Brown Leaf Discussion for January: favorite aspects of your brown leaf hobby

[captaincaveman]

To be honest, I don't know why I smoke.

I can think of a few things I like. I can't tell you why I smoke. I don't know if those things that I like sufficiently explain it. I don't think they do. I like the taste and the smell. I like the way it engages other senses, such as the sound of a match or lighter.

I've always been mildly fascinated with smoking but the prevalence of cigarettes, nasty as they are, mostly kept me away. Over the years I've smoked cigars a little bit, always enjoyed them but never made it into a hobby. I took up hookah smoking maybe 7 years ago but I don't do it often because it tends to be a big production (and despite my efforts at securing things, my cats sometimes knock the hookah around and the coal lands on the carpet).

I've recently taken up pipe smoking and cigar, umm, collecting (not smoking yet because cigars are too much indoors, gotta wait for warm weather). I like that pipe smoking can be so budget-friendly (or if you want you can spend a huge amount) without limiting you to a sub-par experience. Even premium artisanal pipe tobacco is both inexpensive to buy and cost-effective in that you get a lot of smoking out of that purchase. As such, not only is there a lot of variety available, but I can even afford to try some of it.

My wife encourages all of it. She has always been even more interested in smoking than I have, and she likes to see/smell me smoking.

 

[the_edski]

My wife encourages all of it. She has always been even more interested in smoking than I have, and she likes to see/smell me smoking.

Lucky man!

 

[captaincaveman]

Lucky man!

That, or she wants me to die of mouth cancer!

 

[JVasky]

Interesting topic. I guess it was already summed up though:

To be honest, I don't know why I smoke.

I just enjoy it, and don't really remember why I started. I smoke mainly a pipe, and have an occasional cigar. My grandfather (and mother) didn't smoke pipe, my father didn't (though he was cigarette junkie for a good part of his life), none of my uncles or aunts did though my uncle was a prolific dipper at one point. I think my friend one day suggested we go try a cigar and I really enjoyed it so I would continue to join him on occasion, and that sort of led to the pipe. I just enjoy it for many reasons. For one my girlfriend enjoys the scent of the aromatics when I smoke them (remind her of her grandfather). Though I haven't smoked in her presence since I've been hitting the Latakia so that'll change . I also really enjoy the craftsmanship that not only goes into the creation of pipes themselves (which I am obsessed with: it's like they are begging for me to take them home) but the blending of the tobacco. It's the same reason I prefer manual/automatic watches. It is like having a piece of living art on your wrist; all the craftsmanship that went into them and the complicated mechanism used to power them makes me appreciate them more. When I smoke a pipe its wonderful to be able to taste these wonderful (and some not so wonderful ) blends that were hand crafted by craftsmen and artists.

 

[tattooed]

For me its without a doubt the unwinding. I enjoy all the aspects of cigars and pipes but if somehow the relaxation went away I'd stop.

 

[JVasky]

For me its without a doubt the unwinding. I enjoy all the aspects of cigars and pipes but if somehow the relaxation went away I'd stop.

+1 on that. The unwinding is the best part!!!

 

[nortac]

As an addendum to my original entry on this thread, restoring estates and soon to be crafting my own pipes is becoming a major part of this wonderful hobby. As my collection has expanded far beyond my current pipe stands/racks, I'll be building a major pipe rack in the near future.

 

[oc_in_fw]

As an addendum to my original entry on this thread, restoring estates and soon to be crafting my own pipes is becoming a major part of this wonderful hobby. As my collection has expanded far beyond my current pipe stands/racks, I'll be build a major pipe rack in the near future.

I think I will enjoy making my first one, too. I like to tinker.

 

[Prof. Moriarty]

Anyone have any ideas for February?

 

[the_edski]

Anyone have any ideas for February?

1 day late and Till is stealing my jobs!

 

[cursethis]

I say we dedicate it to the greatness that is latakia.

Feblatakia... it writes itself.

 

[the_edski]

I say we dedicate it to the greatness that is latakia.

Feblatakia... it writes itself.

Derrick didn't like it the first time we did it...so why don't we do it again!

http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showth...onthly-Discussion-for-May-Latakia!?highlight=

 

[cursethis]

Derrick didn't like it the first time we did it...so why don't we do it again!

http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showth...onthly-Discussion-for-May-Latakia!?highlight=

So nice, we oughta do it twice.

 

[the_edski]

So nice, we oughta do it twice.

Go ahead and make it! We can probably hear the groan if we listen hard enough.

 

[cursethis]

Go ahead and make it! We can probably hear the groan if we listen hard enough.

I'll give the latakia haters 48 hours to think of something else, just to be nice.

 

[Rockminer]

How about favorite mild aromatics? Has that been discussed already?

 

[The Count of Merkur Cristo]

Cigar Aficionados:
I myself, find that having a cigar (regardless of the time of day), accompanied with a drink or coffee has the power to settle my nerves and to decompress after a hard day at work and/or home. I hold these feelings 'close to the vest' as simple pleasures like a 'jewel in the silk'.

I believe some of my best thoughts and writing is attributed to the Habano. I also feel that persons with some sort of responsibility and of concerns beyond the scope of normality, can always take solace in the quieting effects of the cigar.

In my life, I've been through some 'rough patches' (haven't we all), and found that only in cigars (in joining tobacco to flame), I am fully relaxed, my soul is 'soothed' and I am at peace!

