Everyone has a story

[Major]

Anyone that has spent more than 5 minutes on the GG forum can see that it is not your usual ECF forum. Sure there is all the help you could ever ask for on your GG series but there is more than that and Imeo has said often he wanted it to be more.

Everyone has a story and most only mean something to the story teller themselves but being old, I reserve the right to sound soft headed or too sentimental at times. I realize vaping is just a hobby to most and just a means to an end for others.

For whatever reason it happens though, when you become disabled, your world tends to shrink dramatically. Things that were just a passing thought in a busy day becomes more important and larger since your world does not encompass as many things, places and people as it did before.

When I started vaping, it was because my smaller world (since 2003) allowed me to focus more directly on issues of import to me and my family. After 41 years with tobacco, I was determined to see that relationship end before I did. I managed to accomplish that but when I found the GG and Imeo, I found so much more.

I found a man who genuinely loves his work and that each piece he makes has a bit of him in it. But he also cares about the people that use his items too. It was almost 3 full weeks before I owned a GG but I was already hooked on the way this Imeo guy worked.

The more I read here, the more intrigued I became with the resident gurus, innovators and genuinely helpful people you find here. Now I have never been a mechanical nor electrical wizard but I really wanted to learn. Never being the shy bashful type, I jumped in feet first.

My disability is spinal so I had to just read about the fun the gang had with the iAtty. After a non-life threatening stroke in December, I figured I'd never get the pleasure of a "build your own" atty like the upcoming Odysseus. Sure I am just one old guy but Imeo had allowed me to help organize and moderate his forum by then so I couldn't complain.

Imeo had told me months earlier when I was having a fit to get a UFS to be patient, he was making a new device I would like. Then I could decide if the UFS is better. It was with all that said, with a little apprehension that I received my Odysseus. As he always does, he had made videos so even the slow to learn could use it.

Even with my lack of coordination and bad eyes, Imeo had created something even I could make a coil with! Yes, I was and am excited over that. Now I know Imeo didn't make the Ody so old slow people could use it - It just worked out that way. And if you ask anyone that has any health issues, they if honest will tell you, we love to do things we supposedly can't do anymore.

Okay so I just wasted 5 minutes of your life to tell you how proud I am that I can make a coil... Whoopee right? I'll go ahead and disagree with you and say, yeah, it is a big deal. But that's just my story. I think everyone here has their own version of how and why they are "GG Family".

Whether longwinded or short and sweet, the bottom line for me is a heart felt thanks to Imeo and this community you created. Everyone needs to feel a purpose in life, no matter their age or station. Imeo and the rest of you give this old man that and as cheap as it may sound, thanks. I mean it from the bottom of my crusty old heart!

 

[Serpent67]

Good story Major. I go next.

I feel for you and you have sympathy. You are not a softhead, but a person with heart to be admired.

Vaping more than hobby to me, it is life. I smoke heavily over twenty five years. Grandfather die of lung cancer, father lose lung to cancer but live. I will not be next.

When younger I smoke, drink, live fast life with music, women,cars, etc etc and go thru life non chalant not caring if it ended the next day. In 1988 I was victim of drive by shooting. Shot at many times, but not hit and obviously survived. That change me and awaken my spirit of life.

I now also jump in feet first in things and learn everything I can, while I can, to enrich what life I have yet to live.

I started vaping normal systems like starter kits trying to quit analogs like many others start with and they work ok. But, I wanted more.

I also don't understand electronics. But, I work many years in machine shops and understand mechanical systems, lathes, end mills machines and was naturally drawn to the GG PV's because that is what I know.

I also like fine things and have many fine things that I care for meticulously that I have had for many years, will have for many more years because of that fact and because they are built well.

You will see people gripe because price of GG's when they have pics of twenty mods that cost well over what one GG would cost. I not understand this? I would rather have one two hundred dollar mod than twenty 60 dollar mod that will out last them all.

People also don't understand that machine time is not cheap. There are people to pay, tooling to buy, material costs in all aspects of production from start to finish. Cost of GG is not all profit. The bigmouths need to understand this before they open those bigmouthes and critisize.

I see Imeo on here everyday posting and commenting. He's helping, giving tips and giveaways and standing by his products. Where else and who else putting out mods does this? You wont find that dedication coming from chinese stuff. At least none that I aware of!

Imeo stands by his work. That's to be admired and to me that is everything.

Anyways, I shut up now and end story. These are reasons why I choose GG and treasure mine

I might be softhead too, but I dont care. I'm getting too older to care if others don't like. I think that's what happens when you hit the downward age slide, you speak your mind. But, then again, maybe I always have

 

[Major]

Thanks for sharing and for your kind words but if I made it sound like I was feeling sorry for myself, I apologize. It's the other way around really. To me it's about a man on the other side of the world I probably will never see but on a video. It's more than just his PV's which are art.

