The Pen Noobs Podcast

Jika and Ronin

"We're just two pen noobs, standing in front of the pen and stationery community, asking them to love us."

31 Episodes

Pen Noobs 31: Ber Months are Upon Us!
9/26/2026
47:43
Since it's September--the start of the Ber (Burr?) months in the Philippines--it's about time we plan our planners for 2027 and highlight some events of note: The Manila International Book Fair (MIBF), Pelikan Hubs, and Planner Con. Zebra Sarasa Nano 0.38 30th Anniversary Edition (Pikachu): https://scribeph.com/product/zebra-sarasa-nano-0-38-pokemon-pikachu/Marz Today Stamps: https://www.instagram.com/marztoday/The Freedom Memorial Museum Gallery: https://hrvvmc.gov.ph/the-freedom-memorial-museum-gallery/The Human Rights Violations Victims' Memorial Commission Publications: https://hrvvmc.gov.ph/hrvvmc-publications/Uniball One: https://www.mp-uni.com/ph/product/uniball-one/Jika's A5 Dateless Planner Template ("how to print guide" to follow): https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1rqaT26xNVhWNThiAtpMYz-R_ja2Hkkx1?usp=sharingOur Social Media LinksInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/thepennoobspodcast/Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@thepennoobspodcast5999
Pen Noobs 30: Guess Who's Back
8/30/2026
23:18
Guess who's back with a vigor to podcast that's been absent for years AND a new co-host too!instagram.com/davaostationeryfest/instagram.com/paperplanetph/instagram.com/pilotpensphilippines/The Pen Noobs Podcast Socialsinstagram.com/thepennoobspodcast/linktr.ee/thepennoobspodcast
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Pen Noobs 29: D'/The Motivation
7/31/2022
58:45
We've been gone for a while and it really isn't surprising at this point, but we do have our reasons and we talk about them in this episode. Other than catching up with each other after our respective literal and figurative moves (Ryan to another country and job, Jika to another employer), we go into our newest finds, what we're excited about, and our most recent learnings too about what makes us do what we do or do not in this happiest hobby of ours. Yes, everyone, we're demotivated and that's actually been a good thing. :) Here are the usual links relevant to the episode: Leonardo Memento Magico Primary Manipulation 1 unboxing on Pen Venture "The Science of Motivation" on The American Psychological Association "Missing Your Motivation" on Psychology Today And for our Pen Noobs Podcast Links: Instagram: @thepennoobspodcast The Pen Noobs Podcast Linktree: https://linktr.ee/thepennoobspodcast The Pen Noobs Podcast Episode 29 on Youtube: https://youtu.be/b5Nq-7KBWFM
Pen Noobs 28: QUEERky
6/5/2022
48:06
So it's Pride Month and we'd thought that it'd be a right enough time to celebrate not just queerness in the now-conventional sense, but also queerness--the characteristic that distinguishes, sets apart, makes special--the habits and things that we know and love in the hobby. This isn't an episode about buying yet another thing, but really, just celebrating the innovations and aspects of pens and stationery that are not so conventional but oh-so attention grabbing. * Apologies for the audio flitting in and out in the end because, as it turns out, our mic's USB was loose in its port. Here are some links of note: Pilot Tsuwairo Inks and Swatches on Reddit Fountain Pen Companion, a database for cataloguing Inks and Pens A walkthrough of the Fountain Pen Companion Website care of The Pen Addict A Platinum Glamour Review on the Estilofilos Blog The Pilot Murex (Myurex?) on The Tokyo Fountain Pen Scene Site The Dante Alighieri: Inferno Fountain Pen on the Montegrappa Site The Conklin Crescent Filler Fountain Pen Review on the Write Experience Blog The Best Retractable Fountain Pens of 2021 on Unsharpen.com: A TWSBI Go Review from The Pen Addict The Wearingeul Fried Chicken Ink Set on Hamilton Pens Ishimarubun Pickled Ginger Scented Ink Sylvester Stallone's Chaos Line Fountain Pens on the Nibs.com We support local LGBTQIA+ organizations that you can look up or help out via the following links: Metro Manila Pride, the organization in charge of the annual Pride March in Metro Manila Love Yourself, an organization giving out Sexual and Mental Health Aid to the LGBTQIA+ community And our usual Pen Noobs Podcast Links: Instagram: @thepennoobspodcast The Pen Noobs Podcast Linktree: https://linktr.ee/thepennoobspodcast The Pen Noobs Podcast Episode 28 on Youtube: https://youtu.be/Vlfd67sVqxU
Pen Noobs 27: PolitICKY
5/15/2022
46:54
