It's more Comfortable for me to Write with a Fountain Pen

When I hand write anything I prefer using the Lamy Fountain pen over any other writing utensil.

Left-Handed Confession

I’m left-handed. I’m not a great hand writer. I prefer typing tenfold over handwriting.

My handwriting is hard to read. I have found it challenging to handwrite in a world which celebrates the English language from left to write.

As a left-handed writer, I sometimes wonder if it would have been easier had I learned to write in Arabic? Arabic is a language written from right to left.

Holding pens in my left hand is natural. But forcing it to write from left to write hurts my hand. This has been going on since I first picked up a pencil.

Hand Writing Notes

Through the years I have struggled taking hand notes when attending college. I purchased mechanical pencils since I could erase. They proved the most effective tool for long sessions of handwriting at the time. Yet after an hour lecture’s of hand notes, my hand felt cramped.

I worried I would be destined to one day live with arthritis. And that very well could be a possibility for me in the future. Only time will tell.

As I grew older, I did everything I could to avoid writing with my hand. All I could remember was the associated pain. Putting my poor left hand on ice. While right-handed persons continued with their handwriting oblivious to my plight.

Introduction to Fountain Pens

One day I picked up a friend’s fountain pen. He was using it full-time and was teaching himself calligraphy. He had taken up cursive, again.

Something I had also abandon as soon as I could. Writing squiggly words at a right angle with my left hand proved more obnoxious and more painful.

South Paws of the World Unit!

My father could have saved me from this frustration. I recall him telling me one day how frustrated he was growing up. He wanted to write with his left hand, but his father forced him to write right-handed. He refused to subject me to the same abuse.

I am glad to be a left-hander. South pawers of the world unite! But it hasn’t been easy growing up in a right handers world.

My cursive writing hipster friend allowed me to use his fountain pen for a brief moment. I wrote a few sentences in my best version of my handwriting. I failed to copy his beautiful style of cursive letters. I found the weight and thickness of his fountain pen much preferable over regular pens and mechanical pencil and pencils.

Even better than the Uni Jetstream pens. Which I was using for a while.

When I briefly picked up Bullet Journaling, I knew I had to find a pen suitable for my handicap.

After weeks of internet research, I decided on the Lamy Fountain pen. A German plastic-made fountain pen. Based on my discoveries the Lamy Fountain pen was considered the best starter fountain pen. Coupled with the fact it wasn’t costly for a fountain pen.

When it arrived, I loaded my new fountain pen with blue ink and started filling my Bullet Journal with handwritten words.

I didn’t last Bullet Journaling. I still prefer using my MacBook and note apps to archive my thoughts and tasks. But, the Lamy pen is still my daily use.

I love this pen, and I plan to upgrade one day to one of their metal hardshell options.

Nowadays, I use a combination of Bear Note app, Things, and my Leuchtturm1917 journal. Especially when at work. I begin each day at work writing a list of to-do items in my Leuchtturm1917 journal.

When I need to write a to-do list of things I need to get done that day, I follow the Bullet Journal pattern. I handwrite them in my journal with my Lamy fountain pen. My favorite pen.