Your Best Hobbies (other than Audio)

Old Rovers sedans, Land Rovers and Range Rovers, then sailing and more sailing topped off with a little walk across the Tetons.

The gateway drug to watch collecting (I could never keep up with them) -- Fountain pens. As with many good hobbies, a way to take a simple part of daily life and make it a true pleasure (and a way to waste endless time).

Gheon- I like pens don't know a damn thing about them, are Monte Blanc good pens? I see them everywhere. I like there watches, but are there pens on the level? ~Tim

In response to your question, Mont Blanc is to the pen world (aside from a few of their Limited Editions, which can be nice) what Bose is to the audio world (more or less). Their basic pens are kind of an overpriced cliche for those who do not necessarily know better (like Bose as I am led to believe by this site). I am sure that I have offended some of those who like Mont Blanc's, but that is the closest analogy I could come up with for an audiophile chat board.

I personally like Italian pens (Omas, Montegrappa, Visconti, some of the nicer Stipula's) and am more into newer pens than the vintage thing.

I would strongly recommend at least a dalliance in fountain pen collecting to anyone who writes. It adds a little pleasure to what us usually a very mundane activity. Hobbies tend to be for consciously eschewing practicality in favor of more pleasurable arcana and pens, even at a simple introductory level, are a great way to do that.

Gheon-That's sort of the impression I was under, seeing as none of the pens you listed are available at Staples, where would someone find out about said pen(s)? seeing as I can't walk into staples and pick them up!! Thanks,
~Tim