Fountain Pen Burnout is Real ! 

I never intended to be a collector and I have maintained that attitude throughout my fountain pen journey. I am a user of fountain pens and I don't have many of them but the ones I do have were well thought out purchases that continue to bring me joy whenever I use them.

This is such a lovely video. Your perspective on your pens and inks reminds me that writing is what matters. Fountain pens and inks can add to the beauty and pleasure of that process, but they are still a means to an end. As you say, if someone wants to build a collection, that's OK too. Thank you!

Donna, I think this would have to be my favorite video of any you have shared. I stopped it several times to “see“ what you were sharing visually. It is beautiful. Your talk is so relaxing as well and you make good points from your view with no judgment of others. A++ imho.

Great video. I’m not burnt out per se, but just overwhelmed with the declining health of my elderly mother, my own health issues, and the ever increasing cost of daily needs like foods, etc. yes; there’s something magical about pens and inks that makes a pen glide on paper - well said! I’m just too overwhelmed to get notes out to people as I should.

I echo so much of what you say in this video. The rampant consumerism, the constant limited edition releases from companies, the lemming mindset. It's all very tiring to witness 😮‍💨

What a relaxing and thoughtful and genuine video! Love your videos!

What a lovely video. Your views are shared in gentle, thoughtful manner and the “footage” is peaceful and visually appealing all at once. I think you have made some excellent points here. To me, it’s like encouragement to “live in the moment” of my pen and paper world.

I've seen people talking about this and I can understand. I also can imagine trying to hide it due to shame about sharing it, I've witnessed some unnecessarily mean comments. But I have ups and downs in journaling and using my pens as well, and I share that approach - figuring out what works for me, and how it feels to me. I believe the pushing is what makes it more severe

What’s the ink at 1:05 ? Lovely shade

For me, burn-out is mainly the by-product of FOMO (fear of missing out) marketing. There's no sense of achievement, even temporary. I get the impression that some salespeople whip us like beasts of burden. They need us to pull a cart, a shoping cart, that isn't going anywhere. It's only the pulling, the volume of sales, that counts, and it's normal that we're tired. They don't respect the natural rhythm of discovery and enjoyment. It's all one big near-miss: everything's almost right from a distance but it's still not right enough as soon we get near it. It's so tiring. Everything is a blur, like looking out of the window of a high-speed train. I've stopped caring for limited editions and, especially, vendors' exclusives. They've lost me. I got off at the previous stop. I am walking around the station, and I'm enjoying the fine weather. I'm not planning to get on the next FOMO train. I am good where I am.

I used a fountain pen when I was in elementary school back in the early 60’s. I loved my fountain pen but eventually I started using ball point pens. I can’t find a pen anywhere that I like now. I don’t like gel pens and they’re everywhere. I’ve considered using a fountain pen again but I have become totally overwhelmed. I want a reasonably priced pen with an ultra fine nib. Any suggestions??

Anyone suffering from this sort of burnout will benefit from volunteering in their community. This takes the focus off of self AND fosters a sense of appreciation for ones own situation. You can volunteer at your local hospital, Meals on Wheels, Second Harvest Foodbank...the list is endless...

This would be a great video for Senile Joe. Longed been burnted out😂

There is silence. I turn away from all social media, and tell myself: Today I will not touch the computer, nor watch that screen. I reach for my fountain pens and my best notebook. There is no need to talk about fountain pens, ink, or anything. I just sit there in a room, by myself, writing what my daydream inspires me to.