Spring at last….

The diverse variety of tree species that populate the earth easily number in the millions. Trees are an ever-growing biological kingdom that features creatures of an unimaginable array of color and elegance. However, despite the multitude of stunning species the plant kingdom manages to produce, almost none are able to match the international popularity and pure loveliness of the Japanese Cherry Blossom Tree. The mesmerizing image of “cherry blossom clouds” blooming en masse evokes almost instantaneous feelings of warmth, relaxation and a sense of sanctuary that is as intricately entwined with the Land of the Rising Sun as symbolically possible. Cherry Blossoms are a type of de facto visual representation of Japanese culture, and are inherently representative of the peacefulness and striking beauty of Japan’s ancient heritage. Therefore, when the Kingdom of Japan and the United States of America sought to reaffirm and strengthen a bond that history has proven can withstand even the cruelest of trials and tribulations, no gift seemed more appropriate to give the Western nation than that of Japan’s most renowned tree.

In early 1912, the mayor of Tokyo City, in representation of the entire Japanese government, gifted the city of Washington, D.C. with 3,020 Cherry Blossoms whose lineage hailed from a famous grove along Tokyo’s Arakawa River. On March 27, 1912, the First Lady Helen Taft and the wife of Japan’s ambassador, Viscountess Chinda, planted the first two trees along the north bank of the Tidal Basin in West Potomac Park. These two powerful trees, marked by a commemorative plaque, still stand just as strong and startlingly beautiful as the day they were planted.

Ever since this wondrous inception of stunning beauty and undying friendship between two very different countries was established, the city of D.C. has hosted an annual National Cherry Blossom Festival, where citizens from across the country and even beyond come to gaze and awe at one of the most beautiful wonders of nature to grace the eastern coast of the Americas. The two-week festival begins on the last Saturday of March with an official opening ceremony, and in the upcoming fortnight a wide variety of cultural events and festivals take place that include, but are not limited to: photography exhibits, kimono fashion shows, rakugo, martial arts, a marathon, singing, dancing, and even a rugby tournament, despite that fact that it has no real significance in America or Japan. It is an experience unlike any other, and 2013’s festival is charged to be just as fantastical as its legacy would demand. Whether the festival will have fair or frozen weather during this year’s festival is anyone’s call, as the traditional groundhogs Winnipeg Willow and Manitoba Merv gave conflicting reactions earlier this year. Whether spring will come early or winter will remain is something we will just have to wait and see, but one thing we can all guarantee is that the Cherry Blossom Festival will move full steam ahead with more revelry than we can possibly imagine. So, for the next two whole weeks, the city of D.C. will be abuzz with life, fever and a marvelous blending of two distinct cultures into a pageantry of life, loveliness and splendor.

Montblanc Albert Einstein–Great pen for a Great person

If you’re not a theoretical physicist major or extremely proficient in quantum mechanics terminology, then reading about Albert Einstein’s career as a scientist is almost like reading a fairytale in a foreign language. Therefore, I can’t indulge you in nicely summarized paragraphs detailing Einstein’s extensive list of scientific conquests. What I can share with you, my friends, is a quick, and hopefully enlightening, glimpse into the personal life of one of the most famous scientists who has ever lived.

 

Albert Einstein had very humble beginnings. He was born in Ulm, Germany in 1879 to an engineer/ part-time-salesman and a housewife. Many people with an advanced level of intelligence oftentimes displayed peculiar habits, trends or rituals as children. Things like hypersensitivity, well-developed powers of abstraction, unusual or vivid imagination and a series of other quirks have been traditionally seen to color a genius’s childhood. This was not the case with Albert Einstein. The only peculiar trait Einstein displayed as a child was his aversion to talking. He spoke very little and was effectively mute until somewhere around age 7. In response to such preconceived notions, many popular myths have been attributed to him. For instance, it is popularly believed that Einstein was left-handed, had extreme difficulties in school, and possessed other strange quirks. Almost all of these oddities have been determined to be false.

