Mystery Ink No. 5

[Laura N]

Ink fans, when the going gets tough, the tough need some new ink. So, klpeabody and I are starting another round of Mystery Ink.

This will be Round 5, or MI5. Dedicated to all those who wonder what’s so funny ‘bout peace, love and understanding. Elvis Costello version, of course.

We are looking for five or six volunteers who would be willing to try an unknown ink and post their impressions here, without posting any guesses about the ink’s identity. We think it's fun to try an ink without any preconceptions, or even a clue as to what it might be.

MI5 has a few little wrinkles. First, this is an ink that I received as a gift to the MI community, and it leaked a bit during shipping, so samples will be about 2 ml each. I will reveal the name of the donor when I reveal the name of the ink, so as not to feed the frenzy of speculation about the ink’s identity. Second, although we usually say nothing about the ink before seeking volunteers, I am going to make an exception for MI5. If you don’t like cheery and bright inks, this one probably would be wasted on you, and you might prefer waiting for a future MI while this one goes to those who might better appreciate it.

As always, the identity of the ink will not be revealed until every last recipient has received his or her ink and had a chance to try it without knowing its identity. That means if you finish early or like things right away, you may have to wait a bit to find out the ink’s name. That may seem like a bummer. But, turn it around and think of it as “taking one for the team.” You are doing a good deed. We are family. This is the peace, love and understanding edition of MI, after all.

So if you’d like to throw your inky hat in the ring, please post here and let us know why you’d like to get MI5. And if it’s not in your profile, please tell us where you live (just the state or country). That helps us pick a diverse slate of participants and figure out mailing times.

Please volunteer only if you have time to use or test the ink right away, and if you are willing to post in the thread about your impressions. We are looking for people who are enthusiastic about ink, and about posting. People who've done it before are welcome again, as are people who are new to the exercise. Everyone is welcome in MI.

More details can be found in the threads "Mystery Ink Sample,” "Mystery Ink No. 3” or “Mystery Ink No. 4.”