The Constorium of Greater Minds

My mother always said I had good taste in office supplies. I used to think that it was just one of those things that my mom said because I was her son. Things like I could be anything, do anything, or go to any school I wanted to. Fortunately for me, I’ve recently discovered finer writing instruments and stationary products. That just about redeems my mother for those other things being less true.

On a recent trip to little Tokyo in LA, I came to Kinokuniya bookstore.

A great store that caters to the Japenese community in the area. They had a huge selection of Japanese language books, DVDs, CDs, and magazines. My favorite part of the store, though, were the shelves dedicated to Japanese office supplies. They had all kinds of interesting notebooks, stationary, and writing instruments and even som Muji-like items. Non-branded, aluminum pencil holders, card cases, and even some cool soft sided laptop and camera bags. I ended up picking up a few things, including my office holiday party gift – an aluminum pencil case, with six imported Mitsubishi Hi-Uni pencils, some of the finest pencils you can buy, so I hear. And at about $3 a pencil, much more expensive than I ever realized a pencil could be.

In school I always used pencils, starting with “My First Ticonderoga” oversized and triangular pencils in preschool. I liked the smoothness of writing and the erasbility, and being leff handed, came to appreciate the silvery graphite that would accumulate on the back of my finger after a long day of jotting notes and ideas. I resisted pens sucessfully until I entered the working world, where nobody uses pencils, and the supply room is stocked with low grade “No. 2″ pencils, and there’s not a sharpener in sight. Now with my burgening collection of classic wood case pencils, German made sharpeners, and plastic erasers, I’ve made the switch back, hopefully for good. 

To me, it’s about the details that spice up everday life. Taking something ordinary and overlooked and elevating it to something beautiful and inspired, yet useful and efficient. That’s what design is about at the most basic level. Now when I hit that Monday morning staff meeting, I won’t be just another drone gripping a Bic Stic.

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