Ultimately, it should be noted that Albert Einstein had a normal childhood typical of his socio-economic class. He played music, built models, built mechanical devices and once again, despite common misconceptions to the contrary, showed a strong aptitude for mathematics. From a very early age Einstein studied books on science, math and philosophical books including the Critique of Pure Reason and Euclid’s Elements. As a student Einstein was, shockingly, a bit of a rebel. He was not a, “spraying graffiti on park monuments” or “slashing teachers’ tires” kind of a rebel. (Though that would certainly have been awesome, if they did in fact have cars in 19^th century Germany. Perhaps ‘smashing coach wheels’ would be a more accurate depiction? ) Einstein was more of a nerd-rebel; most of his acts of rebellion dealt with his aversion to the methods of academic institutions. He strongly opposed the institutionalized way education was conducted. He frequently rebelled against authority figures in the school system and strongly rejected the teaching methods. In fact, he once wrote that the “true spirit of learning and creative thought were lost in strict role learning.” (The student in me has to add that this is a very brilliant sentiment. The necessity of rote memorization to pass a class has been the bane of my educational existence!)

In 1901, after living for an extended period of time in Aarau, Switzerland, Einstein acquired his diploma and official Swiss citizenship. Though he studied to be a teacher, he was unable to find a teaching position and instead took a position as a technical assistant in the Swiss Patent Office. He spent a few good years in the patent office and managed to obtain his Doctorate degree. During this time he published some of his most remarkable and prolific works including his most famous paper: the Special Theory of Relativity. A paper that yielded previously unknown mysteries of the Universe and what is arguably the most famous equation in the world: e=mc2. It was a formula that revealed, if I understand it correctly, that the speed of light is a constant against which even time and space lose their absolute meaning. (Though as far as I can tell an existentialist could have told you that much.) In 1909 Einstein became Professor Extraordinary (quite a flashy title) at Zurich, and in 1911 he became a Professor of Theoretical Physics at Prague. He returned to Zurich later that year to fulfill a similar post. In 1914 he not only received a job as the Director of the Kaiser Wilhelm Physical Institute and Professor at the University of Berlin, he also took back his German citizenship. In 1921 he was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics, an award that would make him an international star and a household name around the world. Einstein stayed in Berlin until 1933 when the rumblings of World War 2 caused him to revoke his German citizenship once again and immigrate to the United States. He became a professor of Theoretical Physics at Princeton and in 1940 he acquired US citizenship. (That’s citizenship from three different countries, for those of you counting at home.)

Despite all of the wonderful physic achievements Einstein acquired during this time, I believe his most remarkable and unusual achievement came after World War 2 when he became a leading figure in the World Government Movement that sought to rebuild the damage the war had caused to the European Continent. He was offered the Presidency of the State of Israel, an unimaginable title that he unfortunately declined. (I say “unfortunately” because the idea of a German leading the state of Israel is, well, the irony is simply too much.)

Einstein’s contributions to today’s world include, but most certainly are not limited to, the development of the television, remote control devices, lasers (what?! awesome!) and DVD-Players. He was honored as TIME magazine’s “Person of the Century” in 1999, which was certainly no small feat considering the people who lived during the time. He was a brilliant, aesthetically eccentric and monumentally, influential physicist who changed the face of science as we know it. His unquestionable skills and world-renowned influence are only a few of the reasons why Montblanc has decided to add the genius to their limited edition Great Characters Series. An Acknowledgement to the great strides made by truly remarkable human beings, this series produces artwork masterpieces worthy of their patrons. 2013’s champion is the Albert Einstein Limited Edition pen limited of 99 pieces and the Albert Einstein Limited Edition of 3000 pieces.

The 99 Limited Edition style is named after the atomic number for Einsteinium, the chemical element named after him. Its body is crafted from solid white gold and is covered in a delicately designed skeleton net. The image has a filigree overlay meant to represent the space-time curve. It relates to how Einstein was, in his research, able to uncover that the universe and time can be stretched, pulled, and warped by matter. Many of Einstein’s most famous formulas are engraved upon the pen’s barrel and cone. The nib is emblazoned with an engraving of Einstein’s chemical element. The clip is bejeweled with a sapphire stone approximately 1.3K while the star-shaped Montblanc emblem crowning the cap is made of a pure, luminous moonstone. The 3000 piece edition is named after the measurement of the speed of light: ~300,000,000 m/s. (This is an approximation, since in 1975 the speed of light was calculated to be 299,792,458 m/s. I suppose the former just looks neater.) Much like the 99 Limited Edition, the pen’s platinum-plated lines break up the body’s dark blue lacquering to once again evoke an image of the space-time curve.

