My Favorite Writing Tool Is the Perfect Gift for an Anxious Pen Clicker

I am generally unable to sit still. Maybe it's the caffeine, or the fact that I learned too many percussion instruments in my formative years, but I am almost constantly in motion. To the annoyance of those around me, that usually means I'm clicking a pen like I'm on Jeopardy.

Not just any pen will do. It needs excellent clickability. Enter the Parker Jotter, on sale for less than $10 at Amazon.

My ideal pen is sturdy, comfortable and noisy. It should also -- although this may be less important to the habitual clicker -- write well. The Parker Jotter fits the bill. It's durable enough that a cat can chew on it and not leave a mark. It's small enough to fit easily in a pocket or the palm of the hand. It writes like a dream.

Most importantly, the Parker Jotter has a solid, mechanical click to it. My first Parker Jotter was a second-hand model I bought at a pen show, so it's older and heavier. But the new pen I've bought since then has a click almost as powerful. It's loud enough to bother your partner in the other room if you're clicking away while deep in thought, and it has enough resistance that it's not going to start spewing ink in your shirt pocket.