I picked up a user grade "51" flighter a while ago and it has seen consistent use through the rotation - particularly recently as I had tabled it for some time and recently "rediscovered" how nice a writer it is.

I needed a ballpoint for daily use so I bought a little Jotter flighter and some gel refills. Then I sort of stumbled into a little Vector flighter through a trade.

Next thing you know I've been scouring the horizon for another reasonably inexpensive flighter to add to the stable, a 45 appearing to be the most likely candidate although I'd LOVE to add a super 21 or a working 61 ...

I didn't really set out to collect flighters but since my other strongest attraction is to vintage celluloid, most of which is outside my current "stay at home wife/mother, 4 year old and 6 week old kids" budget - well the interesting 21 and 45 colors are an attractive alternative and for some reason the flighters have really been speaking to me (yes, I am hearing voices... ).

Anyone else stumbled unknowingly into a theme to their collection?

The theme of my collection is that ink runs through it! I have gone in phazes where I research specific pens. Like with the Esterbrook I bought. I checked a few out in person, online, online refrences. Then I bought. Then shortly after buying I was still looking for more. No sense in wasting a lot of research on one pen more Estes on the way.

Next was the Parker vacumatic. After searching for a while and researching in the same way I began the ebay bidding. Of course when buying on ebay some of the selllers don't know what condition their own pens are in. Some even think a cruddy looking pen is better because it shows it is old. <_< Anyway I haven't even gotten that one in the mail yet and I am still having to stay away from the auctions.

I guess what I am trying to say is sometimes the pursuit is just as good as the catch! Trying out the pens, drooling over the pictures, finding lesser examples and better examples. Establishing a price range for what you can afford and then finding the best examples that have the features you want in that range. Then the gratification once you buy. 9

Remember you aren't just buying a pen, you are also buying all the writing that will come out of it as well. /:) You are inspiring yourself to create stories or document your life or simply the perfect pen to write the perfect love letter to the perfect person. How would you look at a particular pen if all it wrote was of your love for another? It didn't sign checks or report cards or detention slips or anything like that. The only thing it writes is love.

Sometimes the search for a pen is fun too!