Also checkout the ink bottle for this amazing pen

Albert Einstein’s breakthroughs in physics have helped redefine how people observe and measure the universe. He revealed profound truths that gave the scientific community a way of unlocking previously unknown mysteries of the universe. Honored in life and immortalized in death, Albert Einstein irrevocably, and unquestionably, changed humanity as we know it.

The Christmas Express is on the way

What I have found to be the most moving aspects of the Holiday Season is its unfailing ability to unify people of all backgrounds the world over. No matter one’s religious preferences or winter practices, a comforting, heartwarming spirit seems to infect the hearts of each and every one of us during this magical time of year. It’s hard to say why, but it seems that whenever the last leaves of autumn fall and the mornings bite with cold, the Holiday spirit comes out in full force. Along with the almost mystical feelings that the season invokes, it also brings with it a sense of charity and thoughtfulness that is unsurpassed by any other month of the year.

The idea of giving to those less fortunate is a tried and true moral of the holiday season that people seem to have a natural inclination towards. Whether it’s donating old clothes to Goodwill, giving to the Salvation Army, or even going the extra mile by heading down to the local soup kitchen and giving back to the local community, this time of year brings out people’s desire to help their fellow human being. It brings about the spirit of generosity that encompasses your being and compels you to give a little back for all that you’ve received over the year. Ultimately, the merging of your softened heart along with the hundreds of others in your community intermingles to create an air of peace and compassion unlike any before.

Just look outside: everything is slowly falling under the magic of the season, and there is no other season that was so perfectly made for giving. The warmth that fills your soul when you have given someone a heartfelt, selfless gift is something that not even a roaring fire could compete with. It’s a beautiful gift in and of itself – not only for the receiver, but for your heart and conscious as well. It’s a spark, a light, a movement that travels from person to person into a snowball of love and hospitality that truly embodies what the Holiday Season is all about.

Top 10 Writing Instruments of 2012

It’s not quite over yet, but as far as I’m concerned 2012 has been an extremely eventful year. On the positive, the Queen had her Diamond Jubilee, China launched its first female astronaut into space, the 2012 Summer Olympics were held in London, Curiosity landed on Mars, and chances are good no kind of apocalyptic event will happen on the 21^st of December. In addition to this notable, one-of-a-kind achievements, I believe it should also be noted that 2012 has been a particularly good years for the world of stationery and its subsequent accessories. The pens, pencils, inks and writing instruments released this year have been some of the absolute best I’ve ever seen. Whether they have heart, style, confidence, subtle beauty or a simply magnetic appeal, this year has seen the emergence of some truly remarkable pieces.

Therefore, the staff at Pen Boutique has decided to compile a list of what are arguably the best writing instruments this year has to offer. Whether you get them for yourself or decide to give them away as a beautiful and thoughtful gift this holiday season, the choice is yours! All I can guarantee is that each and every one of these instruments are sure to please.

10. The Metropolitan Museum of Arts Russian Imperial Rollerball Pen. Possessing a much nicer history than Russia’s actual imperial family, the Russian Imperial is based upon the works of Peter Carl Fabergé. A jeweler in late 19^th century Petersburg, Russia, Fabergé managed to become the world’s greatest master of guilloche enameling. This type of coating is a time-intensive technique in which polychrome enamel is layered over circular, straight or wavy patterns that are engraved on metal. The Imperial Russian’s engraved opal pattern, available in either red or blue lacquer, is coated in translucent enamel. The pen’s 24k gold trims combined with a beautiful gold overlay cap top provides a regal, finished look to this luxurious design.

