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Thread: Grail - a perspective

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    Default Re: Grail - a perspective

    I find this topic endlessly interesting, and not just in relation to pens. How to balance time spent enjoying what I have vs time spent of dreaming about/searching for/saving for something that might match a given need or desire more thoroughly?

    The sense that it (whatever "it" is in a given case) should be costly in some sense (time or effort or treasure) persists in me, as does the sense that the search should stop when it stops being a source of pleasure in itself.

    So far I've only bought one pen that I consciously thought of as a grail. And... soon I'm going to sell it. It's stunningly beautiful but not quite right for me in the hand--a bit too big and too heavy. Selling it will fund another. After that, there are one or two more I might try for. But my hope is that fairly soon I'll be shifting more time away from the pleasure of the search to the pleasure of use.

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    FPG Donor ♕ Chrissy's Avatar
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    Default Re: Grail - a perspective

    Quote Originally Posted by rkesey View Post
    The sense that it (whatever "it" is in a given case) should be costly in some sense (time or effort or treasure) persists in me, as does the sense that the search should stop when it stops being a source of pleasure in itself.

    So far I've only bought one pen that I consciously thought of as a grail. And... soon I'm going to sell it. It's stunningly beautiful but not quite right for me in the hand--a bit too big and too heavy. Selling it will fund another. After that, there are one or two more I might try for. But my hope is that fairly soon I'll be shifting more time away from the pleasure of the search to the pleasure of use.
    The pleasure of the search can often be greater than the pleasure of achievement.
    Regards, Chrissy | My Review Blog: inkyfountainpens

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    Senior Member manoeuver's Avatar
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    Default Re: Grail - a perspective

    At the risk of pedantry, I too believe the term is over and misused.
    the important things about the grail are as follows:

    There are either 0 or 1 of them.
    If there ever was one, it's almost certainly been lost to history.
    The whole thing then becomes about the search, the quest.
    We don't talk about the Quixotic nature of the quest.
    The implausible rumor is that the Grail confers eternal life on the finder, which is ironic because:
    The entire quest is manufactured to create meaning out of nothingness, and serves as a distraction from our impending, unescapable doom.

    when you think about it, the real grail is the friends we made along the way (barf)

    I know I've mostly just rephrased Jon here, but I found that analysis decidedly lacking in cynicism.

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    Senior Member Detman101's Avatar
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    Default Re: Grail - a perspective

    If "Grail" is referred to the "pleasure of use"....over the "pleasure of the hunt", then I've already found my "Grail" pen.
    However, if the definition is reversed...then the search would never end.
    Like sexual attraction...there will always be one out there with assets the current/prior does/did not have and that it will be VERY interesting to...experience.
    "I can only improve my self, not the world."

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    Default Re: Grail - a perspective

    Quote Originally Posted by Detman101 View Post
    If "Grail" is referred to the "pleasure of use"....over the "pleasure of the hunt", then I've already found my "Grail" pen.
    However, if the definition is reversed...then the search would never end.
    Like sexual attraction...there will always be one out there with assets the current/prior does/did not have and that it will be VERY interesting to...experience.
    Do go on...

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    Default Re: Grail - a perspective

    Quote Originally Posted by manoeuver View Post
    At the risk of pedantry, I too believe the term is over and misused.
    the important things about the grail are as follows:

    There are either 0 or 1 of them.
    If there ever was one, it's almost certainly been lost to history.
    The whole thing then becomes about the search, the quest.
    We don't talk about the Quixotic nature of the quest.
    The implausible rumor is that the Grail confers eternal life on the finder, which is ironic because:
    The entire quest is manufactured to create meaning out of nothingness, and serves as a distraction from our impending, unescapable doom...
    I was thinking about this too. Especially "There are either 0 or 1 of them" combined with the fact of the many that have been claimed over the last 10 (or by some counts 14) centuries. Meaning that *at best*, either:
    a. all of them are frauds; or,
    b. all but one are frauds, and the real one didn't solve anybody's problems...

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    Senior Member Jon Szanto's Avatar
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    Default Re: Grail - a perspective

    Quote Originally Posted by manoeuver View Post
    I know I've mostly just rephrased Jon here, but I found that analysis decidedly lacking in cynicism.
    This is inconceivable - I've recently had my Snark Generation Module recalibrated to factory specs!
    "When Men differ in Opinion, both Sides ought equally to have the Advantage of being heard by the Publick;
    and that when Truth and Error have fair Play, the former is always an overmatch for the latter."

    ~ Benjamin Franklin

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    Senior Member manoeuver's Avatar
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    Default Re: Grail - a perspective

    Quote Originally Posted by Jon Szanto View Post
    Quote Originally Posted by manoeuver View Post
    I know I've mostly just rephrased Jon here, but I found that analysis decidedly lacking in cynicism.
    This is inconceivable - I've recently had my Snark Generation Module recalibrated to factory specs!
    you're trying to roll with an OEM SGM?

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    Senior Member Jon Szanto's Avatar
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    Default Re: Grail - a perspective

    Quote Originally Posted by manoeuver View Post
    Quote Originally Posted by Jon Szanto View Post
    Quote Originally Posted by manoeuver View Post
    I know I've mostly just rephrased Jon here, but I found that analysis decidedly lacking in cynicism.
    This is inconceivable - I've recently had my Snark Generation Module recalibrated to factory specs!
    you're trying to roll with an OEM SGM?
    Cut me some slack. I overclocked and heavily modded my last SGM, and then some morons stole it, thinking it was a catalytic converter.
    "When Men differ in Opinion, both Sides ought equally to have the Advantage of being heard by the Publick;
    and that when Truth and Error have fair Play, the former is always an overmatch for the latter."

    ~ Benjamin Franklin

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    Default Re: Grail - a perspective

    Quote Originally Posted by manoeuver View Post
    The entire quest is manufactured to create meaning out of nothingness, and serves as a distraction from our impending, unescapable doom.
    As long as I keep staring at my Pen Made From Lava™, I won't be able to see the Void of Annihilation! That's 600 well spent!
    Vintage. Cursive italic. Iron gall.

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    Cool Re: Grail - a perspective

    Quote Originally Posted by silverlifter View Post
    Quote Originally Posted by manoeuver View Post
    The entire quest is manufactured to create meaning out of nothingness, and serves as a distraction from our impending, unescapable doom.
    As long as I keep staring at my Pen Made From Lava™, I won't be able to see the Void of Annihilation! That's 600 well spent!
    Until the credit card bill arrives. Paper beats rock.

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