Hello everyone.

My name is Mike Walker. I am a tax partner with an international accounting firm located in London, Ontario. I bought my first fountain pen as a signature pen about ten years ago, however, started accumulating them much more so over the last two years. Unfortunately health reasons have forced me to work part time, so I have had to find a hobby or two and this seemed to fit the bill.

Modern pens appeal to me the most and I have approximately 60-70 pens with the usual suspects but a heavy Italian influence - Delta, Stipula, and Visconti. I am still buying pens but have a much better idea of what I like and don't like.

I joined this board because I was impressed by the number, tone and quality of the many different posts that I read as a visitor. Here in London, I do not have access to many pen shops so the internet is my primary resource. I still have so much to learn but I hope that I can find a way to contribute to the collective knowledge or be assistance to members of this great group.

Hi there,

I was born in London Ontario while my parents were studying/working at the UWO.

Nice of you to join.

Ben

Welcome Mike,
I live just up the road in Cambridge. I used to work in London and lived there for 2 yrs. Nice city. You may have just one pen shop but the Peel Pen Shop is a great one.
It sounds like a great collection that you have.
I think you'll really enjoy it here. It's got really friendly and helpful folks.
Have you got a Stipula Etruria yet?


Kind regards,
Karin :bunny1:

Hello MikeW from Michael W, aka southpaw. Glad to see you visited for a while to check us out and decided to join anyhow. But seriously, this is a bunch of great folks who love PFs and anything even remotely related (and sometimes not related at all). Also a very helpful bunch.

Sounds like you have a fairly sizeable collection. You mentioned a heavily Italian influence and a few brands, but didn't mention any specific pens. Care to share a more detailed list? You'll find that many here have quite a passion for Italian FPs (some might even say an obsession).

See you around the boards!

Hi Mike,

Well, this board can keep one as busy as he cares to be. I'm convinced that it would be possible to spend all my waking hours on this board. I could open it and get the list of posts since my last visit, read them and reply to those chosen, then start all over again. It's a rare hour or two that there isn't a number of new posts.

WE here, however, are a mature group and fully realize that all play and no work makes Jack...a VERY SMART GUY!

Enjoy!

You guys realize London is only 300 miles from....

Columbus OH.

Site of the ONGOING Ohio Pen Show! Roadtrip!!!!!

I'm the same distance and heading there tomorrow.

Welcome Mike!

Welcome from the other London!

Ray

Hello Mike and welcome to the Fountain Pen Network! I too, love Italian fountain pens, especially Aurora. Sounds like you have a rather impressive collection of modern pens.

What kind of ink(s) do you like to use to write with?

Hi Mike,
Welcome to FPN (from one Canuck to another)!
I don't have many modern Italian pens...but the ones I do have are excellent writers. I have an Omas Extra, an Aurora Ipsilon and a recently-acquired Stipula Duetto. Feel free to post photos or pen reviews of your pens; there are separate forums for "Pictures" and "Reviews".

Glad you like the site; it is a helpful, friendly place, isn't it?

Hi MikeW,

Welcome to FPN. I'm a recent immigrant to "the other London", having moved here from Ottawa about 9 months ago. It's a very interesting city, I must say, although I am still homesick after all this time. I moved out here for a position at the college (FC) managing the teams responsible for network infrastructure and operations. The job rocks. My digs, just West of Adelaide but probably not West enough, do not rock.

There is a group of pen folks here in the city...Doug Ritchie (Doug, are you here on FPN?) being one of them, among others. I haven't met him yet. I believe, but am not sure, that there is a group that meets on a semi-regular basis for pen chats and show-n-tells. I have not yet had the chance to join them.

Anyway, welcome aboard!

Cheers,
Jimmy Tom, a.k.a. Gymeathaum

Thanks for the welcome, ladies and gentlemen. I like the positive feeling that I am getting, much better than the negative vibes on an other message board that I tried to become involved with.

I did post a list of my pens in the topic that was asking people to list their pens, so take a look.

What other board, MikeW? Please feel free to PM me.

Glad you have you here!

Cheers,
Jimmy.