Let's Declare A National Fountain Pen Day

[terminal]

Just out of curiosity... how does one go about... creating an international holiday... anyway?

[79spitfire]

I am here to advocate for the International Fountain Pen Day, November the 4th.

+1

 

Just out of curiosity... how does one go about... creating an international holiday... anyway?

Just like this I'd imagine

[terminal]

Just out of curiosity... how does one go about... creating an international holiday... anyway?

Just like this I'd imagine

 

Well... *kinda* I guess.

 

And here's an interesting page about how brownielocks decides what's a holiday:

http://www.brownielocks.com/holidayauthenticity.html

 

So what is an official validated holiday other than a legally declared one by the government?

 

An observance MUST have a validated origin source and/or an official sponsor (meaning someone who actually takes responsibility for following through on observing this on a national or state level, and not just the "creator" of the idea of it) and have it registered in Chase's Calendar of Events, or run a website dedicated to the observance (not a blog!). Otherwise, it's just a funny, goofy holiday created by someone for attention or whatever reason... I find sites claiming to validate their sources and yet do not list them so people can check their references. Hmmm? My sources are listed below and at the bottom of every monthly page. Or, they are validated via website links if not in Chase's Calendar of Events.

 

Remember, the internet is a field for fraud! Just because a site may sound official, doesn't mean it is. Just because it's website design is technically sophisticated, doesn't mean the information on it is valid, accurate or up-to-date either. I've spotted websites with out-dated holiday information even though their web design might be more snazzy than mine is.

 

Maybe your family has created a "National Strawberry Shortcake Day" and you all go out and have one?

 

That's nice. But that doesn't make it an OFFICIAL celebration because it's done in your house and you put it on your personal homepage as such. Do you understand?

 

Kids, please, don't e-mail if you find a holiday on some other site and it's not here.

 

I can't validate some of their  holidays. I hope they can. And, rather than write me, I suggest you write them and question them to validate their dates. But, you decide for yourself for school work etc.!

 

I'm doing my best to get visitors to avoid being gullible to "official illusions" and believing because it's on the net.

 

I'm not calling other sites liars. They could have books I don't. But they should list them on their site for people, who want to check, to go to the library and validate, or buy the books. (I bought mine!)

 

I make no claims to be the official final authority of holiday information (for the US) on the net.

 

I just make a promise to never make anything up and will update when I get the latest data. How's that?

 

 

Also, here's an interesting article on how "Talk Like a Pirate Day" came to be:

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Talk_Like_a_Pirate_Day

 

So... frankly... long story short seems to be you need a website??

[Sasha Royale]

Sounds great !

 

We can sponsor a "George Parker Run For Ink-stained Fingers Awareness" .

 

"Write To Life" constitutional amendment ?

 

Take it from here, guys ! :ltcapd:

[Sasha Royale]

Just out of curiosity... how does one go about... creating an international holiday... anyway?

 

Simple. Get representatives from all the nations gathered in one place. Then, they can

agree to . . . . . . . . Oh, gee !

[wkiffin]

You get my vote on this one

[melissa59]

If this international fountain pen day idea is serious, then read on.

If it's meant to be fun talk, a joke, then ignore my serious comments below, and chalk me up to someone who tends to think too seriously about silly stuff. :embarrassed_smile:

 

For a national HOLIDAY, it does take a government stamp of approval. But for a National (INSERT NAME HERE) Day, all it takes is followers.

 

I know of MANY gals who "celebrate" National Scrapbooking Day. This was started by a major scrapbook manufacturer in 1994. Stores, wanting to benefit from the sales, started to promote the day. Now, scrapbooking companies everywhere are running sales and promotions for this national day, which always takes place on the first Saturday in May. There are even people who hold National Scrapbooking Day crops (day where women gather to cut, glue, eat chocolate, laugh, etc.) with as few a couple friends to paid gatherings with a hundred or more gals coming together for the fun.

 

Those of you who are really serious about an International Fountain Pen Day would do well to collaborate with the FPGeeks.com organizers (Dan Smith & Eric Schneider) and FPN grass roots pen manufacturers and retail owners.

 

Maybe Brian Gray might want to create a special 2012/2013 International Fountain Pen Day inaugural pen to start the ball rolling? (NOTE: Feel free, Brian to name it the "Melissa" and make it very affordable so even I can buy one!)

 

Maybe the Goulets could work with Nathan Tardiff to come up with an International Fountain Pen Day inaugural ink, maybe something that could color-coordinate with the IFPD inaugural pen?

 

If you want to do this for Nov. 2012, you need to start NOW!

It might even be best to plan now for a 2013 inaugural event.

 

An official FPN International Fountain Pen Inaugural Committee should be formed. Dates should be finalized. Collaborators should be brought on board.

