Using Fountain Pen In Front Of Your Boss

[sumgaikid]

Never had a problem with my boss about using them--asa

matter of fact,some pens that I had won in the past off of

fleabay I have had delivered to work,so they know about

my obsess.....uh,collecting habit. I have even written notes

(in cursive) with them when necessary.

 

 

John

[Guest surrealdeal]

Heh. My boss and I both use fountain pens.

 

He uses a Lamy 2000, and I a Pelikan M205.

We never really say anything about it, we just have an unspoken bond.

[Pendragon]

Most people don't know the difference between a fountain pen and a Crayola crayon, and don't really care. I am not sure I understand the connection between your boss using a Pilot ballpoint and you using a fountain pen. They are just pens for goodness sake, and so no need to say anything unless asked. IMHO, bringing expensive items into work is a bad idea, though, because they tend to grow legs and walk off. Perhaps a Lamy Safari or Chinese P51 clone would be better, as they are less attractive to sticky fingers. At least they are not expensive to replace if lost or damaged. Bear in mind that if anyone in the office borrows your pen, they are likely to use enough pressure to engrave steel plate. If you decline to loan your pen, they might be offended.

 

The only comments I have gotten at work are along the lines of "Hey, you use an ink pen? Why do you do that? They are old." I usually respond with something like "Because they are round" or "Because they bring good karma". People are likely to think one is nostalgic for using a fountain pen, or even offbeat or nutty. But that is OK. As long as you are happy using your pen, all is well in the Land of Oz.

[fotographik]

I always use my fountain pens, regardless of who is there (boss / co-worker / friends). Never had any negative comments even though I work in IT.

 

Bottom line: you have nice fountain pens...use them!

[jar]

Used pens in front of my bosses for 40+ years and never even considered whether or not it was appropriate.

[i.like.whiskey]

Use your pens. Who cares what others think.

 

As others have mentioned, it might even be a bonding opportunity.

Actually, now that I think of it, pretty much every person that has seen me write with a fountain pen has been curious about it and have wanted to write with it. Only once or twice have I gotten a smart-ass remark.

[i.like.whiskey]

we just have an unspoken bond.

 

Haha. Very true.

[Joe in Seattle]

I think your instincts were sound. The MB is an expensive pen. The junior man in the office may be best served by starting off humble and seeing which way the wind blows before pulling out the big stick saying, "see what a big deal I am."

 

We are not always judged fairly by our interests or intentions. My own experience is that I'll make some efforts to fit in before I demonstrate my individuality, i.e. become a team player first.

 

Of course many won't agree with my thoughts, that's OK, too, but I think the poster took the correct route to begin with.

[Bullwinkle]

I think your instincts were sound. The MB is an expensive pen. The junior man in the office may be best served by starting off humble and seeing which way the wind blows before pulling out the big stick saying, "see what a big deal I am."

 

We are not always judged fairly by our interests or intentions. My own experience is that I'll make some efforts to fit in before I demonstrate my individuality, i.e. become a team player first.

 

Of course many won't agree with my thoughts, that's OK, too, but I think the poster took the correct route to begin with.

 

sound advice..

being the low man on the pole do you really want to whip out a MB pen when everyone else is using the office issued pens? same with wearing a rolex or omega watch when the rest of the folks (evidently all higher up the food chain) are wearing seiko or casio?

 

I have told countless professionals were they your bosses who would influence your review and promotions?

[fabrimedeiros]

Now, I use my pens in front of my bosses without problem.

 

However the first time they saw my pens I feel something like: " How does this kid dare use a pen bigger/ more expensive than mine?" After a chat about pens, they understood (I think) that I'm a FP enthusiast and not a snob. Most of them know I use my pens for my own pleasure, not like a status symbol. Unfortunately, new co-works/ new bosses do think I'm a snob. I don't care!

 

A couple of them are also FP collectors and it's really nice stop and talk about pens, what pen they or I'm using etc. Unfortunatey I don't work close to them.

[sadiemagic]

 

Funny, my assumption if any, would be that you give a different significance to notes made with each pen and that way you can pick things out from the notes more easily.

e.g. ideas to follow up in italic

questionable statements in red

blue sky thinking in.....uh....ok blue.

and so on.

Dick D

 

I do color-code - how else could I justify having so many pens inked? But people less obsessed with pens and inks may not notice the subtle difference in the different shades of blue.

I use different inks to indicate items that need to be followed up on. Green in notes written in blue, or whatever.

 

Be confident in yourself. You like fountain pens? Use them, even in front of the boss. Life is short, and don't, as the saying goes, sweat the small stuff. You just might find it distinguishes you from the rest of the herd -- in a good way!

