at random.org will be used to pick the number of the winner.

3. The contest winner will be posted on Sunday, October 5th. The winner will have one week to email me via the Contact link at the top of the page.

Sarah didn't ask me to link to her site but I am. Check out her work at Candyspotting if you want your mind blown. I have seen her work in person and it is jaw-dropping. Thanks for doing this Sarah!

What started out as a rollicking episode about secret pens, blinding Field Notes, broad nibs, and amazing reader emails morphed into an Inside Baseball look at my blog. I felt like I was on an episode of Analog(ue) as I discussed the feeling and emotions around the changes I made last week. It's good stuff, if I am allowed to say so myself.

Show Notes & Download Links

Rate & Review us on iTunes

This episode of The Pen Addict is sponsored by:

Pen Chalet: use the code PENADDICT to save 10% on your order or click the ‘podcast’ link at the top of the website and enter the password 'penaddict' for even more savings, as well as your 10% off.

Harry's: An exceptional shave at a fraction of the price. Use code PENADDICT for $5 off your first purchase.

(Jeff Abbott is a regular contributor at The Pen Addict. You can find more from Jeff online at Draft Evolution and Twitter.)

The only experience I've had with Sailor inks so far are the Nano Black cartridges that I ordered with a High Ace Neo. It was an excellent introduction, as the Nano Black is one of the most well-behaved inks I've ever had the pleasure of using. How does the Souten fare against the likes of Pilot Iroshizuku? Pretty well, but it hasn't dethroned Kon-peki for me.

Sailor Jentle Four Seasons Souten is a bit darker and more saturated than Kon-peki, but it's still a beautiful color in its own right. It's the shade of blue that I've been looking for a long time. It seems like every time I find a nice royal blue, it dries to a much less interesting shade. Inks that dry lighter just don't make it into my rotation very often. I'm not very good at describing shades, but I'd describe this as a royal medium blue. JetPens says it's azure, and I guess that's a pretty good description as well.

You could say that Souten is the closest relative to Sailor Sky High, but I don't think it's close enough to qualify. Even so, it's a fantastic ink, and I don't think it's fair to compare the two, or to compare Souten to Kon-peki.

As I'd expect from Sailor, the ink is incredibly well-behaved. If there was one thing that annoyed me about the Nano Black, it's the fact that it dries up in the nib incredibly fast. Souten hasn't dried on the nib even when I've had the pen uncapped and unused for over 2 minutes.

On the page, Souten is smooth and wet. It still manages to dry quickly depending on what kind of paper you're using, and the finished color is still quite pleasing. Looking back through my notes, I'm always drawn to Souten before I know what it is. It has a gravitational pull of some sort.

There is slight shading in this ink, but it's not spectacular. In a wet nib, you likely won't see any shading, but it does look nice in a specialty nib. If blue inks that shade are your thing, there are others that have better shading qualities.

It's behaved very well in the pens I've tried it out in, and it has definitely found a spot in my rotation of favorite inks. Good thing, too. I've had a stretch of bad choices with blue inks, so I'm really happy to have a new go-to blue ink that doesn't look dull or ordinary.

Bleeding, feathering, and show-through aren't issues with this ink. It plays nice with all types of paper, but really shines on premium sheets like Rhodia.

Cleaning out is similar to many other inks. No hitches or problems.

When you talk about inks, you don't always feel the need to mention the bottle. The Sailor Jentle ink bottles are an exception. I love the design of this bottle. It's low and wide and appears to be squatting down to offer the ink. I love the wide cap and heft. Also, it uses a fairly standard filling reservoir that sits in the mouth of the bottle. Just turn the bottle upside down and back up, and you're ready to fill your pen from the full reservoir.

Overall, Sailor Jentle Souten is a great blue ink that I have no problem using daily. When I'm using this ink, I don't feel that it's lacking anything, which means I don't constantly want to re-ink my pen for no good reason. It's a solid, bold blue that works great and draws the writer and reader to the page.

After using this ink, I'm sure I'll be trying more from the Jentle line of inks.

Every now and then I like to reach out and see what products you would like me to review that I haven't reviewed already. I have plenty of fountain pens and inks in the pipeline, but only a handful of standard pens, pencils, and accessories. Leave a comment below and let me know what old products I have missed or what new things I just haven't checked out yet.

