Quote Originally Posted by pierce652
I havent noticed anyone shunning younger members on this particular board, although I definately have noticed a chill toward new members on other boards. Im also active on non cigar boards...ie. homebrewing and BBQ and, please no one take this the wrong way but, cigar smokers arent the most receptive people toward noobies. I really dont think age has anything to do with it, nor does ones personal knowledge of cigars. Rather, members take a cautious approach toward new members regardless of age or knowledge.

If you think you are getting treated rough here because of your age wait until you begin practice. I dont look 33 now and began practicing law at the age of 29. People come in, are being billed $200 an hour and they are looking at someone who reminds them of their kid. They automatically make judgments and some really give you a hard time.

I love it when an older attorney refrences a case or says I graduated law school in 1972...I just smile and say.. "I was born in 72" That to me is payback enough.

As the CT Supreme Court Justice stated in his keynote address at our graduation, "Law school in no way prepares you to be a lawyer...it just teaches you how to take land from Indians."

BTW my wife is from Cape Breton
This is true. I was 19 when I was managing a cigar shop. I had people come in regularly and go "You're the manager?" It never bothered me though. George made a good point, experience comes with age, no matter how you slice it. True, I smoked alot of cigars and I had a knack for running a retail environment but that does not change the fact that over 70% of my customers knew more than I did about cigars!

Also, you must remember that cigar smokers are extremely passionate about their hobby and they closely guard it! If cigarette smokers shared our passion, we wouldn't have the insane anti-tobacco laws we have now. The truth is that if someone wants to share something you guard "sacred", they must prove they are worth entrusting it to. Most of us spend a significant amount of time in our respective cigar communities and we hold them sacred for that reason. We are not about to let ANYONE deteriorate them!

But what Kevin7 said is also true. Our generation is thin skinned. There are way too many of us (males especially) that are simply TOO SOFT! I used the term "males" instead of men because IMO, men are not cry babies or whiners, which is exactly what so many males of our generation are! Learn to roll with the punches or hide under the bed dammit!

I am now climbing off my soapbox.