People like you

My name is Con, and I have an unusual hobby: I adore and collect fountain pens. It’s also my most expensive hobby, but that’s another story.

I’ve been using fountain pens since I was nine years old, and until very recently, it’s been a very solitary hobby. The Internet made it a lot easier to learn about, and ogle, and buy pens and inks, but I really didn’t know anyone else in my home town who was as interested in fountain pens as I was.

Yesterday I went along to my second ever fountain pen meet up.

Fountain pen meet up

The picture shows the table in the room with some assorted accoutrements.

At one point, I sat in the room and listened as the conversation around me ranged from Visconti quality control issues, through to the costs of Diamine inks, through to getting nibs tuned by nib meisters. One of the guys there noticed me sitting there smiling to myself, and said: “Isn’t it great, to be with others who get it?” I had to agree.

After the meet up I went to my Mum’s. When I said I’d just come from a pen meet up, Mum’s response was classic: “You mean there are other people like you??”

5 thoughts on “People like you

  1. I enjoy seeing your fountain pens on Instagram. Also I really like Rhodia notepads. Anything with that sort of grid, with lines that are closer together and not 10mm apart. 🙂

    1. Thanks 🙂 I love taking photos of my pens. Mind you I’m starting to think I need a better set up for lighting, so I can try to take better photos!

  2. Hi Con, love this post, it’s always so heartening when you discover you are not alone in your choice of passion/obsession!!!

    I may not know much about fountain pens (I really am an amateur) but I know quality stationery when I see it! Rhodia notebooks are THE best 🙂

    Cheers, Chris

    1. Hi Chris, isn’t it liberating! 🙂
      If you’re an amateur, are you saying I’m a professional pen nerd?? 😀

  3. I love those moments when you’re surrounded by fellow enthusiasts. They make the world that much better. I’m glad you’ve found your tribe. 🙂

Comments are closed.