Well isn't this twee, I get to play in the sandpit before I can post with the adults. 
I'm almost 60 and I've been smoking for 45 years. I'm not the slightest bit apologetic for that since I grew up in an era where this was considered normal behaviour. Unfortunately times change and now I'm a social pariah, overtaxed and restricted in where I can enjoy the habit. Right now I smoke 60 a day or so and it's starting to take a toll on my general health.
I fully realize it's disgusting to non-smokers and have no problem with the rulings on restaurants and public transport, but when it started to affect my ability to enjoy my local blues bar I knew something wasn't right. That bar is now closed, the atmosphere was destroyed. The cost of smoking has also kept me poor, in fact so poor that last December I could no longer afford to even rent a room in a boarding house, so I became homeless and now live in my VW van. Maybe if I had a job I could afford to live indoors, but nobody wants to hire someone of my age, especially a smoker.
Then I got the bright idea to buy myself an old yacht and live aboard. Apart from the fact that this is frowned upon by maritime authorities in Australia, the idea was fairly sound and it will be the first "home" I ever had that I can't be thrown out of when the cost of living exceeds my income. However I have yet to go aboard for various reasons; I'm currently at my brother's place in Queensland.
The other day his wife started talking about giving up smoking and mentioned e-cigs, and that got me thinking. A few years ago I investigated the idea from the viewpoint of starting a business, but was hampered by the fact that no-one would export to Australia. Just as well I suppose, since the whole thing has gone full circle and now the few who did get into the game are having to deal with oppressive new legislation designed to control the "industry." I've been through all this before with Chinese motorcycles and VoIP phones, so I'm glad to have avoided being burned yet again. What, me cynical? Naah, I'm a realist. If it's a good idea, the govamint wants to control it to death or tax the hell out of it.
Anyhow, I just bought a bunch of stuff for my own use. A couple of different starter kits, some plastic bottles, spare attys and carts, syringes to fill them, a litre each of VG and PG, an assortment of flavour samplers and 120ml of 10% nic juice. I think I spent over $300 so far and still waiting with bated breath (!) for them to arrive. Should keep me going for a few weeks.
I figure with the money I save, I'll be able to eat a little better, or overhaul the broken diesel on the yacht, or maybe even put a deposit on a country property for my retirement. So if this .... works, it could really turn my life around. I'm a bit scared, last time I gave up smoking was 1973 and that only lasted 3 months. Hope it all works out better for you guys.
Rob
p.s. A special "get stuffed" to whoever set up this forum. The timeout is so short I lost the first version of this and had to retype the whole damned thing.
I'm almost 60 and I've been smoking for 45 years. I'm not the slightest bit apologetic for that since I grew up in an era where this was considered normal behaviour. Unfortunately times change and now I'm a social pariah, overtaxed and restricted in where I can enjoy the habit. Right now I smoke 60 a day or so and it's starting to take a toll on my general health.
I fully realize it's disgusting to non-smokers and have no problem with the rulings on restaurants and public transport, but when it started to affect my ability to enjoy my local blues bar I knew something wasn't right. That bar is now closed, the atmosphere was destroyed. The cost of smoking has also kept me poor, in fact so poor that last December I could no longer afford to even rent a room in a boarding house, so I became homeless and now live in my VW van. Maybe if I had a job I could afford to live indoors, but nobody wants to hire someone of my age, especially a smoker.
Then I got the bright idea to buy myself an old yacht and live aboard. Apart from the fact that this is frowned upon by maritime authorities in Australia, the idea was fairly sound and it will be the first "home" I ever had that I can't be thrown out of when the cost of living exceeds my income. However I have yet to go aboard for various reasons; I'm currently at my brother's place in Queensland.
The other day his wife started talking about giving up smoking and mentioned e-cigs, and that got me thinking. A few years ago I investigated the idea from the viewpoint of starting a business, but was hampered by the fact that no-one would export to Australia. Just as well I suppose, since the whole thing has gone full circle and now the few who did get into the game are having to deal with oppressive new legislation designed to control the "industry." I've been through all this before with Chinese motorcycles and VoIP phones, so I'm glad to have avoided being burned yet again. What, me cynical? Naah, I'm a realist. If it's a good idea, the govamint wants to control it to death or tax the hell out of it.
Anyhow, I just bought a bunch of stuff for my own use. A couple of different starter kits, some plastic bottles, spare attys and carts, syringes to fill them, a litre each of VG and PG, an assortment of flavour samplers and 120ml of 10% nic juice. I think I spent over $300 so far and still waiting with bated breath (!) for them to arrive. Should keep me going for a few weeks.
I figure with the money I save, I'll be able to eat a little better, or overhaul the broken diesel on the yacht, or maybe even put a deposit on a country property for my retirement. So if this .... works, it could really turn my life around. I'm a bit scared, last time I gave up smoking was 1973 and that only lasted 3 months. Hope it all works out better for you guys.
Rob
p.s. A special "get stuffed" to whoever set up this forum. The timeout is so short I lost the first version of this and had to retype the whole damned thing.
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