I just got done writing in my notebook.
I choose a Platinum Century 3776, with a medium nib, and Platinum's Pigment Blue ink. It's a very "office place acceptable" blue. Not too overpowering, not too bright, not too dark. Blue enough to not be black, and mellow enough to not be offensive. Perfect for an office setting.
I'm using the office blue in a ratty old composition notebook, rough paper never intended for the delicate touch of a fountain pen, yet it survives due to the quality of the Pigment Blue. There's not even a noticeable amount of feathering, where little lines of ink jut out from the line of a mark. It's one of the qualities of the Pigment Blue that brings me joy, and makes it such a versatile ink to use.
I used to journal online, typing away my thoughts into this or that app, my fingers furiously typing away, banging out word after word, just as fast as my thoughts came and went.
Handwriting in a journal is a very different experience. Writing is so very much slower than typing, but it's a feature not drawback. It requires slowing down, letting thoughts and ideas simmer and meander through my mind. It gives me permission to let thoughts go as I focus in on one thing. I let the thoughts roll around in my head, and snatch one or two out of the air, letting them float in my consciousness, seeing what they trigger and bring to the front. Then I put pen to paper and form words from thoughts. Sometimes I write quickly, other times I let it slowly flow from one word to another, only half paying attention to what words spill out.
Slowing down is calming and mindful. It's an escape from the go go rush rush of the modern world, with it's information overload. Handwriting in my journal is a good excuse to put my phone in the other room, to shut the door on notifications and distractions, and just be present with my thoughts. My thoughts and hot tea, mustn't forget the tea.
Fountain pens as a hobby can be as deep and complex as you want to make it. There are so many different options, and materials, different process and variable qualities.
For me fountain pens are an escape, a way to slow down and enjoy the moment.