9. The Stipula Gladiator Steel Nib Fountain Pen. Talking about this pen makes me sorely want to re-watch the movie for the fourth time, but I suppose that will have to wait. Stipula has chosen to pay tribute to the memory of the Roman Gladiator; fearless warriors who are just as legendary and universally renowned as Roma itself. The Gladiator is available in three colors: deep sea blue, jet black and crimson. Each is a fitting reminiscence of the noble legacy of the Gladiator, and is only accented by its shined golden accents. The pen features the Roman Colosseum as a matte gold band around the resin barrel’s center while the nib is composed of antique gold-finished steel. The gold-colored clip is styled to resemble a gladius, a short sword used by Ancient Roman foot soldiers. The top of the pen’s cap features a Gladiator’s shield along with a trident, net and helmet, a fanciful repertoire of all of a gladiator’s traditional weaponry.

8. The Fisher Space Infinium Titanium Nitride Ballpoint Pen. This Fisher Executive Pen offers the heft, feel, style and boldness that today's office warrior simply can’t live without. The body of this piece possesses a reflective, black titanium nitride finish. The word “Infinium” is written across the length of the pen, and provides an exquisitely futuristic look to the pen’s monochrome theme. The permanently attached clip and slide-on cap embodies this pen’s excellent convenience and portability. As with all Fisher Space Pens, it offers extreme quality and durability on which you can always rely. So, whether you’re working inside or outside the office, the Infinium provides style and comfort in both writing and presentation.

7. The Delta Indigenous People Kanaka Maoli Hawaii SPEC Limited Edition Fountain Pen. In a collection that is limited to 100 pieces worldwide, the Delta Indigenous People Series has created an utter tour de force in honor of the Kanaka Maoli. Descendants of warriors and fisherman, these peoples are aborigines of an ancient island where the soul of the earth, sea and sky is in perfect harmony with the body and mind. They lived on an island that, not too long along, was its own kingdom; an island called Hawaii. The body of this tributary piece is hand-turned from solid bars of a new type of resin that has a natural, blue-green, sea-like coloring. The solid, sterling silver ring around the middle, possesses a flower-based pattern that features a natural aquamarine stone while the sterling silver clip is crafted in the form of an ancient Kanaka warrior mask. Both of these features are plated with 24K gold and enriched with a layer of pink gold to emphasize their intricate details. The fountain pen version contains a specially designed solid gold 18K nib decorated with a rendition of a Leiomano, a Hawaiian shark tooth weapon.

6. The Cross Tech3+ Stylus Accessory. I highly doubt there is a pen out there that could get any more convenient than the Tech3+. This pen is a brilliant combination of three totally different but equally important elements in the brave new world of writing: ballpoint pen, pencil and stylus. The ballpoint pen writes in black or red ink while the pencil uses 0.5mm lead. The stylus accessory, in my opinion, is the most ingenious aspect of the entire piece. At the opposite end of the pen is a conductive, soft, silicone rubber that conveys electrical signals to touch screen devices. The Tech3+ glides smoothly across any screen or sheet of paper. Available in a brilliant selection of five different colors (chrome, satin blue, satin black, satin chrome and frosty pink), the Tech3+ is fun, quirky, and extremely easy to use.

5. The Graf von Faber-Castell Pen of the Year 2012 Fountain Pen. The masterful collaboration of dozens of gold leaf sheets and ancient German wetland oak makes the 2012 Pen of the Year an extraordinary masterpiece. The wood’s deep, gnarled texture is beautifully exemplified by masterfully-applied coatings of 24K gold leaves and a final, strong resin coat. The application method dates back to an ancient Egyptian technique practiced 4,000 years ago. The 18K bicolor gold nib is available in widths of fine, medium and broad, with each one being ‘run in’ by hand. All metal fittings are 24K gold-plated. The end cap protects the twist knob filling mechanism and the crown is topped by a chessboard faceted citrine gemstone set into the cap. With its classical mystique and privileged air, this pen manages to capture the eye and heart in a dazzling display of light and beauty.

