I'm officially on "break" until sometime after Christmas. That doesn't mean that I won't post, but I definitely won't be sticking to a regular schedule, and there will not be any fresh review content until after the first of the year. In the meantime, enjoy a series of recap posts, discussing some curated content from 2017, and catch up on some things you might have missed.

Every year around this time, I look back through posts I've written to try to pick out a few things that really grabbed hold and kept my attention past the initial "new shiny" phase. With pens, that's hard. So much stuff comes across my desk for review purposes that in order for something to stay in my rotation, it has to be either really unique or just that good. Here are five things that stuck with me in 2017, in no particular order.

Multifunction ("Multi") Pens. I've carried a multi pen on a daily basis throughout 2017. Being able to color-code notes in a meeting without switching pens is, for me, invaluable, and I also like having the option to include a mechanical pencil or highlighter in one of the refill slots. For the record, my two favorite multi pens are the Lamy 2000 4-Color Ballpoint and the Sailor Imperial Black Multi Pen.
Montblanc 146 and 144. While my updated review of the 146 is still in progress, I had the opportunity to review (and then purchase) the UNICEF Classique Doue 144, the smaller, cartridge-converter Montblanc fountain pen, courtesy of site-sponsor Appelboom. (Many thanks to Appelboom for sponsoring me this year, and giving me the opportunity to borrow and review many pens that I otherwise could not afford to purchase solely for review purposes.) I also picked up two more versions of the 146 throughout the year, and at least one of these pens has a slot in my daily carry at all times.
Visconti Van Gogh "Vincent's Chair" Fountain Pen. This somewhat understated little Visconti really surprised me. Though it's no longer in my possession since it was a loaner from Goldspot, I'm going to pick up a Van Gogh fairly soon. I much prefer Visconti's stainless steel nibs over the Palladium "Dreamtouch" used in the Homo Sapiens, which I find a touch too wet and "mushy" for my taste.
Inventery Mechanical Pen. I'm generally not a liquid ink rollerball aficionado, but the matte black version of Inventery's single-facet mechanical pen has been sitting next to my keyboard ever since it arrived. A touch heavy for longer-form writing, I find it perfect for short notes while I'm on the computer. It uses the standard Schmidt P8126 refill found in most machined rollerball pens, providing a reliably smooth writing experience.
Morning Glory Mach 3 Liquid Ink Rollerball. Another "rollerball" makes the list (surprising, right?) but this one features an ultra-fine .38mm tip and comes in a wide array of colors. It's sort of the Pilot V5 meets the Hi-Tec-C, and is also a fairly economical choice for a standard office writer.

That's all for now! Happy holidays, and as always, thanks for reading!