Introduction

    Hello all! Here's my introduction/rant/treatise...

Why fountain pens?...

     Ah, yes. A good question my bronze, stoic friend. With the advent of convenient ball points, gels, and mechanical pencils, why should we regress into the complex and, let's just say it - messy, world of fountain pens? I don't know about you, but I adore all things complex and all things messy. The two combined? Break out the smelling salts!
     My first introduction to the wonderful world of fountain pens happened just recently, about 6 months ago. Here I was sitting in my Economics class, studiously doodling, when my eyes happened upon the writing of the boy sitting across from me. My sight was held by the gravity of his luxuriant lines on the paper; Thick and thin, weighty and feathery. Astounded by this beauty incarnate, I reluctantly dragged my eyes to his hand and the source of my mesmerization. I could not immediately recognize the instrument he held. It was not a ballpoint, it was not a gel pen, and it most certainly wasn't a pencil because his writing was inaudible. I looked closer and saw this interesting metal tip. Quickly racking my brain for the possible explanation to my current conundrum, I realized with a widening gaze that this writing instrument was something out of history. A fountain pen. (That's what I thought at the time. I've realized in the past few months that fountain pens are very much a current thing.)
     Dropping my clearly-now-inadequate pen, I leaned forward and asked him with the curiosity of a small child, "Can I see that pen?
     "Uh, sure. I got it..." I'm sure he expounded more after that but I was thoroughly engrossed by the object I now held. Examining the tip, I quickly deduced the correct method to hold it. I put the nib to paper and, I swear, a choir somewhere spontaneously burst into song. The act of writing was so smooth and fluid, I couldn't stop. I actually wanted to keep writing. In Econ. How nuts! I thought I had good handwriting before, but the italic nib on this pen made it look even better. Hook, line, and sinker, I was caught for good. I asked myself, "Why have I been suffering through life with scratchy, arm ache inducing pens and pencils? WHY?! OH THE HUMANITY!" Maybe not quite like that, but the idea is there. I've never looked back.