Author: Andy Welfle

Sharpening a new (metaphorical) pencil

/ Andy Welfle / 7 Comments

Wow.  Has it really been since January 7 since I last posted? I’ve been a bad blogger.

In the last three months, I’ve discovered a few things about myself:

  • I like using pencils.
  • I like talking about pencils.
  • I like writing about pencils.
  • I don’t really like selling pencils.
  • ↑ That last one’s the important part if you want to work at a pencil company

Don’t get me wrong. CalCedar is a great place to work. WoodChuck and my colleagues are motivated, friendly, and — best yet — love pencils. And while I’ve been happy living my passion these past few months, it tuns out that when I’m thinking about pencils for 40 hours a week, even I get a little burnt out. Plus, I really missed my local nonprofit community.

That’s why effective Friday, I’ll be ending my job as Marketing and Promotions Coordinator for Pencils.com. I will still maintain a relationship on a very part-time basis, managing their social media and developing relationships with bloggers. That’s what I find most fulfilling and what I think I’m best at. Meanwhile, I’ll be starting a full-time gig at a brand-new local arts and culture nonprofit. That’s my professional passion.

I’m lucky enough to be able to pursue my passions in life, which is rare. And I’m lucky that my friends and colleagues at CalCedar still want me to be part of their amazing dotcom venture. All around, I’m a lucky person.

Thanks for bearing with me! Hopefully this will mean that you’ll be seeing more from me on this blog. I have a few reviews coming up, and some news items.

What’s going on in your neck of the woods?

Rad and Hungry — office supplies for my generation

/ Andy Welfle / 4 Comments

I’ve been thinking about writing a little editorial about my generation (20- and 30-somethings) and the resurgence of “lo-fi” writing instruments for some time. But now may be a good time to touch on it.

 

Although I didn’t really use the computer regularly until I was a teenager, Ever since, I’ve lived much of my life online. In my current job, probably six of my eight hours each day are spent writing, designing, communicating, and researching using the computer. I have a feeling that most, if not all, of my eight hours per day in my new job will be that way, too.

And for all of the time we spent producing virtual words on a screen, I think the writers of my generation feel a need to mark a real mark on a real piece of paper: through typewriters, fountain pens, printing presses, and my favorite: pencils. Continue reading →

Going Pro

/ Andy Welfle / 13 Comments

I consider myelf someone with a wide variety of interests and passions. Some of my passions, in no particular order, include literature, the arts, technology, Apple computers, and, of course, pencils. And it is really exciting when, as a friend told me recently, you can go from “passion to paycheck.”

It is with that in mind that I make an exciting announcement: As of January 2011, I will be working for our friends at CalCedar as the Marketing and Promotions Coordinator for Pencils.com! This is a really exciting opportunity, and I’m honored that I was even considered for the position, let alone accepted for it. Continue reading →

Lego pen actually writes!

/ Andy Welfle / 2 Comments

Yeah, I know this post is about pens. You should know by now that I don’t stick exclusively to pencils. But this is about something greater than a mere ink transference utensil. It’s about a pen made OUT OF LEGOS.

That’s right. I love me some Legos. I don’t even know how much money my parents spent every year when I was a child to keep me in Legos, but I have a whole bin full of them.

Etsy.com seller derekseiple creates customized Lego pencils that actually write. And for just under $14 per pen, it’s not a terribly high price, either. Though you might be able to go to a Lego store yourself and buy the parts to make your own, you’d have to drill a core and stabilize the reservoir, and you don’t want to do that, do you?

Link to Etsy store. Found via Wired GadgetLab.