Spoiler Alert: I lost it.

[ethernautrix]

So there I was all worried about making too much of an effort to safeguard my pens <"Comfort Zone (https://fpgeeks.com/forum/showthread.php/26836-Fountain-Pen-quot-Hobby-quot-Comfort-Zone)">, and guess what I did on Saturday?

(BTW, it's Tuesday, 22 January 2019, local time 17:45ish.)

44896

I clipped that pen sleeve with Kurouac (recently re-installed the Platinum UEF nib in it) onto a clip dangling from a lanyard and wore the lanyard around my neck (as people do)... and rode my bike to an appointment, where I used Kurouac for about an hour, and then pedalled away - went to a cafe, went to a couple of shops, went to another cafe, where I took off my scarf and jacket and sweater to find the lanyard... and where's my pen?

The answer to that question remains a mystery.

Yes, I retraced my bike route (approx. 10 km) and stops of course, but... after the initial shock of finding the pen sleeve and Kurouac gone!, I invoked Kerouac's #19: Accept loss forever. I "enjoyed" my latte before embarking on the search mission. I haven't lost a pen in a very long time, at least ten years, more like fifteen. And I noticed myself how calm I felt. Not that I didn't care; more like, but what can I do about it? It's gone. Oh well. As far as mishaps go, losing even a favorite and expensive fountain pen is fairly benign.

Thus, my SIX pens for the year challenge* has become FIVE pens for the year (similar to the One Pen For One Month challenge (over at FPN), with notable differences). Which means trying not to rotate in or out any pens for the duration of 2019. Inks okay to change.

The EDC line-up is:
Pilot CH912 (PO), Noodler's Black
Heki Nakaya Piccolo Cigar (NPC) (F), Noodler's Black
UShu NPC (steel EF), KWŻ Flame Red
Pilot Falcon (SEF), Noodler's Lexington Gray
Sailor 1911S (H-EF), Sailor Blue-Black

I don't have concrete plans to buy any more pens, but if I do, I'm looking at Stylo Art or a Pilot 823 amber (if I can get one with a PO nib). But no rush. Other priorities, ya know.

So... what pen "disasters" have you experienced or averted lately?

Also, anyone else "challenging" themselves to use a particular pen(s) or ink(s) (or both) for a prescribed period of time?







*The Five Pens For the Year Challenge doesn't include all the "cheapies," which are filled with other ink colors that I use only sometimes.

[Lady Onogaro]

Oh, my goodness. I am sad about you loss, though. It was a beautiful pen!

[carlos.q]

I'm sorry for your loss. I recently lost a M600 red Pelikan and, somehow, I felt the same as you describe: And I noticed myself how calm I felt. Not that I didn't care; more like, but what can I do about it? It's gone. Oh well. As far as mishaps go, losing even a favorite and expensive fountain pen is fairly benign.

[Chrissy]

OMG That's so sad. I don't think I would have felt calm. :cry:

[Jon Szanto]

Sorry to hear this, naturally, but your response and reaction don't come as the least surprise. Best wishes on however you choose to proceed.

[FredRydr]

So... what pen "disasters" have you experienced or averted lately?

Oh, I have a few, and I'd hate to bore anyone with repeat details. But...

$2,000 of vintage and modern pens (a fat handful of restored Waterman 52s, my favorite celluloid 146 with its wonderful nib, and more) had fallen onto the busy Rockville Pike and Strathmore Avenue from my motorcycle topcase that I neglected to latch shut. I discovered this nine miles from Bert Heiserman's Pen Haven as I was heading home. Two return trips along the same route were in vain as the sun began to set.

My faceted sterling silver Montegrappa Privilege that I left on the counter at the local post "disappeared" in about a minute.

A bag of celluloid-era Montblanc parts "vanished" from my vendor table at the Long Island Pen Show.

For the life of me, I cannot figure out where my Lamy 2000 ended up.

Oh, there are others. One mustn't become too attached to "stuff."

[jar]

I think most members here are familiar with my tale of the first found then lost Sheaffer (http://jimrichardson.org/The%20Stories/Things/The%20Find.html) that was my only such adventure so far.

[azkid]

So sorry that absolutely sucks.

I lost a Lamy Safari Petrol. I used it to make a checklist for a road trip, took it with me. Then... poof... ?

My worst disaster was attempting to disassemble a 30's (?) Osmia that was in really good condition... And it broke in half at the ink window. My most expensive pen purchase to date, too. But the nib on it was absolute crap so that tempered the loss a bit.

[Anne]

I feel so bad about your pen!
I can answer your two questions with the same pen: I have a Napoleon 18.
When I received it I cleaned it thoroughly. I resort to soaking things that are stubborn sometimes.
Well, the trim on the end of the barrel was made of casein. And it swelllllled ...! I had only briefly read snippets of information
about that material beforehand - but it's amazing what your mind brings to the forefront in a situation like that. I thought, "Oh no, NOT Casein!"
I am pretty sure that I had a mild heart attack because of it. However, it went back to normal two days later. I was extremely lucky.

Now, my challenge is to keep it written with regularly and inked at all times to keep the cork piston seal from drying out and causing a totally new disaster ...

[inklord]

...also very sorry to hear your story. but really enjoy your "five pen challenge". when i am out and about i *usually* just take my oldest LAMY 2000 which has by now lost almost all its striations on the makrolon parts, filled with my fave grey ink. and, come to think of it, that's one of about 7 pens that i now use almost exclusively...

