I smoked today...

[Bubba]

After being stinky free since 1/31/13, I smoked a cigarette today. It happened like this:

It was a dark and stormy night...

Just kidding, it was this afternoon - sunny and warm.

When I got back into vaping, I wanted the most hassle free setup I could find. Started with eGos, then went to Lambo, Lavatube, eVic, and Vamo. Multiples of some of those.

After a few months, I decided that there would just be a certain amount of fiddling that had to happen. I may have to carry spare batteries, juice, heads, whatever. So I resigned myself to this fact and have been toting around my backup kit, complete with q-tips in case I need to swab something.

Then I decided that the next logical step would be RBA's. Hey, I fiddle with other stuff, why not this?

So I get one and commence fiddling. Been rolling wick, wrapping coil, and failing miserably. Today is no exception. Hey, I'm OK with fiddling, remember?

I was using my eVic and Vamo to test the resistance on my RBA. Sometimes they wouldn't fire, sometimes they would.

Finally decided I would just load up the trusty VapeOnly BCC so I could get my vape on. Loaded it up, eVic said "no atomizer found"

Vamo read it as 9.9, would not fire.

Grabbed by backup mini LT, would not fire.

At this point I'm ready to start throwing stuff (keep in mind I'd been fiddling with the RBA all afternoon)

I just knew that I'd farked up the Vamo and eVic and they were permanently dead. No idea why the mini wouldn't fire

At this point, my wife calls. She can tell I'm geeked out. Told her what was going on (yelled actually - my poor wife)

I then decide that I'm not gonna be an ...... to my wife, so ran to the drug store and bought cigarettes and a lighter

And it sucked.

If I bought a juice that tasted like this, I'd throw it out. If my stuff hit this weak, I'd toss it.

So after smoking a few cigarettes, I sit down to figure out what's going on with my equipment.

Turns out it was the replacement head on the Vapeonly that was bad. Actually, it wasn't bad, I had tried to re-use it and it wasn't reading. Two of them.

So for the cost of a replacement head, I smoked. The really bad thing is I have about 10 of them brand new sitting here. I was just trying to be cheap and re-use them as much as possible.

After all this, I've decided that:

No more smoking
Quit buying crap and just go with what works
Sell off excess crap, buy more juice, heads, and batteries

 

[STLJohnny]

If you learned the hard way good for you as long as you never go back. It's not a sprint. BTW.... Dark stormy night. way too funny.

How many heads could you have bought for a pack of smokes and a lighter. More than a few. buying smokes isn't being cheap

 

[Iffy]

Dat's what ya get fer not believing da 'tronics!

BTW, I think after being two years 'bakky free, I'd suck da air outta a tire valve stem before smokin' again!

 

[Big Screen D]

It's all good man. Just another testament to the power of e-cigs to completely and utterly replace smoking.

 

[Scottish]

It's not always going to be a smooth road giving up the stinkies. I feel you with the fiddling and buying new stuff, I have a bunch of E-cig and E-liquid paraphernalia collecting dust in a drawer and i've only been vaping over a month

It's awesome that your back on track and good luck in any future DIY

P.S. Hahaha!!! on the Q-tips. I have a pack of Q-tips and some napkins in the trunk of my car for emergencies.

 

[Litta'sGabby]

Awww, your day was crap! Don't be too hard on yourself. Those nasty, ultra addictive sticks of chemicals were always your best friends during crappy days in the past. I know that feeling all to well, too! Sometimes, I just think to myself "what would a cigarette taste like right now?" So far, I haven't given in, but the thought is still there. You learned your lesson, got it out of your system and you don't have to feel bad. But no more, ok??

 

[Barry Badrinath]

I quit smoking in March of 12, but a few nights here and there into June, and I mean dead literally only a few nights, when I was out bar hopping with friends and was heavily intoxicated, wound up either forgetting my e-cig or my battery died and I smoked. I semi-sort of-enjoyed it. But one night in late May, about 2 weeks before I had my last ever cigarette, I had one sober under the same circumstances, had forgot my battery. I took literally 2 drags and it tasted like I was smoking a lit filthy butthole, I threw it angrily at the ground and wondered how I ever thoroughly enjoyed these things? I did smoke once more after that, like I said it was in June, I bought a pack out at a bar with friends after I was already really drunk and my battery died. I smoked about 10 of them, tossed the pack and that was it.

tl;dr cigarettes taste and smell like crap

 

[Barry Badrinath]

double post

 

[Red_Bird]

Whatever keeps you off those stanky things is cool. A few drags on that cig and it tasted like shat, you know it did Bubba.

It reminded you how nasty a habit that was.

