I only recently realized that ECF offers a blog option. In lieu of the fact that I don't currently have a blog on another site, I suppose I'll post a few entries here.
I posted something along this line in my first thread, after it had been active for a few days. I realize now that putting my personal thoughts on the subjects concerning vaping might be more appropriate in this format.
So... with that said, here are some valuable lessons that I've learned as a two month vaper:
First of all, vaping is NOT like picking up a cig and putting a flame to the end of it. While the two habits share a lot of similar qualities, looks are deceiving.
What I mean by this, is that since I started smoking, the only thing I really learned about, was how to inhale. Menthol vs non menthol. Joe Camel vs Marlboro Man. Really, the only two mascots that mattered.
Beyond that, it was constantly emptying an ashtray, replacing clothes with holes in them, dusting off furniture where ash dust had accumulated. Let's face it: smoking is a dirty and disgusting habit. I did it for well over a quarter of a century, and I'm STILL washing the stink of it out of my clothes.
I'd seen e-cigs starting to appear in convenience stores a couple of years back. I asked the clerk about them and got a summarization of what they were. I was astounded by the idea of being able to smoke, but without some of the nastier side effects of it. I picked up a box of rechargables and gave it a go.
That didn't last too long. I found that the flavor got funky after I got used to things. Batteries would conk out on me after just a couple of hours. And the cartomizers didn't last any time at all. I had to invest in more batteries, more cartos, the whole nine yards. Really, I wasn't saving any money, and it wasn't like I could really vape in the places I couldn't smoke. I was working in a C-store that summer, so professional appearance was everything.
I tried several different brands of these e-cigs. I think I'll call them fake smokes, because really, you're not vaping. You're fake-vaping. At least that's what it felt like to me. It came across as more of a novelty than anything. It's not like I got anything out of it, and I was out more then $150, just for getting started. Even worse, I was spending as much on average as I would have for analog cigs. What do you think I did?
I went back to smoking of course. Did that for about another year before I started having some SERIOUS sinus problems. Got a sinus infection, managed to get some antibiotics. But I was never the same after that. I started getting so choked up that I would vomit. These little sessions turned into three or four visits to the porcelain god every day. I was fed up.
I tried the V2 brand. Spent an ungodly amount of money getting into that brand. Turned out it was just fake vaping all over again, but now I was spending even more money for what I thought was a premium e-cig. Within a couple of weeks I was mixing smoking with fake-vaping again. Same damned situation as before.
I kept hearing a commercial on the radio for a local vape shop. I decided to go and check them out. Was amazed at the products I saw. Even better, I was able to get set up for about $45.00 out the door. This got me my first battery, tank, and juice. I got the 24mg nic level, and started vaping for the first time.
I liked my Evod battery and plastic tank. But over time I found out that there were some flavors that you couldn't try in a plastic tank. Plus, I was never quite sure if my Evod would last all day. So... I got a Pro-Tank II for those harder flavors, and an Itaste MVP II as my battery. This has been my primary setup for more than a month now, and for the most part, I've enjoyed it.
As I've continued to vape, I've learned new things. LOTS of new things. I've come to discover that vaping has both a technical side and an artistic side. For the moment, I've been concentrating heavily on the technical side of it, simply because I was trying to get bigger clouds. In my first thread, I asked people how to get those clouds, and I was surprised at the sheer amount of responses that I got over a couple of days. People chimed in with everything from juice, to coil ohms ratings, juice containers. Some even linked to charts, and one guy even offered me a formula or two. So, to say the least, I had a lot of information to digest.
Somewhere towards the end of that thread however, I started to get sick. To this day I'm still not sure of what caused it, but I believe that some of it simply had to do with the fact that I've been on an extended break from work, and so my routine has changed. This led to more vaping, and therefore nicotine overdose and possible dehydration. That's when I started researching the PG vs VG content, and decided to go with a 100% VG mix. I liked the smoother hit, but I do miss the flavor sometimes. But, I got some bigger clouds in the process.
The takeaway from all of this, for me, is that vaping is not simply another alternative to smoking. If you really want to get the most out of it, you can't just satisfy yourself with picking up the vape stick and puffing on it. You have to do your research. You have to experiment. You have to LEARN something.
