A Book By Any Other Color

Reading over the "cliff notes" here, according to Wikipedia, I'm fully reminded of the storyline that is this book's. I remember being attracted to the book by its title, though I suppose it must have been that I saw it as a "soft" one.

I remember being able to read the book, no problem; that is, I wasn't confused by any of the description or context. And for the age I'd been when I read it, I considered that to be a notable thing for me; an achievement.

In learning the reference behind the book's title, here, it's something to understand the full scope that is any color & being able to appreciate all that a color, all that any moment in our time of life, has to offer. Being able to let go of every ail & embrace whatever beauty may be.

Celie, with Shug's assisting foresight, does just this while in the field of flowers. When, officially, deep breaths can be drawn, acceptance can be made, acknowledgement of the unchangeable can become a real & healing thing.

It's a further testament to that which we already know - when we cannot change a circumstance we can hold a grudge, we can have disdain for a person, place, or thing - though none will be an accomplishment other than to exhaust us, wear us down, & leave us just as miserable as we'd been before (if not more so). Taking in the "deep sighs" of life can be the healthiest & most rewarding.


Unlike certain other books which similarly take a turn on screen, this book, as a movie, linked here bodes well with its casting, direction & producing. At least in my humble opinion. 😏



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The Not-So-Empty Cupboard

Now here's a book that brings back memories of all that was sixth grade...including cardboard rocket ships & finding myself beginning my adolescence. The former because my sixth grade teacher was very excited about these juvenile style rockets & formed them into his teaching plans annually. The latter because, well, life happens, & with it comes adolescent years. 😁

I'd planned to keep the book posts this month in the order, or very close to the order, of which I'd originally read them. This plan has failed with this post, if not beforehand, as I definitely read these, these, these, & these after I read this. Yet once I happened upon this book in a listing, it flooded back many memories (& for once, they weren't all bad 😂) - I thought to share.

This was a book assigned as part of class. And it being decades ago, I don't recall the specifics, though I remember it being a monumental part of our sixth grade class year. Our teacher was fascinated with the book & its themes; he [our teacher] made the book's plot exciting & interesting; my classmates & I were made intrigued to keep turning the book's pages by our teacher's enthusiasm. One could say that's the making of an excellent - of an extra special teacher.

This original book has had follow up books written as well - which are all included in this book. The follow-up books weren't a part of my sixth grade year, though, by their publishing dates, I'm sure they were a part of the sixth grade year of classes years after my own. 😉 Particularly if they were graced to be educated by the same sixth grade teacher as I was. 😊



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Twins in High School

A series of books I remember reading some of before focusing mostly on these, would be these. I remember most that Elizabeth was orderly, as in "neat" & Jessica had an orderliness about her "not so neatness". I remember Elizabeth covering for Jessica many times. And a time when Jessica was out, though she needed to take a test in a class the next morning at school, managed to connect with Elizabeth (before mobile phones & text messaging were thinkable options) & ask/convince her to "play" her, wardrobe & all, & attend her (Jessica's) class, thereby skipping out on her (Elizabeth's) own class, in order to cover for Jessica. I also remember Elizabeth's boyfriend seeing right through it all; still knowing it was Elizabeth who was there at school, despite their being identical twins & wearing Jessica's wardrobe.

And I remember that the storyline, at least for that book, or chapter, went that the teacher could see how ill Jessica (as Elizabeth) was, especially in her tardiness to class, in so that since Jessica (as Elizabeth) didn't score well on the exam (since it was Elizabeth & she didn't know the material, as it wasn't her class to know), that the teacher was willing to allow Jessica (as herself 😊) retake the exam, which turned out to be a huge relief to Jessica & she was utterly thankful & appreciative of Elizabeth for stepping in & attaining this additional chance for her.

I definitely identified most closely with Elizabeth. Her style, her cleanliness (orderliness), her overall general approach - I don't recall any specifics - & I've not taken the time for any re-reading to specifically recount & recapture those particular memories.