It's more than the art itself. It's that he gives hope with his work. I can't complain for my health as the disability came from doing a job I loved with all my heart and would not change a thing. My only real reason for saying it was to say two things really:

1. You never give up on life because you never know what the next day will bring you.

2. Most important for me is that like so many here do, share and help whenever you can. You never know when the person you help needs it worse than you know just like I did.

Life is funny like that. You may never know when you help someone and at times we need help, those helping may not realize how important it is to you. But as my friend Ripple would say, it's all about good karma man. You gotta spread some of the good stuff around to be sure there's plenty when you need it yourself!

 

[Serpent67]

No apology needed. I understand

 

[fright88]

Great storys guys I guess I will share mine.

I guess it started a couple years ago when someone forwarded me a website with the smoke anywhere video and I got interisted but I wasn't ready to jump in feet first. For me it was a I don't want to waste money on something that wouldn't work. Then about a year ago I noticed 711 had e cigs so I picked up one and wasn't impressed at all. Crappy battery life crappy carto life doing the math I couldn't see how it could be a saving over smoking and at the time I wanted to quit more to save money then anything else.

Then back in May my mom told me she wanted to quit so I told her about e cigs and showed her the little bit of research I had done and she bugged me about trying one untill I finally caved with the exception that she buy me my kit. So we each got a Joye510 kit and a couple extra batterys and we were off. It didn't take long though and we realized how bad the battery life was so we both got a Riva kit.

Well like most of us with time I decided I wanted a mod so I did a bunch or research. I really liked the GG stuff but couldn't see how it could possibly be worth the money. I mean yeah they looked great but I just couldn't justify the expense. Well eventually I found out about the GGTB and got all excited because here was a Beautifull mechanical mod that would allow a either a single whopping 1600 mah battery at 3.7 or stacked 3v batterys for 6v and I was hooked. It was right at the price range I wanted to be at (under 100 bucks) had great flexability and looked fantastic. But then trouble found me when I realized they were out of stock. So I searched and searched. I saw a couple people talking about them being available on "the French site" but I had no idea what that meant. After finally getting the courage to ask what people were talking about (yes I was a GG nub I didn't know about the following, family, other vendor sites, heck I didn't even know where it was made I just wanted it because of it's flexability and great looks). Well I finally got on the French GG vendor site and got the page converted to english but damnit yet another road block they won't ship to me!! Ahh well back to the classy stalking and trying to patiently wait for COV to get more in stock. As luck would have it though eventually someone threw one up in the UK classys and I jumped. I was a little bummed that the previous owner didn't supply the telescoping battery but hey COV had these in stock so I rolled with it.

I got that first GGTB and I was hooked on GG. I finally began to understand the work and craftsmanship that goes into them. I decided I needed to know everything I possibly could GG so I started reading the forums. Eventually (about a week lol) I decided I had to have a GGTS and again they were out of stock and I couldn't afford the high prices the classys were fetching for the SS versions at the time so I put up a WTB and Ripple came to my rescue. He had exactly what I was looking for and Alum TMF#493 was soon mine.

I've had fun trying to track down all of the GG's I've gotten since then but I won't tell the storys of them all. I will say other then Major I don't think anyone was as happy to get a UFSV2 as I was I just wasn't quite as verbal about it.

I too would like to thank Imeo for all the hard work and time you have dedicated to the GG line.

 

[Zogem]

Not sure where to go with this. But, what the hell.

I grew up up in a working class family. We we're hardly rich, yet never lacking. My Dad worked hard, provided a private education for 5 kids. He managed to buy a used BMW, which became his pride and joy (along with his family).

At some point in my mid teens, he took up cycling after a stolen bike was ditched in out back bushed via the alley, and unlimately unclaimed. Not to long after we both managed to get reasonable bikes, and rode quite bit. 1000s of miles a year actually.

I recall one century ride (100 miles), 20 miles in when the club racing team flew by us. He looked at me and said "Why are still here? You can hold your own with them, right? I'll meet you at the finish. go!".. Took me years to figure out that transaction.

A few years later we had a falling out, some 'F' bombs were tossed, and I moved out. He was the most out of touch human being on the planet, and I at 19 had all the answers. We reconciled, however it was distant early on.

Something happens to the mind around age 25. Lot's of studies on this, but in my experience it's the age of wising up. It's the time I started realizing the ethics, common sense, and drive that was instilled in me, and it augmented itself over the years, to the point I became him, and probably took it farther.

