Lots of pen show newcomers ask for tips for going to their first show. Here are mine.
In brief: 1. Use a List. 2. Get Organized. 3. Pre-Order and Prepare. 4. Prioritize. 5. Don’t Just Shop. 6. Talk to People. 7. Go as Early as Possible.
Want more details? On the next page.
(click Page 2 below to continue)
Sometimes you need to take a break. Pictures, not words. I love my inks, but I’m a pen person at heart.
This is one of my favorite pens ever. But I’ve been mulling over selling it. The problem is, then I take it out and look at it.
Penjoyment. The state of good cheer that arises when pen and ink make writing fun.
Pendless. Your wishlist.
Penabler. All your pen friends. Or you drop them.
Penergized. That hopeful, exhuberant feeling that arises when you walk into a pen store or pen show or start browsing online — or even when you think, “Today’s the day I’ll clean out some pens.”
Penthusiast. How you describe yourself to your spouse, just before you start having merchants ship to your office.
Penthrallment. The knowledge that you must have a certain pen or ink, and it will be the last one you ever buy.
Penuui. Boredom with writing instruments, either the last one you bought, or all of them.
Penvy.
1. The unexpressed, uncomfortable feeling that, while you really couldn’t be happier that your friend got this sought-after fountain pen or ink, now that she has it, you feel left out, and your pens and inks seem second-rate in comparison.
2. If the possessor isn’t your friend, the feeling needn’t be kept secret, and can be expressed with a witty dig at the object or the possessor, or both.
Penpal.
1. A person with whom you send letters back and forth.
2. A person you have owed a letter to for three months. See, Penemy.
Penemy. A person who used to be your penpal, until your replies became so slow.
Penitent. A person who replied too slowly to her penpals.
Penvelope. A real word, for an attractive but expensive leather pen case that you consider buying when you have bought too many pens to contain any other way. If you have at least two Penvelopes, see, Pensanity.
Pensanity. Peak pen purchasing madness.
Penlightenment. The state of feeling satisfied with the pens you already have, which must last longer than three months or until you save up for the next one.
Pend. The end of this blog post.
Aurora Optima Sole with medium nib. A yellow pen, an orange ink, and we’ve warmed up a cold March day.
Thanks to a friend, I’ve got a sample of Montblanc’s limited edition Lucky Orange ink to try. It’s darker than I expected, and bright but not eye-searing. Very easy to read, even from a medium nib. Only a little shading. An excellent orange ink.
Sunny.
In Chicago we all think of ourselves as a little bit Irish, especially today. So Happy St. Patrick’s Day!
Yeah, no real post today, I’m on strike. It’s International Women’s Day.
Ha. I wish. What mother could ever go on strike? Although I’ll note that Classic Fountain Pens is closed today “in respect for the work women do here and around the world.” Nice! Shout-out to them.
Whatever International Women’s Day is, I’m for it, even without a strike. On the website, it says the idea is “to help forge a better working world — a more inclusive, gender equal world.” That’s nice.
I think “gender equal” isn’t necessarily a concept that really applies to fountain pens and ink, but I think the fountain pen world is a pretty inclusive place. So three cheers for fountain pens and inks, and the people who work in, and enjoy, fountain pens and inks.
Lamy Safari Aquamarine with medium nib. I am perfectly aware that this colorful and fun plastic fountain pen made for middle schoolers is the pen that fountain pen collectors can’t abide, and can’t resist dissing. Because most of my pen friends are that way. To my face.
But I magnanimously forgive them, because they know not what they do. (Or, I secretly think, “pen snobs.” Guess which.)
Nonetheless the humble Safari is one of my favorite pen designs ever, and I think it’s one of the best pen designs ever. I use my many Safaris (and Al-Stars and Vistas) all the time, and while they aren’t perfect, they are pretty awesome to me.
Now, sadly, the Aquamarine limited edition came out in 2011, and is long sold out. This color has been so popular on the secondary market that it has been counterfeited and sells for crazy prices. So I suggest you not hunt for an Aquamarine. (Except for my Safari Hater friends, whom I urge to drop everything, spend whatever it takes, just get an Aquamarine because it will change your life. You deserve it. Xoxoxo.)
The rest of us should consider this year’s Al-Star in Pacific Blue instead. (It’s bright and attractive and also turquoise.) Or buy a regular Safari in any color. Because I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: paying premium prices for special Safaris makes no sense. Unless they have a ducky on top. Duh.
With the money you save, buy some awesome inks. Here’s one suggestion: Robert Oster Bondi Blue, a sample of which I’m now enjoying thanks to my awesome blog reader and fountain pen pal David.
I really like Bondi Blue. It’s a bright, fun color, with gorgeous shading, and obvious sheen potential. And best of all, for me, it totally rocks in a Safari. I’ve got Bondi Blue in two pens, because I’m going to review it, and it seems like a great Safari ink. It flows well in the Safari, which is not the case for every ink, and it looks its best in a Safari, also not the case for every ink.
Love my Safaris, love my Bondi Blue.
If you lived in America in the 1970s, and your family took road trips, you’ll see it, too. HoJo. The ubiquitous roadside motor lodge and restaurant chain, with the appalling but memorable color scheme of orange and aqua.
It was an innocent mistake. Like the start of a horror movie, when a bunch of teens are lost and tired, and the cranky one says, “Oh, let’s just stay in this abandoned house — who’s going to care?”
Uh huh. Exactly what happened here. I had three new inks to try, so I grabbed two Lamy Safaris and an Al-Star. They are favorites and good ink testing pens. And you can color-coordinate pen and ink.
I didn’t think twice. I filled KWZ Grapefruit in an Orange Safari, Robert Oster Bondi Blue in an Aquamarine Safari and KWZ Honey in a Pearl Al-Star. Three excellent inks!
Until I looked at the pens, standing there upright. “It’s coming from inside the house….”
I’m wretchedly sick today — along with the whole family — but my friend Mike sent me this link which perked me right up. The video shows an amazing ink collection, and some amazing pens, too. In case you haven’t seen this, do click. Great video, great collection. Wow.
I’m tooting the pink-ink horn today. Happy Valentine’s Day!
–Sailor Sakura-Mori from a Montblanc Heritage 1912 with broad nib
Fountain Pen Follies 