Ray, we could be brothers. I have been writing exclusively with fountain pens since I was in my early 20s. They are not a luxury item, so much as a perfect tool -the same as a hard worn Leica or an old Gibson is. Sure, you can buy a fancy pen for $20k, but a solid Waterman for less than $200 is good enough to enjoy the exact process you describe here. I have it on good authority from some psychologists this specific act of writing connects your hand to your brain and your deepest thoughts with the least resistance — a hard-line to your guts and soul. No other writing process affords that, including the typewriter. I also have been told to write with my non-dominant hand if I ever get stuck, that I am literally accessing the other side of my brain in that mode.