I have been contributing and snailing and in general hanging around for quite sometime now, and have been too busy (lazy) to write my bio. So here it is:
I fall into that vast wasteland of American twentysomethings. Although I am far less enamored with .dotcom anything than lots of my peers. I am something of a throwback enjoying antiques, and many things of a vintage flavor including shotguns, pens, cufflinks, and toy trains. I have been known to enjoy wearing bowties and hats. Working as an accountant for the State of Wisconsin, I get plenty of opportunities to use my fountain pens. I spent some time working for Gillette-SPG/Parker Pen just before the meltdown in Janesville. That was a great learning experience. I worked with some very extraordinary people, and developed friendships that have continued despite the diaspora that has ensued. I worked with new product costing for the Sonnet line, the Insignia Custom Fp, and the Frontier product line. I also got to know a couple of people in the Parker Service Department that have been indispensable to me since leaving. On the flip side, I also got to see what corporate neglect, yesmanship, indifference, idiocy, and failure to understand a market can due to a company producing solid products. I root for Parker to emerge and become a force in the market again, but Newell is not impressing me thus far. So I hope for the best.
I moved to Madison to be closer to friends and the culture and restaurant scene that I enjoy. I live five blocks from my office and walk to work everyday. I have never known so much freedom. Not long after moving here, I met Kim, my girlfriend and we have been happily living together for a year. We share many of the same passions, literature, music, cocktails, and old things of all kinds. She is currently using a Pelikan M250. I have given her other pens, but it is always the 250 for her. Not surprizingly, my collection is heavy on Parkers. I have a handful of modern and vintage Duofolds in many sizes (although all of them are orange), as well as Vacumatics, 51's, 75's, Sonnets and some lesser pens like 21's and 41's. A couple of Sheaffers (Balance, and Legacy II) came and went. I went through a MB 149 phase, and sold it too. I have fallen in love with Pelikans however, and who doesn't need another Duofold or three?
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