I'm A Bad Influence?

[TheRealScubaSteve]

I've been writing to my grandfather several times a week for a while now. He responds pretty slowly, but letters make him (and me) happy.

 

In his latest response, he said that he might need to stop talking to me. I'm a bad influence. He's always had enough hobbies, but he explained that after all of my letters he broke out a fountain pen and fell in love again. Plus, he said it's bad enough he has to learn to write with it again, but now he needs to work on his spelling too.

 

Write to your loved ones! It'll make you smile.

[Charles Skinner]

Very nice "story." There are few things as wonderful as seeing ink form letters and words on good paper!

[Sasha Royale]

Great ! Thanks.

Which fountain pen does your grandfather use ? Does he have a favorite ink ? Would

he enjoy trying different papers ?

 

The interpersonal stimulation is priceless.

[Feathers]

awwww, what a lovely story! Bad influence indeed! LOL

 

Thanks for the reminder though....there are several older family members who would really appreciate a nice letter from me.

[______Zaphod_Beeblebrox]

Cool story, thanks for sharing.

[TheRealScubaSteve]

Great ! Thanks.

Which fountain pen does your grandfather use ? Does he have a favorite ink ? Would

he enjoy trying different papers ?

 

The interpersonal stimulation is priceless.

 

Not sure as he's never used one before in a letter. He's only talked about dip nibs in school. I'd guess it's the Jinhao X750 that my grandmother got for retirement (cheap, right?) that he showed me a couple weeks ago.

 

Favorite paper and ink is getting a bit carried away for now, I think. Not even sure where he got ink for it - must've been a cartridge that came with it. I certainly have plenty to share if he's interested.

[Ruth Feiertag]

Isn't that why we join groups such as the FPN — so we can be "bad" influences on one another? TheRSS: you should be proud to spreading the gospel of fountain pens, and for writing your grandfather. And just think how easy it will be to get him birthday and holiday gifts: a pen here, a pad of paper there, some stamps, new ink … With luck, you'll have created a monster.

 

Ruth

[TheRealScubaSteve]

Isn't that why we join groups such as the FPN — so we can be "bad" influences on one another? TheRSS: you should be proud to spreading the gospel of fountain pens, and for writing your grandfather. And just think how easy it will be to get him birthday and holiday gifts: a pen here, a pad of paper there, some stamps, new ink … With luck, you'll have created a monster.

 

Ruth

 

And then I can turn around and blame him for it, can't I? It was his generation that created the things in the first place . . .

[gregamckinney]

You will never regret the time you spend connecting with your grandfather. For most of us, that opportunity is gone, and I wish with all my heart I could have just one chance to trade letters with any of my grandfathers. Be a "bad influence."

 

Best Regards, greg

[Ruth Feiertag]

RSS,

 

I like the way you think. Keep all your correspondence with your grandfather. It surprising how the commonplace will turn into the amazing.

 

Ruth

[AAAndrew]

Way to go! Keep up the reputation of the "Support Group from Hell"!

 

That's fantastic that you've been able to do this with your grandfather. Hope it lasts for quite a long time.

 

I write my nieces periodically but so far only one response. I suspect it's more difficult going the other direction in generations.

[TheRealScubaSteve]

Way to go! Keep up the reputation of the "Support Group from Hell"!

 

That's fantastic that you've been able to do this with your grandfather. Hope it lasts for quite a long time.

 

I write my nieces periodically but so far only one response. I suspect it's more difficult going the other direction in generations.

 

It's definitely a generation thing - I often joke that I was born in the wrong generation. I wrote to a handful of family/friends and I got the text message response. No thanks.

 

Sounds like that niece deserves an extra present for Christmas. The other one, a nice lump of coal. I tried writing my my nephew a few times, but he doesn't write back either. Only 19 months.

[PAKMAN]

Love the story! I've never been a letter writer, but I just may have to start, thanks for being a Good influence!

[Ruth Feiertag]

 

It's definitely a generation thing - I often joke that I was born in the wrong generation. I wrote to a handful of family/friends and I got the text message response. No thanks.

 

Sounds like that niece deserves an extra present for Christmas. The other one, a nice lump of coal. I tried writing my my nephew a few times, but he doesn't write back either. Only 19 months.