Considering these twins I also remember another generation's memories of these books. I've never read any of these, & for some reason, I doubt I ever will. 😏 I've a feeling I'll never manage to get far enough to the bottom of the stack o' books I'm looking to read, to crack the cover of any of these. Though they are a series about girl twins just as these are. So I just wanted to give them a quick mention. 😊



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The "Anne" They Adopted

A series I somehow never found my way to - maybe also to have on my "someday" list. I've many a dear friend who've nearly middle named their daughters after Anne they adored her & these books that much.

Similar to this post I wrote from during "Wheels Week", I felt it only appropriate that, here, in the midst of these many novels & series which I've encountered in my yesteryear, to also include a series which I've known of (since my college days), though never managed to include in my stack o' books at my bedside. (😂 The reality of which, if ever this stack actually did exist, it never shook, except that it might've been in the way & then it'd tumbled in a domino-like way with my facing scrunching up in a highly dissatisfied fashion.)

Also as I've turned enough times recently to Wikipedia, I figured I might as well learn about a series of stories for which I'd never turned a page through the words of a Wikipedia author:

A brother & sister had meant to adopt a boy to help work on their farm. Instead they got Anne. Lucy Maud Montgomery wrote this book in 1908. Montgomery wrote the book for all ages (this gives me hope in what would be my first time reading it decades beyond my childhood 😂), though it's become a book for younger ages. And from what I can tell it's not been an intentional series, with Montgomery writing a number of sequels before her death & another sequel as well as an "authorized prequel" being written since that time. Montgomery used a portrait she had of Evelyn Nesbit as the face of Anne in her mind as she wrote in addition to other "Ann stories" of the time - where Montgomery added the "e" onto her Anne's name for differentiation purposes.

Anyway, I'm paraphrasing what's become a quick "lesson" on Anne from right here. And since I did go ahead & reread this book a week ago, I can easily see myself adding any & all of these onto my definitely-intend-to-read-as-soon-as-I-finish-the-one-or-two-I've-got-right-here-first list of books.



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"Marmee" Was Their Mom

It was there in the pile. I was grateful. There we were in Reading Class & a pile of books strewn about the counter at the back of the classroom. We'd be in the class less than a week. Our next assignment: to select a book from The Pile & present its summary to the rest of the [quite small] class in X number of days.

This book, with which I'd been all too familiar, having read it many times before this, though never as an assignment anywhere, was available to select. Louisa May Alcott's name fell in many places during my pre-teen & adolescent years. Her writing seemed so delicate & read like a smooth welcoming embrace. I think I also felt connected to her in that she wrote in solace in the family's attic, away from everyone & all distractions & disturbances; the same way I found that I sorted through my thoughts best.

She had sisters. Many of them. I had none. Though I longed for at least one. And she wrote of them. This made reading her writing all the more "hearted" & full of a gentle, soft, spirited love.

For this Reading Class I did re-read the book. It's quite a comfort to curl up on one's bed & open a book's binding knowing it's a great read, one that you look forward to, & to know it's also for a class assignment. 😁 When it was time to present the book's summary I remember highlighting the beauty of the book's beginning & its end. As most of the students encompassing this Reading Class were those with which I'd grown up, they didn't hold back snickering & funny remarks. Case in point, I recall one male student quipping, "What's in the middle?", to which I found myself smiling...Mostly because I knew, with absolute confidence, that I could, indeed, easily reminisce, [read: explain] of this book's entirety to my classmates.

The movie based on the book is another which isn't accurate to the storyline & therefore leaves me with a frown 😕 [well, a confused one, that is] & shaking my head unable to follow. It's the relationship she had with her father & how little time there was between their deaths that's left me in awe. I wrote about it here.

I never did read other works of Alcott's, not even this book or this book, two which are subsequent to this...Almost as if I became "full" simply by just reading this. (Though reading more of Alcott's work is on my "someday" list. 😏)




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It All Began With Kristy's Great Idea

And after trying my hand at these books, I began to dig through these. If I'd been younger, I'm sure I'd have managed to read each & every one of them; however, based on the publishing dates listed here on Wikipedia, I had moved on & up to bigger (& older) girl books before Ann M. Martin could write enough last chapters.

