It's Friday, and I'm puffing on a bowl of The Virginia Cream in a pipe that I've been smoking for days, experimenting to find out how long it takes before it gets the funk going. (See my last post ^ up there.) I'm actually a little astonished by this reversal of one of my long-held beliefs. Sure, I still find that a clean, well-rested pipe is of great benefit in smoking anything with significant quantities of latakia, but experiencing this "new" phenomenon (to me) has been illuminating. I've told stories in the past of the guys who would come into Drucuqer's when I worked there, smoking the same pipe, day in, day out, and I could never grok how they could stand it. Finally, all these years later, I'm starting to understand. Though the 12th bowl is a little less smooth than the first, it's far from objectionable. I plan on exploring this more with other tobaccos, just to see how it plays out. Once again I find that something as seemingly simple as smoking a pipe - burning some shredded leaves in a piece of wood with holes drilled in it - can contain much deeper complexities, supporting a fundamental tenet of this gentle art suggesting that if you enjoy it, it's right. And a corollary; there's always something more to learn.
I have enjoyed this crawl immensely, and want to express my heartfelt thanks to everyone who participated. It's been a wonderful experience for me to share thoughts and impressions with and from such an enthusiastic group. The time has blown by alarmingly quickly, and I'm feeling a little sadness that it's coming to a close. I hope that I'll be invited back to do it again in the future. My thanks to Brass for organizing it and helping to keep the ball rolling, and to all of you who graciously shared your thoughts with me, and with the other participants. Though I accepted the role of "tour guide," it's really you all who made the experience what it has been, and I'm grateful for your comments, your thoughts, your support through it all. When this started, I had no idea how it would evolve, or where it would go. It's been a blast, and as it's been proof of the thought that it's the journey, not the destination that matters, and this has certainly been a rewarding journey for me. I've learned some things, gained some new perspective, and hope that I've been able to offer something to the rest of you that might enhance your own experiences as well. The whole process inspired my next Spontaneous Combustion column in Pipes & Tobaccos Magazine. If you're a subscriber, you'll see it in the Winter issue*.
Thank you, Brass, for the invitation to do this, and thanks to the rest of you for your indulgence in playing along. I look forward to seeing now familiar "faces" in other threads as we each continue our respective and shared journeys with this great, time honored pastime.
Smoke in peace.
-glp
*If you're not a subscriber, please consider it. Chuck & co. have done a wonderful job keeping the magazine afloat, but its long-term survival depends on all of our support. A glossy publication dedicated to our hobby, pastime, passion isn't easy to keep alive, especially in today's anti-tobacco climate. I've been a subscriber from the beginning, and it's truly an honor to now be part of it as a contributing editor with a regular column.
I have enjoyed this crawl immensely, and want to express my heartfelt thanks to everyone who participated. It's been a wonderful experience for me to share thoughts and impressions with and from such an enthusiastic group. The time has blown by alarmingly quickly, and I'm feeling a little sadness that it's coming to a close. I hope that I'll be invited back to do it again in the future. My thanks to Brass for organizing it and helping to keep the ball rolling, and to all of you who graciously shared your thoughts with me, and with the other participants. Though I accepted the role of "tour guide," it's really you all who made the experience what it has been, and I'm grateful for your comments, your thoughts, your support through it all. When this started, I had no idea how it would evolve, or where it would go. It's been a blast, and as it's been proof of the thought that it's the journey, not the destination that matters, and this has certainly been a rewarding journey for me. I've learned some things, gained some new perspective, and hope that I've been able to offer something to the rest of you that might enhance your own experiences as well. The whole process inspired my next Spontaneous Combustion column in Pipes & Tobaccos Magazine. If you're a subscriber, you'll see it in the Winter issue*.
Thank you, Brass, for the invitation to do this, and thanks to the rest of you for your indulgence in playing along. I look forward to seeing now familiar "faces" in other threads as we each continue our respective and shared journeys with this great, time honored pastime.
Smoke in peace.
-glp
*If you're not a subscriber, please consider it. Chuck & co. have done a wonderful job keeping the magazine afloat, but its long-term survival depends on all of our support. A glossy publication dedicated to our hobby, pastime, passion isn't easy to keep alive, especially in today's anti-tobacco climate. I've been a subscriber from the beginning, and it's truly an honor to now be part of it as a contributing editor with a regular column.
