Save 'em or smoke 'em?

[stogieluver]

Another similar topic posted by @Rhino earlier got me to thinking.  When you have very special smokes, or liquor, or whatever, do you save it for a "special' occasion, or do you say screw it, life is short?  I, for one, fall into the "life is short" category.  Tomorrow isn't promised. 

A funny story to share. related to this.  Heard this from a "friend", okay? 

This friend saw a fellow drop a small plastic bag on the sidewalk when this fellow pulled something else out of his pant pocket.  My friend knew immediately, almost instinctively, from prior experience, what had just happened. Well, my friend waited until the fellow that dropped it had moved on and it was obvious he didn't realize he had dropped it.  Just as expected, it turned out to be a bag of very pungent smelling weed. 

Now, it had been a number of years, decades really, since my friend had smoked weed.  He had smoked quit a bit of very good weed back in the 70's when he was in college, but it had been a very long dry spell since graduating college, what with losing his connections, getting married, having children, getting a respectable job...all that crap.  He opened the twist tie and inspected the contents of the bag with excitement and anticipation.  WOW!  This weed smelled like that weed he knew from the 70's, but on super steroids.  He knew from experience, gained from long ago, that this was some very good stuff, and he knew it would last for quite some time if he didn't waste it.  You can only get so high, right?  Anything smoked after that is wasted, right?  It wouldn't take much of this stuff. 

He debated with himself all the way home that this was a very small amount of very good weed, and he wanted to savor it while he had it.  Smoke it now, or save it.  Smoke it now, or save it.  Just so happens that he still had a small weed pipe from his glory days.  He could fire that thing up when he got home.  Nope.  Save it. 

He called a very good friend that night when he got home to brag about his very good fortune, bragging that he had acquired this treasure and that he was going to save it and smoke it on "special occasions".  He might even share a small amount with his friend.  Well, his friend had a very wise reply.  He said, "WTF are you talking about?  You're going to wait for a special occasion?  How 'bout it's Tuesday night and you found some very good weed.  That's a special occasion!  Smoke that shit now!" 

Do any of you have similar stories that illustrate we should live for the day?

[El Presidente]

I stopped putting cigars or wine away in July 17 when in the hospital ward staring at the ceiling. 

Prince or pauper, you exit the same way. 

Commit to master the art of living.  Every taste, touch, interaction, experience.  Milk every last drop. 

[Cep]

I also dont believe in saving anything for a "special" occasion.  This moment is special enough for me.  

But honestly either way it won't make any difference because when yer dead nothing you've done or not done will matter anyways, you will just be gone. 

I dont mean you wont matter to the ppl that love you.  Just i cant see it mattering how much you've done or not since in the end it's all over for you.

[TBird55]

I'm getting better, after battling renal cell carcinoma the past year and a half, (all clear now) but still put "special" cigars back.  Where I live,  you can't go to a b&m and purchase Cuban cigars.  I believe that plays into it. 

[stogieluver]

12 minutes ago, TBird55 said:

I'm getting better, after battling renal cell carcinoma the past year and a half, (all clear now) but still put "special" cigars back.  Where I live,  you can't go to a b&m and purchase Cuban cigars.  I believe that plays into it. 

So glad to hear you've gotten past that, TBird.  Still looking forward to meeting you and smoking with you over there in Fairhope some day.

 

30 minutes ago, El Presidente said:

I stopped putting cigars or wine away in July 17 when in the hospital ward staring at the ceiling. 

Prince or pauper, you exit the same way. 

Commit to master the art of living.  Every taste, touch, interaction, experience.  Milk every last drop. 

 ^^^^This^^^^

My dad, who was a doctor, came up hard, worked his way through med school, worked his ass off and was about to retire and travel the world with my mom.  He died of a heart attack at 64, two years older than I am now.  That was in '92.  I learned a lesson from that.  Don't wait to retire to live. 

[ElJavi76]

We only have right now.

We only have right now.