The Club began with Kristy, Mary Anne, Claudia, & Stacey. Before I headed off to read another series of books, Jessi & Mallory also joined the Club. These girls were the friends I never had, the bonds I'd never formed, the relationships I could only dream of while watching from afar.

They had each other & even though the going got rough (for someone in each novel 😀) the situation always worked out & everyone grew & bonded, loved & learned. Through divorce, remarriage, diabetes, learning sign language, moving, boys, & more, the babysitters experienced & overcame each hurdle they encountered...together...💗❤😁💕💓...



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Tall & Plain, She Says She Is

It has been by accident that these last two books (today's & this book from two days ago) have had plots directly related to someone passing away. I picked today's selection because I felt that the pace of the story had much in common with the same smooth calmness of a day like today: a Sunday.

The other books I've posted on I've reminisced on based solely on memory (& a tiny bit of Wikipedia/Amazon summarized assistance 😊😎). This book, however, I found myself electing to completely re-read; I'm so glad I did.

Such memories of those younger, much more simple years of life. Back when responsibilities are of a different nature, & all that truly is important as an adult leaves one wondering why the young & youthful are overwhelmed & unsettled with what they have.

I comment often to those around me that I'd wish to return to the days of having homework to complete over being held accountable for the many duties that adulthood brings. I suppose I long for the days of being "Plain & Tall". Plain, as in simple; tall, as in stretching oneself. In other words, the youthfulness of a growth spurt.

I'm quite certain that I've never read MacLachlan's other books; those which have stories following this book. Though, in a quest to return to those easy-going days of ol' again - as I did today, even if only by turning pages, I'd think to turn the pages of this book (Book 2), this book (Book 3), this book (Book 4), & this book (Book 5). And then I might know more of the story that is Papa, Anna, Caleb, & Sarah's story.

"Does she sing?" Yes, she does sing. ♩ ♫😊🎝♪


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"No One Ever Stayed Long in the Old Perkins Place."

This is a book that had been showcased during "Library" while in elementary school. Speaking of school, there are online quiz worksheets that I happened upon for this book found here.

At the time I was learning about this book in elementary school I wasn't as fascinated & excited about running as I am today, so the characters meeting one another due to Leslie outrunning Jess played no bearing on my piqued interest of the storyline.

Watching (by reading) how this young boy & girl leaned on one another, how Jess grew stronger in himself by knowing Leslie, was something I admired. They cared for one another & experienced their personal magic together in Terabithia, which was all theirs - because they trusted in one another.

Like so many others, this book has also been made into a movie (this is the Amazon link to the movie). Though among the labels on this post is "Movies Worth Watching", I most remember being eager to watch the movie, & when I went to the theater to watch it, left afterward disappointed; I hadn't felt that the movie's storyline had stayed true enough to Katherine Paterson's writing.

The information listed here on Wikipedia explains of Paterson's take from her personal life in how the story came to be. It also mentions of unintended biblical parallels.

I most remember of how Leslie's character was a strong, 'knowing herself' personality (she trusted herself & stayed true to herself for being such a young age). She was able to face adversity with her head held high. I also remember that after the accident her parents headed back to Pennsylvania since they'd come to stay in the old Perkins place in the country for Leslie's sake.


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Nancy & Her Crew

When I got to be a certain bit older, & had pretty much finished all of these, Mom mentioned this series to me. It seemed "darker"; I'll admit I was rather reluctant to consider it, though I gave it a-go.

The first book of the series that I read (not necessarily this one, the actual first book of the series 😁) talked about how Nancy had the great support of a few friends, who were always there for her. This caught my attention more than the basis of the book. Socially inept in school (& otherwise), I considered these books to potentially be full of subtle clues on how to be more keen within my peer group. 😜😂

I also remember Nancy getting to the scene before anyone else & happening to have a mold with her. She was able to make a mold of a footprint & help out the detectives. Another time (possibly in another of the books) she saw something small underneath a bed & thought to get a sheet of paper with which to bring it out from its stow space with the dust bunnies. This time the detectives thanked her, though they also explained that they couldn't pull fingerprints from an article of such a small size.

The only other snippet that I can remember is one where Nancy & her friends were running at dusk, or maybe it was already dark. They were running from someone who was out-to-get-them for what they were doing - helping out...Or, so it seemed.

