Author Topic: Me and Mont Blanc  (Read 19086 times)

Northerly

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Re: Me and Mont Blanc
« Reply #50 on: October 13, 2014, 04:09:11 PM »
Picked up this book for nearly free at the library last winter http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Theory_of_the_Leisure_Class by Veblen. I'm sure many of you have read it, but for those who haven't, it provides some interesting insights.

VirginiaBob

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Re: Me and Mont Blanc
« Reply #51 on: October 13, 2014, 09:23:56 PM »
You should have said, "what is this amazing invention that you call a pen?  And to think I've been using a hunk a graphite all of these years to sign my name".

Zamboni

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Re: Me and Mont Blanc
« Reply #52 on: October 13, 2014, 09:57:33 PM »
Me 1, Rolex 0

Ahahahaha!

Pen stories:
1)  In the recent movie Calvary, the character of ostentatious wealth at one point notes that he is using a particularly expensive pen.  At another point he says "What do you see when you look at me?  You see a sophisticated, eminent man in the prime of his life."  Not what anyone is seeing, but clearly the image he works to project.

2)  Recently learned that a colleague has a side hustle collecting and reselling expensive pens.  She has a desk drawer full of them.  Ummm . . . . okay.  She's already worked well past the age at which I plan to retire, just in case you are thinking a pen-peddling side hustle is the way to go.

3)  Just today I acquire 2 free pens at a local conference.  One advertises the host of the event and one the hotel.  Both seem quite nice.  Kudos to those of you who are keeping excess pens from entering your life.   

RockinLife

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Re: Me and Mont Blanc
« Reply #53 on: October 16, 2014, 04:14:33 PM »
My SIL decided that she 'deserved' a fancy pen last winter.  She went on to sing its praises and brag about its 400$ price tag.  Not to be out done, her hubs (my BIL) went out and bought one for himself.  I can honestly say I completely tuned out of conversation after that, so I couldn't tell you if it was a Mont whatever, or not. 

They then proceeded to finance a memory foam mattress, a mortgage with 2% down, all with 60K$ in outstanding student loans (and who knows how many thousands in cc debt). 

When he was complaining to us about their financial struggles, and I pointed him to this blog and discussed our then 38% savings rate (it's growing as we speak). All he had were excuses as to why that is impossible and we are 'money hoarders.'

UGH!!  ...if we weren't related...

On the plus side, when my other BIL heard about our savings rate, he immediately went out and increased his 401k contribution to 20%.  I guess not all is lost.

MgoSam

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Re: Me and Mont Blanc
« Reply #54 on: October 16, 2014, 04:48:26 PM »
I simply cannot fathom spending so much on a pen, but I suppose that for some people it makes some sense. Then again, I have yet to last an entire week without losing a pen, so wouldn't feel comfortable with something with this price point.

lemanfan

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Re: Me and Mont Blanc
« Reply #55 on: October 16, 2014, 10:39:35 PM »
I simply cannot fathom spending so much on a pen, but I suppose that for some people it makes some sense. Then again, I have yet to last an entire week without losing a pen, so wouldn't feel comfortable with something with this price point.

Even with cheap pens, I nowadays make a big fuzz about NOT losing a pen.  It's a matter of "waste not" and environmental concern.  How much of the worlds resources are being lost in making and losing cheap pens?  :(