So we're a spot out of sorts in this one but we showed up regardless because we want to talk about current events but, technically, cannot talk about it given the current climate in our country. Thus, we resort to talking about the issues relevant to our circumstances through pens and stationery controversies as of late. There aren't any noob discoveries in this one but we do cover the Noodler's Ink Volcker Green and Bernanke Red controversy, harken back to the Hobonichi Michael Jackson line recall, and update you about the Esterbrook-Skybambi property rights thing (which we hinted at previously in ProperTEA talk). Anyway, LINKS! Noodler's Ink Volcker Green Controversy information on Reddit Noodler's Ink Facebook post showing Volcker Green Bottle Design Noodler's Ink Apology on IG Noodler's Ink Announcing Renamed Products on IG Hobonichi Michael Jackson Line Preview Benu Pens moves Operations from Moscow to Armenia from Luxury Brands of America IG And our usual Pen Noobs Podcast Links: Instagram: @thepennoobspodcast The Pen Noobs Podcast Linktree: https://linktr.ee/thepennoobspodcast The Pen Noobs Podcast Episode 27 on Youtube: https://youtu.be/e2NtXpT4SRg
Pen Noobs 26: Not-So Noobs with Alden Castaneda
5/2/2022
1:11:56
If you're part of Fountain Pen Palengke (FPP), the Philippines' Facebook marketplace for fountain pen and stationery lovers, Sir Alden Castaneda would be no stranger despite being largely an enigma. Ryan and I only met him recently for this episode, after two years of buying our pens/half our pen collections from him. He's a "power seller" with a remarkable manner of penabling. His posts are reliable and always attention-grabbing in their selection and composition. He'd pick a theme to tie some 5 to 10 pens together with the caption (often a story that's rooted in real life or, other times fantastical; sometimes an allusion to poetry and other times a relatable anecdote). In this episode, Sir Alden shares his stories with us and, by extension, with you. Sir Alden is a maker of stories and, as will be revealed in this episode, a keeper of them too. This episode may have taken a while to churn out, but trust us when we say that this is one of the more heartfelt, earnest, and endearing ones too. You'll surely feel warmth after this episode. Anyway, here are some Sir Alden Castaneda seller highlights for you to get a sense of why he's one of our favorite--maybe our actual favorite--seller and "tito" in FPP. Kutis Porselana Tyger, Tygrrr! The Art of Gold Inlay Here are our usual Pen Noobs Podcast links: Instagram: @thepennoobspodcast The Pen Noobs Podcast Linktree: https://linktr.ee/thepennoobspodcast The Pen Noobs Podcast Episode 26 on Youtube: https://youtu.be/SOEzeNnTE7Q
Pen Noobs 25: ProperTEA Talk
4/16/2022
41:51
We begin season 2 with an exploration of the overlaps between our hobbies in the pen and stationery community and content creation. Intellectual property doesn't seem like something overtly related to all the good stuff--journal spreads, pen pictures, shopping hauls, and the like--but, apparently it all is. So listen in on us as we talk about the tea on intellectual property in the first episode of the second season of The Pen Noobs Podcast with Jika and Ryan. Again, some relevant links: "What is Copyright?" by Atty. H on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GhSuf1xc2iU&t=614s "Moral rights: protecting your reputation and artwork" on the Design and Artists Copyright Society (DACS) website: https://www.dacs.org.uk/knowledge-base/factsheets/moral-rights The Intellectual Property of the Philippines (IPOPHIL) Website: https://www.ipophil.gov.ph The IPOPHIL webpage dedicated to Authors, Artists, and Creators Copyright: https://www.ipophil.gov.ph/copyright/ And, by the way, if you haven't yet joined **April's One-Year Anniversary Giveaway,** where we giveaway one of Jika's early 2-pen case creations, click on this link (https://www.instagram.com/p/Cb6jo4svLSL/) and on the post 💖Comment on this post with your answer to the question: What @thepennoobspodcast episode did you like the most and why? 💖 You can comment as many times as you like. 💖 We’ll draw and announce 1 winner by the end of the month, April 30. 💖 This giveaway is open to everyone, though we really would prefer it if you have a PH address just in case shipping problems arise due to COVID restrictions changing here or wherever you are. The Pen Noobs Podcast Links Instagram: @thepennoobspodcast The Pen Noobs Podcast Linktree: https://linktr.ee/thepennoobspodcast The Pen Noobs Podcast Episode 25 on Youtube: https://youtu.be/4zDXznvnGgs
