Hello. I've been lurking for some time, but I figured I might as well introduce myself at some point.

I have all of three pens, and I pretty much plan to stay at that number. As a graduate student still taking classes, I needed reliable, comfortable writing instruments for note-taking and scratchwork. Pencil smudges, and ballpoints require too much pressure and pinching... I'm sure no one here will be surprised that once I tried fountain pens, I was hooked.

Welcome to FPN!

Welcome aboard. If you read many of the posts here, you'll find it tough to stick to your self imposed limit of three pens. So many wonderful pens are discussed, or for sale here.

Hi Mercredi,

let's just see how long that three pen limit lasts...

Welcome from a former Illinoisan. Where are you going to grad school? The town I grew up in is 20 miles from Carbondale, home of the SIU Salukis, but I have siblings in the Chicago area. Have not lived in Illinois since 1971.

Donnie

So there are others from (Southern) Illinois! I too was raised there and have family in the area.

Mercredi, you may be a graduate student but you will not hold to three pens so long as you frequent this forum. Especially once you graduate and get a salary! Watch out! All resistance is futile........ Enjoy it!

Welcome to FPN. I have some relatives in Casey Illinios and one of the companies I work with and visit once in a while is in Paris Illinios. As others have said, good luck with the three pen limit.

Dear Mecredi,

Welcome! I too, imposed a limit upon myself. That was many years and at least six or seven pens ago...

Yes, I also would like to ask the original poster where in Illinois he/she lives. There are not many options for getting pens in many parts of the state.

Welcome to FPN.

Thanks for the welcome. ^^

For those asking where in IL I go to school - I've gotten my pens online, not locally, as have my fountain-pen using colleagues, so if you were hoping for news of another place to get pens in the state I can't help. I go to UIUC (where the term has started, hence my delay in answering).

I think the university bookstores might sell Cross pens, since they do sell Cross cartridges, but I haven't investigated further. Because I will stick to my three-pen limit for now, come hell or high water! Well, least until I graduate. (Nibs, however, are a different story....)

Welcome! You might want to make sure you get some waterproof ink. The number of times I spilled coffee/tea/something wet on my notes in Grad School...

--Roy