 

Someone with awesome & readable fountain pen handwriting (GClef???)should write up a press release to send to all the major and minor pen manufacturers this group can come up with. (Normally, I would say to use a typewriter because handwritten press-releases are frowned upon in the journalism field, but the idea is to attract pen makers and pen retailers to the action, so I think a handwritten note would be appropriate.)

 

The big pen manufacturers will likely blow it off. But if the good folks here keep the celebrating the international day with fountain pen purchases, giveaways, celebrations, etc. the hype will spread and the Big Dogs will jump on board. Be careful, one of them might even try to take credit for the international day!

 

I know everyone is thinking November, but you might want to talk to our local pen retailers and find out when the promotion might be best for them, fiscally speaking. For retailers, a dry month (month with low sales) will likely be the best time to hold such an event.

 

As a poor consumer, I think November, December and January would be the WORST time to hold such a day. Why? Because any extra cash I have in November and December goes toward buying Christmas gifts for other people. January, for many people, is "catch up on the bills" month ... except for those lucky enough to get a little green in their stockings from Santa.

 

Yes, I do tend to over think things a bit. :embarrassed_smile:

 

Melissa

[Mags]

I believe when the UNITED Nations was crafting its constitution they looked to Rotary International to help. I see a role for them with our holiday.

 

As for dates I am partial to Mar 16 over Nov 4th and the Ides of March has not been too popular so we should be able to do something with the March date.

 

I suppose if everyone insists on November for the international fountain pen user day.....oh alright.

 

My son was born Mar 16th and was born ill and passed away when he was not yet 3 after a bone marrow transplant and he use to play with my Mont Blanc pens. He once threw one across his hospital room at the wall and laughed so hard. For me fountain pens was and is a time to recall my short time with my son.

Edited July 7, 2012 by maguirer

[Marlow]

mags, that's very moving about your son. Thank you for sharing.

 

I am sure that FPs are a great vehicle by means of which you can treasure your memories of your beloved son.

 

With warmest regards,

Marlow

[Mags]

Thanks Marlow.

[79spitfire]

Hundai is pushing a "National Fuel Mileage Month" with entries on Facebook, can't fountain pen users do something similar? If ANY of the fountain pen manufactures, small or large pick up on it, small or large and produce a LE, especially an inexpensive one, it will have a good chance of becoming a recognized 'day'.

[nanahcub]

I suppose this is a start National Stationery Day

 

Stationery is a bit of a wide remit, but a Fountain Pen Day could be an offshoot of it.

 

Faber Castell and Sheaffer are both backing it, so it is getting proper recognition. It just needs to grow and take on a more specialisation.

[zuku]

Well we can have our own little thingy here to have our 'First International FPN Fountain Pen Day' Celebration anyways!

On that day, we will not use Fountain Pens: we will clean all of our Fountain Pens and will give them it's day-off, and we will sing to them in the morning and in the evening, after dinner. I am thinking of some old Buddhist chant, to make it more ritaulistic.

[79spitfire]

:blink: uh yea...

 

I'm in for a 'day' but no singing!

[zuku]

well you can dance

[nanahcub]

Hundai is pushing a "National Fuel Mileage Month" with entries on Facebook, can't fountain pen users do something similar? If ANY of the fountain pen manufactures, small or large pick up on it, small or large and produce a LE, especially an inexpensive one, it will have a good chance of becoming a recognized 'day'.

 

 

I read this and the idea of a fountain pen equivalent to National Fuel Mileage Month made me think in terms of ink mileage. I love the idea of fountain pen or ink makers trying to outdo each other - 1000 pages from a 50ml bottle . yeah but this one does 1200 pages to a bottle.

 

sorry

*gets coat*

[bphollin]

How about Richard Binder's birthday?!

 

"All we are saying / is give inks a chance..."

[TylerK]

I think we should have Fountain Pen Year instead. Then have it start again on an annual basis.

 

Cheers,

Tyler

[Marlow]

I think we should have Fountain Pen Year instead. Then have it start again on an annual basis.

 

Cheers,

Tyler

 

:roflmho: Spoken like a TRUE FPNutter!

[Vulcan1066]

Maybe we could tie international fountain pen day into Guy Fawkes day in England. :roflmho:

We could ask Noodlers to release "Executioner Black" or maybe "Gunpowder Grey" ink in a limited edition.

For the fountain pen we could ask Brian Gray to turn it out of oak as that was one of the popular woods gallows were made out of.

There would be 13 rings on the pen to signify the 13 steps to the top of the gallows.

The clip would be in the shape of a hangmans noose.

So what does everyone think?

1. Good Idea

2. You need serious medication

3. How much have you had to drink?