The Power of Wacky Pens
Playful tools like wacky pens can spark creativity and visual thinking
Need a little comic relief from the chaos of daily life? Consider the power of wacky pens—those novelty pens ranging from hot dogs to bananas that can rouse the most zoned-out learner or elicit giggles in a monotonous business meeting.
Imagine members of Congress waving a wacky pen while they argue… shaking an ostrich pen from one side of the aisle and a big floppy cactus pen from the other.
My love of wacky pens started many years ago when I taught at a Midwest university. At the time, pens were more common than cell phones—everyone had a pen handy. As an absent-minded professor, I’d often forget or lose track of my own pen. So I’d grab the closest one at hand, only to unconsciously slip it into my pocket or behind my ear until it landed on my desk at the end of the day.
By week's end, my growing collection of stray pens must have sent out homing signals because their rightful owners somehow knew to drop by my office to reclaim them.
One Friday afternoon, while enduring yet another round of the weekly purloined-pen parade (I never meant to pilfer, honest!), I realized the solution to my pen problem was sitting right there in my desk organizer. A recent humor seminar I attended had left me with a set of silly pens: an ear of corn, a pea-pod, and a carrot. I vowed then and there to use only wacky pens, so I’d never again pick up someone else’s by mistake.
Over time, my collection grew to include flora and fauna pens… from a large branching twig pen to a zebra-striped one. I added sports-themed pens including a hockey stick, a golf club, and a baseball bat pen. My hobby and gadget pens became fast favorites, especially the fork pen that actually came in handy at lunchtime more than once.
It’s always fun to see people’s reactions to wacky pens. One day, with no pockets in my outfit, I tucked an alligator pen, with its jaws wide open, into my hair behind my ear. People looked a bit startled when they first saw me, then smiled and chuckled.
There’s something about a wacky pen that can shake things up. If a class discussion got too serious or heated, I’d simply pick up my pen and say, “That’s an interesting point,” while gesturing with it. Smiles and laughter inevitably followed. Wacky pens act like magic wands, breaking tension and restoring perspective—something sorely missing in modern society.
Better yet, they’re cheap, come in endless varieties, and can even pry the most tech-addicted hands away from a screen. I used to be a tech cheerleader, but I’ve since wised up. Technology brings pitfalls along with the perks. If a wacky pen can entice someone, of any age, to put down their device long enough to doodle, brainstorm, or journal, it’s worth its weight in gold.
After all, one of history’s greatest minds was also the world’s most prolific doodler. Leonardo da Vinci filled thousands of notebook pages with sketches and notes, developing his ideas by drawing and writing them out. It was his way of thinking through problems, making connections, and refining his vision. Maybe a wacky pen is exactly what you need to do the same: to loosen up, tap into your curiosity, and start exploring new ideas.
Of course, the newest AI-powered note-taking tools can be incredibly helpful too. They’re great for staying organized and catching details or patterns you might otherwise overlook. But there’s still something uniquely personal—and often more memorable—about holding a pen in your hand, especially when it’s shaped like a carrot or a hockey stick.
Lately, I’ve been drawn to patriotic pens: ones shaped like flags, the Statue of Liberty, or adorned with red, white, and blue streamers. They remind me that we live in a democratic republic where We the People are in charge. At least, that’s the theory.
In practice, we have some work to do. Every elected official swears an oath to uphold the Constitution. Perhaps we should send them a reminder… along with a wacky pen.
So, here’s my prescription: Take two wacky pens (send one to your representative with a note), and drop me a comment in the morning. Who knows? A simple pen might just be the spark that reignites creative thinking, restores a sense of humor, and reminds us all how to t-h-i-n-k again—just like Leonardo da Vinci did five centuries ago.
So next time someone hands you a crab-claw pen, take it… and doodle something brilliant.
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