Originally Posted by
ethernautrix
I've long puzzled over this, too. Writing might be a hobby, but fountain pens? Collecting fountain pens is a hobby, but eventually realizing, "whoa, I have way more pens than *general bewilderment peppered with joy cos nice pens*" is different (in my opinion, than collecting.
I'm using "collecting" with a stricter definition than "accidental/unintentional amassing."
I acquired and used fountain pens mostly in solitude, never dreaming that others collected them, outside of that one article a friend shared with me (pre-Internet) featuring one man's vintage filigree Waterman collection. That felt like museum-level collecting (vintage, silver filigree, expensive). I had NO IDEA. Hahaha.
It was only in 2008 and tripping across FPN from a Google search that I felt I had found my people -- pen people, not collectors per se.
I, too, was a purt-near lifelong pen-and-office-supplies, em, aficionado until the trajectory brought me to this point of "no, not all the pens, just the ones I really 'always' use" plateau. I do still have a, let's say, an exaggerated interest in fountain pens, inks, papers (as compared to civilians) and so I watch or listen to YouTube chatter and podcasts, but... lately, listening (glancing at the screen now and again) to reviewers or enablers/collectors (in any sense of the word) talking about having to get this one and that one and waiting excitedly for more.... What's missing? Why more? When a pen person says he or she has found the perfect pen and... why does the search continue?
Hey, guilty as charged, yeah? I went through an fpn-inspired purchasing mania in search of The ONE pen. (Laughing.)
I've come to realize that I'm not going to be a ONE-PEN person, not even for one month, but it takes more to turn my head now than one or two factors (color, nib, size, and so on). And even if I turn my head... I've reached saturation and know from experience how ephemeral the excitement of the new thing is and how much more satisfying is the enduring enjoyment of what I have.
And I know it's a journey, a trajectory, a path (however winding or straight, depending on one's tolerance for spending and using and such).
This is where I am on the journey. Satisfied. Contented. Might be age-related, too -- with the influence of space restriction and other factors.
I will say this... I love pen people. I enjoy the pen shows and pen posses and sharing the joys of others' collections. I enjoy the conversations, even when off-topic. We are weirdly fun people.
(We can discuss the definition of "community" when the definition of "collection" wanes. *Smiley*)
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