Howdy,
I have used fountain pens since the third grade in public school.
While ball points had been invented, they were more prone to leak,
smear, and quit working than fountain pens. Ball point ink, in this
era, was simply printer's ink in a thin metal tube.
Although I've always had one or two pens around, usually Vectors and
Varsities, I didn't take the plunge into the collecting addiction
until a gift from my wife of a Namiki VP four or five years ago. (Not
only did she hook me, but she also got one for our then 24 year old
son and turned him into an addict. She is immune.) It took months for
the addiction to impel me to get a second Namiki, then a Sheaffer
Targa, then an Opera, and on and on and on.
I am presently the pastor of the First Presbyterian Church on Main
Street (folks were very creative with the names) of a central NJ
town. With a BS in Biology, Masters of Divinity ( that delicious
confectionery), and a Doctorate in Ministry ( Spiritual Development
of Adolescents) I am educated far beyond my capabilities in a field
whose salary structure resembles that of Parking Lot Attendants. I've
done a bit of everything from running an offset press to executive
producing Video tapes.
While the majority of my collection is in modern pens, my interest is
more in Vintage Pens and collecting different filling technologies. I
have about 2 dozen different types of fillers, the Hatchet filler and
Click filler perhaps the most esoteric. There are still that number
or more fillers left to complete a collection. (Actually it is an
impossible task as some pen filler types no longer exist and others
are privately held.)
I am one of the original SnaiList folks, I think. For correspondence
I usually use very flexible vintage nibs fueled with ink colors which
I occasionally can't comprehend what made me get them in the first
place; Ultramarine, Fucsia, Resada, . . .
I take many things seriously, but very little solemnly. If one can't
laugh at one's self, then one is unaware of what amuses the rest of
the world. I am grey, fat and 54 come Winter Solstice. I prefer not
to celebrate birthdays with Druids. I am prejudiced against bigots
and racists. Superstitious people tend to make me nervous. The Bumper
sticker most likely to be on my car would be "Honk If You Love
Cheeses" or "Nuke The Whales."
Links:
http://www.sodaplay.com/constructor/index.htm
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