Second parrot tulip

Ok I am procrastinating. Pastels are fun, but they are wicked costly to frame, hard to store unframed, and toxic as all get out...also I think my use of the media is too raw. I am walking around avoiding painting. The drawing yesterday begins to approach the silveryness....but the paper I am working on (el cheapo acid free sketchbook stuff) isn't doing much for me. Any suggestions regarding paper for graphite sticks? I'd like to get that silvery quality from the graphite. I haven't used Bristol because you really can't erase it.

I also think I want to use real tulips...what would be cool would be to get that silvery quality that they have just before they fall apart. How's that for a comment on being in one's 50's?