A Good & Affordable Pen - The Parker Jotter

My first posting in Amalaysianman.blogspot.com was about basic items that every man should have. It included my opinion that every man who works in an office environment should carry a proper pen. This means a decent pen instead of a cheap papermate or kilometrico. As cheap Kilometrico ballpoint pen poking out of your shirt pocket is a sign that you're not paying enough attention on your overall image and that you're not willing to go the extra mile in your quest to be prim and proper. 

A RM50.00 Parker Jotter ballpoint pen (now sadly out of production  still available at most large departmental stores in Kuala Lumpur) is something that does not cost the earth yet its arrow clip makes a good enough statement when poking out of one's shirt pocket. A Montblanc Meisterstuck fountain pen is even better. I've got one of those as well as about twenty other vintage Parker fountain pens.

 But if you're slightly careless or forgetful, then an entry level Parker would suffice most of the time as almost every other pen in the shirt pocket of most Malaysian paper pushers are either free, stolen from office supply  cabinet or as I mentioned, an el-cheapo ballpoint pen with a plastic cap or built wholly of plastic with numbers like the nib size, e.g 0.5mm, printed on it (very unbecoming). Couple that with its ease of use (which is the actual reason I tend to use the affordable Parker instead of refilling the fountain pens) and you're got a winner folks.

In short, any entry level Cross, Schaffer, Parker and any pen with a proper cap, clip and barrel would do. It's not the brand, but how decent its built and how it gives you a better overall impression. 

My very used stainless steel Parker Jotter is seen here with an Omega Seamaster Professional Quartz and a Sony Ericsson K800i. Those that are fans of James Bond will see that connection right away.