I remember that as Nancy grew out of breath & just couldn't go anymore, she accepted it, & slowed up to the quickest paced walk that she could manage. She thought to herself as she slowed up, realizing that this "follower" had also slowed up, &, instead of attempting to catch her, seemed to only be maintaining an acceptable pace to stay within reason of her, potentially keeping tabs on her.

This series grew intense for me. It might have been when I truly "wrote off" enjoying mysteries. I don't recall finishing too many of the books within this series, though I'm sure now, in my adult age, I'd likely pick one up & find it truly juvenile & roll my eyes at myself for what I took to be so much such intensity back then.


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Henry, Jesse, Violet, & Benny

The children that made up this series were four siblings with which I always longed to be a part. These siblings made being a part of a family cherishing, fun, loving, counting on, & more. (Well, at least from my humble perspective. 😁)

The story I remember the most was one where the older sister happened upon a bunch of potatoes, which she figured out a way to prepare for the four of them to eat, which then became their satiating meal. It just. worked. out.

They were thick as thieves & good to each other. They were accountable to one another & assisted each other. They were kind. I adored these children & their relationship to one another. They were the favorite book series of mine for my childhood. I'd leave the library with my arms piled high with all of these & all of these; as many as they'd allow me to be checking out at one time.

It's only in reading about this series on Amazon's website that I'm learning these books are considered to be "mysteries". I don't remember ever knowing them to be of this genre & now in my adulthood...well, since before I began college, I cannot recall the last time I preferred to be sitting down & reading any mystery. In fact, I tend to turn (very quickly) away from any mystery, & this is something I've done for quite some time. Apparently I had myself a "mystery-enjoying" phase at this time - which I'm glad I did; I'm certainly glad I had the pleasure of reading this book series.

Checking at this link, I've just learned that two years ago, in the Fall of 2015, this book of the series got released as a movie & that another book is planned for release as a movie this Fall. Also that the original writer, Gertrude Chandler Warner, only wrote the first nineteen books, though she's credited as created each of them in their byline. Warner's nineteen are set in the 1920s & 1930s; the more recently written books are set in present day.


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A Series By Laura Ingalls Wilder

All the girls in third grade happened to be reading these books. I don't remember where I learned about them - I think it was from the local public library Mom took us to often - they may have had highlighted the books with a special display & it caught onto me like it was meant to. I got a few books in, which is when I learned that most of the rest of my class in school was also reading them - though quite a few of the girls were much further along & had read them in order of their writing (I'd not realized that the few I'd read weren't even in the logical order of how they were originally written & published).

It was never that I didn't intend to finish reading the books, though I'll admit, with classroom homework, other books on the "need to read" list, & general obligations, especially as girls in class finished reading all of them - and I was so far from that goal, I did waiver (I didn't *give up*!) I just ended up not [yet] finishing each one. 😔 I believe this is about when I really began to recognize the slowness of my personal reading skill, which is still an issue for me. It's always seemed to take me quite some time, much time longer than it probably should, to adequately make my way through most any reading. If I work on my speed, then I lose content, & don't get as much out of my pursuit...so I remain taking my time & reading rather slowly...As long as I keep reading the next line & then the next paragraph, I do eventually find my way to the last page (without jumping ahead while still at the beginning of the book 😂).

I also remember struggling to understand how this one wasn't the first book as it was about "firsts", which to me meant it should be one of the first in the set. I've since been educated. 😄

Since third grade I've also learned about this television show starring Melissa Gilbert & Michael Landon which were based upon the books. Though I've never seen it, many viewers adored & admired the show & its actors.


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Ramona Books

Then there were these books. I felt like Ramona. My hair even appeared a lot like hers. She had an older sister; I had an older brother. That was an "only difference" which I remember noticing. As I navigated those elementary years of being a sister, she was a younger-sister-comrade-in-crime, &I found this book to be a special one for me.

Beverly Cleary's collection of these books won my heart from an early age. Mom & I would read them together & she would help me see if any of the other Ramona books would be checked in when we returned any; she knew I really took to them & she liked [read: approved] of their writing[read: message]. Whenever our family visited the local library they would almost always be a part of the heaping pile of books I'd be checking out until I'd finished reading them all.

