OK Newbies, What have we learned?

[Dru Lee Parsec]

Hi guys:

OK, as newbies just about every cigar experience is brand new to us. So what have you learned that you can share with other newbies?

Here's a few of mine:

1) Samplers are good. Since I don't know what I like, a collection of several cigars is a good bang for buck solution.

2) It's OK not to like a cigar. Even if someone with more cigar smoking experience likes a cigar it's OK if you don't. It' your taste that counts.

3) Your taste will change. If you didn't like a cigar and you've got some more (either via a sampler pack or maybe you bought a 5 pack) then just let it sit in the humidor. 2 things will happen: Your taste will change and the cigar will age and IT will change.

4) www.top25cigar.com is a good site for unbiased reviews. The internet cigar sales sites will ALWAYS say that a cigar is great. They have to sell cigars. But top25cigar will tell you what the people who smoked them think.

5) Cigar bid is addictive. Be aware! You can spend WAY too much money WAY to quickly if you're not careful. That's why they call it "The Devil Site"

6) Single blade cutters suck dead bunnies through a straw. They tend to crush one side of the cigar. That might be why you can buy 10 packs of single blade cutters for $5

7) This is an extension of #3. When you start you'll appreciate mild cigars. But be careful not to say "OK, I like that one, I'll but a whole box". Because half a dozen cigars from now you may find that you like more complex flavors and that mild cigar you liked last week just doesn't have what it takes.

8) Yes, you really will need more humidor space that you think. Especially if you don't heed lesson #5.

9) Beads rock! Get them.

10) Another CBid rule. Cigarbid is run by Cigar International. Check the prices on CI to make sure you're not overbidding for something that you could just buy directly from them.

11) Yet Another CBid Rule: Set you shipping to weekly. You'll save a lot of money on shipping cost. Better yet, delete the cigarbid.com link from your book marks and walk away from your computer. You'll save even more money that way.


OK guys, LEt's hear it. What have you learned in the Newbie Phase of your cigar life?

[bigpoppapuff]

good job...nice thread...

tastes can change by times of the day...weather conditions,what you have or have not had to eat....that's why there are different sizes,wrappers,couhtry of origin,etc,etc..

the fun is in the hunt....

[ashauler]

1. the search tool is your friend most newbie questions can be answered with some research.
2. patience is the key to dealing with humidity issues
3. how to dry out sp-cedar pieces and use them to control humidity in your humidor
4. which on-line retailers are reliable and fair in their pricing, and which ones aren't
5. NOT being able to identify complex flavors is o.k. and doesn't make your experience any less valuable.
6. It's all about sharing...experiences, knowledge, good deals, and cigars.

BTW, everything you said too!!

[Shelby07]

Good idea for a thread. A takeoff on #2...

It's ok to like a cigar that a FOG hates. It's your taste that counts.

(However, if it's a Macanoodle smoke it in the closet 'cause, somehow, Sid will know.)

[Loudpipes78]

1. Beware of exploding mail boxes.
2. When you get a trade/bomb/gift from someone, don't post pics unless you have asked them and they are ok with it. Some people don't like their generosity flaunted or someone to get jelous if their bomb wasn't the same, etc
3. In regards to #2 make sure you thank them, I probably over thanked CigarDan but he did a great job with my newbie sampler.
4. As Dru said... samplers rock the house... don't get stuck in a rut with the same thing.. keep expanding your horizons.
5. Again as Dru said careful making a mild cigar your staple... my tastes have significantly changed in the past 6mo to a year.
6. Read, read, read, there are days I come on here and just read old posts and say nothing.
7. Get involved as much as you can here, the more active you are, the more you'll enjoy the hobby.
8. If you have searched and searched for a question search some more just in case.... then ask it.
9. I know beads were mentioned... but they are worth mentioning again... get them... use them.. enjoy near perfect humidity in your humi. My old one was fooked with that old sponge crap. Don't know where to get beads, see number 8.
10. Avoid the politics forum unless you enjoy never ending discussions that will never reach a conclusion because people are very very staunch in their views.

I'm sure I could keep going but my day/week/month has been teh suck so far and I'm done thinking for the evening.

[chefchris]

Man, i've learned almost everything I know from two sources, the main one being this site.

What i have learned? hmmm...

1 Beads
2 A good first impression always require an introduction
3 Macanudos, for the price, are the best cigar on the market today
4 Cigarbid.com will rock your world for a fraction of the price
5 Search before posting. I searched for my own introduction before I posted it, just to make sure.
6 I need to wait and little longer and gain some more respect before I let the perverbial cat out of the bag that I too, am a furry.
7 Me and Cinda are the only two excited about chat night
8 Apparently, older guys think I look like Dave Grohl too
9 Views on religion are recieved with arms wide open here
10 There are seriously some awesome dudes here. I tell my girlfriend about you guys all time, like you're my neighbors or something. I love this community and am very glad you guys have accepted me in here and let me spread my noobness all over the place. Thank you.

[bigpoppapuff]

Man, i've learned almost everything I know from two sources, the main one being this site.

