Hi, I am Don and I am a pen junky. Like Dave I was born a feral child, much to my parent's chagrin. After 45 years of wandering the planet I am still feral though hardly a child any more. My first encounter with fountain pens was the cartridge filled, transparent barrel Sheaffer that my father used when I was in school. While in college I started using a fine point Targa but this was still on the fringe for me. During college and medical school, my best friend was a pen freak, so much so that we all called him Scripto. Because of him I bought a couple of MB stick pens, the Noblese series I believe, however fp's remained a side item. Early last year I stumbled upon acpp and renewed my interest in fountain pens. Then I found my way to IkonPen, I was definitely hooked then. My first purchase was an Omas Paragon with a sterling silver cap, I was in deep. I tried the vintage route but have never found the pen that I could use for long notes or letters. I admire the beauty and quality of many vintage pens but in the end they are not my cup of tea. While some may consider me a collector, I am really a user. If there is a pen not in use it is because of an inkflow/nib problem waiting on repair. Being "dimensionally challenged," as Daniel Pinkwater would put it, I find that larger pens are more to my liking. My bear size paws were not meant to hold a 555/f Omas or a Pelikan 200 for more than a signature. My pen preferences are Italian celluloids and ebonites thought the large Pelikans hold a dear place in my pen stable.
I practice, hopefully sometimes getting it right, Internal Medicine, Infectious Disease and Geriatrics in a small town in south central Ga. Married to my best friend and the greatest mother in the world. I am the dolting father of the most beautiful 21 month old girl in the world, her name is Alia. Everyday thankful for the things I have been given, the friends that I have here and the chance to help people.
Love to read but my daughter's books are not that challenging. Enjoy the outdoors, yard work, crafts, ... My primary interest at this time is in parenting. Although it is a physical challenge to be 45 with a 21 month old, I feel like my age allows me an appreciation of my family that I probably would not have had if I were only 20.
Grateful to be part of this community and of the Gastropod Gazette, sorry about the handwriting but I promise you that I see much worse everyday.
Keep your nibs dry and your fingers clean. May your ink never feather, run or clump.
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