I just need to confess this to someone and my wife, being 8 months pregnant, is less sympathetic than you might imagine.

I've fallen in love with the Nakaya urushi pens - cigar portable in reddish-red with a fine nib to be exact. Somewhat unreasonably my wife thinks the $460 price of the pen could be better spent on 'baby stuff'. I think she's out of her mind, but our couch is very uncomfortable, so I kinda' have to play along.

I wonder if Nakaya has a layaway plan.

Eb

PS. For those who don't speak sarcasm with an ironic accent, this is a joke. No responsibility flames please.

PPS. Just the part about spending baby money on a pen is a joke. The unrealized slobbering fantasy about owning a Nakaya is, sadly, all too true.

Don't worry Eb, you're among friends here. Or at least you can count me in.

People are trying to tell me it's smarter to use my money to pay off my student loans rather than buy a Nakaya. I agreed until I ran into my own temptress, the Aka-Tamenuri Decapod. You can read a poem I wrote to her in the Poetry thread of the Write Stuff forum.

Anyway, you need to convince your wife to come to the side of reason: who would want to bring a child into a family that does NOT possess an Urushi Nakaya?

Best,
Summer Greer

baby stuff?

baby stuff only costs like five bucks

EDIT: I have a bunch of baby stuff. It's over-rated.

I agree with James. Besides, you'll probably get all the baby stuff you need if she has a baby shower. My wife and I always have. Maybe you could compromise: how 'bout you buy the baby stuff she needs, then if(when) the ladies throw her a shower they can just all pitch in and buy you the pen.

Just trying to help,
Dave

If you look at the right thrift shops, baby stuff can be super inexpensive (and relatively unworn). You can get fancy wrapping paper and retrieve the Nordstrom boxes out of the closet, and wrap them like they came from a real store.

Then use the money saved to buy the pen.

HTH.

You're in safe company. It is clear that you are a smart man... never argue with a woman who is near to giving birth. You could get hurt.

No flame please, just pointing out that Eb has made a wise, mature decision.

Now, about the pen. You have been given some interesting and very logical advice thus far in this post. However, logic is simply not relevant at this point it time. Refocus. Be especially tender, attentive and supportive to your precious wife between now and when the baby arrives. The baby will make you forget about the pen for a while. Heck, you'll forget about everything except the baby and how wonderful it is to be a father!

After a relatively short period of time, you'll realize that everything us under control and your wife will remember how wonderful you were before the baby was born. Getting the pen will be a non-issue. You'll have all kinds of new things to write about when you get up in the middle of the night with the baby! A win/win.

John

Oh, and while we're on the levity aspect.

Women, during labor, emit a hormone that prevents some of the pain of labor from reaching long-term memory. (not kidding about this)

So, that strikes me as possibly the perfect time to tell her about the pen. (kidding about this)

*sniff*

So this is what it's like when doves cry.

I think I'll have to follow John's advice; but the rest of you will have a special place in my heart...at least until the baby drips some goop there, then I'll have to move you.

Eb

This is one of the cutest threads in recent memory.

Best wishes for the impending arrival!

Eb,
Congrats on the impending birth! John has indeed given you excellent advise. Please be sure to post arrival pictures of both items.

Easy solution: buy the pen on the day your wife gives birth, the pen is for when the baby has its 21st, in the meantime you look after the pen, make sure its properly broken in for when 21 years come along and you pass it on...

Haha, possibly even more adorable than the actual subject posted, is the way you guys try so very hard to make sure your absolutely brilliantly witty comments don't offend anybody.

I think it's safe to say we're all in the same boat. And it's filled with ink.

Have you tried the angle that a $460 class in fatherhood and baby-handling would be well spent?

Now stay with me on this.. the way I see this (and I am assuming you will) is:

Babies are delicate and require care when holding
Pens are delicate and require care when holding

Babies require care and feeding
Pens require care and feeding

Feeding a baby can be messy if done wrong
Filling a pen with ink can be messy if done wrong

Babies can't be left to sit on a desk without a holder
Pens can't be left to sit on a desk without a holder

Babies should always have a bottle of milk nearby
Pens should always have a bottle of ink nearby

Babies sometimes have leakage
Pens sometimes have leakage

Babies sometimes burp on your shirt
Unfortunately sometimes a pen or two will burp...

Babies sometimes liked to be carried
Pens love to be carried

Never share your baby with a stranger
Never share your pen with a stranger

There's more but you get the point (maybe?)...

So I think the case can easily be made that you are not just buying a pen but you are actually going to baby boot camp, it is nothing more than preparation for the role you are about to be consumed by and will love EVERY minute of by the way (even the burping part).

PS - This is just a joke.

Oh yeah - CONGRATULATIONS!!!

AJP, you're a poet.

Show her the pen the first time when you take it out to sign the birth certificate.