I've a passion for paving one's own way, as well as one for redeeming quality. Said quality and passion for it, is rare find.

As far as the eclectic humor goes, I'll blame Monty Python and Douglas Adams.

-Z

 

[Rick.45cal]

Major, I like your story! (you've shared a bit of it with me in pm's) you're statement about the shrinking world, and doing things "you're aren't supposed to be able to do anymore" is a beautiful statement, and (minus the disabled part) rings true in my world... Tell me I can't do something, and I WILL find a way

I guess it's my turn to share. May 6, 2009 was the last time I drank (alcohol), sobriety changed my life. Suddenly once I stopped trying to pickle my brain, it started working overtime. My decade long passion of woodworking turned into a full blown obsession! It consumed all of my thoughts (I have zero moderation in anything in my life, never had, never will) If I am into something it's 200%. A little over a year ago I started woodturning, and found my true love. Things make more sense when they are spinning at 1300rpm's. One idea became 5 more, each one of those generates 5 of it's own idea's etc... it's an exponential explosion of ideas/ creations etc. I can't keep up with myself. (I can't)

I hated cigs... but couldn't quit, no matter how I tried. A friend turned me onto vaping. It worked!!! from day one! Yay no more cigarettes!!! but this vaping thing is kind of a PITA, carts and atties were working, but not as pleasurable as I thought they should be. So somehow I stumbled on the UFS, thought it looked like the answer to my problems (and it was) so I signed up to be notified. That day showed up and I ordered it (didnt know what it was exactly, or how it worked, or what GG was all about, or who Imeo was) I didn't even have a GGTS. So this thing shows up, and I start learning about it, it sat on the table for a month before I even got a GGTS. Bradthemadvaper, helped me out and sold me one of his GGTS's! (Thanks Brad!) I couldn't wait for the ss GGTS's to come out, I had to use UFS! IT WORKED, and it was SATISFYING! Whoa... revolutionary! It opened a whole new world, no more dripping (I had long given up on the fish filter flavored carts.)

Then iAtty showed up, and well... those ideas kept coming and coming and coming and coming.

I LOVE what my life has become, though it has it's own trade offs. There are nights like this, where the ideas wake me up (both turning and vaping related) and I can't sleep... I don't sleep much anymore, and not like a regular person. I refuse to take any medication for insomnia, as I know my addictive personality and most of that stuff is narcotic based.

Regardless of those idiosyncracies, life is pretty damn good now! I wouldn't trade mine for anyone elses' in the world. I can see that Imeo suffers from the same creative idea problem I have. It's a love, and a passion, but also an unending compulsion of sorts. The ideas will never cease, they have to be explored and or made into something tangible.

I am only really in my happy place, when my hands are busy doing whatever my overactive imagination has come up with.

Imeo, and the rest of the GG family,
THANK YOU!

 

[Major]

THANKS GUYS! While I totally respect that not all wish to commit to writing their thoughts or stories, it is heart warming to read those that choose to do so!

One of the amazing things about a forum such as this is that we never know when we choose to share our experiences who may benefit from reading them. And a thanks to Imeo again for creating a forum in the way he has done this one.

Allowing threads such as this only makes us stronger as an extended online family! Cheers guys!

 

[blobe]

You are my hero.
i can't make a coil.

 

[imeothanasis]

its not bad if you cant make a coil blobe. I cant cook for example.

 

[lee72]

Nice to read all your stories. I have my own story and am still struggling a lot at the moment. I won't bore you with it but I will say switching to vaping and getting my GG has changed my life.

And without wanting to sound too cheesy, I really enjoy being a GG owner and part of the GG family. So I'd also like to add my thanks to Imeo and all the other helpful members here.

 

[Rick.45cal]

its not bad if you cant make a coil blobe. I cant cook for example.

I can make a coil, and I am a classically trained Chef... so I can cook too

 

[Major]

Well, since my outdoor grilling days are few and far between anymore, I can say that I am pretty decent at working a microwave! If you need more than that, best to order take out around my place!

 

[Major]

Nice to read all your stories. I have my own story and am still struggling a lot at the moment. I won't bore you with it but I will say switching to vaping and getting my GG has changed my life.

And without wanting to sound too cheesy, I really enjoy being a GG owner and part of the GG family. So I'd also like to add my thanks to Imeo and all the other helpful members here.

Not cheesy at all my friend! I didn't know what I had found to begin with but man am I glad as well. Back to the cheese deal? I need to get me one of those Green Bay Packer fan hats that look like a huge slice of cheddar!

