What makes up your fountain pen hobby?

[historicink]

I just saw a post about the fountain pen obsession and it made me think. What do all of you guys so with regards to the hobby. I know collecting is obvious but day to day.
I personally spend my time reading this forum.
Looking at eBay listing
Sneaking in a few pen history websites like parker pens. Net on breaks of course.

Writing with my solo fountain pen in my collection my parker 88 rialto.

Looking at pen shop websites as I have no pen shows around where I live

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[fountainpenkid]

I think it is a combination of daily use of fountain pens, the forums (and the people on them), and pen shows (and the people at them.) I use fountain pens at school for everything, so that is a large part of my choices when collecting.

[DrChumley]

I've only been involved in the hobby for about six months, but it's a combination of things.

I originally got my first fountain pen because I wanted to start journaling on a daily basis. I had tried it several times before, but as someone who types at nearly 100WPM, I could never get my thoughts down on paper fast enough for my liking. I figured a really nice (and to my thought at the time, expensive) pen would encourage me to slow down, and write by hand. (Parenthetically, I actually caused myself to laugh out loud recalling that I used to think $70 was expensive for a quality fountain pen.)

Since then, I'm still journalling daily. I have also come to appreciate how deeply most people love receiving handwritten letters. I have a grandmother living in a nursing home who has no nearby family, has lost her hearing (so phone calls are out), and can only read with the help of a magnifying glass. So, I started writing her letters once a week to stay in contact. Then it extended to other family members and friends with whom I had fallen out of contact.

About the time I started having problems with the flow on my first pen, I started doing research online, and stumbled onto this deep well of knowledge and information about fountain pens. I got into bottled ink (up to 70+ bottles now...), different nib types, and different kinds of paper. That seemed a perfect opportunity to indulge my other habit, spending money I can't afford to spend on stuff I don't need but really, really want.

These days, I spent my FP time:

* Recording review videos
* Writing in my journal
* Performing my ink journal tests
* Taking meeting notes at work using a pen and a notebook...usually to much interest from coworkers.
* Practicing my handwriting improvements
* Writing letters - hopefully soon to branch out into correspondence with people I don't already know.
* Hovering around FPG and the Google+ group
* Annoying the living daylights out of the staff of the three stores in the area that sell pens, ink, and paper.
* Building a mighty-impressive Amazon wishlist
* Trolling the 'bay
* Defunding my retirement

Heck, I even enjoy the act of cleaning my pens, which I do as soon as a pen runs out of ink. I very recently made my first foray into vintage pens, and I see this as becoming a big ole' rabbit hole for me to fall down as well.

So, right now, I'm doing a whole lot of everything in regards to fountain pens. I have put myself on a spending hiatus for a few months (no new ink until I have finished at least one bottle of something...and the Goulet Ink Drop samples don't count), but I'm into this habit pretty deeply at this point. I really want to start playing around more with repair and nib adjustment.

[historicink]

I am in the same boat. I am on spending hiatus for few month but plan on treating myself to a new pen when I can I am thinking a kaweko al sport in raw aluminum. I would also love to tinker with pens. I recently learned a lesson from e Bay when I bought a vintage Conway Stewart 75 that had a broken noun and needs probably a new Sac and pressure bar.

It's too bad there wasn't a chat room. Which could host a weekly discussion about fp where all is could talk real time
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[Frank]

I think it is a combination of daily use of fountain pens, the forums (and the people on them), and pen shows (and the people at them.) I use fountain pens at school for everything, so that is a large part of my choices when collecting.

+1

:)

[Sailor Kenshin]

I am in the same boat. I am on spending hiatus for few month but plan on treating myself to a new pen when I can I am thinking a kaweko al sport in raw aluminum. I would also love to tinker with pens. I recently learned a lesson from e Bay when I bought a vintage Conway Stewart 75 that had a broken noun and needs probably a new Sac and pressure bar.

It's too bad there wasn't a chat room. Which could host a weekly discussion about fp where all is could talk real time
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I thought there was.

[historicink]

Where lol?


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[KrazyIvan]

Top of the home page of this very forum.

[KrazyIvan]

Oh but you have to be in a full browser not tapatalk.

[historicink]

is there a typical time everyone goes on?

[orfew]

I write everyday. Sometimes it is a grocery list and sometimes it is professional writing. There are even times when I make excuses to pick up my fps and write. I enjoy the experience of writing. I also enjoy touring the different pen boards and as a result I have found that there are many others who have a fondness for the written word. It may sound strange but I also enjoy simply looking at my collection. Doing so reminds me that there are many more thoughts to be written, and many more written words I have yet to enjoy.

Interesting topic...thanks OP.

[Waski_the_Squirrel]

The big thing for me is writing with the pens. I also buy one once in a while because it's pretty. I always used to be happy with black ink, but then it became handy to mark up my writing while I edited with a different color. Then that color was pretty, and...

Somewhere in the midst of this I was researching an interesting pen and discovered that there is such a thing as an internet forum on fountain pens. Interesting.

But, my real love is the writing. I just finished writing a novel. I also do my planning with a pen, even outside novels. Finally, if I'm not taking notes, I have a hard time paying attention, so I take notes at meetings, presentations, etc.

