I Have Achieved My Goals (Re. Fountain Pens)

[Mangrove Jack]

I am back. It's been 6 months since I last visited FPN and I have not purchased a fountain pen (or any pen for that matter) in 2017. Hooray.

 

Here's the background.

 

I was a FP addict. I was buying far too many pens over the last few years and would surf through FPN many times a day. I figured that I had to kick the habit of buying pens, so I set the following goals.

 

1. Resist the temptation to buy another FP.

2. To help me do this I had to stop reading stuff here on FPN.

 

I am thrilled to say that it's now exactly 6 months since my last visit to FPN and I have not bought a pen in 2017.

 

I continue to use my fountain pens every day and absolutely love them. And am now free to enjoy this site as a fountain pen user and not as an addict.

 

Just letting you folks know it can be done. I wonder for how long though ............

[friedrichwild]

Thats great. I feel that i need to do the same...

[fjoly79]

I am back. It's been 6 months since I last visited FPN and I have not purchased a fountain pen (or any pen for that matter) in 2017. Hooray.

 

Here's the background.

 

I was a FP addict. I was buying far too many pens over the last few years and would surf through FPN many times a day. I figured that I had to kick the habit of buying pens, so I set the following goals.

 

1. Resist the temptation to buy another FP.

2. To help me do this I had to stop reading stuff here on FPN.

 

I am thrilled to say that it's now exactly 6 months since my last visit to FPN and I have not bought a pen in 2017.

 

I continue to use my fountain pens every day and absolutely love them. And am now free to enjoy this site as a fountain pen user and not as an addict.

 

Just letting you folks know it can be done. I wonder for how long though ............

I'm close to getting there, becoming an addict. I own 4 pens, a real nice and (too) expensive ST Dupont, a Waterman Carène, a Lamy Joy (for drawings) and a TWSBI Vac 700R (mostly for drawings). Where I struggle the most is to resist the temptation of buying more and more inks. Up to now, I was good, and purchased a number of ink samples from Goulet Pens, and am sitting on them... before buying more bottles.

Addiction in anything is not really good... especially when it burns holes in your pockets

[TheRealMikeDr]

When I had around 30 pens I wondered if I had enough. I'm at just over 70 now - and while I don't think it's enough - I'm at the point where I may be selling some of them as I don't care so much for them. Anymore I don't just buy one because I don't have it, I only focus on pens that I really like.

[corgicoupe]

A friend in the local pen club recently told me that it took him 20 years to come to the conclusion that he should only buy a pen if he really wants it, and not overly consider the financial aspects of the sale. In other words, don't buy it simply because it's a good deal.

[Mech-for-i]

Good work, now go and get yourself a drink, you deserve it

[mitto]

..and don't log in to FPN for the nest 12 months lest you break your resolve.

[siamackz]

Well done! I am definitely in need of such a resolution. I've been buying an average of a pen a week for the past year. It is quite ridiculous I have 8 pens coming my way, but this is my last purchase for another 6 months at least! Seriously!

[pajaro]

I find it difficult to disgorge anything. It takes so much hassle to sell stuff. I have whole mini collections that I will never use again.

 

I plan to sell off my model electric trains, since I won't be setting up a train board again. Basement too full of other stuff. One thing I could buy would be a Pelikan M320 and an EF nib for it. I keep think that there are so many pens that I don't know what to ink next, but there is always the last pen I bought. Maybe I should go back to stamp collecting for a while.

Edited August 17, 2017 by pajaro

[almoore]

I have an ever growing number of pens and inks but there's always just one more..................

 

so I feel like we need to start a support group.

 

 

 

Ok, I'll go first.

 

Hi my name is Al and I'm a fountain penoholic

[Sasha Royale]

I am back. It's been 6 months since I last visited FPN and I have not purchased a fountain pen in 2017.

 

I was a FP addict. I was buying far too many pens over the last few years and would surf through FPN many times a day.

 

it's now exactly 6 months since my last visit to FPN .

 

I feel like a priest, at the confessional.

