I’m currently a grad’ student at a busy university in Ontario, Canada, and I write a lot. I write for pleasure, and for work… and sometimes that can be painful. Only somebody who has sat for hours, staring at a blank sheet of paper, or a screen, with maybe only a heading to show they have been there, will know that pain.

Of course, like most of us, pretty much everything I write has to end up on a digital medium of some sort; but a lot of stuff… research diaries, reflexive journals, lecture notes, feedback for students, is easier the old-fashioned way; and a lot more fun. Using a variety of fountain pens, inks, and journals has rekindled my love for writing, and I’m positive it’s helped me through to the final stages of my doctorate.

So for anybody in a similar position, who shares my fascination for the beauty of precision-engineered, and expertly crafted writing equipment; and who recognizes the intrinsically personal value of handwritten text in our increasingly digital world, this blog is for us. I’m going to discuss what I use, how I use it, and I will pass entirely biased judgement on everything that crosses my desk… because it’s all about personal preference and that’s what I’ll share with you.

In addition, I will—from time to time—throw in an article or two that I’ve been working on, maybe something academic, maybe something fictional, maybe it’ll be about something that concerns me greatly or personally. It will be my writing, which, after all, is the title of my blog, so what else would you really expect? The one thing I promise you though, if it’s anything but fiction, if it’s opinion on anything, I’ll support what I say with what I consider to be sufficient evidence to support my argument. If you don’t agree with anything I say, please, please, argue with me—there’s nothing worse than a dialogue in mono. Keep it rational (you don’t even have to be that polite, I don’t shock easily), but what I will insist on is reasoned, evidence-based argument.

I hope you find all this useful… but most of all, I hope you enjoy reading it, as much as I take pleasure in putting it together.

Two more things before I go: Throughout this site, I will often and wholeheartedly endorse products, web sites, and even shops or people, for the quality of their product, service, knowledge or skills. I receive no payment from these individuals or companies (although, if you’re reading this, please don’t let that stop you from offering). And even if I did gain something beyond enjoyment from putting all this together, that wouldn’t stop me from giving my honest opinion… sometimes, life would be considerably easier if it would.

And last but not least, I have been told by at least one commentator to avoid politics and religion… ah, sorry, like I’ve said before, I like to go where the evidence leads. Thus, I believe that health care should be free at the point of delivery for everybody; I believe in welcoming immigrants to our borders; I believe (with good, biological evidence to support my position), that gender is not a binary phenomenon; I believe in the right of women to choose whether they become a parent; I believe in severe gun control—even, and quite possibly especially—for the police; I believe that Homo sapiens are one species, no matter where your skin color or gender falls on the spectrum of either; and I do not believe in the existence of any kind of supernatural force or deity.

If you have a problem with an evidence-informed liberal atheist, then I suggest you argue with me whenever you get the chance. I can always use the practice.

If we don’t believe in freedom of expression for people we despise, we don’t believe in it at all.
Chomsky, Noam. (2000). The big little book of Jewish wit & wisdom. Sally Ann Berk, Maria Carluccio (Editors), p. 228. New York, NY: Black Dog & Leventhal Publishers.

Oh yeah, there are more pictures on Flickr, including more cats.