I’m a semi-retired Brit who spent nearly 40 years flogging treasury and risk management software. I’m looking around for something less stressful and more fun to keep the brain working properly. I’m a keen photographer and judge of photographic competitions. Coffee lover. Arsenal fan. Ultimately, we should remember that life’s too short to drink bad wine. — Paul Parkinson

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PHYSICAL

• Asvine P36 Titanium Piston Demonstrator fountain pen: This is simply a fountain pen which is punching so far above its weight it’s ridiculous. It writes smoother, feels better, and looks nicer than many pens costing even 10 times what this Chinese “replica” pen cost. Fitted with a Bock medium nib and filled with Pilot Iroshizuku Tsutsuji, it’s a delight.
• Elephant N-Wallet: I got fed up with breaking my butt every time I sat down because my wallet was full up. Honestly, it was around 1” deep at that point. I switched to Elephant N-Wallet and apart from the occasional new elastic band, it’s been amazing. I carry no less than I did before but it’s a much smaller package. As an aside, I also use a small Muji Polyester double zip case to carry more stuff like pill cases and other bits and bobs. As a combination it’s perfect for me.
• Resound Vivia Hearing aids: I’m pretty much deaf these days and these hearing aids have been incredible for me. Not cheap but the sound quality is incredible and the MFI connection to my iPhone for streaming works beautifully.

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DIGITAL

• I recently switched over to Microsoft OneNote after my previous e-note supplier increased their subscription to beyond stupid. The fact that it’s included with my Office subscription (kinda sorta free, right?) and I bought and stacked annual packages on Amazon Prime Day, I don’t pay anything until June 2028!
• I simply could not exist without RSS and my Feedly account. I follow 600 feeds of varying activity levels and never miss an update. I’ve been a user since 2013 (post Google Reader). Simply perfect.

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INVISIBLE

Whatever you do today, do it with the confidence of a 4-year old in a Batman cape.

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03/11/26