Most every "going-on" that Ramona encountered seemed to parallel those of my own. She didn't get into shenanigans, nor was she a klutz, yet through the books I'd read various "any girl" things. Some that I could connect with, some that I was glad I hadn't had to deal with, & some that I wished would be a part of my "every day" just the same.

I also always found her name peculiar. It's not that often that the letter "Q" gets into a name (well, maybe it's becoming more popular in more recent generations with names like Quinn 😂) & I think I always felt Ramona had it a little bit worse for the wear simply because she was stumbling through her childhood, managing along with a "Qu" last name to boot. It seemed awkward & unwanted to me. Her first name wasn't much on the popularity scale either, though the abbreviated version, "Mona" seemed sweet & I won't have minded trading it in for my own. 😁



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Beginning With Some Bear Books

With a stuffed animal collection of my own as a child, (well, 🙈 actually) well into adulthood, as I’d been a homeowner for a few years when said collection dissolved to more inclined persons, I’ve adored these plush stitcheries & all of their soft huggable-ness for decades.

Bears, “teddy bears” as they’re referred (click here if you don't know why 😮), are prime plush animals. Their cuddly-cuteness is likely connected as to why these bears turned me into such a fan, from such an early start. They are some of the first books I remember our family reading, & likely because it revolved around a family with similar dynamics to our own, creating a special connection. Maybe it's because, even if I was unaware at the time, things like Mama Bear's expression, the look in her eyes on the cover of the book in the image link in the top left, seemed exactly as I'd seen it on my own mother's face... If we'd be watching too much television, or any other seemingly reasonable activity. 😄

Whenever I might be anywhere, out-n-about, as I might happen to skim a space, one of these books is more likely to capture my attention among the plethora of propaganda & other unnecessary news pieces tossed on waiting room corner tables & in wall racks than most any magazine. I’d rather be reading them, (ahem, re-reading them, 😂) than reading, or even skimming through those other pieces strewn about the area. 😊

And, no, I never did have any plush versions of these among my loot. 😂

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Some Bedtime Stories

Well, it's the day after Labor Day & if students haven't yet returned to their classrooms, today's the day!

And, now, it's time to begin reading😂...This is the first book I thought to write about. It's pages are full of quick & simple practical stories. Oddly enough, on the version I had, those page edges were torn & rippling due to age & excessive wear. The pages I turned (over & over again) were the same pages Mom had turned; it was her copy of the book.

She came into me one night as I was getting my things ready for the next school day; I was probably making sure that whatever book I was currently partway through was nearby & ready for me to crack the next chapter before I'd be reminded to turn off my desk lamp (a nightstand lamp of a sort that sat on the edge of my desk - since I didn't have a nightstand - or the space for one 😂) & be officially crawling into bed & falling asleep.

Mom came in the room, knelt at my bedside, & presented me this book. The particular edition/cover is that which is in the image link above, though the broken down one she handed me was one with a hardcover, the binding very much broken & already somewhat dangling. She then explained that she'd read it as a little girl, about my same age, & she wanted me to have her book in so that I could enjoy these stories & get to know the children of What A Jolly Street.

A few stories I remember well. A little boy who rolled down the hill while it was covered with snow...He ended up covered in snow, so, - I think it was his sister who helps him up & teases him saying something like, "They'll be calling you Mikey White (I think his name was Mikey) with you being all covered in snow." And he exclaims something back about being called "Mikey Black"...since his name is "Black" & not "White". Or, maybe his last name was "Brown". 😊

Another segment of a story is one where there's four or so children in the family...I think there were identical twin boys in this family, though not relevant to what I'm writing here. A sister had wanted to put too much sugar in her brother's cereal bowl & began dishing it out from the serving bowls on the family table while waiting for said brother to finish up with his parents, sit down, & begin eating.

The bummer became that the sister mistakenly added salt to her brother's cereal instead, & much of it. He fretted as soon as he began eating it. The plot soon uncovered that, in her efforts to load her brother's breakfast in sugar, she had instead scooped from the bowl of table salt. Her parents then instructed her to eat the bowl of cereal instead putting this prank right back on her.

