The fountain pen that my sister gave me not so long ago is dead. the ink dried up in the tip and while I soaked it to cleanse it, the water seems to have damaged the ink tunnel and the pen just won't work...
It's not a chaotic thing, it was a cheap, plastic pen that has some sort of cow-ish cartoon character printed on it. Fountain pens are a momentum of the past... When I was in high-school I had a literature teacher that used to say he was from Jupiter; he claimed that he came to earth to teach literature to kids like us.
Many of the students who had him talked dirt and debris about him; he was not an easy teacher to have, he demanded attention, work and brains; something you do not want to have or give when you are in your full blown teens. He added a plus: we wanted us to learn and use handwriting (italic or cursive) and we were to learn it with the use of fountain pens; our notebooks had to have the same ink TONE, otherwise we would have to redo them all over again.
His examinations were oral as he browsed through our notebooks. I remember seeing my classmates being flunked because their ink tones did not match or he found a word or two in the "mold" writing (non cursive)...Needless to say the horror it caused for him that we used an atomic or ball point pen... LOL
He was a rosecrozier, an old man set in his ways who would always wear a handkerchief on his jacket pocket, his trousers were always long enough to keep the socks covered and he would wear a hat that would take off to greet our mothers... I participated in a short story and poetry contest that I did not know I wasn't supposed to; naturally as I wasn't supposed to, I did not win but the jury panel told me that otherwise I would have won.
That day I got late to class, he was mad. The prefect told him where I was and I can still remember the proud gaze he had on his face as he realized I was getting awarded for my achievements in literature. My sister had him as a teacher years later, she told me he was disappointed of her as she is not as a literature fan as I am, and she had to redo several of her notebooks due to ink tone change and handwriting change...I never had to redo mine.
I am pretty sure he is dead now... I own a few fountain pens and I try to write cursive as he taught me; though most of the time the need for speed does not allow me to be as detailed as he was; still I have my waterman and my mont blanc and I still feel as I wield them in my hands that I should be getting ready to sign the peace treaty of -some- country.
Still he is with me and I remember him every day. My fountain pen is the best memory of those days and the teachings he taught me.... Well, all of us, though as usual and as with any other student body, his teachings landed with us some in fertile ground and some... in water....
Thursday, March 12, 2015
Monday, March 9, 2015
Asterix Comics box set... Is it worthy??
I needed to make a workplace gift last month. As most people act on such things, I started to think about the personality traits of the person who was the recipient of the present... I decided on the best and worst traits and then moved to decide how much did i really liked him...
Then, went to check my bank balance... How much could I actually spend on a workplace gift? I mean, there is always the coffee mug (but I HATE getting a landslide of those, how many mugs can you actually OWN?), so I figured that a man would really not like the idea of "world's best co-worker" mug, as well as that would be a very popular idea....
Stuffed animals is the other highly popular stuff... I scuffed and thought: "they call it puppy love" (signing in my mind is far better because there I am actually in tune), and I remembered that it is the classic gift that says: "I have no idea what to get you and I cared so little that I found this at the gas station mini mart, so here you go and happy whatever it is you are supposedly celebrating"
As I browsed Amazon to figure out what it was that I would buy, I stumbled into this: Asterix Box Set and a light bulb appeared in my mind [imagine Gru]. A great idea, fairly cheap considering it is 34 books, the whole collection and something that you can give without looking like a dork or a jerk.
I did not hesitate on it and clicked, bought it and instructed the site to deliver as a gift. When the celebration came I was at peace and ease as I knew my gift was proper, would be well received and certainly it was original.
I wasn't wrong. When the courier arrive (I had the idea to have it delivered at the office so I could see first hand if I had had a good idea or not), the recipient was in awe as it turns out he grew up reading Asterix's comic books. The fact that it comes with 34 of the titles makes up for the fact that there are a few that are missing and that are classics.
Another thing that was liked upon receiving the box set was the binding of the books, though personally I prefer them to be soft covers rather than hard ones. He liked hard ones because they tend to be more protective of the pages inside (this certainly can be verified by my own puny Asterix collection) but still I prefer to be able to partially fold them and carry them around in my purse...
But it was not my gift to choose but his. He liked it and as far as I know, so did his children.
At a bit over $200.00 is a very good purchase if you are looking for that special gift and will certainly be well received as it has more advantages than disadvantages.
Then, went to check my bank balance... How much could I actually spend on a workplace gift? I mean, there is always the coffee mug (but I HATE getting a landslide of those, how many mugs can you actually OWN?), so I figured that a man would really not like the idea of "world's best co-worker" mug, as well as that would be a very popular idea....
Stuffed animals is the other highly popular stuff... I scuffed and thought: "they call it puppy love" (signing in my mind is far better because there I am actually in tune), and I remembered that it is the classic gift that says: "I have no idea what to get you and I cared so little that I found this at the gas station mini mart, so here you go and happy whatever it is you are supposedly celebrating"
As I browsed Amazon to figure out what it was that I would buy, I stumbled into this: Asterix Box Set and a light bulb appeared in my mind [imagine Gru]. A great idea, fairly cheap considering it is 34 books, the whole collection and something that you can give without looking like a dork or a jerk.