Okay. Welcome back !

[mitto]

I feel like a priest, at the confessional.

Okay. Welcome back !

 

He is not coming back to see/read responses to his OP. He is gone once again only to reappear, I assume, this time in January, 2019.

Edited August 18, 2017 by mitto

[CupTea]

Congrats! I do not have the same problem (yet), but it is good to hear that there is hope.

[Parker51]

I have more than enough pens and inks, I do enjoy the hobby and am seriously considering the next stage, selling what I no longer want to own and paring back.

I have over time sold off or given away items which I had from earlier periods of my life; most, but not all of the Matchbox, all of the Hot Wheels, all of the trains, all the stamps, all the coins, all the air rifles, most but not all the War Games, Role Playing Games and other items of my youth. I even sold my old Schwinn Manta Ray. Not enough room for everything.

I don't collect anything just to collect it, not anymore.

I think about getting into live steam, and I know if I could afford it, live steam garden railways, but, given a good job, a good family and plenty of other ways to spend my time and money, I won't.

So yes, it is possible to stop.

I stopped at one steam engine.

Pens, well, no, not yet stopped, they take up little space, even when you have dozens of them, but likely soon.

[inkandseeds]

Congratulations on stopping. I also have reached a point where i can no longer justify buying another pen. I find that i get a lot of joy of rediscovering a pen that i have not used in a while, so why buy even more.

[Mangrove Jack]

I feel like a priest, at the confessional.

Okay. Welcome back !

Thank you, padre.

 

He is not coming back to see/read responses to his OP. He is gone once again only to reappear, I assume, this time in January, 2019.

Ha ha, not quite motto. My goal was to kick the addiction of buying fountain pens. I will continue to be active on FPN. Edited August 19, 2017 by Mangrove Jack

[VivienR]

I managed to scale back myself. Didn't have as many pens and inks like a few here, but I'm trying to resist the temptation.
So the remaining big plans are:
Caran d'Ache Leman Lilac
Waldmann Xetra Vienna

Although Japanese maki-e pens are huge temptations for sure...

[PandP]

They often say I am a devil in disguise so I'll try to live up to my reputation. I have never understood the obsession of buying endless fountain pens. I understand the pleasure of using one and perhaps having 3 or 4 of them but more than that?? Unless you are a writer or artist what on earth are you going to do with 50 or more pens?? Unless one decides to spend most of their life sat writing about god knows what. Hence why I have always thought (and largely still do) that FP collecting is a hobby for wealthy people (mostly retired). And all this obsession with Japanese pens and urushi and all that? What on earth is that about? Have I been devilish enough to deserve the flames of hell? :sm_cat:

[siamackz]

They often say I am a devil in disguise so I'll try to live up to my reputation. I have never understood the obsession of buying endless fountain pens. I understand the pleasure of using one and perhaps having 3 or 4 of them but more than that?? Unless you are a writer or artist what on earth are you going to do with 50 or more pens?? Unless one decides to spend most of their life sat writing about god knows what. Hence why I have always thought (and largely still do) that FP collecting is a hobby for wealthy people (mostly retired). And all this obsession with Japanese pens and urushi and all that? What on earth is that about? Have I been devilish enough to deserve the flames of hell? :sm_cat:

Haha, but just to break your stereo type, I'm 33 yrs old.

 

Also, the collection is not about utility. I collect vintage. It's about studying history, hunting for a rare pen, restoring it, displaying it for yourself and others to enjoy and learn about its history, and also using it. Every action is so utilitarian in today's world. I struggle with time - doing a PhD, started a new business, and two toddlers. When I take out a pen at the end of the day - for restoration or use - I hit pause and go back to a time when (I romanticise) people were not fighting the clock for every second of the day.

 

Collecting brings different value and meaning to different people. Mine is only one example.

 

But I need to stop

[sidthecat]

This is starting to sound like a support group!

"Hi! I'm Sid and I'm addicted to fountain pens...little ones with rings on their caps. With flexy nibs..."

 

Just admit you're powerless, guys.