It may have been that I'd have enjoyed a similar street layout of goodness & love of neighbor all the way up & down the road - especially having that many other children right there with which to play & spend time...And their loving families larger than my own made for another positive perk.

Although the book begins on January 1 & has a page for each day of the year through December 31, Mom didn't present the book to me at the beginning of the year. In fact, I'm not quite sure what time of year it was when she presented the book to me. Knowing my habits, I began reading the book based on whatever day it was & read, at least a page (which equaled a day), likely more than for quite some time. Then, because I probably read to the last day of the year, & on that day it wasn't actually the last day of the year, I found myself reading a week or more at one time. I read & re-read that book so many times. I couldn't possibly count now (kind of like how many times I've watched this similarly good natured movie). The book's been packed away with the other childhood treasures I've stowed in a small box of what's meant most to me - for someday...

...By the time I'd finish turning those pages too many times many of them were falling out, or their edges just raveled some more out onto my bed sheets & I'd have to pick them up, keeping my bedroom trash can close by in order to toss the waste easier. After all, I didn't want to be tossing & turning in a dream & be subconsciously aware of pieces of paper between my pajamas & my bed sheets. At the time I wasn't yet a teen.

Such struggles of childhood. The children of What A Jolly Street wouldn't have likely had such a situation to mend. 😂



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Pens Week: At the End of Its Shaft

Pens Week is concluding & I'm realizing it's been much more of a "Writing Implement" Week. Nonetheless, it seems appropriate to conclude with a nod to a favorite item of mine. It's synonymous to today's "Undo" button, located directly to the left of every "Redo" button. That would be these.

I had a love/hate relationship with this variety. See, I've always found it quite bizarre that, especially when using a No. 2 pencil, there was so much pencil, & so little eraser. Yeah, yeah, I know, I know, we're not supposed to be making an equivalent amount of errors to our work all the while we're accomplishing...though when we're in grade school that can be exactly how it seems.

I loved them because, when the pencil's initial eraser had diminished, I could cap the bare spot with it; there in lies the love part. The hate part is that these erasers have a strange pointedness to them at the tip-top; I could never figure out why they were designed in such a way. They'd start out, in what is my opinion, to be too long - therefore wobbling plenty whenever initially getting used - then, finally, they'd be at just. the. right. spot. like these are (or, at least they appear to be from the image) - before getting wasted away & needing a replacement all their own. And, if we didn't have extras on hand, then we'd resort to scrubbing away our mishaps & mistakes with the portion covering the side of the pencil, where the metal rests underneath. The section of the "add-on" is designed as a connection between pencil & new attachment, though I've near the "scratch, scratch" of many of the sides of those erasers getting their full use & meeting up with that small metallic area.

Just like the next house down we had one or two of these sprinkled in convenient drawers throughout the floors of our house. Almost in an I.C.E., or In Case of Emergency, set up. I believe Dad had, along with these, a few of these, stored in his work briefcase. They're the kind where, when used, they don't leave any blemishes behind. They must have been more expensive (like this 😂😋), which is why they were only available to Dad (which he'd have received from work & not from the family budget).

When we'd be working on a school assignment, & then discover a major blunder to rub away, Dad would typically retrieve one of these from his briefcase in order that we'd have less confusion from any marks less behind if we'd just used one of these. Our papers would be left much cleaner & we might just be put into a better [read: more hopeful] studying mood by Dad's overall spirit of zest, "Hey... Look at that! Doesn't that look nice?!" Which would've been Dad gloating over his handiwork on making out assignment paper look as good as new [read: never-been-used 😂]. While he smiled like this 😀 - his eyes really wide & with a smile all their own & he'd be shaking his head up & down, basically encouraging our agreeing nod - as we'd just roll our eyes (& try not to let him see our potentially growing smile).

