Thanks Erica for your forum, really. I hadn't wanted to post and give away my creeper stalker identity but reading your post about your kids and how calligraphy has always been your thing and how you want to pass on a skill you can never bring to your grave, I just had to say I really appreciate it, and I feel inspired by your drive.
I'm not some expert calligrapher or some dedicated forum poster so I doubt my words carry lots of strength (in fact, I always read the forums without logging in, even!) but it's things and moments like these that make me think 'I should work hard too!' People face problems, and it's the dark side of things people seldom want to discuss at length about, but there is that one thing that carries them through to the light at the end of the tunnel, and it's that spirit that I always find so beautiful, the strength that's born out of vulnerability.
You're absolutely right when calligraphy classes are expensive. In Singapore, it's common to have $200 dollars for 3 hour sessions on modern calligraphy and nobody is interested in traditional calligraphy, so much so that even art stores here don't sell enough materials for dip pens! This august I think Eleanor Winters herself is coming to give a 2 day workshop that costs a whopping $500. I ordered myself her book instead and kept to good tutorials like IAMPETH and other calligraphers have generously offered, for free, at a low cost. I'm still learning, with the only pointed nib I managed to secure (thank god Nikko G is hardy), but it's with the grace of good people who share their knowledge am I able to properly train myself without feeling inadequate because I can't afford to learn from fancy workshops and masters of their craft.
So thank you, and thank you all for offering such opportunities. I don't say it since I'm just bookmarking good pages for reference for my 'reading material', but really, I do appreciate you all for sharing your knowledge. I'm eager to learn, just really glad I can.