Read More: http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php/250602-Cigars-in-Poetry-quot-The-World-of-Cigars-quot-!!!?highlight=

Read More:http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php/275407-The-Healing-Power-of-Tobacco?highlight=

"Gentlemen", said the Count…as he entered…"will you return to the [smoking room]? You will find good cigars on the centre table”. Alexandre Dumas, (Chapter 35; La Mazzolata), The Count of Monte Cristo

 

[The Count of Merkur Cristo]

I fondly remember when I was young boy (I must have been at least 10yrs), and my Dad would come home from work (he was a trial lawyer), with a Cuban (he had so many in the large humidor on his desk in the home office…which my brothers and I were told [on pain of a
'whopping'

], never to touch and/or open), between his lips and I would hang on his waist begging to have a puff (every now and then).

Slyly, (and of course out of range of Mom…mind you), he would let me have a small puff, but instructed me to never, never to

inhale the smoke, but to taste, smell and savour it.

From those days, I grew to love cigars and as I ‘grew’ to 16yrs…I used to ‘cabbage’ my Dad’s cigars to smoke with my 'homies'. Then one day, my Dad sat me down in the home office and cut up a cigar into the various parts (binder, filler and wrapper), with a small pen knife. He then began a ‘homily’ on cigars and taught me the differences between handmade (long & short filler), machine made and other 'marques/formats' (Swisher Sweets and the like).

I remember my Dad telling me if I couldn't afford a good handmade cigar…then you shouldn't smoke lesser types. To further my education, he took me to ‘Campbell’s Smoke Shop’ (still there in East Lansing, MI), to ‘show me the ropes’ on cigars. I think he did this to keep me away from cigarettes (which were the ‘craze’ of my age and time …without result). However, my Dad did tell me that he knew I was ‘cabbaging’ his cigars, but I should at least ask him.

Later on, I did enjoy a Cuban and a cognac (or two?), with him before I joined the Army in 79 on the front porch…and it was the best father to son ‘bonding’ I had ever had with him. I had become of age, became a man and going to be a solider and warrior…just like my ‘Pa’. Like most kids of my time...I was in 'awe' of my Father and felt that all I am, or hope to be, I owe to my Dad (and Mom...of course).

So, in essence and since then, I have also tried to get my two (2), son’s away from cigarettes (also without result), and embrace the love
of cigars.

“To Smoke is Human; To Smoke Cigars is Divine”. Anonymous

 

[captaincaveman]

From those days, I grew to love cigars and as I ‘grew’ to 16yrs…I used to ‘cabbage’ my Dad’s cigars to smoke with my 'homies'.

Nomenclature...

Can someone explain "cabbage"? I've heard and seen it used in that context enough that I shouldn't be unsure, but I only have a vague idea that it's a form of taking without permission.

As for "homies", based on you having joined the army in 1979...you're too old to know that word, aren't you?

So, in essence and since then, I have also tried to get my two (2), son’s away from cigarettes (also without result)

I have observed an extremely strong correlation whereby children of parents who smoke grow up to smoke what their parents smoke. It is much stronger than for most other behaviors. Almost all cigarette smokers I know have parents who smoke cigarettes; and almost all cigarette-smoking parents I know have children who take up cigarettes. The same goes for cigars and marijuana. I have insufficient data for pipe smoking, but if the trend continues then I am bucking it by taking up pipe smoking, which my dad has never done.

To people of parenting age I'd say if you want your children to not smoke cigarettes then your best bet is to quit and be completely off of them before your children are conceived and never give cigarettes the time of day after that...don't bum one when you're out with your buddies, don't sneak off for one, don't reminisce about them, etc. Neither should you become an anti-smoking zealot or an ex-smoker in the way that an AA member is an ex-drinker (think rebellious teenagers). Casual dismissal/lack of regard for cigarettes is probably just right. If the correlation is because of a learned behavior then that's your best hope.

If the correlation is simply because of a genetic susceptibility to cigarette enjoyment/addiction then there's probably nothing you can do...when I was a teen, like every other teen I tried cigarettes but I just couldn't figure out why anyone would keep trying.

 

[Shave_Rat]

Nomenclature...

Can someone explain "cabbage"? I've heard and seen it used in that context enough that I shouldn't be unsure, but I only have a vague idea that it's a form of taking without permission.

As for "homies", based on you having joined the army in 1979...you're too old to know that word, aren't you?


I have observed an extremely strong correlation whereby children of parents who smoke grow up to smoke what their parents smoke. It is much stronger than for most other behaviors. Almost all cigarette smokers I know have parents who smoke cigarettes; and almost all cigarette-smoking parents I know have children who take up cigarettes. The same goes for cigars and marijuana. I have insufficient data for pipe smoking, but if the trend continues then I am bucking it by taking up pipe smoking, which my dad has never done.

To people of parenting age I'd say if you want your children to not smoke cigarettes then your best bet is to quit and be completely off of them before your children are conceived and never give cigarettes the time of day after that...don't bum one when you're out with your buddies, don't sneak off for one, don't reminisce about them, etc. Neither should you become an anti-smoking zealot or an ex-smoker in the way that an AA member is an ex-drinker (think rebellious teenagers). Casual dismissal/lack of regard for cigarettes is probably just right. If the correlation is because of a learned behavior then that's your best hope.

If the correlation is simply because of a genetic susceptibility to cigarette enjoyment/addiction then there's probably nothing you can do...when I was a teen, like every other teen I tried cigarettes but I just couldn't figure out why anyone would keep trying.

I did see a special where they have narrowed down I think it was 7 genetic markers that help explain why some people are more prone to nicotine and cig addiction than others, so there is some genetics in there happening. It doesn't mean of course that anyone with them will become addicted, but if they give in and try them, they are more likely to try them again, and then again, and so on.