What i have learned? hmmm...

1 Beads
2 A good first impression always require an introduction
3 Macanudos, for the price, are the best cigar on the market today
4 Cigarbid.com will rock your world for a fraction of the price
5 Search before posting. I searched for my own introduction before I posted it, just to make sure.
6 I need to wait and little longer and gain some more respect before I let the perverbial cat out of the bag that I too, am a furry.
7 Me and Cinda are the only two excited about chat night
8 Apparently, older guys think I look like Dave Grohl too
9 Views on religion are recieved with arms wide open here
10 There are seriously some awesome dudes here. I tell my girlfriend about you guys all time, like you're my neighbors or something. I love this community and am very glad you guys have accepted me in here and let me spread my noobness all over the place. Thank you.

ahem....we need further discussion on a few of these......3/5/6/7/8/9/.........

i'm sure you expected that we'd need to talk....

[chefchris]

dangit.

[sprangalang]

OK here's what I've learned so far.
1.) DOn't be an asshat and ask where to buy cubans without an intro (no, I dint do that, but we all recently saw someone who did).
2.) BEADS ROCK. I don't know how many nice cigars I wasted, smokin em with a bad burn, all because of bad humidity. Before it was like, well keep em humid. What's humid? Well if you sweat when you wake up it's humid, so 80% to 90% is good. Not.
3.)a.) Macanudos are bad, evil even (I know it's all a matter of taste, but I've already had my share of bland cigars. If I'm gonna smoke a cigar, I should be able to TASTE it).
b.)Don't smoke cigars when yer sick.
4.) I like medium-full to full flavor cigars.
5.) BOTL's are more numerous than I previously thought.
6.) Smilies are fun
7.) This is a cool forum, I've poked around a bit, and I just feel more comfortable here.
8.) Don't buy from the site which starts with TH and ends with M.
9.) Cigarbid is my new favourite auction website.
10.) I don't have to feel guilty if I smoke more than one cigar in a day.
11.) A good B&M is like a good friend. Don't neglect them.

[Secret Santa]

What most newbies haven't learned:

To fill out their profile.

[drew_goring]

What most newbies haven't learned:

To fill out their profile.

And Wishlists...

[WOXOF]

Man, i've learned almost everything I know from two sources, the main one being this site.

What i have learned? hmmm...

1 Beads
2 A good first impression always require an introduction
3 Macanudos, for the price, are the best cigar on the market today
4 Cigarbid.com will rock your world for a fraction of the price
5 Search before posting. I searched for my own introduction before I posted it, just to make sure.
6 I need to wait and little longer and gain some more respect before I let the perverbial cat out of the bag that I too, am a furry.
7 Me and Cinda are the only two excited about chat night
8 Apparently, older guys think I look like Dave Grohl too
9 Views on religion are recieved with arms wide open here
10 There are seriously some awesome dudes here. I tell my girlfriend about you guys all time, like you're my neighbors or something. I love this community and am very glad you guys have accepted me in here and let me spread my noobness all over the place. Thank you.

LMAO on #7

Newbies need to put their address somewhere in their profile. It's no fun asking for it.

[CoventryCat86]

Hi guys:

4) www.top25cigar.com is a good site for unbiased reviews. The internet cigar sales sites will ALWAYS say that a cigar is great. They have to sell cigars. But top25cigar will tell you what the people who smoked them think.

OK guys, LEt's hear it. What have you learned in the Newbie Phase of your cigar life?

top25cigar.com is a LOSER site run by assholes. Their reviews aren't worth shit.

[Dru Lee Parsec]

3 Macanudos, for the price, are the best cigar on the market today

But the FOGs call then MacaNoodles! Maybe I should listen to our own advice and try them for myself.

4 Cigarbid.com will rock your world for a fraction of the price
Danger Will Robinson Danger Danger!

5 Search before posting. I searched for my own introduction before I posted it, just to make sure.

LOL

6 I need to wait and little longer and gain some more respect before I let the proverbial cat out of the bag that I too, am a furry.

Oops, That may have been just a BIT too much sharing.

BTW, what's your "safe word"? Mine is "OUCH!"

9 Views on religion are received with arms wide open here


Well, I've found that on most forums the religion issue is a non-starter because neither side is going to change the other sides mind (with exceptions that I wouldn't mine discussing over a cigar and single malt) and it just causes folks to get angry. However, we have lots of options on how we handle this disagreement and I'm glad that most folks here seemed to be supportive even if they disagree.

10 There are seriously some awesome dudes here. I tell my girlfriend about you guys all time, like you're my neighbors or something. I love this community and am very glad you guys have accepted me in here and let me spread my noobness all over the place. Thank you.

Ya know, I've had this happen at 2 other forums over the past 10 years or so. Isn't it weird how you wind up being good friends with people you've never met?

[edit]

For the life of me I can't seem to find the "Wish List". Where do I go to fill that out?

[chefchris]

My secret word is, "No sir, i don't want that thing anywhere near my butt."

[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?