4. The Pilot Namiki Vanishing Point 2012 Charcoal Limited Edition Fountain Pen. Namiki’s newest Limited Edition Vanishing Point combines the cool allure of charcoal-colored marble with the irresistible appeal of rhodium trims to create a pen that is essential for your Vanishing Point collection. It has all the convenient attributes that makes a vanishing point a bestseller: a retractable point, a clip that keeps ink out of your pocket, and an effortless push-top mechanism. The nib is made of beautiful 18k White Gold that effortlessly compliments the pen’s silver-colored trimmings and dark, smoky body. (Unfortunately, it’s limited to only 850 pieces in the U.S., so make sure you get it before it’s too late!

3. The Lamy 2000 Brushed Stainless Steel Rollerball Pen. The LAMY 2000 series is a classic among designer writing instruments. Incredible manufacturing skills and a maximum level of precision were required in order to produce this absolutely timeless design. The seamless, partially hand finished body has a velvety, matt brushed stainless steel surface. The barrel’s platinum coating is further complimented by the pen’s polished, spring-mounted clip. The final product is a harmonic combination of high-end craftsmanship and complex technical processes.

2. The Parker Ingenuity Large GT Limited Edition Year of the Dragon Pen. This beautiful limited edition piece pays tribute to one of the most sacred mythical creatures in Chinese history. 2012 is the Year of the Dragon in the Chinese calendar, and Parker has created a piece that is just as breathtaking as it is culturally inspiring. Its sturdy body is coated with vibrant, maroon-colored Chinese lacquer. A striking, gold-plated acid-etched dragon wraps around the barrel in a pleasantly exotic design. The gilded creature is beautifully complimented by the 1.2mm gold plated barrel, cap and gold PVD trims. Completely an already enticing offer is the Ingenuity’s legendary flexible tip. Famed for its intuitive adjustment to the user’s writing style, it provides an exceptionally smooth and fluid writing experience. This one, also unfortunately, is limited to just 8,000 pieces. (I would think they would only make 1,202 – just to be clever, you know?)

1. Montblanc Jonathan Swift Black Broad Limited Edition Fountain Pen – Writer Series. Jonathan Swift, the author of Gulliver’s Travels and A Modest Proposal was a literary powerhouse with who now has a work of art to match. Montblanc’s Writers Edition has chosen 2012 to honor the forefather and trailblazer of what we now know to be satire. The Jonathan Swift Montblanc Pen’s black lacquer barrel is decorated with multilayered inlays designed to represent the ropes that were used to bind Gulliver when he visited Lilliput, the land of the tiny people, in his first adventure. The precious black resin cap is shaped like Gulliver’s tricorne and bears Jonathan Swift’s signature. A platinum-plated clip depicts the tall, beautiful staircase of the mayor of Lilliput while the delicately designed rhodium-plated 18K gold nib boasts an elaborate engraving of the Lilliput Imperial Army. The Jonathan Swift is a limited edition piece with restricted worldwide access. It is a gem of its generation. This series is an impeccable, stylish dedication to a man who managed to carve out his own place in the massive history of the English language.

So there you have it! 2012 saw the release of some truly remarkable pieces. Whether it’s the exotic styling of the Delta Maoli Hawaii, the cultural significance of the Year of the Dragon, the practicality of the Tech3+ or the sleek, silvery style of the Lamy 2000, each of these instruments has its own unique spark of individuality and beauty. Each and every one manages to be perfect for just about any situation: something for the office, a Christmas gift or for your own personal enjoyment! The holiday season is starting heat up, and it would be the shame of the year for you to miss all these fantastic deals. Good luck, and happy shopping!

This Christmas the new arrivals and presents go hand in hand.

I was quite proud of my local television broadcasters this year – I only saw one Christmas advertisement before Halloween. It was quite a shock, and even after a week I’ve only seen a dozen of them at best. (Though now that I think about it, it may have been because of the recent influx of political ads. Thank goodness that’s finally over.) Though Christmas seems to be taking a laid-back approach this year, that doesn’t necessarily mean you should. In fact, this is the perfect opportunity to get most, if not all, of your Christmas shopping done before the season gets into full swing.