[JefferyS]

I use an FP in my cubicle and in committee meetings, but not anywhere else. The problem is not any stigma, but concern that someone will ask to borrow it. I have discovered that only a tiny fraction of my students/colleagues have ever tried a fountain pen, and they invariably try to use it with the nib down (as in upside down). When the nib doesn't work upside down, the next reflex is to bang the nib into the paper to get the ink flow started, or to bear down heavily in circles on a piece of scrap paper. After losing two Sheaffer nibs to this sort of abuse, I started declining letting someone use my FP, carrying a ballpoint when someone asked for a pen (my beloved Fisher Space Pen). That turned out badly too, as ballpoints seem to be considered "free" pens. I lost both of my Fisher Space Pens to people walking off with them.

 

So most of my FP writing, like meditation, is done in private.

[desertsquid]

What possible downside could there be? That the boss thinks less senior people should not use a Montblanc and therefore takes a dislike to you? I'd like to suggest three things:

 

1. That this thought comes from you, not from your boss. Your boss probably pays very little attention to the pen you are using. In your mind, perhaps your pen is a status symbol. To most people, it is just a pen.

 

2. That if your boss wanted to use a fountain pen, he or she would buy one. It's not like eating a meal in front of a homeless person, or a student showing up at seminar driving a Ferrari. Anyone who has a decent job can buy a fountain pen if they wish to.

 

3. Just because someone is your boss at work, it does not make them inherently superior (or inferior) to you. Everyone in an organization has a different role to play. One person is the manager, another is the person doing creative work or providing a service. Hierarchical superiority does not mean existential superiority.

[jar]

I can't imagine wanting to work for a boss that would get bent outta shape over my using a "better" fill in the blank that was appropriate.

[jar]

I can't imagine wanting to work for a boss that would get bent outta shape over my using a "better" fill in the blank than they thought appropriate.

[Brian C]

I won't use my fountain pens in front of my boss. I work in a prison. Luxury items are frowned on. Plus I worry he might think of that huge MB 149 nib as a potential weapon. I use them in front of inmates all the time. I save the 51 for the boss.

[fabrimedeiros]

The great problem in my work circle is the MB pens. 99,99% of people don't know differentiate a $400 pen from a $5 blingy chinese pen. Most of MB users (BP mostly) at my work don't know anything about pens, and when they see, at first glance, a junior worker with 149 or a 146 Solitaire, they think that guy is a snob or "he want to be better than me". A immediate boss already told me:" Don't you feel bad to use this pen in front of our boss?" like he had thought in his mind "Are you crazy...??" Unfortunately, there is a big difference between how the world is and how the world should be.

[celesul]

I personally wouldn't use a MB in front of a boss. I'd use probably some sort of hooded nib, but certainly it would not be a blingy pen, and keep some rollerballs around for lending. I don't know if this is partly just me, but I am not at all willing to seem ostentatious, and using a Montblanc in front of a boss would make me feel that way. In general, I don't like bringing expensive things to a place they could get damaged.

[Pelikan_FP]

I can see the OP's point. But if, I was the boss and I see the lowest-person-on-the-totem-pole whip out a MB fountain pen, I'd be very interested and cool with it but that's me. Unfortunately, as people have mentioned above, not everybody is of the same mindset and maybe your other colleagues or senior management people might be irked by the "new guy" having what they perceive as more expensive pen than they have and blah, blah, blah status symbol, blah etc.

 

Like others above, I use my Pelikan 215 FP only while carrying around a MB Generation ballpoint pen for others to use :roflmho:

 

Cheers!

[bernardo]

Hello everyone,

I have just graduated a year ago. Unsurprisingly, I am one of the lowest level in my office. :ltcapd:

A week ago, I brought my MB Starwater to meet my boss and I was struggling whether I should use it. I noticed my boss's pen is a Pilot..... .....similar to "Vanishing Point", but a "ball pen" version :ltcapd:..

http://images.e-stor...k/l/1050973.jpg

At last, i decided not to use mine.

Should we share any comments/ interesting moment when you use your fountain pen in front of your boss? Apologies if there is any similar topic rasied before.

Thanks,

Gordon

 

 

I think I get your point; you may be afraid that your boss thinks he's paying you too much or that you just want to show off.

I don't agree with other colleagues here who say only FP users mind what pens other people use. In my experience, that's not true; people do notice if someone is using an expensive pen, be it a FP or not.

My advice would be to check if your pen is not too flashy for your work environment, and if it is, to use a cheaper one.