Saturday, January 23, 2010

National Handwriting Day



It’s National Handwriting Day (aka John Hancock’s birthday). Above, a recent sample of handwriting, created with a portable ink-delivery apparatus called a “Model T.” Yes, handwriting recalls the good old days, like the day last week when I wrote a review of Alvin Levin’s Love Is Like Park Avenue (New Directions, 2009) for World Literature Today. Handwriting is not dead yet.

Related posts
Five pens
“Necessary and beloved tools of thought”
On handwriting and typing
Writing by hand
Writing, technology, and teenagers

comments: 5

Pete said...

Doing what I can to honor this worthy day, albeit belatedly...

http://www.petelit.com/2010/01/national-handwriting-day.html

Berit said...

I am (not so) secretly completely in love with my handwriting. I think it's really special, and I've tweaked it until it suited me. As part of my secondary education at a private school I received training in various calligraphy hands (dip-pen), and undoubtedly this influenced my adult penmanship. Lately, at age 27, I seem to only write thank you cards. And, I must be an ungrateful girl because I write them so infrequently that my hand cramps terribly and doesn't give the level of control I expect.

I've been mulling over the idea of "practicing my flicks" with secret glee for a while now. But, what should I copy out for this purpose? I'm not one for poetry, and self help is just a bit over-the-top. :D

I enjoyed seeing you hand above; and am quite curious about this "Model T". :D

Michael Leddy said...

Copying — how about Bartlett’s Quotations?

The Model T is a Pelikan fountain pen, c. 1996.

Berit said...

Bartlett's: "An Oldie but Goldie". Wish I had the family copy with me; sadly I don't own one in my own home. I COULD just borrow one from the library...or use the computer, but I think the point of this exercise would be to get away from the screen. Thanks for the suggestion!

Mmmnnn, Pelikan. Don't you just love their logotype and etc.? I have a little gouache water/paint tray/brush holder from them upon which I all but dote :D

Michael Leddy said...

Best fountain pens around, in my opinion.