So to avoid what will eventually become a serious case of “Last Minute Shopping” fever – which will undoubtedly end up with you fighting with a haggard middle-aged woman in the middle of Bed, Bath and Beyond over the last heated back massager – get your shopping done early and efficiently. Better yet, why not take the stress of leaving your house and hustling through crowded marketplaces for hours on end out of the equation entirely? Shopping online is quick, easy, and something you can do at home in your PJs with a cup of hot chocolate. (Which is probably the best way to do anything, now that I think about it.) So sit back, relax, and enjoy perusing the internet, because this season is bringing vast and varied collections that are sure to make the perfect gifts for the entire family.

First and foremost in this impromptu Christmas collection is the Parker Ingenuity Large Red. It is a beautiful limited edition piece that pays tribute to one of the most sacred mythical creatures in Chinese history. In honor of 2012 being the Year of the Dragon in the Chinese calendar Parker has created a piece that is just as breathtaking as it is culturally inspiring. Its sturdy body is coated with vibrant, maroon-colored Chinese lacquer. A striking, gold-plated acid-etched dragon wraps around the barrel in a pleasantly exotic design. The gilded creature is beautifully complimented by the 1.2mm gold plated barrel, cap and gold PVD trims. Completely an already enticing offer is the Ingenuity’s legendary flexible tip. Famed for its intuitive adjustment to the user’s writing style, it provides an exceptionally smooth and fluid writing experience.

Second is a pen that, instead of being held back by its seemingly simplistic style, is curiously liberated by its translucent design. The Visconti Opera Crystal Demo Fountain Pen is made of a special material that displays its clear showcase resin. It possesses a durable, chromium 18 SmarTouch tubular nib that is beautifully engraved with the Visconti logo. It uses a finely cared double reservoir Snorkel Filler that is included in the striking black and cream colored case. (It’s almost like gift-wrapped snow!)

Next is one of the many cleverly constructed pieces in Pilot Namiki’s Vanishing Point collection. While the many others have been bright and fluorescent, the Gunmetal Black Matte has a sleek and stylish look all its own. Its retractable, 18K gold rhodium-plated nib has the ability to completely disappear into the Black Matte’s durable metal body. The smoky, dark-silver coloring gives the barrel a decidedly noir look that compliments cool, crisp Christmas nights.

Finally, there is Porsche’s new TechFlex collection. Now that they’ve proven they can build something more than some of the world’s nicest cars, Porsche is trying its hand at revamping its very first collection. The TechFlex’s chic, basic black coloring provides a sleek and exciting new look for this classical series. The extraordinary barrels are made out of fine stainless steel threads that are finished with a special PVD coating. The front and end areas are reinforced with a scratch-resistant PVD coating. The fountain pen’s elegant look is effortlessly polished off by a beautiful, completely rhodinized 18K gold nib. Please note that right now new techflex are Preorders and they would be just in time for Christmas . Now if ordering techflex as a Christmas gift is an risk go for the ever popular shake pen with the new 2 colors Black and Silver .The Porsche Design Shake Pen is regarded as a high-tech pocket ballpoint pen. A particularly impressive feature is the innovative “shake” technology: A short, quick flick of the wrist causes the cartridge to extend or retract.

Every one of these lovely treasures would make an excellent gift this holiday season. From the Parker Ingenuity Red’s fiery appeal to the Vanishing Point’s exotic allure, these pieces can cater to everyone’s preferred type. Whether they like dazzling fluoresce, radiant simplicity or refined stylishness, none of these pieces will fail to impress. Each and every one is top notch, top of its class and is sure to be at the top of your list this holiday season.

Montblanc Jonathan Swift Writers Edition -

A good satirist is arguably one of the cleverest, funniest and most informed members of society. They
are skilled in one of the most enviable genres in the literary world, and just about every author or young
protégée with a pencil and notebook crave the wit and humor that satirists use to showcase and ridicule
the vices, abuses and follies of society with the intent to shame society into improvement. (Although
satire is usually meant to be funny, its greater purpose is constructive, social criticism that uses wit
as a weapon. Satire features strong irony, sarcasm, parody, exaggeration, comparison, analogy and
double entendres to create a humorous piece that amuses just as effortlessly as it informs. In fact, most
scholars regard it as the easiest and most insightful way to understand and judge a society and social
order.