In the past three or four days, I've learned way more about vaping than I ever did about smoking. I still couldn't tell you the names of all the chemicals that are in a cigarette. I doubt I could even spell most of them. But I know now what's in my vape, and I know how to change the content of it if I desire to do so.
Vaping is as much about freedom of choice as it is an alternative to smoking. I can see now why so many people are becoming activists and trying to keep the big companies and government out of it.
Which leads me to another line of thought here. You see, vaping is the ONLY thing thus far that has helped me to be successful at ditching cigarettes on a permanent basis. It is the only thing that has worked for me.
I am appalled that, after being influenced at such a young age to start this habit, I see those same adults now trying to take my vape away from me. For years I heard the government complain about the healthcare-related costs of smoking. Well, congratulations guys, you don't have to worry about that with me. Problem solved. Now leave my ****ing vape alone.
My point is that this whole issue (and it really is an issue) has inspired me to start thinking about the notion of becoming politically active in some way. It may only result in my writing a letter to someone. It may result in me just sitting here behind the keyboard and pitching a fit. I don't know yet. But after the ObamaCare debacle, I've just about made up my mind that I'm tired of the government interfering in my affairs. I'm especially tired of them messing with my money. That's what ObamaCare was about. Money and control. Perhaps most insidious: control of my money.
I'm also tired of the people around me trying to tell me what to do and what not to do. I was born free and I intend to remain that way. The government has already destroyed whatever since of patriotism and loyalty that I once felt as a young adult.
Anyway, ranting over.
I love my vape, and I intend to stick with it for quite awhile. I've dialed back my nic dosage to 18mg a bottle. Next month I'll be down to 12mg. God willing, by summer it'll be zero. No more nic for me. Just enjoying the habit for its own sake. I may quite vaping altogether by then. Who knows? Point for me however, is let me do it my way. Let me make the decision.
Anyway, just a few thoughts on what I've learned over the past few days. If this blog generates interest, I'll post more. If nothing else, maybe it'll help someone who's new to the wonderful world of vaping.
I posted something along this line in my first thread, after it had been active for a few days. I realize now that putting my personal thoughts on the subjects concerning vaping might be more appropriate in this format.
So... with that said, here are some valuable lessons that I've learned as a two month vaper:
First of all, vaping is NOT like picking up a cig and putting a flame to the end of it. While the two habits share a lot of similar qualities, looks are deceiving.
What I mean by this, is that since I started smoking, the only thing I really learned about, was how to inhale. Menthol vs non menthol. Joe Camel vs Marlboro Man. Really, the only two mascots that mattered.
Beyond that, it was constantly emptying an ashtray, replacing clothes with holes in them, dusting off furniture where ash dust had accumulated. Let's face it: smoking is a dirty and disgusting habit. I did it for well over a quarter of a century, and I'm STILL washing the stink of it out of my clothes.
I'd seen e-cigs starting to appear in convenience stores a couple of years back. I asked the clerk about them and got a summarization of what they were. I was astounded by the idea of being able to smoke, but without some of the nastier side effects of it. I picked up a box of rechargables and gave it a go.
That didn't last too long. I found that the flavor got funky after I got used to things. Batteries would conk out on me after just a couple of hours. And the cartomizers didn't last any time at all. I had to invest in more batteries, more cartos, the whole nine yards. Really, I wasn't saving any money, and it wasn't like I could really vape in the places I couldn't smoke. I was working in a C-store that summer, so professional appearance was everything.
I tried several different brands of these e-cigs. I think I'll call them fake smokes, because really, you're not vaping. You're fake-vaping. At least that's what it felt like to me. It came across as more of a novelty than anything. It's not like I got anything out of it, and I was out more then $150, just for getting started. Even worse, I was spending as much on average as I would have for analog cigs. What do you think I did?
I went back to smoking of course. Did that for about another year before I started having some SERIOUS sinus problems. Got a sinus infection, managed to get some antibiotics. But I was never the same after that. I started getting so choked up that I would vomit. These little sessions turned into three or four visits to the porcelain god every day. I was fed up.