 

Being nineteen months old is no excuse. I mean, what else does a nineteen-month-old have to do? You should expect at least a handprint.

 

I hope your nephew's parents keep your letters. Send him a fountain pen as soon as he starts writing. I've seen some for kids.

 

Way to go! Keep up the reputation of the "Support Group from Hell"!

 

That's fantastic that you've been able to do this with your grandfather. Hope it lasts for quite a long time.

 

I write my nieces periodically but so far only one response. I suspect it's more difficult going the other direction in generations.

 

Try giving the nieces some nice stationery. That sometimes inspires people who forget there's good paper out there.

 

Love the story! I've never been a letter writer, but I just may have to start, thanks for being a Good influence!

 

 

Pakman, are you aware of the Month of Letters Challenge (http://lettermo.com)? It might give you sufficient inspiration to try epistolary communication!

 

Ruth

[inkstainedruth]

That's a cool story.

I have a friend who blames me for his new "hobby", after seeing a post on Facebook about some pen I had just gotten (hey, I figured that was at LEAST as interesting as the posts from someone else I know who talks about what latest cocktail he's tried in some bar...).

And my response? "Um, no. I don't (mostly) have Sheaffers, and I don't have any Sailor pens. And I don't do desk pen sets under any circumstances.... So you absolutely can not blame me."

Later he posted a photo of a 51 with a stub nib that he thought might be a Plummer (I suspected it wasn't but I told him to bring it to a pen club meeting and I'd bring mine along to compare). I was right -- it was Burgundy -- but it still has a really nice nib on it.

Desk pens sets? Nope, not me. That 51 with the stub nib, OTOH? Okay, it's a fair cop....

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[GradesWithFPen]

A little off the topic of letter-writing, but dead to rights on the topic of bad influences. Last year, my dear friend's retired father learned to turn pens and made several rollerballs for friends and family. While in the process of telling me about it, I asked her if he turned any fountain pens. She said he didn't even know supplies were available and that he would look into it. The next week, she presented me with a beautiful mauve-ish agate fountain pen AND showed me hers (she is about 40 and had never written with one). We both teach college English, and I got her hooked on the smoothness of ink flow and rhythm of making words into helpful comments on student papers. She will never go back to BicSticks. Very sadly, her father had a stroke about a month ago and will never be able to make pens again. Those connections are so very special when they happen, and I, too, wish I could write my parents and grandparents letters again with that supercool hand-turned mauve pen from Mr. Henderson.

[TheRealScubaSteve]

 

Being nineteen months old is no excuse. I mean, what else does a nineteen-month-old have to do? You should expect at least a handprint.

 

I hope your nephew's parents keep your letters. Send him a fountain pen as soon as he starts writing. I've seen some for kids.

 

 

I'll have to voice my (and your) outrage.

 

A little off the topic of letter-writing, but dead to rights on the topic of bad influences. Last year, my dear friend's retired father learned to turn pens and made several rollerballs for friends and family. While in the process of telling me about it, I asked her if he turned any fountain pens. She said he didn't even know supplies were available and that he would look into it. The next week, she presented me with a beautiful mauve-ish agate fountain pen AND showed me hers (she is about 40 and had never written with one). We both teach college English, and I got her hooked on the smoothness of ink flow and rhythm of making words into helpful comments on student papers. She will never go back to BicSticks. Very sadly, her father had a stroke about a month ago and will never be able to make pens again. Those connections are so very special when they happen, and I, too, wish I could write my parents and grandparents letters again with that supercool hand-turned mauve pen from Mr. Henderson.

 

That's a heartwarming story. It reminds me of the gentleman who made pens out of the shell casings from a family member's military funeral.

[phonelady61]

I think that is awesome and really like all of us being a bad influence LOL.

[Runnin_Ute]

Bad influence? Well..... I don't know about bad, but I must be some sort of influence.

 

Co-workers often talk to me about my writing- especially letters and one or two in particular. They see me doing so in the lunch room on my breaks.. One co-worker gave me a nearly full box of 100 sheets of a very nice 100% Cotton bond paper (Eaton Connoisseur Writing) as she had originally bought it for resumes, but was no longer using it for that.