It’s pronounced KLOOdj. A “kluge” is a quick and dirty, often clumsy, sometimes hard-to-maintain, solution to a problem. Kluges are cobbled together, but do the trick. They are improvised, using whatever is at hand.

On a recent trip to the library, I noticed this little guy in the pen and pencil container, next to the computer at the circulation desk. I was borrowing some books, so I borrowed this too.

That’s two cable-ties and a bobby pin–for keeping a pencil clipped to your pocket!

What sort of mad genius put this thing together? How old is “The Kluginator”? What are his or her hobbies? How many of these homemade pocket-pencils do they make per year, on average? I must find out more…Do you think I can…?

Yup. Amazing.