 

[imeothanasis]

Yes Rick but can you burn a meal? I can do that easily and make it look like coal!

I can make a coil, and I am a classically trained Chef... so I can cook too

 

[Torqueguy]

Great stories here. I was a 37 year smoker. I didn't even smoke ciggs, I ate them. I went through 2 packs or Reds, rolled my own, smoked (and inhaled) cigars, chewed tobacco, chewed Nicorettes, then I went to a Hypnotist, tried the patch, the Lozenge, Prayer (yes, family and people in my Church prayed for me to quit), acupuncture, Wellbutrin, Xanax, you name it.

I would look at my then 15 year old daughter sadly, thinking how sad that I would probably be dead before she was married. That's how addicted i was to smoking, I would rather die on my kids than quit because I knew I couldn't quit.

One day I was in a hotel in NC and the pool guy was outside cleaning the pool smoking while i was eating breakfast. i didn't take much notice other than hurrying up my breakfast so i could go outside for a smoke myself. All of the sudden, the guy walks into the hotel with a burning cigarette. i thought wow, NC is a great state, i didn't know they let you smoke in buildings. I went outside to have a smoke and the pool guy came out with me. He said excuse me sir, i notice you smoke? I said yes I do and he showed me his ecigg. I thought it was a gimmick and payed no attention to it until I went for a physical later that year and the Dr. told me I was on the threshhold of COPD, said I would be on oxygen within the next 5 years and told me to quit or get my things in order. I was scared but I smoked two ciggs as soon as I left his office. That's when I resigned myself to a slow painful death.
Suddenly, I remembered the pool guy and went straight home. it was a friday and my wife and kids were up in Jersey visiting family so i had the whole weekend to myself. I spent 48 solid hours on the internet that week-end researching eciggs. i was fortunate enought to find the ECF, bought a Riva kit which I hold responsible to helping me quit, then later found 20 or more other mods always searching for the best hit until I found the GG, Imeo, Bruce, this sub forum and my fellow brothers and sisters here. So, if I'm passionate about the GG it's not because I'm a fanboy. Fanboys do things because they're shiek.

I'm a loyal fanatic because vaping got me off smokes and the GG has kept me off them. Yes, I am loyal to things and people that saved my life and if quitting smoking only contributes to only one more day of living, it will have all been worth it.

God Bless and Happy New Year

 

[Torqueguy]

I can make a coil, and I am a classically trained Chef... so I can cook too

Rick, you're a master coil maker, a classically trained cook, a wood turner and you shoot a .45 too? How do you look in a bikini?

Nah, never mind...

 

[Shaitaan]

....I grew up in a decent sized mid income family of 7...2 brothers, 2 sisters, myself being the oldest. my father was a city cop, mother a secretary for a lawyer....I started smoking around the age of 12. was big into sports too, baseball, football, track...and good at each. still smoked lol, not doing so I could've been soo much better. emotionally i was in turmoil most of my life...went to college in AZ, got engaged to a 'cowgirl' out there....got into some trouble, also had a serious motorcycle accident (which screwed up my right knee and hip some more on top of football injuries lol)....went back home after graduation only to find out my 'ex' fiance wanted to work things out nothing i could do at the time, no way to go back....years later i moved to another state looking for work, stayed for close to 25 years (still smoking)....married and had a son (and quit smoking cold turkey YAY), divorced after 6 1/2 years of marriage, later on met someone else and foolishly married again.....had a spat with her in the first few years of marriage and started smoking again...yea I know, i'm a dumb@$$, went 13 years w/o em....during that time, my son gets himself into trouble, in mother's custody....I filed to take over custody and won....turned my son's life around living with me, he graduates high school, I have problems with wife #2 and he leaves home to live w/ his GF (now my daughter-in-law ) and I leave #2....divorce was finalized almost 2 years ago...I quit smoking october of last year after many attempts using the patch, lozenges, gum, pills...nothing worked, until i tried vaping , around the same time my 'cowgirl' enters my life again... currently, we are working on reuniting again after 30 odd years, still keeping in contact w/ each other on and off during that time..

Life comes full circle again, I'm not a wreck anymore, happy and healthy in the process. I can no longer run anymore thanks to the cycle accident in Phoenix lol, but, I do ride one of my mountain bikes for exercise, making up for it

 

[Major]

Thanks for sharing Shaitaan my friend! I'll say again, we never know who our stories may help!

Some of my old sentimentality may irk some but I don't mind as long as it helps a single person.

 

[Shaitaan]

i definitely agree

here are some of my pride and joy's...

yea I know, 2 other mods are showing...but, I show em off because they all helped me quit and stay off the analogs....you can tell which are my fav's