How about now? LOL

I'm inspired by folks who have had brushes with death or folks with the misfortune of being struck down by disease. My 18 year old son was diagnosed with Crohn's a year ago... He's teaching me how to live. A good friend of mine was diagnosed with a rare type of brain cancer earlier this year. Listen, we're ALL dying... But are we living? These guys are living. 

As long as we are breathing.. eat it, wear it, kiss it, hug it, love it, **** it... The one thing you can't do. You can't take it with you. The "it's" above are arbitrary, but do things that make you happy and make you strong. 

I gotta go smoke some Limitadas. Excuse me. ?

[LLC]

I like to have enough special cigars that I can enjoy them on special occasions or just because I feel like a special cigar.


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[scap99]

I recently received a gift of some cigars from a gentleman that passed a few years back.

This has made me quite aware that every day is a special occasion.  Smoke em all, you can't take em with you.

[Habana Mike]

Smoke them!

Everyday you're above ground is special! 

I do have a handful of "special" special occasion cigars I smoke on certain occasions, most all else is fair game anymore whenever the mood strikes me.

I also have a designated friend to handle my cigar affairs when I pass, including the FOH locker stock.

He'll most likely smoke many of the "special" special occasion cigars I didn't get to. It's a condition of the arrangement.

[Lotusguy]

I only “save” what I plan for eventual resale because it has just reached stupid money.

Everything else is fair game, also when friends come over (happens all too rarely). My biggest issue is just that all my storage is packed so tightly that I physically can’t get to many boxes without playing major Tetris so laziness wins and I smoke what is on the top or in the front.

[Orion21]

I had a good friend die on his motorcycle in San Diego a few years ago. He loved life to the fullest until the end. He taught me to savor every second we get, then he was taken, which just proved him right. He was 34.

More recently (5 months ago today) one of the best men I have ever known died from brain cancer. He inspired thousands of people as a teacher and as he battled his cancer to Win the Day! He was 43, married with 3 kids under 12 when he passed with his whole family by his side.

Do I expect to die by 43, hell no. Will I be on my death bed wishing I had smoked those OR Behike 52’s from 2010? Hell no! They were gone long ago and I Fing loved them all!

My point isn’t that you shouldn’t horde cigars and be proud of your stash. But if you abstain you’re missing out. Dig those Cohiba Reserva out Claus! Post one tomorrow for all of us to drool over!

[Lotusguy]

I had a good friend die on his motorcycle in San Diego a few years ago. He loved life to the fullest until the end. He taught me to savor every second we get, then he was taken, which just proved him right. He was 34.
More recently (5 months ago today) one of the best men I have ever known died from brain cancer. He inspired thousands of people as a teacher and as he battled his cancer to Win the Day! He was 43, married with 3 kids under 12 when he passed with his whole family by his side.
Do I expect to die by 43, hell no. Will I be on my death bed wishing I had smoked those OR Behike 52’s from 2010? Hell no! They were gone long ago and I Fing loved them all!
My point isn’t that you shouldn’t horde cigars and be proud of your stash. But if you abstain you’re missing out. Dig those Cohiba Reserva out Claus! Post one tomorrow for all of us to drool over!

Can I smoke a Bolivar 5ta Avenida instead? The jar is so much easier to get to

[cfc1016]

24 minutes ago, Lotusguy said:

 

Can I smoke a Bolivar 5ta Avenida instead? The jar is so much easier to get to

Only if you share 'em ;-P

[PapaDisco]

I do somewhat pace myself on the special stuff, but I don't really stretch it that much.  And I might save something fancy for an event that's 6-12 months out.  And of course I've got boxes of new stuff I won't touch for 5-10 years, not because it's 'special' but because the aging will help make it so.  So I've always got 4 or 5 boxes of special stuff in the current rotation along with 4 or 5 boxes of regular production.  It's all good!  

[madandana]

Guilty. I'm a terrible hoarder. I'm a little to sentimental and if a friend gifts me a cigar I have hard time smoking it. Also cigars I got at special events. Maybe it's time to pull out one of those Hamlets from 2014.

[Charley]

I lost my wife to cancer back in November and it made me realize that tomorrow isn't promised to anyone. Since then I've been pulling out and smoking the sticks that I was always saving for those special occasions. Enjoy what you have now because those special occasions may never come.