[mulrich]

I think most members here are familiar with my tale of the first found then lost Sheaffer (http://jimrichardson.org/The%20Stories/Things/The%20Find.html) that was my only such adventure so far.

This is one of the neatest pen stories I've heard; too bad it didn't have a great ending.

[empliau]

Nakaya! Nakaya! (in sad undervoice). My Nakayas are big - a desk pen and a 17mm - so they live on my desk. I'd love one adapted to carrying with me (I just ordered a pen roll, perhaps I will someday?) Anyway, I'm sorry about your lost pen. I admire your philosophic attitude!

[manoeuver]

I dearly hope Kurouac finds you again. your attitude is great.

[catbert]

Sorry for your loss. I doubt I would handle it with such equanimity.

Re the challenge: aiming for seven inked pens, the number of slots in a Dudek Stationer, not counting always-inked utility pens and eyedroppers. No limit on choice of pens or inks. So, not much of a challenge really. (Always have something easy to cross off your to-do list.)

[junglejim]

Oh gods, I'm so sad! I doubt I would have been as easy going about it as you, ethernautrix, especially with dear old Kurouac which you've had for such a long time. The underlayer uroshi must have been coming through with wear after all that time. My sympathies.

[mhosea]

I'm reminded of the old joke about people not actually buying beer, rather renting it. I would feel the loss keenly at first, I think, for several minutes at least. But then I would divide the cost of the pen by the number of months that I had owned it, and then I'd think about it as though I'd rented it for that much per month. I am merely not renting that item any longer. Being a mathematician, I can usually calculate some number or other that makes me feel at least a little better. :)

[FredRydr]

I'm reminded of the old joke about people not actually buying beer, rather renting it.
Well, at the end, the urge to be rid of it isn't quite the same.

[Lloyd]

Since no one else said it, I will... It seems that Kerouac was lost "On the Road".

If there are any typos in this post, I blame Tapatalk!

[ethernautrix]

Thank you all for your warm and kind words and sympathy - and for sharing your own stories. I'm reminded, also, of Dan Smith's loss when a thief stole his pen case (something like that -- luggage or just the baggage with pens in it, plus electronic gear, IIRC) a couple of years ago, just before entering the pen show. Gutting.



Since no one else said it, I will... It seems that Kerouac was lost "On the Road".

Hehe! Yeah, I joked about Kurouac and how the pen had fallen on the road, once in Kraków and, the following year, in Zamość. In Kraków, Kurouac slid out of the pen sleeve (the now lost pen sleeve (that Pendleton Brown gave me at the LA Pen Show 2012 or 2013) (sigh)) that was pinned to my camera strap when I lifted the camera (for the nthe time that day to take a picture. In Zamość, Kurouac was in the pen sleeve in the top compartment of my panniers on my bike rack. I hadn't zipped the compartment fully, and taking a turn to park my bike, Kurouac flew out of the pen sleeve and hit the road.

Now Wrocław. Third time's the charm, ay? That damned Kurouac always wanted to be on the road. I hope it's happy now. I hope whoever found the pen feels lucky and is using the pen with joy.

But I ain't in control of that, so... I'll pat myself on the back for not losing all six EDC pens. "Way to go, etherX! Keep most of your pens!" *Clap, clap, clap*

[Kaputnik]

I sympathize, I really do, but what can I say that others haven't said?

My own stories would be less interesting, and involve less interesting pens. I did once drop a favorite ballpoint (just a Parker Jotter) in a snow covered parking lot, and eventually gave up. It turned up in the Spring, in the grass at the edge of the lot, scratched, but otherwise in very good condition.

Other stories involve mislaying parts of pens, such as the barrel for a pen that I was refilling yesterday which only turned up today. The solution to the mystery is one that I'll keep to myself.:facepalm:

Anyway, thanks for sharing your story, and may you enjoy the remaining pens without giving up all hope on your road pen.

[Wuddus]

Sorry for the loss. It's good how you were able to move forward from it so well. I've lost a few nice things in my time, both through loss and failure/breakage, and nowadays tend to stick to owning things I care less about should I get separated from them. It's only stuff. :)

[ethernautrix]

Sorry for the loss. It's good how you were able to move forward from it so well. I've lost a few nice things in my time, both through loss and failure/breakage, and nowadays tend to stick to owning things I care less about should I get separated from them. It's only stuff. :)

I think I'm practicing losing things I do care about. Long story (all in my head), but these past few years have really tested me on "accept loss forever," So, okay, nice things are nice, but how lucky am I to lose nice things? How lucky am I to have nice things still? Yes, it's only stuff, but I'd rather have and use nice stuff, even if I lose or break it. You know, that's life.

I've been trying to internalize the parable of the Chinese farmer (https://youtu.be/OX0OARBqBp0) (Alan Watts). I'm trying to go with the flow in a more mindful way (which is hilarious to me, knowing how calm that sounds in pixels, how emotional I am actually, how expressive I'm typically am. My best friend here calls me the Ancient Egyptian Queen of RAH. Hahaha. The RAH Queen, for short. "Raaaah!").

I carried the Pilot CH912 (PO) (rightfully "THE" pen, right? Cos favorite nib.) in my pocket one night when I took Łapa for a night walk (spacer nocny). When I returned to the apartment after the 7km walk, the barrel and cap were riding separately. "Raaaah!" But no harm had come to the nib. Whew! What's the lesson? I can't win. ("Maybe.")

No, the lesson is to care, but not too much. Just the right about of care. It's a tricky dance.