I did not hesitate on it and clicked, bought it and instructed the site to deliver as a gift. When the celebration came I was at peace and ease as I knew my gift was proper, would be well received and certainly it was original.
I wasn't wrong. When the courier arrive (I had the idea to have it delivered at the office so I could see first hand if I had had a good idea or not), the recipient was in awe as it turns out he grew up reading Asterix's comic books. The fact that it comes with 34 of the titles makes up for the fact that there are a few that are missing and that are classics.
Another thing that was liked upon receiving the box set was the binding of the books, though personally I prefer them to be soft covers rather than hard ones. He liked hard ones because they tend to be more protective of the pages inside (this certainly can be verified by my own puny Asterix collection) but still I prefer to be able to partially fold them and carry them around in my purse...
But it was not my gift to choose but his. He liked it and as far as I know, so did his children.
At a bit over $200.00 is a very good purchase if you are looking for that special gift and will certainly be well received as it has more advantages than disadvantages.
Tuesday, March 3, 2015
Tired legs...
My legs started to develop varicose veins... as any other normal person I tried -almost- everything I was told: corn leaves tea; putting my feet up every so often (which is quite hard to do when you have to work and/or you have your boss/coworkers constantly needing stuff); tried the compression socks and stockings ...
I have to say that the socks are usually useless they do not provide compression and you end up constantly pulling them up and/or with the legs swollen as if you were not using anything plus they are quite expensive.
The stockings are their own thing on the side! They are hard to put on; harder for you to settle on them (I constantly feel like Tom trying to fit himself in the tire to catch Jerry [watch here The Little Runaway) it never ceases to amaze me how often we end up looking like Tom and the tire chamber in an attempt to look "good"... Regardless the fact that they do break frequently when trying to wear them -though maybe the clasping them tightly to pull them up has something to do with that problem- and they are quite expensive....
Anyway, the socks and the stockings were a dud and eventually I tossed them out the window, but still I had the burning sensation and the need to do something about my legs as they felt in pain with the circulatory problem... I used natural remedies and pills that offer to remove the varicose veins... the only thing that they were good for were for removing money out of my wallet....
Then I found Goicochea... in the beginning those who might remember started with tablets and pills and capsules, then they became a tonic... now they are a cream... The tonic was very good and effective with the additional wonder that you were able to dab it only on the affected part.
Now, the cream... it is somewhat good. Not all that I would like, for sure but it is fairly adequate. yet I find myself still applying it two or five times a day..
If you are using this cream for the first time be aware that it does to leave your skin tight... not because it is constricting the tissue but because it lacks enough of the ingredients that you need to keep your skin soft and moist...
Cream instructions state to rub it upwards towards your chest and to apply as often as needed. I would add thatthe best results are three times a day: In the AM before you leave for work or the last thing as you get ready to start your day. Midday preferably after lunch so that your legs are rested and comfortable and at night. If you bathe or shower, after this time and with a partially dry skin.
Also it is important that you add a cream to the application. The cream will help you keep the Goicochea cream in your skin and will prevent you smearing it everywhere. Finally the best ne of the Goicochea creams is called "winter" and it is called so because of the menthol in it.
There are rumors that this cream will be taken off the market. Not a problem, just mix equal parts of the Goicochea cream and any menthol-based rub gel and you are good to go.
I have to say that the socks are usually useless they do not provide compression and you end up constantly pulling them up and/or with the legs swollen as if you were not using anything plus they are quite expensive.
The stockings are their own thing on the side! They are hard to put on; harder for you to settle on them (I constantly feel like Tom trying to fit himself in the tire to catch Jerry [watch here The Little Runaway) it never ceases to amaze me how often we end up looking like Tom and the tire chamber in an attempt to look "good"... Regardless the fact that they do break frequently when trying to wear them -though maybe the clasping them tightly to pull them up has something to do with that problem- and they are quite expensive....
Anyway, the socks and the stockings were a dud and eventually I tossed them out the window, but still I had the burning sensation and the need to do something about my legs as they felt in pain with the circulatory problem... I used natural remedies and pills that offer to remove the varicose veins... the only thing that they were good for were for removing money out of my wallet....
Then I found Goicochea... in the beginning those who might remember started with tablets and pills and capsules, then they became a tonic... now they are a cream... The tonic was very good and effective with the additional wonder that you were able to dab it only on the affected part.
Now, the cream... it is somewhat good. Not all that I would like, for sure but it is fairly adequate. yet I find myself still applying it two or five times a day..
If you are using this cream for the first time be aware that it does to leave your skin tight... not because it is constricting the tissue but because it lacks enough of the ingredients that you need to keep your skin soft and moist...
Cream instructions state to rub it upwards towards your chest and to apply as often as needed. I would add thatthe best results are three times a day: In the AM before you leave for work or the last thing as you get ready to start your day. Midday preferably after lunch so that your legs are rested and comfortable and at night. If you bathe or shower, after this time and with a partially dry skin.
Also it is important that you add a cream to the application. The cream will help you keep the Goicochea cream in your skin and will prevent you smearing it everywhere. Finally the best ne of the Goicochea creams is called "winter" and it is called so because of the menthol in it.
There are rumors that this cream will be taken off the market. Not a problem, just mix equal parts of the Goicochea cream and any menthol-based rub gel and you are good to go.
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