Rhapsody in blue

I love writing - not just the manipulation of words and ideas, but the actual act of putting pen to paper.  I have several fountain pens that I enjoy using but I'm not above snagging a free pen with an insurance agent's name emblazoned across it...Roller balls, gels, stick bics, you name it, it's probably tucked away somewhere in the house.  Which explains this pile taken from my desk:

This doesn't include the pens from the kitchen.  Or my work area.

I've begun the process of sorting/tossing and, honestly, how many pens does a person need?!  Have you ever read (in Real Simple, e.g.) how much sense it makes to label your miscellaneous, but vital, cords?  You can see that I've also begun labeling a few cords - that one is for my camera - but the thought occurred to me that there are a lot of very similar cords floating around the house, and here, in context, I know which is which, but once they're packed and unpacked and my context no longer exists.....And it may seem  an insignificant start but I have started, and it makes sense to tackle whatever area I happen to be using.  That way I can do 5 minute attacks all over rather than facing a 10 hour just-slog-through-it-session, which will no doubt happen eventually, but right now this is working for me.

But we were talking about writing utensils. And this semester I rediscovered the delights of mechanical pencils. They flow. They glide.  They make a satisfying scritch.  They makes taking notes (almost) effortless.  This little blue model set me back about $1.25 - and I'd be lost without it!  I'm on the lookout for another model - an upgrade. 

Wednesday night I came home from work and did all my wrapping.  Partly to see what shopping was left to be done, but the ultimate goal was to get this finished so I could clean my sewing room and work area the next morning before going to work.  And I did.  Another round of sorting/tossing.  (There will be a lot of s/t in the near future).

I need to find a few stocking stuffers, but was pleased (relieved) to find that I was, otherwise, done (done being a relative term this time of year).    A CLEP in American Government is scheduled for Tuesday, work Monday and Wednesday, 7:00 breakfast at the library on Thursday, then hit the road for Iowa.  Charlie needs a bath sometime before we leave.  There will be errands on Tuesday after I test.  And lots of s/t worked in around everything else.  I really should get off the computer....