OK Newbies, What have we learned?

[Quint]

This might be slightly off topic but still relevant even though it might be a little more personal. I don’t mean to get all emotional or mushy here but I’m 48 years old lived in Massachusetts most of my life. Over the last few years my wife and I have really lost faith in mankind. Almost to a point were we’ve considered and talked about selling the house and buying a place in the woods somewhere minimizing all contact with people as much as possible. I’m so sick of driving down a road or trying to pull into traffic and having a driver speed up to not allow me in for absolutely no reason at all except to be an a$$hole. Or the cashier with a scowl on their face like I’m bothering them cashing out on items I’m buying from their place of employment. People just generally rude in lines, at malls, at 4 way stops, on the phone, at work. Watching people derive pleasure at the misfortune of others. The back stabbing, talking behind peoples backs, it just seems to go on and on. Never mind turning on the news in the morning everyday there’s a murder, or something indecent being done to a child, corruption in politics ect. Sorry to drabble on maybe it’s a midlife crisis or something but I must say its really got to me.

Recently I’ve joined a hiking forum and this cigar forum a few of the things that really give me pleasure in life. Both of these forums have begun to restore my faith in mankind. Not that there’s any significant world changing event that’s going on but the friendliness and joy that people get from just being nice for the sake of just being nice. Seeing people “bomb” another person for no other reason than being a good person and bringing a smile to another’s face. I’ve experienced a little of this just recently. I started a thread searching for peoples opinions on good inexpensive cigars. One of the more established members ( I wont mention his name because I haven’t asked him) suggested a brand I’ve never tried. This person asked for my address and sent me a bag full of samples. What a wonderfully nice gesture, I’m mean I had probably 30 posts at the time he didn’t know me from a whole in the wall. The hiking forum is the say way. I’ve started winter hiking and I’m trying to educate myself on the do’s and don’ts and how to dress properly for above tree line and so forth. A guy who I have only hiked with once and don’t really know e-mailed me and said he would bring along all types of winter clothing for me to try on the next hike. He showed up with a trunk full of stuff. Different base and mid layers, jackets, down jackets, hats gloves, unbelievable.

So being a newbie here has exposed me to a lot of good people doing nice things to a lot of people. I know it’s a lot of small stuff but it’s a lot of the small bad stuff that people have done to one another that has added up over time to one big bad feeling, for me anyway.

Well I’m glad I joined, happy to be making new friends, hope they become good friends, and I also hope I can bring some smiles to others as well. Alright enough of that sappy sh*t time to go to my man room and have a smoke and scotch.

Quint

[Loudpipes78]

This might be slightly off topic but still relevant even though it might be a little more personal. I don’t mean to get all emotional or mushy here but I’m 48 years old lived in Massachusetts most of my life. Over the last few years my wife and I have really lost faith in mankind. Almost to a point were we’ve considered and talked about selling the house and buying a place in the woods somewhere minimizing all contact with people as much as possible. I’m so sick of driving down a road or trying to pull into traffic and having a driver speed up to not allow me in for absolutely no reason at all except to be an a$$hole. Or the cashier with a scowl on their face like I’m bothering them cashing out on items I’m buying from their place of employment. People just generally rude in lines, at malls, at 4 way stops, on the phone, at work. Watching people derive pleasure at the misfortune of others. The back stabbing, talking behind peoples backs, it just seems to go on and on. Never mind turning on the news in the morning everyday there’s a murder, or something indecent being done to a child, corruption in politics ect. Sorry to drabble on maybe it’s a midlife crisis or something but I must say its really got to me.

Recently I’ve joined a hiking forum and this cigar forum a few of the things that really give me pleasure in life. Both of these forums have begun to restore my faith in mankind. Not that there’s any significant world changing event that’s going on but the friendliness and joy that people get from just being nice for the sake of just being nice. Seeing people “bomb” another person for no other reason than being a good person and bringing a smile to another’s face. I’ve experienced a little of this just recently. I started a thread searching for peoples opinions on good inexpensive cigars. One of the more established members ( I wont mention his name because I haven’t asked him) suggested a brand I’ve never tried. This person asked for my address and sent me a bag full of samples. What a wonderfully nice gesture, I’m mean I had probably 30 posts at the time he didn’t know me from a whole in the wall. The hiking forum is the say way. I’ve started winter hiking and I’m trying to educate myself on the do’s and don’ts and how to dress properly for above tree line and so forth. A guy who I have only hiked with once and don’t really know e-mailed me and said he would bring along all types of winter clothing for me to try on the next hike. He showed up with a trunk full of stuff. Different base and mid layers, jackets, down jackets, hats gloves, unbelievable.

So being a newbie here has exposed me to a lot of good people doing nice things to a lot of people. I know it’s a lot of small stuff but it’s a lot of the small bad stuff that people have done to one another that has added up over time to one big bad feeling, for me anyway.

Well I’m glad I joined, happy to be making new friends, hope they become good friends, and I also hope I can bring some smiles to others as well. Alright enough of that sappy sh*t time to go to my man room and have a smoke and scotch.

Quint

I am on a couple other boards but only really active on 1 and now here. What I can say is from the experiences on the other board (I've been there since Day 1 and would be considered a FoG for sure) is that I have friends all over the country. When I was outside NYC or DC on business I had somebody to grab a beer with, hang out, and talk to in person. Some people online don't let their true self shine through but I've learned the vast majority on smaller boards do post just like they act in real life. I was taken a bit by surprise at the generosity of some people on here, too, and it's encouraged me to go even further above my normally good nature. Last time I was out with my boys I brought along everyone (5 others) an RyJ just because.