In our family's quest to reuse & recycle (well beyond the initial meaning of the slogan itself), our using these along with these & these as well as this meant that we'd be early & often to recycle our retractable writing implements. 😁


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Pens Week: Mechanical Pencils Dad Used

Dad made these cool. I'll be honest from the get-go. They're retractable just like those in this post. Dad made these cool enough, they've earned their very own post. They're sleek, shiny, black, manly, & their erasers, which are oftentimes green, get their very own cover - which is also a very shiny metal. If I were to purchase one today, I'd be getting one of these...because...of course, they manufacture them in blue now too. 😂💙

Dad's profession had been as an engineer; he's meticulous & precise, thorough & calculated. These are the traits I grew to know, & expect from, these retractable, although identifiable also as "mechanical", pencils.

There are many options in these pencils now-a-days (...at this link Amazon is offering a three pack including three separate colors...) & many options in lead too. Dad had plastic sleeves of this size lead on hand for his pencils. Whereas the other pencils, like those in this post from yesterday, usually used this size lead. The lead Dad used provided for a sleeker, softer flow of the lead across the paper while writing. This is just what I came to expect from those mechanical pencils. And it made for the specialness of working on my studies (especially all that was math & natural science - his strong suits, not mine) with Dad. I felt like I was getting more accomplished & learning more because of the confidence he radiated as we bonded in these moments over my school assignments.

We kids never had one of our own, though we knew that when we'd be working on our homework & Dad would be around & getting involved with helping us out, we'd be using those he'd have stashed [read: organized into their appropriate slots] in his work briefcase.


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Pens Week: Retractable Writing Implements

It wasn't all about writing with pens, however. Pencils were all-a-plenty too. Not wanting to need to sharpen often (& therefore always hunting down a sharpener - manual, like this or electric, like this), these were a fan favorite - or, at least, a thorough fan in our house. In fact, when I did happen to more-than-pass by a back-to-school stand at the front end of a retail store this month, it was in front of these that I paused, picked up, pondered, shook my head, & managed to put back down 😂💔👍 a package of these.

They've always been simple. They've an eraser, you click on their ends & they produce more lead - right away; they're always sharp - an auto-sharpening just by means of ejecting more by pushing on the pencil's eraser. They're a quaint & convenient size, more lead can be added to their shaft once the initial strands run out if the user wishes to be optimally economical (or is super attached to that specific pencil shaft 😂).

One inconvenience I always found was that the erasers were often of a white color, like these. This meant once they'd be used, they'd be dirty. The evidence that they'd erased work would be obvious, unchangeable, & permanent. This is something I didn't like. If I could find any which had black or gray erasers attached, like these, I'd try to get them instead. Also, I was never very interested in the "comfort grip" perk that these have; the addition to the implement's shaft got in my way more than it benefitted me.

And on the topic of things that'd get in my way, would be these. I've only used these when I've borrowed them from the next student over because it's what they had to use. Too much apparatus to have around. Then again, I typically didn't carry more than one of each writing implement with me at a time, oftentimes I'd have only one & that was it. It was definitely less to keep track of; it was also a negative in the case that I'd "lose" it or become the victim of public high school adolescence when a classmate might swipe that one writing implement & I'd be stuck for the remainder of the school day. I can't deny this has never happened to me. 😂😎

There were also these, which were retractable, though they didn't have a "click" option at their eraser. This model is engineered to simulate the original #2 pencil design. This is the version I'd known which simulated the same design as a retractable pencil while having the twisting/turning element still next to the lead output.

On the topic of pens, as much as I grew to prefer retractable pencils... (I'd typically retract the led when not in class or completing my homework in my bedroom in so that it'd not break off or mark up something, like papers placed nearby in one of these. Overall it was just a "cleaner" way to be.)...I'd never taken a liking to retractable pens. I didn't link listening to the constant retraction many users would ominously create. They'd be numb to its noise; I'd be distracted in class. It was a bad mix. My only option: get over it. 😕😞

Alas, I preferred those pens with caps. And I liked having the caps on & in place. Still the same reasoning. They couldn't mark up nearby items, which was great. The cap kept them clean. This was great. Really, it didn't take all that much to keep me happy. 😂😃💙

(And before closing, a special nod out there for those students who'll be enjoying the thrill of filling in the circles with these, their provided No. 2 pencils during standardized testing...A thing for which I was particularly delighted to graduate & have no more! 😍😄😁)


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