Remembering one of the only real complaints I ever heard from your teachers growing up, I’d say “drummers” love writing utensils because pencils double as tappity tap tap tapping drum mallets and pens can clicky click click like maracas. In fact they’re probably the first “drum sticks” a future drummer ever holds. Which comes first? The drummer or the innocent child with a maddening urge to tap out a paradiddle with a pencil on a trapper keeper?
Is Spencer’s love of pencils the reason why you have used them in an artistic way and provide cute pencils for us to include in our private Wilco stashes? So cool!
I remember getting an email from my seven year old son’s teacher complaining he was ‘using an eraser for non academic purposes by banging it on the floor and distracting the children around him’. I was so proud.
Hi Spencer, This is one of your most interesting posts, your search for pencils. I think that you might have missed some when you were searching in my basement many years ago. There are pencils and related items still there, so come on over and explore some more and take whatever you would like to your beautiful new home. Love, Zaid
I go to a lot of estate sales, and I make sure to look through desk drawers for old stationery supplies. I know it’s all going your way get chucked in a dumpster at the end of the sale if I don’t take these precious objects home. The font and graphic design of that era, mixed with the quality of the materials can’t be beat.
My grandfather was a mechanical engineer for Pratt and Whitney. I inherited his drafting table and use it as my desk. It has one long slim drawer that runs the entire depth of the table, and contains all of his pencils (mechanical & wooden), along with the other tools of his trade. Many were homemade or modified by him.
Also, I had an idea during The Tweedy Show era that you should sell pencils shaped like drumsticks and call them Spencils. Now that I know you love pencils…come on. It has to happen.
Visiting little art/stationary stores was a goal for me in my touring days. No matter how small the euro town there was always a stationary store with orderly shelves of notebooks, little water color sets, pens... each store offered its own calming effect. You know the blackwings given out at the SS we played was some of my favorite swag ever. Maybe it is a drummer thing!
I can’t say I share your fascination with pencils, but I do always enjoy a good stationery shop and can even get lost in a standard old Office Depot. But what really gave me a chuckle as I started reading this entry was remembering a moment during some episode of the Tweedy Show when your parents were discussing gift giving. I can’t remember the context, but there was some occasion that called for giving you a “prize” and both your mom and dad were highly amused to recall that what you wanted most was a pencil. At the time it seemed hilarious that your wishes were so modest, but it all makes sense now!
What I think I am drawn to in these shops are a few things: the orderliness, the flow of the color palettes of pens, markers, pencils, and papers, and most of all the hopeful and happy vibe of creativity ready to happen.
I immediately put my phone down to clap for Casey and then picked it up to read the rest! Moving is so much work! I’m a pencil fan but I’m a lefty so I’m always interested in pens with fast-drying ink. So for my fellow lefty ink-smearing Spencer fans, here’s one of the best gifts my daughter has ever given me…the Pentel EnerGel liquid gel ink pen! Mine is purple with purple ink and it makes writing fun! No more inky hand when I write! Thanks for another lovely read, Spencer 💜
You are not alone in your stationary shopping!! Thank you for your words…I will be in Berlin on December and now have a quiet mission to go stationary hunting 🥰🥰🥰
Nothing quite as good as a stationery/art shop with ambience. Almost as good as a vintage fabric/textile/haberdashery store …..in fact they’re on equal terms in my love of shops/ (actually everything) with ambience. Where would we be without it !🌿
Remembering one of the only real complaints I ever heard from your teachers growing up, I’d say “drummers” love writing utensils because pencils double as tappity tap tap tapping drum mallets and pens can clicky click click like maracas. In fact they’re probably the first “drum sticks” a future drummer ever holds. Which comes first? The drummer or the innocent child with a maddening urge to tap out a paradiddle with a pencil on a trapper keeper?
You created this drum monster, Jeff. That early Heavy Metal Drummer cameo was just a start.
Is Spencer’s love of pencils the reason why you have used them in an artistic way and provide cute pencils for us to include in our private Wilco stashes? So cool!
Yes! Elementary teacher here and I came to say, literally, pencils are a drummer's first pair of sticks!
I remember getting an email from my seven year old son’s teacher complaining he was ‘using an eraser for non academic purposes by banging it on the floor and distracting the children around him’. I was so proud.
Fun! When I’m traveling in foreign lands I visit yarn shops. I love the getting there as much as the being there.
Hi Spencer, This is one of your most interesting posts, your search for pencils. I think that you might have missed some when you were searching in my basement many years ago. There are pencils and related items still there, so come on over and explore some more and take whatever you would like to your beautiful new home. Love, Zaid
This is valuable content!!!!
Please bring pencils to loft asap.
Invaluable content!!
I go to a lot of estate sales, and I make sure to look through desk drawers for old stationery supplies. I know it’s all going your way get chucked in a dumpster at the end of the sale if I don’t take these precious objects home. The font and graphic design of that era, mixed with the quality of the materials can’t be beat.
My grandfather was a mechanical engineer for Pratt and Whitney. I inherited his drafting table and use it as my desk. It has one long slim drawer that runs the entire depth of the table, and contains all of his pencils (mechanical & wooden), along with the other tools of his trade. Many were homemade or modified by him.
Also, I had an idea during The Tweedy Show era that you should sell pencils shaped like drumsticks and call them Spencils. Now that I know you love pencils…come on. It has to happen.
That’s a brilliant idea Jen!
Visiting little art/stationary stores was a goal for me in my touring days. No matter how small the euro town there was always a stationary store with orderly shelves of notebooks, little water color sets, pens... each store offered its own calming effect. You know the blackwings given out at the SS we played was some of my favorite swag ever. Maybe it is a drummer thing!
❤️❤️❤️
I also seek out local stationery shops when I'm in a new area. Hitting ten shops while touring is impressive!
I like how typing "stationary" caused you to move. Also, in the final photo you look a lot like a young Daniel Johnston. He was often blurry.
I can’t say I share your fascination with pencils, but I do always enjoy a good stationery shop and can even get lost in a standard old Office Depot. But what really gave me a chuckle as I started reading this entry was remembering a moment during some episode of the Tweedy Show when your parents were discussing gift giving. I can’t remember the context, but there was some occasion that called for giving you a “prize” and both your mom and dad were highly amused to recall that what you wanted most was a pencil. At the time it seemed hilarious that your wishes were so modest, but it all makes sense now!
What I think I am drawn to in these shops are a few things: the orderliness, the flow of the color palettes of pens, markers, pencils, and papers, and most of all the hopeful and happy vibe of creativity ready to happen.
I immediately put my phone down to clap for Casey and then picked it up to read the rest! Moving is so much work! I’m a pencil fan but I’m a lefty so I’m always interested in pens with fast-drying ink. So for my fellow lefty ink-smearing Spencer fans, here’s one of the best gifts my daughter has ever given me…the Pentel EnerGel liquid gel ink pen! Mine is purple with purple ink and it makes writing fun! No more inky hand when I write! Thanks for another lovely read, Spencer 💜
I’m a lefty too!
You are not alone in your stationary shopping!! Thank you for your words…I will be in Berlin on December and now have a quiet mission to go stationary hunting 🥰🥰🥰
Saw you at the Irish Centre, Leeds. Excellent gig. Having been to art college many years ago, I do like a good pencil. Thanks for the reviews.
Scrunkly!
Enjoyed the read❤️
Nothing quite as good as a stationery/art shop with ambience. Almost as good as a vintage fabric/textile/haberdashery store …..in fact they’re on equal terms in my love of shops/ (actually everything) with ambience. Where would we be without it !🌿