What's funny is I've threatened the same thing, going off in the woods or a rural area for a bit just for some peace. My Grandma owns a farmhouse in the middle of nowhere in Iowa so all I'd have to pay would be any bills I brought along and water/power/food... it's still a very tempting idea.

Cliff Notes: I get what you're saying and agree with it.

[SmokinDVM]

I am on a couple other boards but only really active on 1 and now here. What I can say is from the experiences on the other board (I've been there since Day 1 and would be considered a FoG for sure) is that I have friends all over the country. When I was outside NYC or DC on business I had somebody to grab a beer with, hang out, and talk to in person. Some people online don't let their true self shine through but I've learned the vast majority on smaller boards do post just like they act in real life. I was taken a bit by surprise at the generosity of some people on here, too, and it's encouraged me to go even further above my normally good nature. Last time I was out with my boys I brought along everyone (5 others) an RyJ just because.

What's funny is I've threatened the same thing, going off in the woods or a rural area for a bit just for some peace. My Grandma owns a farmhouse in the middle of nowhere in Iowa so all I'd have to pay would be any bills I brought along and water/power/food... it's still a very tempting idea.

Cliff Notes: I get what you're saying and agree with it.

Hey, I'm from the middle of nowhere in Iowa, where in the State is this farmhouse?

[Shelby07]

You can find good in your everyday life or you can find bad. It depends on what you're noticing. Sit back and think about some of the good things that have happened to you. Life is what you make of it.

Don't let the turkeys get you down.

[boomshay]

i'm a noob here and would like to say this thread is great, i haven't been around much but its threads like these that will draw us in and keep us at a site.

i could have found all this stuff using the search, but it's great to just read it in one thread... thanks very much

loudpipes, this middle of no where iowa isn't around Pella is it? just wondering cause that's where i am and i can vouch that its a beautiful area

smokindvm where are you from? anywhere near the town of tulips?

[Loudpipes78]

Hey, I'm from the middle of nowhere in Iowa, where in the State is this farmhouse?

Outside Wyoming, IA see the map below.

i'm a noob here and would like to say this thread is great, i haven't been around much but its threads like these that will draw us in and keep us at a site.

i could have found all this stuff using the search, but it's great to just read it in one thread... thanks very much

loudpipes, this middle of no where iowa isn't around Pella is it? just wondering cause that's where i am and i can vouch that its a beautiful area

smokindvm where are you from? anywhere near the town of tulips?

Mapquest from Pella to the town near my Grandma's Farm

My wife and I drove from Chicago to Cedar Falls and back when we were up there for a wedding in September, beautiful country just 5 hours of corn fields gets a bit repetitive

[boomshay]

haha yes i suppose the cornfields do get old, i guess i'm just used to it

[ashauler]

I have never been the kind of guy who makes friends easily, or is really comfortable sticking out in a crowd.....kinda try to blend in. I have trust issues from some things that happened to me in my youth, but no cry-babying about it, I wouldn't be the man I am now if I had not had those experiences, so all is good in the end.

I chose to participate in this forum cuz it is smaller, and when I made a mistake on my first post, I apologized and tried again, and I think maybe I am accepted here, at least no-one has told me to fuck-off yet.

I have been educated by memebers of this forum not only in regards to cigars, but in forum etiquette and respect. I have also realized that the shared experiences we all have with cigars can create a bond that bridges any gap that may exist between our social, economic, or professional standings.

Well I’m glad I joined, happy to be making new friends, hope they become good friends, and I also hope I can bring some smiles to others as well. Alright enough of that sappy sh*t time to go to my man room and have a smoke and scotch.

I second your thoughts, Quint!!

[Leeroy_Fan]

Like what a lot of other poeple have mentioned, your taste change as you smoke longer. I had Partagas Spanish Rosada when i first started out smoking, and hated it. Couple of months later, i was hearing people talking about how it was a great cigar. So i decided to give it a second chance, and what would you know, i fell in love with the cigar. Dont automatically count out a cigar that you did not like, when you have one had it once. Just wait for a while, and try it agian, and who knows, you might change your mind

[SmokinDVM]

i'm a noob here and would like to say this thread is great, i haven't been around much but its threads like these that will draw us in and keep us at a site.

i could have found all this stuff using the search, but it's great to just read it in one thread... thanks very much

loudpipes, this middle of no where iowa isn't around Pella is it? just wondering cause that's where i am and i can vouch that its a beautiful area

smokindvm where are you from? anywhere near the town of tulips?

Grew up in Marshalltown. Visited Pella many times, mostly for football games and such, still have cravings for Pella Bologna sometimes, can't really find it outside of Iowa.

[Loudpipes78]

Grew up in Marshalltown. Visited Pella many times, mostly for football games and such, still have cravings for Pella Bologna sometimes, can't really find it outside of Iowa.

Pella Bologna I have never heard of, now a good Melon from Muscatine *DROOL*

[SmokinDVM]

Pella Bologna I have never heard of, now a good Melon from Muscatine *DROOL*

Pella Bologna

Never had a Muscatine melon, but I sure miss Millers sweet corn that we used to buy from the back of their truck in the Hy-Vee parking lot in Ankeny.
The sweet corn out here is crap.