Official introduction

I've put a couple of questions to the forum and all advice has been great, so I thought I should officially introduce myself.
I stated in another post I was new to good cigars and it's true, but I've been 'close' quite a few times.
My cigar history is this:
In the late 70's, in an effort to quit cigarettes, I started fooling around with pipes and cigars. My wife bought me a box of H.Upmann Lonsdales for Christmas. That's as close as I got that time.
Then, I quit smoking one day in 1989. Don't know how. I just stopped. And didn't smoke at all for 20 years.
Then my wife took a trip to Jamaica and brought me back a couple of cigars. I smoked them and that was that.
Then my son started smoking cigars when he was in college and I got interested again. I smoked CAO Maduros until I bought ten or so and about half of them wouldn't draw well, so I got aggravated and started smoking Parodis. That didn't last long.
Then my wife was on a business trip to San Diego and brought back a couple of CAO Maduros ( a coincidence, I'm sure). I smoked them and got interested again.
My son asked me a couple of months ago what I wanted for my birthday. I gave the obligatory "you don't have to get me anything" and he gave the obligatory eye-rolling and I told him to buy some good cigars. He bought me some Alec Bradley Plantation Blend Robustos in all of the variations. I liked them, and here's where things started going badly again. He threw the Thompson catalog in with the cigars. You know what happened then, right? A couple of cheap crappy samplers later...
So, I realized my error and vowed I would teach myself a lesson by smoking them. Meanwhile, I went to a local B&M store and went in to look around for some of the names I got from this forum while sneaking around. But, of course, when I got in there, all the names sort of blurred together. The manager or owner must have seen me starting to sweat, and came in to see if he could help. I told him I wanted five different cigars- two of each for a total of ten - in the 6-7 dollar range and I wanted to try a couple with big rings. He suggested Brick House, Perdomo Habano, Gurkha Warlord, La Gloria Cubana, and a cigar he said he didn't know well as he'd just started carrying them, but a couple of his customers like well, a Drew Estate Undercrown. So, did he do right by me, in general?
By now, I know I need continued help, so here I am.
I've already learned that I need to get my humidor in order first by losing the analog hygrometer and getting some beads and that's where I'm starting.
Anything else anyone wants to advise me on, I'll listen.
I promise not to ask anyone to ship cigars to me illegally across international boundaries or for advice on how to smuggle cheap cigars back from Mexico.
Man, that was a long introduction. Sorry.
My name is Matt. I'm in the Chicago area.

Welcome from Bitterville, Matt.

I think the shop owner did ok.

Will

Welcome.

If you want a great selection of some great cigars from a veteran that knows his stuff I would highly recommend a newbie sampler. You will not be disappointed.

The Noobie Sampler is, in my opinion, absolutely amazing. You'll get a wide selection of things to try out

However, if you can't do that, pick up a La Flor Dominicana, Padron, and Arturo Fuente. You really can't go wrong with any of those brands.

And of course welcome from Western Oregon.

I have a cousin from the Chicago area named matt haha go for the newbie sampler, you won't be disappointed. Oh, and welcome to the board!

Yep. The Newbie Sample is in my future.

Welcome from AZ.

I made a dumb post here then figured it out. Never mind me.

Add Padron 1000 series to your list...

Hi and welcome from Alberta, Canada.

As long as you're not trying to bring Cuban cigars back into the US, there's nothing illegal about bringing some Mexican, or other non-Cuban cigars back from Mexico. You'd have to confirm with your own government what you're limited to. In Canada I know it's 50 cigars per person.

Newbie Samplers are definitely worth your time.

Welcome from Vancouver.

Mark

Welcome from Ottawa, Canada, where Thompson's won't ship, but ******** will.

Another welcome from AZ. And another Newbie Sampler recommendation. :smiley20:

-Buzz

Welcome from the North Suburbs! :smiley20:

Since my wife's from the South Suburbs, I'm more of a Sox fan than a Cubs fan. Drives my 80+ year old mother crazy. :smiley36:

...and I'm not so far north that I'm a Packers fan. :smiley11:

Welcome to the board! Its pretty hot this year in Chicago ...my sister is not happy with the weather.