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Greetings from the Bay Area! I have now been living in the Bay Area for three years, relocating from my home town of Seattle. I became an enthusiast of fountain pens (and writing instruments in general) through the study of graphic design. I learned about the tools of the trade; the fountain pen was one of them. Several of my peers had used fountain pens and technical pens for illustrations, and I slowly became interested in them. I procured inexpensive Rotring models to start off and learned how to use them. Later, as I progressed into Graphic Design, I found work at a family owned stationery store, Sab-Tec Stationers- owned by Sabah and Liesel Al-Haddad, that let me grow in my knowledge in fine writing instruments. I started selling art supplies and office products, but began to gravitate towards the Fine Writing Instruments. Soon I became extensively knowledgeable on all the writing instruments and became one of the top sales associates of fine pens in the store. I presented all the pens we had with enthusiasm- Cross, Parker, Waterman, Sheaffer, Namiki, Visconti, Lamy, Rotring, Aurora, and Recife- and many other brands and models. I purchased my own, as well as was rewarded with well-regarded fountain pens. When I left to advance my career and education, my interest in fountain pens did not wane. I had inherited my father's and grandfather's pens, which were tucked away with their belongings. For a brief time, I drew with my father's Parker 51, but after a while, I decided to get my own pens to draw with for my own personal satisfaction. Thus my collecting resume. I bought an assortment of inexpensive and expensive fountain pens through the years, each being used for various projects and writing. Parker, Pilot/Namiki, and Sheaffer pens can usually be found on my person or on my desk, along with the many, many pens that I have accumulated from vendors and suppliers- roller balls, ball-points, mechanical pencils, etc. I joined this network to touch base with the community and glean knowledge about products, opinions, and to fill in the gaps of my knowledge on fountain pen lore. I want to expand my knowledge on ink, paper, handwriting, calligraphy, and techniques. I would like to learn a bit on maintenance and repair as well. I hope to share the bits of knowledge I have on Fine Writing Instruments as well. Thank you all for letting me be part of the forum!