Rant

What day is today?

September 11th.

Does that ring a bell? Is there anything special about September 11th, anything that stands out in your mind? Is there any significance to this date???

Apparently, Google.com does not think so. Good ole Google, everyone's favorite search engine. You know, the one that changes its "Google" logo on important days, such as holidays or famous people's birth/death dates?

Well, I suppose 9/11 doesn't mean much to the folks at Google, for today their homepage logo is curiously unadorned by any references TO THE SINGULAR MOST HISTORICAL DATE OF THE TWENTIETH CENTURY.

While I'd like to believe that this omission represented some gross forgetfulness on their part (a mistake that even a first grader wouldn't make if you asked them about 9/11), common sense tells me that perhaps the folks at Google have some sort of agenda or worldview that wants to downplay the significance of 9/11.

Given that fact that Google has also failed to change their logo on other patriotic days such as Veteran's Day and Memorial Day, I can't help but wonder if my suspicions about their political leanings are true.

Shame on you, Google.

Fancy B

OK, this is sort of a calligraphy project, sort of a drawing project. Not sure what inspired it, but it was fun.

Basically, a ridiculously fancy capital B, copied freehand from an 1883 book of ornate lettering...

Bargain

OK, my wife and I went to some antique stores up in the mountains, and I bought...

...a Parker 51 special desk set. Onyx base, black pen with chrome tip. Nib seems to be a medium, and lays down a good thick line.

The price? $16, BUT she said that entire booth was 50% off, so I got it for $8. Shweeet!

I like buying pens, but I LOVE buying pens at ridiculously good prices!

Blood

Here's a little calligraphy project, reflecting on the agony Jesus suffered in the garden of Gesthemene. I cannot imagine the battle raging inside him, the temptation to avoid the cross, to call down legions of angels to save himself...

What a Savior we have!

Flex

OK, here's a rule: don't try and write with a flex-nib fountain pen in one hand, while trying to film the action with your cell phone in the other hand!

Not the best video quality (grainy, low light, subject not centered, etc) but I think it gets the idea across!

Techie details:

• Pen = 100-year old A.A. Waterman eyedropper fountain pen with gold semi-flex nib
• Paper = Clairefontaine 90 g/cm2 Seyes-ruled (bought in Clermont-Ferrand)
  
• Ink = Private Reserve Dakota Red.

Drums

OK, as a Mr. Bean fan and ex-drummer, I gotta post this one...

Turquoise

Here's another little calligraphy project...

• Pen: 1915-ish Arthur A Waterman eyedropper flex-nib fountain pen
• Ink: Pelikan Turquoise
• Paper: Clairefontaine Seyes-ruled
• Quote: Christian missionary Jim Elliot, who gave his life for the cause of the Gospel