i'll never be able to watch anyone smoke a cigar again without thinking of "suckin a wet tobacco leaf" :rofl:
Anyone realize how crazy and ridiculous we all are?
- Thread starter jchaplick
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Couple of thoughts:
(1) If one defines "crazy" as doing things contrary to accepted societal norms, then we pipe smokers are nuts. Pipe smoking is out of sync with the world as it is, but in snc with the world as it should be. We live in a stress laden, get it done yesterday, "snooze you lose" world with expectations of imediate gradification. While cigarette and cigar smoking are more aligned with this paradigm (with the former perhaps much more so), pipe smoking by its very nature is not. To smoke a pipe necessitates that I slow down. The time spent pipe smoking is one of quiet reflection that cannot be hurried. As such it allows me to put things into perspective. Perhaps the world would be a better place if more people were pipe smoking nuts.
(2) In terms of the rigor involved with the preparation, smoking, and subsequent cleaning of the pipe relative to the apparent ease of cigarette or cigar cmoking, to analogies come to mind. First if cigar and cigarette smoking are power boats, then pipe smoking is a sail boat. To expound on this hyperbally, power boats are focused on destination, put it in gear and push down on the throttle. In contrast, sailing if focused on the journey. Sails must be rigged and continuely adjusted relative to the position of the wind, allowing one to move quitely and steadily along. Likewise with a pipe, it is the process of smoking that is important, with the nicotine hit a mere incidental consequence. Second, if pipe smoking is a manual transmission, then cigar and cigarette smoking are automatics. When I drive my five speed manual Corola I find myself much more intune with the feel of the car then when I drive an automatic. Likewise pipe smoking necessitates that I become more engaged with and aware of the tobacco I am smoking, and the pace at which I am smoking.
(3) Finally, a fitting quote comes to mind: "Two roads diverged in a wood, and I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference" (R. Frost).
(1) If one defines "crazy" as doing things contrary to accepted societal norms, then we pipe smokers are nuts. Pipe smoking is out of sync with the world as it is, but in snc with the world as it should be. We live in a stress laden, get it done yesterday, "snooze you lose" world with expectations of imediate gradification. While cigarette and cigar smoking are more aligned with this paradigm (with the former perhaps much more so), pipe smoking by its very nature is not. To smoke a pipe necessitates that I slow down. The time spent pipe smoking is one of quiet reflection that cannot be hurried. As such it allows me to put things into perspective. Perhaps the world would be a better place if more people were pipe smoking nuts.
(2) In terms of the rigor involved with the preparation, smoking, and subsequent cleaning of the pipe relative to the apparent ease of cigarette or cigar cmoking, to analogies come to mind. First if cigar and cigarette smoking are power boats, then pipe smoking is a sail boat. To expound on this hyperbally, power boats are focused on destination, put it in gear and push down on the throttle. In contrast, sailing if focused on the journey. Sails must be rigged and continuely adjusted relative to the position of the wind, allowing one to move quitely and steadily along. Likewise with a pipe, it is the process of smoking that is important, with the nicotine hit a mere incidental consequence. Second, if pipe smoking is a manual transmission, then cigar and cigarette smoking are automatics. When I drive my five speed manual Corola I find myself much more intune with the feel of the car then when I drive an automatic. Likewise pipe smoking necessitates that I become more engaged with and aware of the tobacco I am smoking, and the pace at which I am smoking.
(3) Finally, a fitting quote comes to mind: "Two roads diverged in a wood, and I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference" (R. Frost).
That is an amazing way of describing my #1 complaint with cigars. I'm gonna steal it
BTW, I've pretty much perfected not getting any saliva on my stogies on the rare occasion when I smoke them. Makes for a much more enjoyable experience. YMMV.- Status