Monday Night Thread ~ Have you been found by a pen?

DeppInTheHeartOfTexas · **Posted:** Mon Apr 10, 2006 7:55 pm

The following is an excerpt from an interview with Johnny at the Mont Blanc party as printed in a German newspaper and translated by AnnaMaria. (Many thanks, AnnaMaria! :bounce:

)

"What are you doing here?"
"I was never interested by watches, because I don't consider time as being important. But pens fascinate me."

"Because before you were famous, you sold pens?"
He laughs: "Oh no. My passion comes from writing. And/or from reading. I admire writers such as Ernest Hemingway, Jules Verne and many others. In order to document that, I started to collect special inkpens. The first one I bought, was the "Fitzgerald '. But actually I am not a real collector."

"Why?"
"Because I use them ! They need to be used. A pen finds you and not the other way around. While writing you notice whether you understand eachother."
Then he grins: "At first Vanessa was irritated a little: ,'why do you love pens that much?' . But a love letter is simply more beautiful, when it was written with a special pen."

"You write love letters?"
"Yes, often."

"And your partner accepted the competition with pens?"
"I gave her for Christmas the 'Greta Garbo'. And I will convince the children too one day"

So Noodlematras...Have you been found by a special pen? :writer2:

Do you still write letters with a pen or has the age of computers and instant communication made letter writing a lost art?

ThirdArm · **Posted:** Mon Apr 10, 2006 8:11 pm

I always use pens when writing personal letters. Somehow I feel that computers are more 'for business' and I use MSWord for non-personal communication.

Also, when I'm working on any fanfics, I write them out first, and do the revising. Only just before I'm going to post, I use put them into Word. Word is good, but it's impersonal.

Personal writing seems to becoming a lost art. People aren't letter-writers or diarists anymore. Some of those diaries and letters are amazing--back in the Victorian age and beyond, that was a real art and legitimate form of expression.

Liz · **Posted:** Mon Apr 10, 2006 8:17 pm

Charlotte, when I write up anything from scratch--as in a tidbit or essay--I write it up in longhand first. Then I type it. I seems more relaxing to do it that for some reason.

Theresa · **Posted:** Mon Apr 10, 2006 8:24 pm

Interesting question and no, I've never been found by a special pen. I have always loved writing with fountain pens, but could never afford anything but the cheapest ones, and nothing about them could ever be called special. Some day, though – I don't think it will ever be a Montblanc unless someone leaves me one in their will, but one day I hope to find a fountain pen that is perfect for me.

I never wrote letters at all until I got email, so instant communication is all I've ever used – and I love the immediate feedback. But I do have a journal (or two) of favorite quotes that I've gotten from the Inspiration thread, and I keep legal pads scattered around to jot ideas and thoughts. The few drabbles I've written (and my two little haikus) are all written in longhand. I can play around with the words better using a pen than a keyboard.

DeppInTheHeartOfTexas · **Posted:** Mon Apr 10, 2006 8:24 pm

I'm impressed that you both write so much by hand and then type it up. It seems all I write by hand any more is notes and cards. And my handwriting has become atrocious since I do so much on the computer!

Bix · **Posted:** Mon Apr 10, 2006 8:26 pm

Oh, if only! I adore paper and pens and ink - but as a left-handed writer, it is almost impossible for me not to drag my hand through the still-wet ink! So there is no use my spending large sums of money on a heavy, beautiful fountain pen. There are some fancy ballpoint pens, but it's just not the same as an ink pen. And, sad to say, I don't write many letters anymore. Somehow, I can't transfer my letter writing to e-mail either. The communication just isn't the same, even though it is much more immediate and up-to-date than snail mail.

Anyway, I really enjoyed this interview and am very envious of anyone who has been found by that special pen!

