The Fountain #010 - A Week Off
Thoughts
I love camping.
I have taken a week off work, loaded the caravan and set off with the wife. We don’t do this enough. We say this all the time but find excuses why we can’t do it for, say, a long weekend. But that’s a discussion for another time.
What does this have to do with fountain pens? I’m glad you asked.
I’m on a mission. Well, two actually.
Mission #1 - I need to find my next fountain pen purchase. This week away gives me the time and motivation to go down the usual rabbit-holes of research. I have an idea which pen I want. Hint: It’s a Japanese pen.
Mission #2 - Well, this one is slightly more involved. This year, the wife and I celebrated 25 years of marriage. Apparently, it’s the silver anniversary.
Do you know me? If you do, even a little, guess what I’m thinking? Correct. Matching silver fountain pens! I mean, it’s obvious really.
So this time away gives me an opportunity to do that research. And, if you’ve been following my journey even for a few weeks, you’d know that my foray into fountain pens came with a passenger - my wife!
I’ll keep you posted in the coming weeks as to the pens I am looking at.
If you have any suggestions please let me know.
Until next time.
Quote
“I am a highly disciplined person. I get up at seven every morning and, still in my pyjamas, sit down at my desk where my checkered ring binders and my fountain pen are ready for use. I try to write two pages every day.”
~ Orhan Pamuk, novelist, screenwriter, academic, and recipient of the 2006 Nobel Prize in Literature.
Maker
Caran d’Ache fountain pens
Caran d’Ache history
Resources
10 things I wish I had known before collecting Fountain Pens - A Writing Guy YouTube
sbrebrown YouTube channel - “My channel is devoted to one of my passions: fountain pens, ink, and writing accessories”
Visconti Homo Sapiens Magma Fountain Pen Review - My grail pen…the countdown is on
Fun Fact
In 1999, Caran d’Ache entered the Guinness book of world records with their ‘Modernista Diamonds’ which was set with 5072 diamonds and 96 rubies, the estimated value of over $300,000 made it the most expensive writing instrument in the world at that time.
Tip
In researching my next pen purchase, I am faced with the in-store vs online dilemma.
I want pen stores to continue to survive and thrive. I want to be able to go into a store and talk to knowledgable people.
But I also want to buy at a decent price. That’s usually online.
If we don’t support bricks and mortar, they’ll go the way of the local bookstore.
My plan is to make my more expensive pen purchase in-store. For trust and support.
P.S.
I want this newsletter to be of value to you.
Please reach out with any comments or suggestions for future editions.
I will be making a small change to the format. Once a month, I will have a guest poster. It may be a review of a pen or ink, a recent shopping experience, or how they started with their first pen.
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