Hi, folks!

Mike here, from the Ballard neighborhood of Seattle. By day I write books about software and other stuff on technical topics. By night I indulge my creative side and drool lovingly over pictures of fountain pens. I consider myself a pen user, not a collector, and have only just begun to explore the seductive world of fountain pens, ink, and paper. It's my private rebellion against the ever-increasing, ever-intruding world of technical gizmos, and a way for me to rediscover the quiet spaces in between moments that are normally drowned out by an electronic cacophony.

My other obsessions include my beautiful bride of nine years; reading books from all categories, with a preference for fantasy and sf; renovating our 1908 Craftsman home; and Chinese tea.

I may not post often (I firmly believe in the adage that, if you don't have anything to say, don't say anything) but I do read extensively and I learn a lot from the discussions amongst members of the group mind. Thank you for letting me eavesdrop on the terrific discussions here in the forums!

--Mike

Welcome to the boards!

You say you indulge your creative side. Do you write fiction? Or are you all tapped out by the time you get home from work?

Welcome, Mike!
Here's the link to the Seattle Pen Club.
Seattle Pen Club

Greetings to you , Mike, from Ann Arbor, Michigan!!!
Good to have you here. Like you, I am more a user of pens,and I try to stay away from computers and other technical gizmos, to let my creative juices flow.

Hello Mike, you have found the best place on the Web to explore your love for fountain pens. We look forward to hearing from you here in the forums.

Pleased to meet you!

Yes to both. I'm in a writing group but I've managed to produce only one short story and parts of a novel for review. After a full day of working on writing, there's no gas in the tank for my own work. I'm still waiting on the Lotto Retirement Plan to kick in so I can retire to my volcano island fortress and write the fun stuff.

Hello, Annie!

Nice to see you folks are just up the road in Lake City (though this month you're up in B'ham). I'll see about stopping by for the June meeting!

Pleased to meet you, Wolverine! (Or is it "Logan"? )

I learned how to type on manual typewriters back around 1977, and I immediately saw the value of computers for copy / paste, editing, and reworking material. That said, it's a tool, with a time and a place. I'm happier with a fountain pen and a stack of index cards for the come-what-may creative flow, and then work it onto the computer at a later time.

There are exceptions to that; the short story I mentioned to Songwind was composed on computer during a flight to Dallas and back. But in general, I'm regressing from electronics back to pen and ink.

Thank you, and glad to meet you! Looking forward to participating on the forums!

Hi Mike,

Welcome to FPN.

Hello Mike, and welcome from the not too distant land of Greenlake! It's truly impressive how many folks from the Seattle area frequent the FPN.

I understand what you mean by the word processor having it's place in the writing process. I consider myself a struggling writer, and I seem to work better if I do a first draft in fountain pen and paper. I then type it into the word processor, where I always manage to make changes, so that in itself becomes a second draft. I then hack away at it until it seems finished, or I just get plain tired of working on it. It might not be the most efficient way to work, but it works for me.

Anyhow, it's nice to meet you. See you around the forum!

Hi and welcome too!

Mike

Welcome, Mike, from slightly unsettled(weather-wise!) Spain

Hi, Fateh! We'll have to talk tea some time. While I prefer Chinese tea, I'm always willing to be convinced otherwise.

Hi, neighbor! My wife goes running around the lake. If you saw an attractive dark-haired woman jogging, it was probably her. Or maybe not -- lots of attractive women go running around Greenlake.




Sounds like we have similar writing styles re: first draft - subsequent drafts. What kinds of things do you like to write?

Hi, Mike! Great first name. Thanks for the greeting and I hope to see you around the boards!

Hey, Mike, from a former Seattleite! Welcome on board! I grew up in what is now Lake Forest Park. Went to the UW and all that...

Erick

Hi, Roger! Wouldn't you know it, I was in Sevilla one month ago for an IBM conference. I've also been to Madrid twice on business, and flown through Barcelona. I have yet to see anything or enjoy the sights; work kept me too busy to get out and discover the joys of Spanish culture, food, and people. I need to go back on a vacation, though -- what little I saw was beautiful.

Hope to see you around on the boards!

Hi, Erick! Fellow UW grad here, too -- class of '85. I grew up over in Eastgate (Bellevue). Was Lake Forest Park part of the Lake Washington School District, or part of Seattle? I dimly recall doing some cross-country races 'way back when up in your former neck of the woods but I don't recall where exactly.

What drew you to the Right Coast? Government, other employment, sweetheart, ?? Think you'll come back to Seattle?

I like writing short stories. I'd like to be a sci-fi writer, but haven't had any really inspiring ideas yet. So far, I haven't produced anything fit for human consumption. I may have a short piece, soon, that I can post in The Write Stuff forum. Stay tuned.