|||
At the end of 2023 I was given The Daily Stoic, a book by Ryan Holiday that presents a passage per day from ancient Stoic thinkers. I chose to start a journal to copy down the passages and, if compelled, put some of my own thoughts alongside it. The journal served to help me write more consistently, to give more pens more use through the year, and to dedicate some time each day for reflection.
I used 2 journals and 10 pens over the last 12 months. The journals were an Itoya Profolio Oasis and a Good Inkpressions, both in A5. Between them, I preferred the Itoya’s smoother paper but wished it had the ribbon page maker the Inkpressions provided.
As for the pens, I’ll list them in chronological order of use and give a passage it was used for.
1) Pilot Custom 845, used January 1st to March 31st. I originally planned to use this pen exclusively for the journal all year, but realized it would serve me better to rotate other pens through the role. This pen is a joy to write with and is set to come back for some role soon in 2025.
We have the power to hold no opinion about a thing and to not let it upset our state of mind — for things have no natural power to shape our judgments.
~ Marcus Aurelius
2) Sailor King of Pen, used April 1st to April 24th. One of the best writing pens I’ve ever had. I can recall the physical sensation of using it even now, 8 months later.
Throw out your conceited opinions, for it is impossible for a person to learn what he thinks he already knows.
~ Epictetus
3) Pilot Custom, used April 25th to May 26th. I’ve never been able to find out much about this pen’s history. I got it based on the unusual (for Pilot) material and it turned out to be a phenomenal writer.
Pay attention to what’s in front of you — the principle, the task, or what’s being portrayed.
~ Marcus Aurelius
4) Parker Duofold Maxima, used May 27th to June 30th. I don’t think I’ve ever used a better fine nib than this one.
Every event has two handles — one by which it can be carried, and one by which it can’t. If your brother does you wrong, don’t grab it by his wronging because this is the handle incapable of lifting it. Instead, use the other — that he is your brother, that you were raised together, and then you will have hold of handle that carries.
~ Epictetus
5) Parker Duofold International, used July 1st to 31st. A big italic nib and some of the best looking resin you’ll find.
When you’ve done well and another has benefitted by it, why like a fool do you look for a third thing on top — credit for the good deed or a favor in return?
~ Marcus Aurelius
6) Pilot Legance 89S, used August 1st to 31st. Like a Prera but with nicer material and a gold nib. A precise writer and super easy to carry.
Apply yourself to thinking through difficulties — hard times can be softened, tight squeezes widened, and heavy loads made lighter for those who can apply the right pressure.
~ Seneca
7) Lamy 2000, used September 1st to 30th. This pen was great for showcasing Sailor Massachusetts ink. Looking back at the pages now reminds me of that summer to fall transition time.
I judge you unfortunate because you have never lived through misfortune. You have passed through life without an opponent — no one can ever know what you are capable of, not even you.
~ Seneca
8) Pilot Murex, used October 1st to 31st. This was a find at the September Commonwealth Pen Show. If you think less is more, this could well be a pen for you.
Better to trip with the feet than with the tongue.
~ Zeno
9) Parker 45, used November 1st to 30th. If you’ve got some time to kill you can see the story behind this pen here. It’s very special to me.
If the breaking day sees someone proud, the ending day sees them brought low. No one should put too much trust in triumph, no one should give up hope of trials improving.
No one has had so much divine favor that they could guarantee themselves tomorrow.
~ Seneca
10) Parker Sonnet, used December 1st to present. The nib on this pen requires a more deliberate pace to get the best performance. At the point of the year when everything is so busy, the need to go slower helps give the writing time more impact. It wasn’t a planned choice in that way, but rather a fortunate coincidence.
I say, let no one rob me of a single day who isn’t going to make a full return on the loss.
~ Seneca
Reading all these passages from the Stoics has helped me in the sense of gaining additional perspective on life and how we deal with it. I don’t think one person, place, or school of thought has all the answers we seek. The dispassion, sometimes outright coldness, of the Stoic approach didn’t always leave me with a great feeling. There’s a limit to how detached I can be about some things but, by the same token, there was value in seeing how too much investment in other items was not worthwhile. In either case, I believe patience to evaluate a given circumstance in a more even-tempered way presented as a byproduct of the time spent each day with the journal.
I did not end up doing much of my own response to the entries in the journal. It may be better to loop back on them when January starts to see if new feelings stir after a year’s passing.
I have some different ideas for a daily journal/writing project for 2025. It will most likely be centered around copying over an existing work. It will almost certainly have a rotating cast of pens with an A5 notebook or two. That part of the formula was instrumental in maintaining interest and keeping the experience fresh month to month.
What writing plans are in your future for 2025?