While we are in update mode, I made a big push to update my Pen Friends list, so if you or anyone else needs to be included please don't hesitate to let me know.

And finally, I have a new post rolling out in the morning that I hope you enjoy and look forward to as a Saturday Ink Links replacement. I'm pretty excited about it!

My thanks to BIGiDESIGN for sponsoring The Pen Addict this week. Be sure to check out their beautiful pens made with quality materials, such as the Ti -POST Raw, which accepts over three dozen of your favorite refills. Don't forget to use the code "penaddict" at checkout for $5 off your order of $50 or more, which also includes free worldwide shipping.

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Three Questions is a weekly feature where I chat with some of my favorite people online. Writers, artists, musicians, tech geeks - everyone is fair game. If there is someone you would like to see featured in a future Three Questions please leave a comment below.

Big thanks to Tessa from All Things Stationery for going first!

What role do analog tools such as pens, pencils, and paper play in your day to day life?

My "day job" is as an administrator at a University in London, and although it is a very computer based role, there's still plenty of room for pens and paper. I make lots of lists and take minutes in meetings so I always have a grid notebook and rollerball on the go. These aren't the most exciting of stationery items, but they are the most practical for what I do.  I also take lots of pride in giving good greeting cards and wrapping presents well, so having good gift wrap is especially important to me. 

What are your favorite products you are currently using?

I use a Hobonichi Techo Planner, which lives in my handbag. I use it an appointments diary, and then go back and fill in details/stick in tickets etc. if I have time. I also have a Field Notes in my bag for jotting down any ideas I have throughout the day, along with a Huckleberry Woodchuck bullet pencil. Pen-wise I usually use Muji gel pens (0.38mm if possible), and most recently I have surprised myself by often reaching for my Mark's Inc. Tous Les Jours ballpoint pen. I'm not usually a fan of ball points but this one has such a neat, fine line, that I've been really enjoying it. I also use my Kaweco Sport for my "best" writing, but I'm a bit of a fountain pen novice (sorry!). 

What post are you the most proud of on your blog?

I've been enjoying my Stationery Organised Neatly series, a photography project inspired by the Things Organised Neatly Tumblr. I've been arranging my stationery by colour theme. The most recent was Brown & Brass.

And this isn't post as such, but I've recently added a page to my site where I'm trying to put together a comprehensive map of (brick and mortar) stationery stores across the world.

I am lucky to be able to give away lots of cool stuff on The Pen Addict and this XOXO 2014 Field Notes has been one of my favorites. The winner of this rare edition is:

Congrats Ian! You have one week to get in touch, and I advise you do so because there will be many others clamoring to get their hands on these.

Thanks again to Sarah from Candyspotting for offering up these to readers of The Pen Addict!

In the world of non-standard inks, purple black is only behind blue black as my favorite color outside of the standard black, blue, red trifecta. If I could only use blue black inks the rest of my life I would be happy, but dang it if purple black doesn't sneak into the rotation frequently.

Uni-ball introduced their BLX lineup in 2012 to some fanfare but I personally never fully embraced it. That was a mistake because these are really good pens. And after using the Vision Elite 0.5mm Purple Black model I think I am ready to name it my number one liquid ink roller ball when I add that list to my next Top 5 Pens update, which will be out before the end of the month.

I've defaulted to the Pilot Precise line as the best liquid ink roller ball pen for years, but the Vision Elite is where it is at, especially in the 0.5 mm tip size. The line is super clean and as smooth of an 0.5 mm pen as you will find. The barrel design is great, including the comfortable cross-hatched grip. On top of that, the Vision Elite uses archival ink, and the pen is airplane safe. What more can you ask for?

The only knock you are likely to have is that while the pen is refillable it is not very cost or size effective. Due to the design, and assumedly to keep it airplane safe, the "refill" comprises replacing at least 50% of the total pen, if not more. It is a huge piece that includes the grip section and pen tip, along with the ink reservoir. I think most users would just buy a new pen.

That oddness aside, I love this pen. I've long been a fan of Uni-ball's use of lavender black in the Signo DX and Signo RT so I am glad to see this similar color make its appearance in on of Uni-ball's main line products like the Vision Elite. The Signo 207 and Jetstream lineup also feature the same colors. I hope to add those to the arsenal soon.

(JetPens is a sponsor of The Pen Addict and I received this product at no charge.)

