Hobbies?

[NightskyeB4Dawn]

Likewise!  Do you collect fountain pens, or just regular pens (BP, roller, gel, etc0?

Yes, some of those old Parker's can be worth some serious coin.  Schaefer's too, especially some of the FP's (mainly because there's less of 'em)

I have quite a few FP's, but also a ton of just other pens.  I really like some of the Japanese gel pens.  And obviously, I LOVE Japanese pencils!  The Japanese are absolutely nutso over writing instruments (kinda' like me).

I have a couple fountains that ended up in a desk drawer somewhere safe, but I mostly collect rollers and ballpoints. I have a few interesting mechanical pencils too, including one that came from McDonnell Douglas Truck Services. It's soft blue with gold trim on the clip. I also have a stunning Cross "Century" chrome/silver mechanical pencil, and, speaking of Japanese pencils, I use a Kerry 0.7 mechanical (black with silver trim) for most of my writing and sketching. I have a few gel ones but nothing exciting. Which Japanese gel pens do you recommend? I wouldn't mind finding some for my collection. 
When I get a minute I will take a few pictures of my favorites from my collection and put them up here. I never thought I'd find a place where other people are as crazy about pens and pencils as I am.

One thing I learned from living in Minnesota, is that you can always find folk anywhere and everywhere that share an interest in anything and everything.

I used to call Minnesota the land of festivals. Anything that anyone every allowed to travel through their mind, Minnesota used to have a festival to celebrate it.

I haven't lived there for a long time, so I don't know it that is still true.