What writing instruments do you use?

[lisab]

I write pen-or-pencil-to-paper very little, normally. Less than an hour a day. But I do occasionally take physics classes for fun, and then I'll write quite a lot. But it's mostly physics calculations, which I never use cursive for (is that even possible?).

When I do write, it's often a mix of cursive and print. When I write in cursive, the letters are hard to make out. They look like a drunk sounds - slurred.

 

[rhody]

Thanks Proton_Soup, Lisa,

Except for Mugaliens, there does not appear to be many folks who use cursive any more.
I found this sample of calligraphy online.
I wish I could write half as good as that.
Maybe if I practice for six months it may be possible.
Sad, but the only time you see that type of writing is for wedding notices, cards for birthdays, etc... these days.

Rhody...

 

[Redbelly98]

Do any of you folks regularly use cursive, print, or a mixture of both writing styles, or none at all, just banging away at the keyboard on your computer ?

I mostly use print when writing by hand. I use cursive for my signature, and also for writing "sin", "cos", and "tan". I avoid writing "sec", "csc", and "cot", preferring instead to write "1/sin", etc.

 

[Moonbear]

(Psst...it wasn't me who was using a hammer and chisel bought 50 years ago...I'm not that old yet; mine was bought more recently. That was someone else's post.)

When I'm writing things that need to stay organized and legible for a long time, I print. When I'm just jotting quick notes, I have a strange mixture of print and cursive that would be illegible to anyone but me.

I do a lot of typing, but do a lot of handwriting when organizing thoughts. I seem to have an easier time handwriting my initial drafts, scribbling in added notes and revisions, and then doing more editing as I type them up. I also tend to write on a whiteboard to organize major ideas.

I have impeccable teacher-writing when I write on a chalkboard. That's an entirely different art than writing on paper to keep from squeaking the chalk (there are no upstrokes in my chalkboard writing). I only teach in one lecture hall that still has a chalkboard, though, and don't use it much anymore. They took my chalkboard away in the one room I teach in, and now I have whiteboards and gorgeous HD TV monitors (amazing for doing lab demos).

 

[turbo]

I write in a mix of cursive and printing - whatever works at the time. I don't think about it - it just happens.

 

[rhody]

(Psst...it wasn't me who was using a hammer and chisel bought 50 years ago...I'm not that old yet; mine was bought more recently. That was someone else's post.)

Moonbear,

My apologies, Wolram, you are so... busted.

So, now that that little screw-up is behind us, errr... hemm... I think it will be an interesting exercise if I explored a bit of calligraphy. I will let you know how it works out in a month or two. By then I should (time and opportunity permitting) have an idea if I am making progress or not. As I am well aware of now, not much will happen unless I commit three or four hours per week to practice, we all know by now from the Brain Plasticity thread, that this is the effort required to see real results. So we will just have to wait and see.

Rhody...

 

[turbo]

Good luck, Rhody. My cousin's wife is a killer at calligraphy. When she sends out birthday cards, Christmas cards, etc, people keep them. They are that pretty. She could be jotting a shopping list vertically on a pad on the refrigerator door and THAT would be pretty, too.

 

[rhody]

Good luck, Rhody. My cousin's wife is a killer at calligraphy. When she sends out birthday cards, Christmas cards, etc, people keep them. They are that pretty. She could be jotting a shopping list vertically on a pad on the refrigerator door and THAT would be pretty, too.

Turbo,

If you don't mind my asking, how long has she been doing it, and in your opinion, does she get better and better as time goes on ?

Rhody...

 

[turbo]

Turbo,

If you don't mind my asking, how long has she been doing it, and in your opinion, does she get better and better as time goes on ?

Rhody...

She has been doing it for ~30 years. I don't know if she gets better and better, but it's always nice. Party invitations, greeting cards, notes... all good.

 

[Evo]

Let's see what do I have here? A Bic Magic grip 0.7mm. Basically any fine tipped mechanical pencil.

 

[Proton Soup]

something else that might interest you rhody is http://www.kellscraft.com/EssentialsofLettering/EssentialsofLetteringContentPage.html"

i was never very good at it, but i think elements of it sometimes come out in things i print

 

[ThomasT]

Here's the problem. Having traveled 15000km to my new college, I've come to realize that I cannot find the beautiful, extra fine tip, navy blue gel ink that I've used for 11 years.

Now I'm desperately for a new pen, one that can give me the same, smooth, effortless feel with minimal smudge (I'm left handed...) I feel very tempted to try a fountain pen, or a Mont Blanc rollerball... but given that I write a lot, I don't know how sustainable this will be...

What do you guys use to write math most of the time? Does anyone actually use a fountain pen to do math?

