Bob and I spent the better part of an hour on the phone today with our web hosting service.  Neither of us had the password.  I've been able to edit the site because the password was saved, although invisible, on my work computer.  Now the password is reset and both Bob and I have it so we're prepared for the invevible.

Bob also bought us another year of hosting, for which I would like to thank him publicly.  (Thanks Bob!)

(from Pentrace post, 2/8)

The Board of Directors of the PCA is delighted to announce the launch of our newly re-designed member website. This project has been in the works for the better part of a year, and we hope it will provide members and non-members alike with information and ideas to help keep our hobby vibrant and growing.

Key to this effort, the new PCA website has been developed using special software designed for creating digital archives and online communities. Unlike a static website, which is only viewed by its visitors, the PCA site will provide its members with opportunities for interaction, exchange, communication, and contribution.

** The more members take advantage of these opportunities and contribute their own materials, sites, and expertise, the more the site will grow and benefit the entire collecting community. ** Like the message boards we all now use, the information will be immediately available to users, but the major improvement is that the postings will be available and searchable forever in a clear, easy-to-access format.

Located at www.pencollectorsofamerica.com, here is an overview of the site’s offerings.

· Reference Library – members can download digital copies of PCA materials that have been scanned from originals. Members can also help develop the library by contributing their own materials.

· Pennant Archive – members will be able to view searchable contents of past issues of the Pennant, download high-quality digitized versions, and contribute articles to future issues.

· Discussion Forum – members can exchange comments and knowledge about their collecting interests, and they can help and be helped by other collectors.

· Web Bookmarks – members can submit web-based resources directly to the PCA site, and the site will assign a thumbnail of their submission so that the resource has visual representation.

· Show Calendar – the calendar has already been populated with all the major pen shows for 2009, and members can post their own local club meetings as well.

· Member Database – members manage their own private online profiles through a database that keeps their PCA information current and reminds them of membership renewals.

* Website FAQ – developed from questions members have asked, this area is the first place to check for instructions on using the site, including the fine points of all the features listed above.

If you are a current PCA member and we have your email address on file (e.g. you receive PCAccents), you can easily register for website participation by opening the MEMBERS tab, selecting the FAQs, and reading “Website Registration for members who provided an e-mail address.” You DO need an email address on file in our secure database for full participation in the PCA’s online community. Please be assured that your email address is confidential and will only be used to confirm your website registration and to periodically (less than once a month) send you our PCAccent email newsletter. If you are a current member and would like to provide us with your email address, please use the “Membership” link in the “Contact” menu. If you are not yet a PCA member or you need to renew your membership, the FAQs will explain how to do that online by using Paypal or mailing a check.

The site was developed by Dr. Barry Eckhouse, collector and PCA member. Barry worked closely with the PCA Board to insure a site that would serve the organization’s members and one that would grow through the efforts of its membership. Barry is a Professor of Rhetoric at Saint Mary’s College (California), where he teaches and studies the use of emerging technologies in web-based communities. His collecting interests include Chilton, Conklin, and Waterman’s.

We hope this new website will prove to be a wonderful part of your collecting "library." Please do not hesitate to let us know if you have any difficulties on this site.

Warmly,
Carla Mortensen, President, for the PCA Board of Directors and the site developer.
mortensen.carla@gmail.com

I thought it was interesting that the highest priced item sold at the recent Ohio Pen Show auction was a Chilton Golden Quill set, right after Rick Krantz told us about them at our meeting.

Yesterdy I created a group for the club on Facebook.  If you're there, join!

Last Saturday at noon Alan sent out the email announcing the May meeting.  It reads as follows:

Philadelphia Pen Club Meeting Notice
October 18, 2008
11am to 1pm
rsvp for security clearance

The featured program
Rick Krantz speaking on
Chilton Pens

plus

You’ve heard of Wife Swap, House Swap, how about

INK SWAP
Bring us your old, your tired,
Your weird color ink,
Put it out for someone else to take and enjoy
and you take what you like.
It’s quick, it’s easy and it’s cheap.
Bring your ink to our meeting on
Saturday October 18^th, at the Cira Center
11am to 1pm

2929 Arch Street Suite 600
Philadelphia, PA. 19104-2889

Please RSVP to Alan Blacker (blackeraj@hotmail.com) or visit our web site,

Please use the kitchen for the ink swap
Please bring a picture ID.

Looks like I haven't done much with the site since July.  That means I've been to the Washington DC Supershow (August) and the NY/NJ Pen Show (last weekend) since then.  These are the two shows besides Philadelphia that are closest to our club members.

DC was long enough ago that I don't recall offhand much to say, but NY/NJ was just last weekend so still fresh in my mind.

Usually when I go to a show it takes me a while to look around before I buy anything but that was not what happened last weekend.  Within minutes I had bought an inexpensive Ducati 850 in yellow from Menash Murad, and also from him a silver swiss army knife.  At the very next table Bert Oser of Bertram's Inkwell had great prices on the two Stipula Gaudi limited editions.  Wasn't going to get one since I couldn't decide between the two very different designs, but when he offerred me a package price for both, wel....

Richard Binder has been threatening to restore and sell me a Snap-fil for better than two years, and he came through big time!  These weren't the only purchases I made during the show but I've said enough.  One additional hint: I've been using the Nakaya I bought some time back a lot lately.

There are people who enjoy pens but don't go to pen shows.  I don't get it.  How else do you see and learn?  Internet is great, but nothing like touching and holding and seeing in person.

As posted by Susan Wirth on Pentrace yesterday:

Susie's Pen Show Calendar has been updated through 2009 with all known confirmed & tentative dates.

Yesterday afternoon at 4 Alan sent out the email announcing the May meeting.  It reads as follows:

Subject: Phila., Pen Club

Did
Ben sign the
Declaration of Independence
with a fountain pen?
John Roede
Will tell us all about
Franklin Fountain Pens
At our next meeting on May 10th
11am to 1pm
Don't miss this exciting conundrum.
Our meetings are at the Cira Center Center
2929 Arch Street Suite 600
Philadelphia, PA., PA. 19104-2889

Please RSVP to Alan Blacker (blackeraj@hotmail.com) or visit our web site,
www.philadelphiapens.com
Please bring a picture ID.

Technical difficulties seem to have all been addressed and all of the initial content is live on the site.

We've migrated the Philadelphia Pens website to a new tool that gives us more space and more flexibility as of today.  Actually, it is rebuilt rather than migrated, as there was no tool to actually move it.  Some pain involved as there were some issues with Register.com (which they resolved), and they are working on issues with pictures and with forms, which they expect to have resolved shortly.  I'm already impressed with how much easier this tool is and how much more we'll be able to do.