[Adunaye]

I listen to Podcasts. I learned about FPGeeks by listening to The Pen Addict podcast so I've listened to all of them from the beginning. Then I started listening to the FPGeeks Podcast and at first it was a little over my head but something about that podcast lured me in and I've listened to all of the old FPGeeks podcasts. Then I am almost caught up with the Anderson Pens Podcast. What I have found by listening to the FPGeeks and the Anderson's Podcast is that both of them do a great job making you feel like you are part of a community. Especially the Anderson's the way Lisa takes the time to talk about the people they've met at the pen shows and doing the shout outs.

I also browse websites like jetpens, andersonpens, the goulets, and any other website I stumble across or hear about.

I try and make excuses to use my fountain pens. I have 25 samples someone from the google+ group sent me and at first I thought it was a lot of ink. Now I am finding it is not enough. I have gotten to sample some inks that I really like and I don't have as much ink that I thought I did.

I'm really liking R&K Alt-Goldgrun, Alt-Bourdeaux, and Lamy Tourquoise so far are my favorites and I have very little left. one nice surprise for me was one of my pen pals wrote to me using the Alt-Goldgrun color and I really liked it. I didn't think I had that color in my samples but I decided to look and I did! I was so excited!

When I first got into fountain pens I didn't think I would be that into inks but I have fallen hard. Now my wish list for inks is as bad as my wish list for pens.

[KrazyIvan]

is there a typical time everyone goes on?

It varies since we are all over the globe.

On the subject of the thread, I write letters, do journal entries, write my task lists and I blog about fountain pens. I also listen to podcasts, watch youtube videos and search out other fountain pen blogs. Then I grind my own nibs.

[Sailor Kenshin]

I listen to Podcasts. I learned about FPGeeks by listening to The Pen Addict podcast so I've listened to all of them from the beginning. Then I started listening to the FPGeeks Podcast and at first it was a little over my head but something about that podcast lured me in and I've listened to all of the old FPGeeks podcasts. Then I am almost caught up with the Anderson Pens Podcast. What I have found by listening to the FPGeeks and the Anderson's Podcast is that both of them do a great job making you feel like you are part of a community. Especially the Anderson's the way Lisa takes the time to talk about the people they've met at the pen shows and doing the shout outs.

I also browse websites like jetpens, andersonpens, the goulets, and any other website I stumble across or hear about.

I try and make excuses to use my fountain pens. I have 25 samples someone from the google+ group sent me and at first I thought it was a lot of ink. Now I am finding it is not enough. I have gotten to sample some inks that I really like and I don't have as much ink that I thought I did.

I'm really liking R&K Alt-Goldgrun, Alt-Bourdeaux, and Lamy Tourquoise so far are my favorites and I have very little left. one nice surprise for me was one of my pen pals wrote to me using the Alt-Goldgrun color and I really liked it. I didn't think I had that color in my samples but I decided to look and I did! I was so excited!

When I first got into fountain pens I didn't think I would be that into inks but I have fallen hard. Now my wish list for inks is as bad as my wish list for pens.

Heh...some of my pen pals (and you know who you are!) have written using certain inks I was later FORCED to buy. Among them RK Alt Goldgrun.

[tandaina]

Finding/buying pens, fixing pens, writing with pens, doodling with pens, trying different inks, photographing pens, getting others hooked on pens...

[cwent2]

getting others hooked on pens...

Another enabler! Yikes.

LOL - Shhhhhh don't tell my wife I am surrounded by enabler's.


Cw

[krazyklod]

I actually got into them while trying to learn scripts and calligraphy... but you just cant argue with the performance of a lamy vs a biro and how awesome a flex nib is :P
From there I'm also looking at this forum and I've gotten more serious about learning scripts.

[tandaina]

getting others hooked on pens...

Another enabler! Yikes.

LOL - Shhhhhh don't tell my wife I am surrounded by enabler's.


Cw

Aren't we all?? I thought it was normal!

[cwent2]

getting others hooked on pens...

Another enabler! Yikes.

LOL - Shhhhhh don't tell my wife I am surrounded by enabler's.


Cw

Aren't we all?? I thought it was normal!

Not saying it is not normal - just saying ... er don't tell my wife... LoL :)

[tandaina]

My husband just rolls his eyes and shakes his head. I tried to enable him and he TOTALLY resisted. Hmph. So I just hook my friends and coworkers instead.

[cwent2]

My husband just rolls his eyes and shakes his head. I tried to enable him and he TOTALLY resisted. Hmph. So I just hook my friends and coworkers instead.

I tried that with my wife - I got the look, and she said "I HATE FOUNTAIN PENS" ....ok....back off the Dragon.......and never asked again...

Carl

[KrazyIvan]

My husband just rolls his eyes and shakes his head. I tried to enable him and he TOTALLY resisted. Hmph. So I just hook my friends and coworkers instead.

I tried that with my wife - I got the look, and she said "I HATE FOUNTAIN PENS" ....ok....back off the Dragon.......and never asked again...

Carl

I'm in the same boat. I just got her a Cross ballpoint instead.

http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3783/9380816008_15c4f9a97c_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/ivan_romero/9380816008/)
I think she likes it. (http://www.flickr.com/photos/ivan_romero/9380816008/) by IvanRomero (http://www.flickr.com/people/ivan_romero/), on Flickr