Venturi Pen is a small collective of creative designers based in London, UK. Their initial offering via Kickstarter is the aptly named Venturi One, a sleek metal bodied beauty based on the cult icon Pilot Hi-Tec-C gel ink pen.

The Venturi One is an indulgent Apple-esque design which uses simplicity and quality craftsmanship to produce a beautiful pen with a real statement of intent from the Venturi design team. Options for the metal body of the Venturi One include stainless steel, sterling silver and 9ct gold, the entry level being priced around $30 with free worldwide shipping.

Get behind the project on Kickstarter and bag one of the Early Bird options which will be delivered in time for Santa's arrival!

My thanks to Venturi Pen for sponsoring The Pen Addict this week.

I've been lucky to meet Georgia resident Scott Fuller in person on a couple of different occasions and was happy to have him on the podcast this week to discuss his design studio, The Studio Temporary. I'm a fan, as the walls of Nock Co. and the stickers on my laptop will attest to. We also talk about an interesting new Kickstarter pencil project and how I used to hate fountain pens.

Show Notes & Download Links

Rate & Review us on iTunes

This episode of The Pen Addict is sponsored by:

-- lynda.com: An easy and affordable way to help individuals and organizations learn. Free 7-day trial.

-- Hover: Simplified Domain Management. Use code 'HELLOSAILOR' for 10% off your first purchase.

(Jeff Abbott is a regular contributor at The Pen Addict. You can find more from Jeff online at Draft Evolution and Twitter.)

Pocket notebooks are extremely trendy today. I really have no idea why or where the trend started (actually, I think I have a pretty good idea why—I'm just being really sarcastic). And that trend is perfectly fine with me, because it means there's always plenty of new things to try. Besides the standard Field Notes, pretty much every notebook maker offers some sort of pocket-sized notebook. Some are a bit smaller or have different paper than standard Field Notes, but I've recently been smitten by the Doane Paper Utility Notebook — the small version, to be exact.

Brad reviewed this notebook back in 2008, but these notebooks deserve some more attention. Question is, is Brad's opinion still the same about these books? His thoughts from almost 6 years (six years!!) ago mirror my own thoughts almost exactly.

I, like many of you, have a problem with acquiring too many Field Notes for my own good. They're unique, practical, and have such a great design and versatility. To me, they're made to be used, and that's exactly what I do with them.

The Doane Paper Utility Notebooks are also made to be used, and I've been enjoying the heck out of them since I bought a few. I'm sorry to keep comparing them to Field Notes, but it's kind of hard not to since they're so similar in size.

Similar, yes. But very unique in so many good ways.

The paper used in the Utility Notebooks is awesome in my opinion. It takes fountain pen ink like a champ and is smooth while doing so. Of course, it has the signature Doane Paper "grid+lines" pattern on the pages—something that I've grown very fond of since using the books. The lines are wide enough to handle my frantic scrawl when writing down an important note or idea, and the grids are small enough for more detailed and exact writing. It really is the best of both worlds. When I first started using the paper, I was a little overwhelmed by all of the lines, but I got over it pretty quickly. They're calming now.

There's show-through in the paper when using fountain pens, but it's usable. I don't use fountain pens in my Field Notes for that reason—the standard Field Notes paper doesn't do well for me with fountain pen ink. Of course, gel and rollerball inks act perfectly well-behaved on the paper. According to the Doane shop, the paper is 60# recycled paper, which is one mark higher than the standard 50# Field Notes paper. (Yes, some Field Notes editions have thicker paper, but I'm talking about the standard-issue books).

Being the same size as Field Notes, you know they fit in your pocket like a champ. That means they even fit in my Nock Hightower, no sweat.

The cover is a cardstock that is fairly resilient. I expected it to fade faster since it's a black stock, but it's held its color really well. I've recently transitioned to working from home, so my pocket notebooks don't get nearly as much time in my pockets, so keep that in mind. Daily pocket carry would definitely leave more signs of wear.

The design of the cover is unassuming. It's a black book with some white text that describe the book. Personally, I love the look of the black books as well as the other colors. I don't believe you can buy the 3-pack traffic light variety any more, but they very recently released a very attractive 6-pack of gorgeous colors that I feel compelled to buy.

The inside covers are blank, which feels a bit odd after using so many Field Notes. But, the beauty of a blank white cover is that it can be used for whatever you want. You can add your own personal contact information or favorite uses for the books. Hey, if you're really careful you can even draw your own ruler.

