More New Forums Members Than Ever? Why Is That?

[warren]

This thread has easily become one of the most informative threads ever with regard to the whys of the membership. Fascinating!

 

[bullet08]

It's very interesting that so many people have so many reasons for smoking pipe other than tobacco. I just got up one morning and said "I'm gonna smoke pipe".

 

[noobpipes]

Welcome! I have a house in Sao Paulo. There's some tobacco to be found there, but your best bet is ordering by mail.

Unfortunately, only 1-2 companies in the U.S. will ship tobacco to Brazil. There is a guy in Argentina who blends his own mixtures and sells to Brazil. Can't recall his name at the moment, but he's in Buenos Aires.

When I come down, it's usually with a suitcase of tobacco to avoid having to order it. I think I'll be waiting a month or two after the elections to make sure all is stable and well though! Hope you're doing well.

What part of Brazil are you in?

I'm from Rio De Janeiro.
These elections are really promising. But the life continues.
Really, few companies ship to Brazil. But because of Brazil, customs policies make it difficult. I'll look for this guy from Buenos Aires.
Thanks.

 

[Paul 3.0]

I really don't know, im 42 now and have been a pipe smoker for nearly 20 years and still get looks from folk. Never had a bad reaction from others because of it. Mostly complements or that look of 'isn't that quaint'. Anyway I lurked on here for quite awhile before actually signing up in 2019, funny how much has changed in those 3 years.

 

[Hillcrest]

This forum's collective knowledge, brilliant and often humorous commentary and advice, and genuinely good members caused me to join. Well above the rest of the internet and :

 

[Amarkey]

Im still fairly new here, joined back in May, and also still kinda new to pipe smoking. I joined because i had a question about a Dunhill estate pipe i bought. After that is was all down hill.

 

[mso489]

I joined Forums in 2013, so it wasn't Covid inspired at the time, or for years. But even with my introverted nature, I'm used to more sociability than public health recommended. Even the sociability of movies and restaurants were a potential hazard for a couple over a certain age with a number of health vulnerabilities between us. We do church online, though my wife attends a discussion group and a women's group in person.

For me, Forums filled, and fills, a significant gap in social contact. I try to reach out in person when I can, but there's no denying, for daily "conversation' and contact, Forums plays a significant role for me.

I sure hope there is not yet another viral surge with colder weather. It sure would be nice to feel free and easy about a restaurant meal, a movie, a museum visit, or a concert, without feeling it is a definite calculated risk beyond just the usual risks of daily life.

 

[Amarkey]

@mso489 I feel you and completely understand. I have a young kid with a serious helth condition. We try and limit where we go and what we do. As for me my social interaction is at work and thats about it other than family.

 

[warren]

I've been smoking pipes since the mid-60's. I stumbled onto Kevin's site back in 2013, lurked for a couple of months, found a couple of members who possessed a sense of humor and joined. The only attention I pay to Covid caused rules is, if a store wants me to mask up ... I mask up. Their shop, their rules. Being asocial I only infrequently found myself in a crowd.

 

[Chaukisch]

It's very interesting that so many people have so many reasons for smoking pipe other than tobacco. I just got up one morning and said "I'm gonna smoke pipe".

- Donald "Duck" Dunn

 

[tmcg81]

I've been on the forum for about two years, and have been smoking a pipe maybe two years longer than that. I got directed here from Google while looking for info. I'm semi active on reddit, but thus place is a little more in line with what I'm looking for. I'm always on the lookout for pipe related content, and the forum scratches that itch.

 

[Optimistic Pessimist]

I was told there'd be free coffee and donuts.


But I'll stay for the wisdom and humor.

 

[Home Brewing Piper]

I bought my first pipe and some tobacco in Feb of 2021. No specific reason. It just felt like something I needed to do. I found this site this through Google and lurked for a few months before joining. I don't post a lot but I read threads pretty much every day. I've never been much into social media so I don't interact with pipe smokers anywhere else. Thanks for having me!

 

[jikg]

I am a Chinese. I started smoking a pipe last year. By chance, I discovered this website and shared it with my friends. We learned some knowledge here. It is very good here.

 

[Zamora]

My guess is a popular YTPC member mentioned it. YTPC what convinced me to look into taking up pipe smoking, I always thought pipes were cool I'd always thought of it as a dying hobby mostly done by old men but YTPC showed me it's actually alive and well despite increasing government bullshit and there's a vibrant community for it. I found this forum just googling various pipe related things and figured I might as well join. I really miss all the forums I was into as a teen in the 2000s, so nice to finally find an old school forum like those; they give an experience you just can't find on Facebook or Reddit.

 

[milk]

I was going to ask an opposite question. I do a lot of research here and I often look into old threads, like, more than five years ago. When I look at the members’ profiles I find that half the time they are long gone. It makes me wonder, did they quit pipe smoking? Or just quit the forum?

 

[warren]

Or, are they dead? We tend skew somewhat aged here.

 

[ADKPiper]

Pipe smoking is having a resurgence with young guys. Facial hair and pipes. All the rage.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

I find that half the time they are long gone.

Like most things, after getting off to a good start, they lose interest in continuing to participate, maybe just focus on just smoking without the social part. I used to be more into bicycle forums, but then after a while (and too many new damned bikes) I just ride them and leave those forums be.

 

[mso489]

Chat groups (pardon the phrase) like all organizations gain a certain amount of membership by shear enthusiasm. People see it, like it, and the price is right.

However, longevity of membership follows a bunch of other motivations. With work, family, travel, activities, do people have time to read and post? If not, they fade fairly fast.

If Forums makes a niche in your life and you find yourself coming back, to read the threads and to add to the conversation, it tends to become a habit, maybe a bit of an obsession. Then, there you go.

I'd guess about half new members hang on and are still communicating over the first year. As we see, others reappear after long absences.