Of course not. I use a pencil with an eraser. Don't you ever make mistakes? And then, if it's ok, I transcribe it via some math-writing program to a usb flash drive or disc. Pens are virtually obsolete.

 

[Pythagorean]

Zebra F-301

 

[erok81]

I use a http://www.tul.com/mechanicalpencil.php" pencil in 0.7. The eraser is worthless but it is the only pencil I've found that I can write with and not constantly break leads.

Although because of the eraser issue I've been looking for another type but haven't had luck.

 

[chaoseverlasting]

I mostly use pen and paper to write things down. Always in cursive, couldn't ever get used to print/block writing.

 

[rhody]

I mostly use pen and paper to write things down. Always in cursive, couldn't ever get used to print/block writing.

chaos,

Very cool, do you think it would be possible if you could scan in something you wrote, poem, etc.. nothing personal and post it. It will be interesting to see what someone who always uses cursive writing looks like, you are a rare find to be sure.

Rhody...

 

[The legend]

Always in cursive, couldn't ever get used to print/block writing.

Same here...i never got the hang of Block letters or maybe i just don't like to write block letters.

 

[The legend]

chaos,


It will be interesting to see what someone who always uses cursive writing looks like

I have many friends of mine doing that...they love cursive much more than me...(i atleast use capitals to be block then the rest of the word is cursive)

 

[rhody]

legend, chaos,

If it would not be too much trouble, could you scan and post some cursive you do everyday, then something you are especially proud of where you took care to make it special ?

Rhody...

 

[Topher925]

you are a rare find to be sure.

Not really. I know a lot of people that write only in cursive, including myself. Writing in regular print is highly illogical especially when trying to write with any kind of speed.

 

[turbo]

When I was in college, I had a few classes with a guy who took notes in block letters. His writing looked odd at first glance, but was quite intelligible. He very often left out vertical lines, so a B would be just the 2 bumps, a P would be a single high bump, an R would be a high bump with a leg to the right, etc. He was pretty fast at taking notes, so he must have been practicing that modified alphabet for a long time.

I took notes in cursive, and he seemed to do as well with his "special" font.

 

[rhody]

Not really. I know a lot of people that write only in cursive, including myself. Writing in regular print is highly illogical especially when trying to write with any kind of speed.

Topher,

Just a guest on my part, you are not from the US, correct ? Everyone my daughter knows either types (texts, echh... on their cell phones) or prints. Cursive is a scarce commodity around here. For that matter everyone I know I work with writes in texts or types exclusively as well.

Rhody...

 

[Topher925]

Topher,

Just a guest on my part, you are not from the US, correct ?

Nope, I'm your typical 100% native born white caucasian male american.

 

[rhody]

Nope, I'm your typical 100% native born white caucasian male american.

Topher,

Wow, you just blew my mind... really you did. Please, don't take that as an insult, more of a complement. I am told cursive is the hardest thing for your brain to visually process, and the fine motor control you use to write it is really good for your brain.

Rhody...

 

[mugaliens]

Except for Mugaliens, there does not appear to be many folks who use cursive any more.
I found this sample of calligraphy online.
I wish I could write half as good as that.
Maybe if I practice for six months it may be possible.

With the right font installed in your word processing program, you can! Lol...

 

[Proton Soup]

Topher,

Wow, you just blew my mind... really you did. Please, don't take that as an insult, more of a complement. I am told cursive is the hardest thing for your brain to visually process, and the fine motor control you use to write it is really good for your brain.

Rhody...

i find your view bizarre. where are you from ?

 

[fuzzyfelt]

Wow,

I never realized PFer's had such specific preferences for their writing instruments.

That gives me hope for a post I am planning on cursive writing might actually become something worthwhile:

For all who have contributed to this thread so far with the exception of: Moonbear: lol


Do any of you folks regularly use cursive, print, or a mixture of both writing styles, or none at all, just banging away at the keyboard on your computer ?

Second, if you use cursive, how much time on average do you use it per day/week, etc...

I know mugaliens has said in another thread that he regularly writes at least three hours a day.

Rhody...

Hi Rhody! Generally, I draught and draw more than write, so this probably doesn't apply to me, but when I do take notes quickly I mostly use cursive writing.

I think I recall that Kurdt's cursive note taking is amazing.

 

[ephedyn]

I'll like to thank everyone for contributing here. I've tried nearly everything and nothing's satisfying. Ballpoints and rollerballs are too liveless. Gel is the only satisfying thing out there, but this accursed place only has my favorite blue-black ink in 0.7mm, and I can never stand broad print. My handwriting has been looking unexpressive ever since I ran out of my favorite pens/inks, so I started to appreciate the nuances of writing.

