I can thank my good friend Sid Sharma for introducing me to the world of Fountain Pens and Pentrace. Sure, before I had owned one or two--a no name German Pen, a Black Lamy Safari--just because it looked cool. But Sid introduced me to REAL Pens by giving me a Huge Black International Parker Duofold. Since that time we spend several hours a month catching up on our snail mail together over tea, stimulating conversation and an occasional pipe.
As for me, I'm currently the Chief Resident in Psychiatry at the University of Michigan and will be pursuing a career in Forensic Psychiatry (that makes two of us including Stephen Herman). Academic medicine is what my future holds for me. I love to teach and to write--mostly observational essays. My career plan is to focus on civil rights, mental health law, patient advocacy and ethics--sounds more like a politician than a doctor.
I grew up all over the place since I was an Army Brat, but mostly in the South. My mom is from Thailand and was raised Buddhist. My Dad is from Mississippi and was raised Pentecostal. So, a natural interest of mine is religious history and comparative religion. Colonial American History is another subject of fascination. I guess the general theme would be "beginnings."
I have been married to my better half for almost 5 years. My other hobbies include cooking, cycling, rock-climbing (mostly in a gym), and collecting beautiful pieces of briarwood in which to place fragrant leaves and slowly char them--giving off a wonderful aroma when puffed. That's actually how Sid and I met--at out local tobacconist. The pens I most want to get my hands on currently are the Namiki Sterling Dragon and Waterman Edson Blue and Gold.
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