Pen Noobs 24: UNAversary
3/30/2022
54:45
Happy anniversary to us and thanks for being here to tune back in. Ryan and I have been on a month-long hiatus, not to take time off, but really because work has been relentless. However, we're back and happy to catch-up with each other and with you. In this episode, we cover our personal highlights, look-forward-tos, and leave-behinds, and close things off with the quickest "fast talk" rounds we can muster for each other. Keep listening till the end for our giveaway mechanics, where we're to send off one of Jika's bespoke leather 2-pen cases by the end of April. :) Anyway, that's all and, well, THANKS so so much for being here and being here for the past year. <3 PS: Ryan and my political allegiances in the upcoming May 2022 Philippine Elections are quite transparent, so if you want to learn more about the candidate we vouch for and help out in her campaign too, go to: https://www.teamlenirobredo.com The Pen Noobs Podcast Links Instagram: @thepennoobspodcast The Pen Noobs Podcast Linktree: https://linktr.ee/thepennoobspodcast The Pen Noobs Podcast Episode 24 on Youtube: https://youtu.be/fxezy0-W7sI
Pen Noobs 23: The Big CON
2/27/2022
57:11
Before we get to the description relevant to this episode, Ryan and I thought it important to dedicate a space to important current events and the things we can immediately do to address them: inform and encourage. We want to emphasize that, despite the leisure-related topics this podcast covers, we still are educators and citizens and humans at core; as such, we cannot be impartial. You are all likely aware of what’s going on in Ukraine right now, what with war befalling them over the past two days, so here are a few credible organizations where we and our audience can extend our help: UNICEF aid for Ukraine: https://help.unicef.org/ukraine-emergency Red Cross aid for Ukraine: redcross.org.ua/donate/ Regarding what we can do closer to home, Ryan and I both support the presidential candidate and current Vice President Leni Robredo, and if you do as well or want to help out, you can volunteer or help out in any way, shape or form via: https://www.teamlenirobredo.com Anyway, onto the episode description! :) You might have noticed that we are fascinated with the mechanics of purchasing and selling—essentially, consumerism and the greater cogs that make it so—thus, we talk about the big CON[sumerism] in this one. We digress a bit into vacations and skin care but also go through different interesting theories regarding why the heck we like and buy what we like regardless of the price of a product or the hassle of purchasing it. In what ways is a sticker pack the same as lipstick in economics? Are you a challenge consumer or a convenience consumer? Do our pens increase in value? PS: Thanks to our economist colleague, Angel, for helping us with the economics of things. :) Again, here are relevant links covered in this episode: Block 77 Leather Crafting on Instagram Kahn and Selesnick’s “Tarot of the Drowning World” The Pen Noobs Podcast Links Instagram: @thepennoobspodcast The Pen Noobs Podcast Linktree: https://linktr.ee/thepennoobspodcast The Pen Noobs Podcast Episode 23 on Youtube: https://youtu.be/zrx8dj22NM0
Pen Noobs 22: ValenTIMES
2/13/2022
56:12
Jika took one for the team by being a guest alongside her one and only, Paulu (pronounced "paul-oo"), an artist and film scholar. In our desire to discuss consumerism and love, there was no better way to celebrate and critique these two themes than through an interview of a pen couple. Ryan prepared the cheesy questions, and Jika and Paulu willingly and honestly answer all of them. Here are the usual links: Platinum Carbon Black on mountainofink Pelikan M200 Cafe Creme 2015 LE review on The Pelikan's Perch Trouble Maker Inks x Jim Weaver X Scribe LE Ink "Tarsier" Guest Links: Paulu's Instagram Artist Page: @an.imitationoflife The Pen Noobs Podcast Links Instagram: @thepennoobspodcast The Pen Noobs Podcast Linktree: https://linktr.ee/thepennoobspodcast The Pen Noobs Podcast Episode 22 on Youtube: https://youtu.be/8TmW80MAMFI

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A company from

The Pen Noobs Podcast

Jika and Ronin

31 Episodes

Pen Noobs 31: Ber Months are Upon Us!

Pen Noobs 30: Guess Who's Back

Pen Noobs 29: D'/The Motivation

Pen Noobs 28: QUEERky

Pen Noobs 27: PolitICKY

Pen Noobs 26: Not-So Noobs with Alden Castaneda

Pen Noobs 25: ProperTEA Talk

Pen Noobs 24: UNAversary

Pen Noobs 23: The Big CON

Pen Noobs 22: ValenTIMES