As I participate in the awesomely fun InCoWriMo project this month, I sometimes falter when beginning my note of the day. One of my personal tasks/goals this year, is to be more grateful – publicly, so several of my InCoWriMo letters have become thank you notes.
I think back to my early days of collecting, and researching, and making silly (read expensive) mistakes on Ebay lol. I remember fondly my early mentors, and I cringe, thinking of how long it has been since I have said thank you to those people who educated and guided me – in fountain pens, and in life lessons. Part of the reason that Brian and I chose to marry at the Chicago Pen Show, was because so many of our truly good friends, are pen collectors, and because we met through this hobby. And it was such a fun time!!
Those of us who collect & use fountain pens – where would we be now, without some of the long-time collectors, authors, repair people and researchers? When was the last time you said thank you for sharing your knowledge to someone? We are a global community, but we are also very close-knit group. In this day of email and internet immediacy, have we become so caught up in the little extras in our shipments from Zappos, or in the 4 emails we receive regarding an internet purchase from Amazon, that we have lost touch with the Community to which we belong?
My challenge to myself, and to you, our readers, is to send that thank you note, to the “gold standards” of our industry, for their genuine contributions. The internet retailers of today are accessible and visible, but do not forget those who built the foundation of our hobby. What they started, the businesses of today can only hope to become. Share the love.
My list? (I know I’m leaving some out, sorry!!) Joel Hamilton & Sherrell Tyree, Carla Mortensen, Deb Kinney, Sam & Frank Fiorella of Pendemonium, Paul Erano, Bert Heiserman of Pen Haven, Bert Oser of Bertram’s Inkwell, Terry Mawhorter, Don Lavin and Dan Zazove, Dan Reppert, Rick Propas. I have also made some new friends, who have quickly become dear to me, and they will receive notes as well. Thank you for sharing your collections, your recent acquisitions, your holy grail searches. Thank you for joining me in the PCA, to expand the hobby of collecting, to share the knowledge and the joy of writing with a fountain pen.
Thank you for the wonderfully giving and caring community of pen collectors. I truly am grateful for you, each and every day.
So, what are you waiting for?? Join InCoWriMo, or just send a letter today. Make someone’s day!! And brace yourself – watch miracles happen.
Lisa