gaining traction at work

[red zeppelin]

I work in an open office, so no one has an office here not even our CEO. I am on a floor with around 200 people, but the only ones who really know about my fp AD are the two people on either side of me. They saw me bring in the box when I bought my Lamy Vista, and the full bottle of kon-peki. They have watched me fill it on a couple of occasions and have expressed mild interest.

Then today, someone was at my desk to ask a question and wanted to write the answer down. She grabbed my Vista and before I could warn her she went to write with it. She jumped back a bit and then said 'Wow, thats like an old ink pen!" She went on to tell me she really liked it and how great it wrote.

I am waiting for the additional questions now about where to get one, etc. but that hasn't come yet!

 

[Go West Young Man]

Other people really don't care about your hobbies unless you ask her about her cats posters, don't expect her to ask you about your pens.

 

[RichieRich3902]

I gave a presentation over the fountain pen and how it influenced business/life for an MBA class last week. Part of the presentation included a small box with some good paper and a Turquoise Pilot Varsity for everyone to play with or doodle while I was talking. So far they went over great and I'll see in class on Thursday if anyone is still using one or has complaints about ink stained shirts.

 

[the_edski]

I am waiting for the additional questions now about where to get one, etc. but that hasn't come yet!

Can't force it. Just look cool with your FP and they will come!

 

[andrew98]

Just look cool with your FP and they will come!

Especially the ladies. Man, do they love a guy with a fountain pen.

-Andy

 

[syngent]

Can't force it. Just look cool with your FP and they will come!

Especially the ladies. Man, do they love a guy with a fountain pen.

-Andy

Everyone just thinks I'm nuts

The pens, they help nothing

 

[the_edski]

Everyone just thinks I'm nuts

The pens, they help nothing

That kind of help, James? Can't find it here

I kid, I kid. They are just all jealous they don't know how to use one!

 

[Boro62]

Everyone just thinks I'm nuts

The pens, they help nothing

I don't think anything will help with the nuttiness sir....but hey that's why we love you right? I think?

 

[red zeppelin]

Yeah, I wasn't trying to tell anyone about the hobby necessarily and definitely not trying to force the idea on anyone here. I have a bit of a reputation for doing things a bit out of the ordinary anyway (I can't imagine I am alone here with that one), so I don't mind being outside the norm on the pen issue. They think I am crazy already about the shaving parts!

 

[Luke49783]

I've had a couple of people ask me about it. One guy seemed interested and I happened to have an extra cheap-o fountain pen stylus that I'd received and wasn't using, so I gave it to him. No idea if he ever used it.

A lot of people who visit my desk find something interesting to fidget with, so I'm sure it'll come up again at some point.

 

[Eeyore]

Over the years, I did convert a few co-workers None of them to vintage pens though.

Almost everyone here learns to write with a fountain pen here in primary school. But unfortunately most switch to ballpoint pens later in life.

 

[cb91710]

I use the Lamy Safari at work. I've got them in blue, red, green, and yellow... with the same color inks. Blue is a very dark blue, yellow is a home-made blend of Lamy yellow and Diamine Amber with the widest nib Lamy makes as a highlighter (don't bother, if you use it over FP ink, it just bleeds the whole thing into a smudge).

Every single person to pick up the blue one holds it upside down, even though the barrel has a triangular cut that naturally orients the pen properly.

I warned my boss... "Steve, if you happen to grab a pen from my desk, they need NO pressure... they aren't rollerballs"

 

[red zeppelin]

I normally keep mine in my pocket, but every once in a while someone picks one up! I take them home at night as well because I like to use them if I write at home (or for sketching) but I also don't want someone to pick it up expecting a normal pen, then ruin the nib trying to figure out how to write with it.