DeppInTheHeartOfTexas · **Posted:** Mon Apr 10, 2006 8:35 pm

theresa, I am attached to my pens even though I'm not much of a writer. I do like a paticular style of pen. When I was little my dad always wrote with a fountain pen and they have always fascinated me but I'm a ballpoint writer these days. I think a fountain pen would be an entirely different feel and I can see how it could capture your imagination and carry you along... :writer:

Bix, I feel the same way. There is something about instant communication that is just less personal than a written letter so it doens't always transfer. It is just a different feeling. The difference between pulling an old letter out of an envelope and reading an email that has been printed out is huge!

Liz · **Posted:** Mon Apr 10, 2006 8:38 pm

I was found by a special pen once—in college. It was a calligraphy pen with its different tips. I loved writing in calligraphy and loved its partner pen (can’t remember what it was called) which is a very narrow tip, used for drawing. I loved creating cards. I actually wrote up individual scrolls by hand to give out as favors for my wedding which included the writing and the leaf design. It’s been quite a while now since I’ve used those pens.

The other thing that found me was my computer. It arrived a little over 3 years ago and landed on my bar in my kitchen—to my disdain. What an eye sore. My husband thought he was doing me this big favor. Little did he know (ha ha) that I would be hooked on the Zone within 2 months. Now I don’t know what I would do if my computer wasn’t so close by.

I rarely write letters. Emailing is just so much easier and quicker.

Liz · **Posted:** Mon Apr 10, 2006 8:41 pm

When I was in grammar school we were required to write in cursive with fountain pens. Did anyone else have to do that?

OnceInLove · **Posted:** Mon Apr 10, 2006 8:45 pm

A pen found me when I was in college. I used it to write all of my papers, take all of my tests and write all of my love letters. That was back in 1973-1977. I have replaced the cartridge many, many times and I still use it now. I keep it in my purse. It found me a very, very long time ago and we are still dear friends! I understand the loving relationship to pens, I don't know why... I just do....I guess it is beacuse I was truely found by my pen! :blush:

DeppInTheHeartOfTexas · **Posted:** Mon Apr 10, 2006 8:48 pm

Liz, I bet those scrolls were beautiful! I hope you kept a few for yourself. I'm wondering how many of our husbands wonder about the day we found our computers? :lol:

I never had to write with a pen in school, but my dad would let me use his now and then which was a treat!

OnceInLove, welcome to the Monday Night Thread! :welcome:

It sounds like you and your pen have quite a history! :cloud9:

Liz · **Posted:** Mon Apr 10, 2006 8:52 pm

OnceInLove wrote:

A pen found me when I was in college. I used it to write all of my papers, take all of my tests and write all of my love letters. That was back in 1973-1977. I have replaced the cartridge many, many times and I still use it now. I keep it in my purse. It found me a very, very long time ago and we are still dear friends! I understand the loving relationship to pens, I don't know why... I just do....I guess it is beacuse I was truely found by my pen! :blush:

to ONBC, OnceInLove, it appears your pen found you the same time mine did me. I attended college from 73-77 also.

cait · **Posted:** Mon Apr 10, 2006 9:48 pm

I tend to use the computer more if I'm writing papers. I find it easier to edit that way. I write all of my notes in classes by hand though.

I don't know if I've been found by a pen, but I have a favorite one. It's chubby, clicky, with a soft grip. I got last summer in California from the conference my Dad was attending. It's not the most expensive pen, but I like the way it writes. I try not to use it too much so it won't run out. It also reminds of how much fun that trip was.

DeppInTheHeartOfTexas · **Posted:** Mon Apr 10, 2006 9:53 pm

cait, I do all my tidbits on the computer for the same reason - editing. Your favorite pen sounds like the one I use at work. Not terribly expensive but comfortable.

cait · **Posted:** Mon Apr 10, 2006 9:55 pm

DeppInTheHeartOfTexas wrote:

cait, I do all my tidbits on the computer for the same reason - editing. Your favorite pen sounds like the one I use at work. Not terribly expensive but comfortable.

I think I'd be nervous to use a really expensive pen. I'd be afraid of using it up too quickly or even losing it!

Monday Night Thread ~ Have you been found by a pen?

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