Hello, My name is Mike. I live in St. Louis, MO, where I was born and raised. I have a wonderful wife of 16 years, Kim, a 9 year old daughter, Kiersten, 6 year old daughter, Kylie, and 1 year old twins, Matthew and Kelsie. I am in sales for a large telecommunications/technology company. I have been fascinated with fountain pens since I was 8 years old. My mother showed me my Grandfather's ad Great Grandfathers favorite fountain pens that she had inherited. <My Grandfather's were 2 Parker's- 1 a 1926 Sr. Big Red, the other a Marble Green 1931 Sr. Duofold. My Great Grandfather liked Eversharp Dorics. Both were Plunger fillers with flexible #2 nibs. These have been passed on to me ;-).> My mom bought me a couple of cheap Schaefer's to use for school and I used them on and off through out my school career.

After college, my use of fountain pens tailed off. Much of my work required filling out sales order forms in triplicate and I needed a ball point or roller ball :-( . I kid of forgot about fountain pens. About 2 years ago, My mother was cleaning out her hose and came across the inherited fountain pens and thought of me. She shipped them off to me along with some of her old pens that she had kept form her childhood. Thus began my obsession..er, collection I mean.

My real love in pens are the Parker's and Early Eversharp's. I love broad, stub and italic nibs as well as flexible fine nibs. My current favorites for use are my black and silver Parker 61 with the broad stub nib and my 1931 Black Duofold with a huge broad nib. I usually carry at least 4 pens with different nibs and different color inks.

I have to ink and use all of my pens. If I don't want to ink it, then I don't want to keep it. I would rather pass it on to someone that will appreciate it. Luckily, Kiersten, my oldest daughter, thinks that fountain pens are great. She uses a couple of vintage no-names and Esties that I have given her. She just love's the ink colors that she can get with the fountain pens. She also love to watch Daddy take apart, clean, fix, tinker with, etc... his pens. I enjoy teaching her about the pens and the history behind them.

Family and pens are my main interests, but I am also a rabid hockey fan and really enjoy personal technology. I have had 7 different PDA's, the current being a PocketPC/Cell phone. I have 5 computers and 3 PDA's on my wireless network at home. I am the guy that has to have the latest and greatest tech toy as soon as it comes out.

I have been on the Zoss list for nearly 2 years and have really appreciated the information exchange here at Pentrace for the last year. Thanks for all of the knowledge that you have passed on.