Three silver staples bind the book together, and I haven't experienced any issues with the binding coming apart. These are really well-made.

Overall, these are fantastic notebooks that I highly recommend. For me, they've become the new standard. I won't be able to resist any special edition Field Notes that come along that strike my fancy, but these definitely have my vote over the standard edition. They're working notebooks, and that's what matters.

How do I integrate wooden pencils into my daily writing arsenal?

That is such a ridiculous question but it is where I am at mentally right now. I have become a pencil believer, with much gratitude to my compadres at Erasable, but taking a pencil with me for regular, daily use is a challenge I have yet to overcome.

The easy answer is to just do it, right? That is all well and good, but I am a peculiar and particular individual when it comes to things like writing instruments (I write a blog about these things for goodness sakes!) Daily wooden pencil use is a hump I haven't been able to get over, as much as I want to.

I think the carry aspect is what stops me on most days. When I leave the house, my notebook is in a front or back pants pocket, and a pen or three is clipped to my shirt or in a pocket somewhere. Wooden pencils do not work in this way, and therefore are never considered for this task.

I'm rambling about this because I think I have found the pencil for me in the Tombow Mono 100 and I want it to be a bigger part of my writing life. This is far and away the best looking pencil I own, the HB graphite lead is smooth with just a hint of feedback, the point holds an unreal amount of time, it's Japanese (I'm admittedly biased), and LOOK HOW PRETTY IT IS!

The Tombow Mono 100 is the only pencil I have thrown in my backpack to take from home to work and back because I wanted it available to me at all times. My Topo + Doane Mountain Bag has the perfect vertical slots for pencil carry and the Mono 100 travels well in it. I need to go ahead and stock my desk so I have a few available at all times.

That still doesn't solve my carry problems though. I know there are bullet pencil options and caps that prevent breakage, but I don't want to settle either. Like a good pen, I want to use it when and where and how I want. Answering all of those questions is the journey I am on.

(JetPens is a sponsor of The Pen Addict and I received this product at no charge.)

My thanks to Venturi Pen for sponsoring The Pen Addict this week. Their current Kickstarter for the Venturi One - Minimal Pen has three weeks to go with several Early Bird spots remaining. Be sure to check it out.

Shawn Blanc is one of the good guys. I’ve had the pleasure of knowing him online for years and was excited to finally meet him in person at the XOXO Festival in Portland this year. My thanks to Shawn for taking time out of his busy schedule to answer Three Questions.

1. What role do analog tools such as pens, pencils, and paper play in your day to day life?

My pen and paper give me a bit of balance and escape from my otherwise fully-digital workflows. I do almost all my reading, writing, task management, research, communcation, and more from something that has a screen and an Internet connection.

But I always have my pen and notebook opened beside me because I employ a hybrid sort of system that uses both digital and analog tools. In short, I start out each day with a cup of coffee, my iPad, my notebook, and my pen. I then scrub through my OmniFocus to-do list and write down on paper all the tasks I hope to do that day. I also write down my "big three" goals which will define success for me. And then, I write down my day's schedule -- I make appointments for when I'm going to do my goals and tasks.

The whole process takes me less than 10 minutes, and when I'm done I now have a written down, concrete plan for my day -- I know what to do and when to do it.

Not only is this a nice excuse to actually write with pen and paper, but I also like the "distraction free" environment of a notebook when it comes to referencing my plans as I move through the day. Moreover, you can't flip through the pages of your archived OmniFocus database. Having a journal which is thick with crossed off action items and scribbled-down thoughts is proof that I am, in fact, showing up every day and getting to work. It's proof for me alone. It's my own reminder that today I am not in the same place I was yesterday.

2. What are your favorite products you are currently using?

Baron Fig dot grid Confidant and the 0.38mm Signo DX.

The Baron Fig is almost the best journal on the planet. It's exactly the right size, has exactly the right type of paper, and is very well made. I only wish it had a higher-quality bookmark ribbon and a stay-shut band to wrap around the cover when it's closed.

And it was you, Brad, who introduced me to the Signo DX. It is the finest pen on the planet, and I am forever in your debt.

3. What post are you the most proud of on your blog?

Ask me another day, and I may give you another answer. But today it's this article I wrote  regarding family, country, and conviction.

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