If you ask any of the employees on the sales floor of Atlantic Photo Supply what can really frustrate me they will likely say “using his pen”.  I normally carry a Zebra M-301 pen on me at work all times because it is cheap work horse of a ball-point pen that I feel comfortable beating up.  At home I use more expensive pens like Montblanc or Waterman and I am very particular about people not messing with my pens because when I need a pen, I really need a pen.

One reason I try to carry a pen on me is so I can write down potentially brilliant ideas.  Sometimes I can be struck by an idea while in a shawarma-induced semi-daze or while falling asleep at night.  This idea might be for a photograph that I want to take, a project I want to do, a business idea or something completely random.  I could text myself using my phone to remind me of the idea later, but I prefer a pen and paper.  There is something about using a pen and paper to begin a creative process that I prefer over digital reminders so I try to have them near by at all times.  On countless occasins I’ve rousted myself from the beginnings of sleep to write down a quick note or draw a small picture or diagram. 

Often I will wake up the next morning and the note will mean nothing or the idea will not be as fantastic as it seemed at the time.  Eventually, however, I do write down something worthwhile and I’m sure glad I had my pen near by to do it.