I tried the V2 brand. Spent an ungodly amount of money getting into that brand. Turned out it was just fake vaping all over again, but now I was spending even more money for what I thought was a premium e-cig. Within a couple of weeks I was mixing smoking with fake-vaping again. Same damned situation as before.
I kept hearing a commercial on the radio for a local vape shop. I decided to go and check them out. Was amazed at the products I saw. Even better, I was able to get set up for about $45.00 out the door. This got me my first battery, tank, and juice. I got the 24mg nic level, and started vaping for the first time.
I liked my Evod battery and plastic tank. But over time I found out that there were some flavors that you couldn't try in a plastic tank. Plus, I was never quite sure if my Evod would last all day. So... I got a Pro-Tank II for those harder flavors, and an Itaste MVP II as my battery. This has been my primary setup for more than a month now, and for the most part, I've enjoyed it.
As I've continued to vape, I've learned new things. LOTS of new things. I've come to discover that vaping has both a technical side and an artistic side. For the moment, I've been concentrating heavily on the technical side of it, simply because I was trying to get bigger clouds. In my first thread, I asked people how to get those clouds, and I was surprised at the sheer amount of responses that I got over a couple of days. People chimed in with everything from juice, to coil ohms ratings, juice containers. Some even linked to charts, and one guy even offered me a formula or two. So, to say the least, I had a lot of information to digest.
Somewhere towards the end of that thread however, I started to get sick. To this day I'm still not sure of what caused it, but I believe that some of it simply had to do with the fact that I've been on an extended break from work, and so my routine has changed. This led to more vaping, and therefore nicotine overdose and possible dehydration. That's when I started researching the PG vs VG content, and decided to go with a 100% VG mix. I liked the smoother hit, but I do miss the flavor sometimes. But, I got some bigger clouds in the process.
The takeaway from all of this, for me, is that vaping is not simply another alternative to smoking. If you really want to get the most out of it, you can't just satisfy yourself with picking up the vape stick and puffing on it. You have to do your research. You have to experiment. You have to LEARN something.
In the past three or four days, I've learned way more about vaping than I ever did about smoking. I still couldn't tell you the names of all the chemicals that are in a cigarette. I doubt I could even spell most of them. But I know now what's in my vape, and I know how to change the content of it if I desire to do so.
Vaping is as much about freedom of choice as it is an alternative to smoking. I can see now why so many people are becoming activists and trying to keep the big companies and government out of it.
Which leads me to another line of thought here. You see, vaping is the ONLY thing thus far that has helped me to be successful at ditching cigarettes on a permanent basis. It is the only thing that has worked for me.
I am appalled that, after being influenced at such a young age to start this habit, I see those same adults now trying to take my vape away from me. For years I heard the government complain about the healthcare-related costs of smoking. Well, congratulations guys, you don't have to worry about that with me. Problem solved. Now leave my ****ing vape alone.
My point is that this whole issue (and it really is an issue) has inspired me to start thinking about the notion of becoming politically active in some way. It may only result in my writing a letter to someone. It may result in me just sitting here behind the keyboard and pitching a fit. I don't know yet. But after the ObamaCare debacle, I've just about made up my mind that I'm tired of the government interfering in my affairs. I'm especially tired of them messing with my money. That's what ObamaCare was about. Money and control. Perhaps most insidious: control of my money.
I'm also tired of the people around me trying to tell me what to do and what not to do. I was born free and I intend to remain that way. The government has already destroyed whatever since of patriotism and loyalty that I once felt as a young adult.
Anyway, ranting over.
I love my vape, and I intend to stick with it for quite awhile. I've dialed back my nic dosage to 18mg a bottle. Next month I'll be down to 12mg. God willing, by summer it'll be zero. No more nic for me. Just enjoying the habit for its own sake. I may quite vaping altogether by then. Who knows? Point for me however, is let me do it my way. Let me make the decision.
Anyway, just a few thoughts on what I've learned over the past few days. If this blog generates interest, I'll post more. If nothing else, maybe it'll help someone who's new to the wonderful world of vaping.
