Hi! I'm Erick, a new member who signed up while I was at my in-laws in Maracaibo, Venezuela. I missed my fountain pens a lot (crazy thing, that is!) and I had some time, so I started looking at fountain pen websites on the computer in my brother-in-law's office. That's where I found this site. Once I started reading all the different sections and posts, I knew I should join. So I did.
Now I'm back at home in Alexandria, VA where my precious pens reside. I have about 50 of them at this point, a very eclectic collection, going from Japanese pens (from the Big Three) to vintage Parkers and Scheaffers. I really like different writing experiences and so try to get different types of interesting pens (and also ones that are beautiful). I've lately focused much more on nibs than earlier and I think now I'm going to concentrate on different experiences with inks (just bought a bunch from Swishers, in part based on advice in FPN)
I actually started using fountain pens in Germany, where I went to school in the 1960s, but I gave them up for ballpoints when I left (writing with fountain pens was supposed to help you with your penmanship, but I'm afraid I didn't do so well in that department). I only rediscovered fountain pens when I bought a blue Levenger pen around 1997 or so (actually, it's a Scheaffer it's in the Seas series or something like that) and I loved it. It is still one of my favorite pens - it writes so smoothly.
Since then, I've figured out great excuses for buying pens - I am a professor and so have to grade papers - using different inks and a nice pen makes me provide more feedback, which is good for the students. I also use fountain pens to write my lectures and, obviously, to pay bills - the money goes so much less painlessly that way!
I've learned a lot from the various commercial websites and have dipped my toes into E-bay (mostly good experiences). Of course, I have as a backup and somebody who restores the pens I buy Bert Heiserman at Pen Haven in Kensington, MD and he, Louis, and the rest of the regulars who hang out there on Saturday or Sunday afternoons have taught me a lot.
I think that's enough confessions for today, but I look forward to learning a lot here and perhaps someday even contributing!
Erick (langere)