Greater purposes aside, satirists of the English language have enjoyed particular success and
emulation since the genre’s conception. So it is a little bit, dare I say, ironic that one of the most timeless
masters of the craft was born in a country that has had a rather complex history with the language’s
mother country.

Jonathan Swift was born in Dublin, Ireland in 1667, after the death of his father. Subsequently,
his mother moved him and his brother to England where he was predominantly cared for by his
powerful uncle who had connections with some of England’s most elite literary professionals. Despite
much of his youth being spent in England and it being the publishing birthplace of many of his works,
Swift spent most of life in the city of his birth.

His success as a writer started humbly enough. In the early 18th century he published A Tale of
a Tub and The Battle of the Books, two pieces that successfully kick started his career as a writer and
allowed him to become accepted into England’s most prestigious and influential literary circles. He soon
became lifelong friends with other legendary writers such as Alexander Pop and John Arbuthnot. They,
along with other writers, formed the core of the Martinus Scriblerus Club. (Not quite as cool as the
Illuminati, but cool enough I suppose.)

Now, I could go on and on about all of the political intrigue he was involved in with England’s
Tory Party; acts that included, but were certainly not limited to, ending the War of the Spanish
Succession, First-Fruits and Twentieths, and the drama that followed the death of Queen Anne in 1714
leading to many Tories being tried for treason, but I digress. Those are stories for another day. What I
will talk about are two pieces of work that made Jonathan Swift a classical author and one of the most
successful trailblazers of his genre.

First, there is A Modest Proposal; a cleverly versed, short story that even now, almost four
centuries after it was written, still manages to delight its audience. An audience that sadly, has been
whittled down to a High School Honors English class or two. The story is targeted towards a turn of the
century Ireland that has suffered extreme cases of famine, poverty, mass immigration and oppression.
The story suggests, in complete and utter seriousness with no sense of theatrics, that to prevent Ireland
from falling into a deeper state of depravity, adults should either sell or eat their children. In a blunt,
strikingly, unapologetic tone, Swift proceeds to give accurate statistical facts about the condition of

the Irish people, and provides truly valid reasons as to why selling children by the pound when one has
too many and eating young toddlers for their nutritional value is the key to bringing Ireland out of its
depression. Now, all of this is clearly not meant to be taken seriously, but Swift presents the argument
in such a convincing, glowing suggestion that by the story’s end you’re halfway convinced that this is
clearly the solution the Ireland’s problem. This is the true nature of satire – taking a ridiculous idea and
presenting it in a totally serious manner, or vice versa. The humor is in the contrast and the greater the
contrast, the more humorous.

Swift’s undeniably most famous work, however, has and probably always will be, Gulliver’s
Travels. A roaring success from the moment it was published, it tells the story of a man named Gulliver
who travels to various exotic lands and explores the variations of human nature and social philosophy.
(Or so I have been told. I’ve never read the book and have only seen the movie version with Jack Black,
and I am not sure how accurate it is.) Nevertheless, Gulliver’s Travels has been hailed as a study of
corruption, government ideals and racial discrimination told in a style decades, even centuries before its
time. It is a unique, artful play of contrasts in human belief systems that manages to highlight, scrutinize
and even mock human preconceptions that has become second-nature over the course of time.

A literary powerhouse with a work of art to match, Montblanc’s Writers Edition has chosen
to honor this forefather of classical satire. The Jonathan Swift Montblanc Pen’s black lacquer barrel is
decorated with multilayered inlays designed to represent the ropes that were used to bind Gulliver
when he visited Lilliput, the land of the tiny people, in his first adventure. The precious black resin cap
is shaped like Gulliver’s tricorn and bears Jonathan Swift’s signature. A platinum-plated clip depicts the
tall, beautiful staircase of the mayor of Lilliput while the delicately designed rhodium-plated 18K gold
nib boasts an elaborate engraving of the Lilliput Imperial Army. The Jonathan Swift is a limited edition
piece with restricted worldwide access. It is a gem of its generation. An impeccable, stylish dedication to
a book and a man, who managed to carve a place in the history of the English language.

Let the season begin….