I didn't want to venture out to use Uni Signo gel which is more slippery and too hard for me to actuate, leaving a mess. I prefer my writing strokes to have say, the velocity profile of a Bell curve, nothing angular or sudden, and definitely no discontinuities (ballpoints).

I considered pencil and lead, which is clearly the most economical - BUT, there's one thing which I can never tolerate about lead: it's glaring under a fluorescent light, I hate reading notes written in lead. Pencil lead is far too reflective. If any of you have done art, you'll know from comparing with charcoal that it is far more reflective than 'proper black', that's why you do shading with charcoal pencils instead.

Oh, I forgot to mention that rapidographs/felt tips actually felt better than gel in terms of smoothness and expressivity, but they drained ink too fast and weren't cost-effective... although I can't say my eventual decision was (read below).

So, simultaneously... I finally decided to become a physics and mathematics double major a few days ago. I decided to celebrate the occasion with something symbolic. And you see, musicians have their 'favorite' instruments. Artists have their finest brushes and paints. I'm kind of romanticizing here, but I felt that I should have a favorite instrument too! I laid down my mind, and bought a fountain pen, with a Pilot dark blue ink, similarly to the one that I love. Redsummers' experience was very helpful, I looked back here to justify my $180 purchase and that sealed the deal. I bought a Sailor 1911M demonstrator, like the one pictured below:

P.S.: I had a bit of post-purchase bias from knowing that Einstein used fountain pens strictly :P

^rhody: I don't have a formal writing style. I suppose it's a modified-notetaking-style with some cursiveness (for example, my pen only leaves the paper twice when writing 'variational principles' - just picking out a random phrase from the paper right next to me, once for the "t" and once for the gap). My level of 'cursiveness' increases with urgency.

Of course not. I use a pencil with an eraser. Don't you ever make mistakes? And then, if it's ok, I transcribe it via some math-writing program to a usb flash drive or disc. Pens are virtually obsolete.

I use cancellations for my mistakes. And that's it. It's actually refreshing to see your mistakes rather than hide them. (I even write in pen on some of my books.) I sometimes even write things like "Yes!" in my book, which really shouldn't be there for brevity.

I've been getting quite a number of praises for my live-TeXing speed, but the only thing that's keep me from 100% live-TeXing is that I can't generate graphs or diagrams with ease. I should probably find some time with MATLAB figuring out everything, or learn how to use a vector graphics program.

The other thing that's actually keeping me from live-TeXing is a sort of social pressure - for one, I don't want to give some of my professors the misunderstanding that I'm surfing facebook in class or something (once or twice I get that 'look' when I'm typing away at my keys), the other is that it's quite... unusual? I mean like, 95% of my classmates in my senior classes use pen and paper - the guy who actually live-TeXes is a graduate student, while exactly 100% of my classmates in my freshman-sophomore level classes are still using college-ruled sheets with pen/pencil.

 

[Pythagorean]

I never use cursive except for in my signature.

 

[rhody]

rhody: I don't have a formal writing style. I suppose it's a modified-notetaking-style with some cursiveness (for example, my pen only leaves the paper twice when writing 'variational principles' - just picking out a random phrase from the paper right next to me, once for the "t" and once for the gap). My level of 'cursiveness' increases with urgency.

ephedyn,

Good luck to you in your double major, and your pen choice, 180$ is pricey. BTW is that your writing in the picture or a sample from the ad ?

Please report back in the event you regularly write cursive with that great pen, and let us know how your english and writing skills are doing, if things get easier/faster with comprehension, writing ability and if you find that your focus improves over time.

Thanks for the response and enjoy that pen, now I need to learn calligraphy, winter project.

Rhody... whose writing form/expression/presentation skills need improving.

 

[rhody]

ephedyn,

Good luck to you in your double major, and your pen choice, 180$ is pricey. BTW is that your writing in the picture or a sample from the ad ?

Please report back in the event you regularly write cursive with that great pen, and let us know how your english and writing skills are doing, if things get easier/faster with comprehension, writing ability and if you find that your focus improves over time.

Thanks for the response and enjoy that pen, now I need to learn calligraphy, winter project.

Rhody... whose writing form/expression/presentation skills need improving.

What ? Rhody quoting himself !

Just wanted to say that I started looking into calligraphy and instruments that promote good writing and presentation. Any suggestions (reasonable dollar wise) are welcomed, it seems like there are only about 4 companies that are recognized as making quality pens, and not all in the US. I would like to try to combine this exercise with the Brain Visual and Auditory training as well, but think it would be biting off more than I could do.

Rhody... I still can't believe I quoted myself... I must be losing it... lol