[Edeustace]

Smoke’em if ya got’em! My wife Amanda battled cancer for five years and beat it all until one day she fell in the drive way one the way to a check-up. One day in the hospital then 5 weeks in Hospice. I’m blessed to have another wife that smokes cigars just as Amanda did and we still smoke those 20 year old Cigars Amanda had been saving for special occasions. We smoke those special cigars with a bottle of Champagne on random Days of the week, life is too short and you never know what will happen. Enjoy life, hold on to every moment and squeeze every last drop. Sorry for the poor grammar still is tough to talk about, life is so fragile! I don’t celebrate birthdays or anniversaries, I buy my wife crazy stuff because it’s Thursday, share and smoke stupid rare cigars with my wife and friends because that hour or two is pure bliss. That’s when memories are made, wisdom passed on a legacy. Celebrate every last second. Cheers 

[LGC]

Keep waiting for that one special occasion.... and it may never come....

Also, that one cigar you’ve been hoarding might be plugged, under filled, or tasteless...

[Edeustace]

10 minutes ago, Weaponiz'd1 said:

Like Pres, I made a decision back in '15, on my first visit to MD Anderson, that I was done holding back in life.

A box of cigars hits my mail box, they're afforded only an acclimation period before their trial by fire begins.

That’s where my wife went, we grew up in Humble north Houston. 

[helix]

3 hours ago, madandana said:

Guilty. I'm a terrible hoarder. I'm a little to sentimental and if a friend gifts me a cigar I have hard time smoking it. Also cigars I got at special events. Maybe it's time to pull out one of those Hamlets from 2014.

This is one very sobering and spooky thread . Good idea Mike , I am going to have a 2014 Hamlet today. Cheers ,Clinton.  

[BellevilleMXZ]

Smoke it , drink it, do whatever makes you happy....U never know when time is up!  Enjoy it, you never know your exit date.

[TBird55]

13 hours ago, Orion21 said:

I had a good friend die on his motorcycle in San Diego a few years ago. He loved life to the fullest until the end. He taught me to savor every second we get, then he was taken, which just proved him right. He was 34.

More recently (5 months ago today) one of the best men I have ever known died from brain cancer. He inspired thousands of people as a teacher and as he battled his cancer to Win the Day! He was 43, married with 3 kids under 12 when he passed with his whole family by his side.

Do I expect to die by 43, hell no. Will I be on my death bed wishing I had smoked those OR Behike 52’s from 2010? Hell no! They were gone long ago and I Fing loved them all!

My point isn’t that you shouldn’t horde cigars and be proud of your stash. But if you abstain you’re missing out. Dig those Cohiba Reserva out Claus! Post one tomorrow for all of us to drool over!

 

[Bartolomeo]

17 hours ago, Habana Mike said:

Smoke them!

Everyday you're above ground is special! 

I do have a handful of "special" special occasion cigars I smoke on certain occasions, most all else is fair game anymore whenever the mood strikes me.

I also have a designated friend to handle my cigar affairs when I pass, including the FOH locker stock.

He'll most likely smoke many of the "special" special occasion cigars I didn't get to. It's a condition of the arrangement.

How do interview for the second guy in charge? 

[Orion21]

7 hours ago, TBird55 said:

 

And how was it!?! God, the good ole 1966’s! Loved those too! 

[Wertman]

On April 27, 2018 at 5:02 PM, El Presidente said:

I stopped putting cigars or wine away in July 17 when in the hospital ward staring at the ceiling. 

Prince or pauper, you exit the same way. 

Commit to master the art of living.  Every taste, touch, interaction, experience.  Milk every last drop. 

This is an interesting question.   A member like Rob at some point with probably hundreds of boxes can choose to stop collecting and start smoking.  But what about the new member when do they say ok stop collecting and smoking.  Or do you do both.  Awesome question just different perspectives based on their cigar journey.  I for myself am a saver always waiting for that special moment that years later wonder why I did not just smoke it.