 

[cocacola31173]

I can honestly say now if that would have happened to me I would be fine til I got home. I just love it at work now that Im not constantly watching the clock for my breaktime so I could smoke. Now I find myself surprised when the buzzer sounds for break. I still vape like crazy at home but thats just when im bored.

 

[Rocketpunk]

It's ok. It can go from a simple Crown Royal bag (or any bag really) to this:



What you see here isn't actually everything I own. There's another tackle box for old-but-not-dead cartos, "meh" juices I'm not willing to part with, and other sordid odds and ends.

Toothpicks, paper clips, and q-tips have been appropriated in large quantities.

It's a natural progression. I actively and openly encourage it. I get laughed at sometimes for carrying this tackle box with me everywhere I go, but trust me when I say, other people have appreciated and benefited from me and my ever-present tackle box.

 

[Bubba]

First, thanks for the support

One thing I learned though is exactly how strong that addiction is. I was without vape for an hour or so and back to stinkies. So while I'm not beating myself up (stuff happens) I think I need to reassess my vaping. I think it's gotten a bit out of hand for me, constantly searching for some perfect setup, or some magic vape.

I'm thinking now may be a good time to get rid of some of the excess stuff and go with what works. Plus, the amount of time/effort/money has gotten a little out of whack. Maybe I'll sell some stuff and then take my son fishing...

 

[Rocketpunk]

It's ok, man. Don't beat yourself up over it. No one will (ya hear me, peeps?!) judge you here.

I went through the same phase you are going through. What I found works best for me? Just a simple battery, could be VV or could be fixed, a simple carto tank, and some good juice.

The next best thing usually isn't the next best thing. These things seem to be innovated and designed so quickly that they're thrown out to consumers and we act as guinea pigs. The cool thing about it is, the Chinese seem to be listening to Westerners. Version 1 sucked because of (x) problem. Let's address it with Version 2 and see how it goes.

The only set up I've ever been 100% happy with is carto tanks. I've desperately wanted clearos in any way, shape, form or fashion to work, but for some reason it seems inherently flawed. The only clearo I've ever tried and didn't want to nuke with a 5 gigaton photon torpedo (snort) was my iClear 30. Untouched/unmodified Kanger T3's make the list, but only barely. I can still taste the wicks, giving it an off flavor.

But in the end, whatever works for you is the best thing.

It's kinda like how I decided I was truly happy with my GF.

"All girls are confusing......... Just find the one who confuses you the least."

Same with vaping. There's always a trade-off. Find what works best for you and stick with it.

 

[Red_Bird]

rbas/rdas real nice if u have the time to set them up right.

but sometimes u just wanna vape and chill.....especially when friends come over or you're out and about

for those times a nice VV or VV/VW apv and a few Kanger Pro Tanks work for me....good taste, ok vapor, no fuss

 

[cramer]

A member here "leesifer" (I think his forum name is) told me it's not how many you smoke but rather how many you have not... So don't beat yourself up to much and keep on going.

 

[Rocketpunk]

I don't even like contemporary rap, but this is kinda appropriate:

JAY-Z - Dirt Off Your Shoulder - YouTube

 

[Plumes.91]

It was a dark and stormy night...
Just kidding, it was this afternoon - sunny and warm.

I lol'ed.

After all this, I've decided that:

No more smoking
Quit buying crap and just go with what works
Sell off excess crap, buy more juice, heads, and batteries

Hell yeah.

 

[Bubba]

I went through the same phase you are going through. What I found works best for me? Just a simple battery, could be VV or could be fixed, a simple carto tank, and some good juice.

The next best thing usually isn't the next best thing. These things seem to be innovated and designed so quickly that they're thrown out to consumers and we act as guinea pigs. The cool thing about it is, the Chinese seem to be listening to Westerners. Version 1 sucked because of (x) problem. Let's address it with Version 2 and see how it goes.


But in the end, whatever works for you is the best thing.

Find what works best for you and stick with it.

This is exactly what I was trying to say. I'll be keeping the vamos and evic but think I may get rid of the rest, PIF any juice I don't want, and settle down for a minute.

 

[AngelsBreath]

OP I feel your pain, I too wanted to smoke a carton of cigs today. No my PV didn't go out on me, I had a good pv, left my juice at home and only had a tiny amount. Had a really heinous day, got fired from my job! I wanted a cigarette so bad but my angels on the "lurking" thread were there for me. They helped me out, kept me strong and I have to give them props. Without them today I would have just tossed it all and smoked till I couldn't smoke anymore. Hang in there, it get's better

 

[Rocketpunk]

When we laugh at "It was a dark and stormy night..." are we referring to Snoopy of Peanuts fame?

EDIT: Or Paul Clifford? BAM!