Life is Too Short to Write With Crappy Pens!

Ranting about "things that really don't matter" seems to be at the tip of my fingertips these days. Please forgive me while I carry on one (hopefully) last time.

Please note: Complaining for the sole purpose of complaining, without looking for solutions is NOT my goal. Any griping on my part must be counteracted with action. 

Spoiler alert: Today's rant comes with a potentially happy ending.

On with the show ...

Tell me, am I the only one on earth who is bothered by pens that don't write? Brand new pens, even with their "tip seals" (a small ball of wax on the tip of the pen) to ensure the pen's freshness, that stop writing intermittently, unexpectedly and frequently.

As I have committed to writing three pages by longhand each and every morning, finding a pen that will stand by this commitment is pivotal to this ongoing habit's success. I purchased a tried and true brand that had never let me down before to ensure my journalling success. The first pen worked so well, I gifted the remaining two pens in the package to my fellow journallers. An offer akin to swapping blood to become blood brothers, I offered pens to instil an ink-sister kinship.

Giving away that which brings me joy is one of my favorite things to do. I love to spread my joy. Whether it is my most favorite tea towels, socks, a miracle pillow or simply my favorite hassle free pen. If I love it and think you would love it, nothing makes me happier than sharing some of my tried and true favorite things (I feel like Oprah and Ellen, who have turned their "favorite things" into an audience favorite). 

Anyway ... short story, long ...

I went to replace my most favorite pens and the next package didn't write reliably. I was writing on the same kind of notepaper. Nothing had changed. Just a new package of pens. I was soooooo frustrated. I persevered until each pen in the package officially ran out of ink and I shopped for a replacement brand of pen. No luck. I am two pens into another package of four (I should have purchased one pen at a time until I knew for sure. My mistake).

As I fought with the second new pen and it was worse than the one before, I silently screamed in my head, "Life is too short to write with crappy pens!!!"

Before I tossed the whole lot of them, I decided to check the packaging. Maybe there was a "best before" date and I simply bought pens where the ink was drying out. No luck. 

But I did find a phone number my first package of pens. "If you are not completely satisfied with your product, please contact us at ...."

So I called. I had the chance to voice my complaint and in return, the company has the opportunity to make it right. They will be sending me replacement pens and I should receive them within two weeks. 

There is truly no reason to complain if you don't give the other party a chance to make amends. My second brand of pens came with no such guarantee but I may try to return the to the store where I made the purchase. The worst they can say is "no".

Ranting and raving and feeling angry steals our joy. Finding solutions (see yesterday's post, where all I had to do was flip my top sheet upside down to fix the problem), alternatives or going to the source and putting a voice to the concern is empowering.

Life IS too short to write with crappy pens. I WILL live to write another day. In the meantime, there is another brand of pen that has served me well. If at first you don't succeed, just keep trying. Or as Dory (from Finding Nemo) would say, "Just keep swimming..."