It's Not A Gandalf! (mini rant)

[cyndi]

If it's an honest to God MacQueen Wizard, I have no problems. Where I start to get irked is when someone says "OMG, LOOK AT THIS WIZARD PIPE I GOT! How much weed do you think I can stick in it?" Then I get my panties in a twist and tell them in no uncertain terms that anyone putting green in briars should receive a swift kick to the nuts. (Twice today, actually, with this post not counting.)

 

[zanthal]

:rofl:
Cyndi's great... you go girl.

 

[philip]

i only refer to it as a "Wizard" pipe for those who dont know what a churchwarden is.

But then how will they learn?

 

[bigvan]

Actually when MacQueen came out with their "wizard" pipes a few years ago, there were those who defined a "wizard" pipe as a churchwarden with a wooden stem.
But the uninitiated don't know that... they're just looking to complete a costume.

 

[juvat270]

If it's an honest to God MacQueen Wizard, I have no problems. Where I start to get irked is when someone says "OMG, LOOK AT THIS WIZARD PIPE I GOT!

I agree 100% Cyndi. I just meant in my last post that, when I post something about a MacQueen pipe on this forum and I refer to it as a MacQueen Wizard, I only do so since pretty much everyone on here knows that's MacQueens version of a churchwarden.
If I'm talking to someone who isn't familiar with pipes and I mention my MacQueen Wizard I always make it a point to mention that it is a churchwarden. If they don't know what that is, then I explain to them what a churchwarden is and that the "Wizard" part is just the model name of that particular pipe from that particular company. ::
Having said that, like bigvan mentioned about people just looking to complete a costume, if its someone who has no interest in pipe smoking, I couldn't care less what they call it. It only bothers me when I hear a dedicated pipe smoker refer to any and all churchwardens as a "wizard/LoTR/D&D/fantasy pipe". They should know better. A role player doesn't and probably doesn't care.

 

[loborx]

For my birthday, I received a long, clay churchwarden pipe that was made in Colonial Williamsburg. I can't get myself to call it a Gandalf. I'm thinking of calling it a Witch Hunter...

 

[mano]

When did churchwarden and calabash pipes make a resurgence? No one smoked them in the 70's or 80's.
If it was the Potter and Inglorious Basterd movies then the retailers are probably glad to call them whatever the buyer wants.

 

[baronsamedi]

Hit 'em hard Cyndi! I'm a little more of a prankster. I'd post a pic of my "pipe mace" and see how many people think it's real.

 

[dhizzy]

I say if it expands the base of pipe smokers, welcome aboard.

Amen.

 

[shaintiques]

Forget watching LOTR everybody needs to read them at least once, I get the point, as a churchwarden isnt a gandalf, but the great thing about the characters in the Lord of the Rings is that Tolkien totally promotes eating in abundance, drinking lots of adult beverages, and getting some serious smoke on and such things draw new pipe smokers into the hobby on a regular basis. And so lets set the rant aside pick up a churchwarden and educate these misinformed fellows not just in what we call it but in the art of blowing smoke rings.

 

[kf5eqv]

If you honestly think arguing with a bunch of kids online about terminology will make a difference then go for it, but if your actually concerned about a superficial "karma" system you have some issues of your own you should focus on.
In my opinion, a little bit of educational discussion and patience will go a lot farther at keeping these kids from turning into Anti's later on then berating them over improper terminology will. But whatever.

 

[asianhombre]

Ha, this is hilarious. Actually, truth be told, I understand this phenomenon and am caught between two worlds. As a fan of Tolkien, I loved the appearance of churchwardens in the Peter Jackson LOTR films.
Interestingly, last year I ordered what I THOUGHT to be an authentic clay churchwarden, and what arrived was a prop only! The stem did not ACTUALLY have a air canal through the bowl!

 

[cyndi]

8O oh wow! That would have made me ill! You'd think "this is a prop" would be in the description.
As for Reddit, it's a silly thing I do to keep my mind off conversations with the kids that go like "Mommy, on this show, the show I was watching, there was a porrrr-cu-pine, and it had spikes and bristles and the porcupine, he said something funny - hold on, I'm trying to remember - oh yeah the porcupine said "hey" to the girl porcupine that had a bow in her hair - do porcupines really have hair? Oh the girl porcupine looked at the boy porcupine and SHE SMILED! Can you believe that?!?" And this is the kid that speaks 3 languages! Jesus, being a stay at home mom is an exercise in insanity. And I stay far away from antis. The subreddits I'm on are dedicated to smoking. I'm firmly aware that it's all virtual and karma doesn't matter, but it's the closest I come to adult conversation that doesn't have to do with Shaun's job most days.

 

[cyndi]

And really, the pipe reddit is a really nice place. I'm easy to spot because I have at least a reply in nearly every thread - im the ONLY girl over there. When I can't answer a question, I refer them here.

 

[batdemon]

Way to go Cyndi! Set 'em straight and edjumacated ::

 

[kf5eqv]

Well, stay at home parenting and online ranting is a combo I can certainly understand, as a currently laid off father of two with a big virtual mouth. :wink:
If it's a smoking dedicated group then your absolutely correct, they should know better and be shamed by their ignorance, lol.
Asainhombre, that is completely unacceptable. Next time order from This site, Heather is a real pleasure to do business with and it doesn't get much more authentic then her pipes!

http://www.dawnmist.demon.co.uk/pipesale.htm

 

[zanthal]

I remember when I first saw Ian Mckellan as Gandalf in the first movie, I thought "He smokes a churchwarden to keep from lighting that beard on fire"
I'm planning on re-listening to the LOTR audiobook soon, too.

 

[frank]

I think this may just be one of those cases where some popular association becomes the general term used to refer to an item. How many non-pipe folk refer to a calabash as a "Sherlock Holmes" pipe? Let's face it, the calabash has had this problem long before the Gandalf reference to the churchwarden.

 

[frank]

For that matter, I had one person look at my pipe collection and ask if I had a Popeye pipe, not even knowing it was a corncob.

 

[ohiopuffer]

Maybe back in the day they were called long stemed pipes and someone started callin them churchwardens because the churchwardens were the ones smoking them.Maybe back then someone said they aren't called a churchwarden they are called long stemed pipes. :D