If there is one thing Americans are relatively modest about, it’s our sports teams. The Olympics, for example, are always a popular, but never fanatical, success. We go, we cheer passionately, we make sure we come home with the most medals (or at the very least more than China), we produce a few athletic starlets, and then we come home, safe and secure in our international athletic dominance. This of course isn’t to say that we aren’t fiercely proud of our athletes and the years of hard work and dedication they put toward their sports. The Fab Five are certified angels, our women’s soccer have won hearts on and off the field, our basketball boys have continued resoundingly demolishing the international competition and at the end of the day none of us are complaining. It’s just that, on a whole, compared to our northern neighbor’s borderline terrifying pride in their hockey teams, our transatlantic friends’ unfathomable loyalty to their soccer teams, and our southern neighbors’ who have actually started wars over the aforementioned sport, Americans enjoy a successful, but comparatively subdued feeling towards our teams.

Football is the exception.

The Canadian riots that take place at the conclusion of every Stanley Cup and the Brit’s unfailing loyalty to their soccer teams that, well, aren’t that good, all utterly pale in comparison to violent and undying allegiance Americans have toward their football teams. The dedicators typically fall into one of three categories: the casual but loyal fan, the fan who has made football a certified study and knows the statistics and trade history of every NFL player of importance, and the ‘die-hard heaven forbid you ever utter a single derogatory statement about their favorite team lest you risk having your lights punched out’ fan. (No exaggeration, I’ve actually seen grown adults get into physical altercations inside their place of business over football teams.) It doesn’t even matter how good or bad the team is – they can be the absolute worst team in the entire league – but if you get on the wrong side of a die-hard fan, you should never expect anything less than getting the stuffing beaten out of you in the dead of night and your car getting totaled via sledgehammer. (You think I’m joking? I assure you, my metaphors are quite tame compared to what actually happen to some poor unfortunate souls.) Believe you me, the shenanigans that goes on during Eastern European soccer matches is child’s play to veteran football fans, and from what I’ve seen in the news recently, that’s saying something.

September 5^th officially started this year’s football season, and the whole shebang won’t be over until February 3, 2013 with Super Bowl XLVII (47). Since we’re in the very beginning of the regular season, that coveted cup is up for grabs and it’s literally anyone’s game at this point (depending on who you ask). With all these new hopefuls arriving on the field this season, it’s only reasonable that you add a whole new lineup to your writing repertoire. The first player on the green is the Lamy 2000 Brushed Stainless Steel Fountain Pen. A staggering amount of manufacturing skills and precision levels were required to create this timeless design using only one material: stainless steel. After extensive processing and designing, the Lamy 2000’s finished product possesses a high-end, velvet, matt brushed body. Its seamless, partially hand-finished surface is shaped to provide the optimum in form and function. For those of you who want a little more color, Sheaffer and Scuderia Ferrari are proud to present the Sheaffer Ferrari 100 Rollerball Pen. Its sleek, bold design features either a fire red or midnight black body with silver-colored rings and accents. At the highest level of quality, each pen proudly displays the Ferrari emblem upon the cap and the renowned “White Dot” of excellence on the clip. Each instrument reflects the same profound passion, extraordinary talent and incredible expertise that drives the Ferrari company. (I will refrain from making an awful pun.) The last, but most certainly not least, player up for grabs is the Monteverde Poquito Stylus XL Ballpoint Pen. This pen has been redesigned with a consideration for convenience, practicability and stylish new colors. The soft rubber stylus is as responsive as fingers on a touch screen, but offers better accuracy and leaves no fingerprints. The piece is compatible with smart phones, tables, GPS, E-readers as well as public ATMS and airport kiosks. With colors ranging from Graphie Grey to violet to turquoise, this is a universal gift that any techie would love to have.

Whether it’s the aforementioned gems or one of the many others who have just arrived from the factory, you need to make sure you’re looking sharp this season. Your favorite teams certainly are, and how would it look if you didn’t represent them accordingly? So get your pens, get your jersey, get your giant foam finger, and get yourself to a TV, ‘cause this thing only comes once a year and it’s something you certainly don’t want to miss.