I should also note that I wanted a churchwarden for years, and then Lord of the Rings gained so much popularity I had to forgo getting one to avoid the stereotype... Irritating set back I must admit. However, I gave in and got one. I'm not what one would call 'Hipster-looking' nor am I affliated with many if any Hipsters.
So there,
Guess I'll take part in the roll call, too. I'm 24, and have been smoking a pipe since I was 17.
Look down on me if you wish, but I'll admit to being a huge fan of Lord of the Rings.
It's nice to see all of the younger guys reporting in. So far, I think only a small amount have posted up though. There are many more. If you smoke a pipe, you are welcome here. Btw, I'm 50 and I love The Lord of the Rings. I read the books, including The Hobbit, when I was 12-years old and read them all three times over, and have watched the LOTR movies at least 5 times since they came out.
I am definitely in the greybeard category. Gray started when I was 15. Ever expanding forehead at 19. Beard started at 15, when girlfriend / bride of 22 years said she liked it.
FYI, every Halloween before going to work, I dye my hair a different color: green, blue, purple etc. Recently I found a can of grey spray on dye for 2014. That should make me look younger.
Winton
Oops, I guess I should have mentioned in my last post that albeit I waited for my churchwarden I do love LOTR, as well as J.R Tolkien himself, who was an avid pipe smoker.
Started not long after 18 hit and now, almost 20, Still loving it. :D I find that the true pipe smoker, not the hipster, has almost a kindred spirit type of thing with other pipe smokers. It is the true thoughtfulness, if not a little bit of intellect, that helps us discern the true tobacco from the hyped up fodder at the local 7/11 or other. I was very curious when i found my uncle's pipe from when he tried it in college and started that way. I held in even when all I had was some glorified ryo tobacco till I ordered some Holger Dansk Original Mild Orange.
I wanted to add that I am 26, but not a Tolkien fan. Pipe smoking is just something I chose to do. As for the "hipsters". may they all be drowned in the mainstream.
You don't have to do that here. We're all pipe smokers and I think we "get it".
Outside you may have to defend your choice to smoke a pipe, but not here. ::
What's with all the bagging on Tolkien? I didn't know one influence was better than any other. What's important is that we are all smoking pipes and enjoying it. My first beer was a warm Natty Lite. That doesn't mean I don't know good beer or enjoy stouts, lagers, and IPAs. It just means I started somewhere. We all did. LOTR stands as one of my favourite series, and will retain that place forever.