Well, not really - I'm just a writer by trade and nuts by nature and couldn't resist.
But I am a newbie with a story to tell...
I have smoked analogs for over 35 years - two+ packs a day for the last few. Capri 120's were my drug of choice and my trademark. Evermindful of those who didn't, I only smoked in places where I would not offend others but grew to despise non-smokers who went to out of their way to persecute me for my habit. For example, we live in Vegas and, duh, gamble occasionally. When I sit down at a machine where no one else is sitting and some old woman plops herself down right next to me and begins to cough and wave her hands like I traffic cop, it made me so mad I wanted to smoke two at a time. Going to California made me feel like a leper; once someone walked up to me in the middle of a 6 acre parking lot and told me I was 'killing her' with my smoke. Just to spite 'em all I was never going to quit! Secretly, the thought of a world without my beloved Capri's didn't seem worth living in...
Then came June 11th, 2010.
I'd been having trouble with my vision and underwent a brain MRI which revealed that I'd suffered two strokes. They were minor, yes, but the answer to some slight speech, memory and coordination problems that had puzzled me. I have a five year old daughter. The scenarios playing in my nightmares tortured me.
Move ahead to July 10th...
While my baby girl and I were stuffing away at Build-A-Bear in the mall, the other half of 'Art-n-Cate' happened upon TotallyVaporUSA, an e-cig kiosk. One hundred and sixty two dollars later - yes, $162.00 - we were the proud owners of two 510 atomizers, two batteries, one charger and a 5ml bottle of juice. We were told this was the perfect set up for two smokers and the juice would last a month. We weren't told the strength of the juice, which turned out to be 28mg. When I nearly choked to death, the sales girl dropped a bunch of Wilton's glycerin onto the filler. Until we knew better, we thought all filler was made from cutting small pieces of upholstery foam! The salesgirl was totally clueless. It is a comlete miracle we even got something that tasted halfway decent. The biggest problem for me was the high nicotine level after smoking ultra-lights for so long. Thank goodness Michael's carries glycerin. (Other newbies please note: we got ripped off so bad it made me feel both sick and stupid. PLEASE beware of mall kiosks until you know what a general price range is).
I smoked my last Capri as we left the mall and, in spite of the inherent difficulties of two heavy smokers with only one battery a piece and one charger to share, I've been analog free ever since. Art, who has smoked Camels for over 45 years, quit his two+ pack a day on July 14th.
With my tendency towards being a little OCD, we now have an Eluma, Nebulizer, Riva and extra 510 parts. In addition, I've got two DIY juice kits and 18 flavorings because, with a little sleuthing, I've discovered the flavorings added to the tobacco in my beloved Capri!
My thanks to all of you for posting - I've probably read most of them and learned a bunch. Special thanks to Eric Rose and the wonderful gentleman who posted the video on cleaning Eluma atomizers. If I were more saavy at forum posting, I'd put a link in. Just do a search for Eluma. Not too many posts about them yet so should be easy to find.
Soon I will write a review on the Eluma which, despite some battery problems, is a pretty great product. I'm not a menthol smoker so my thoughts on their non-menthol flavors might add to the knowledge base.
If only I could collect on all those bets that I couldn't quit...
Cate
P.S. How do I add the little boxes that say how long you've been analog free and the amount of money saved?
But I am a newbie with a story to tell...
I have smoked analogs for over 35 years - two+ packs a day for the last few. Capri 120's were my drug of choice and my trademark. Evermindful of those who didn't, I only smoked in places where I would not offend others but grew to despise non-smokers who went to out of their way to persecute me for my habit. For example, we live in Vegas and, duh, gamble occasionally. When I sit down at a machine where no one else is sitting and some old woman plops herself down right next to me and begins to cough and wave her hands like I traffic cop, it made me so mad I wanted to smoke two at a time. Going to California made me feel like a leper; once someone walked up to me in the middle of a 6 acre parking lot and told me I was 'killing her' with my smoke. Just to spite 'em all I was never going to quit! Secretly, the thought of a world without my beloved Capri's didn't seem worth living in...
Then came June 11th, 2010.
I'd been having trouble with my vision and underwent a brain MRI which revealed that I'd suffered two strokes. They were minor, yes, but the answer to some slight speech, memory and coordination problems that had puzzled me. I have a five year old daughter. The scenarios playing in my nightmares tortured me.
Move ahead to July 10th...
While my baby girl and I were stuffing away at Build-A-Bear in the mall, the other half of 'Art-n-Cate' happened upon TotallyVaporUSA, an e-cig kiosk. One hundred and sixty two dollars later - yes, $162.00 - we were the proud owners of two 510 atomizers, two batteries, one charger and a 5ml bottle of juice. We were told this was the perfect set up for two smokers and the juice would last a month. We weren't told the strength of the juice, which turned out to be 28mg. When I nearly choked to death, the sales girl dropped a bunch of Wilton's glycerin onto the filler. Until we knew better, we thought all filler was made from cutting small pieces of upholstery foam! The salesgirl was totally clueless. It is a comlete miracle we even got something that tasted halfway decent. The biggest problem for me was the high nicotine level after smoking ultra-lights for so long. Thank goodness Michael's carries glycerin. (Other newbies please note: we got ripped off so bad it made me feel both sick and stupid. PLEASE beware of mall kiosks until you know what a general price range is).
I smoked my last Capri as we left the mall and, in spite of the inherent difficulties of two heavy smokers with only one battery a piece and one charger to share, I've been analog free ever since. Art, who has smoked Camels for over 45 years, quit his two+ pack a day on July 14th.
With my tendency towards being a little OCD, we now have an Eluma, Nebulizer, Riva and extra 510 parts. In addition, I've got two DIY juice kits and 18 flavorings because, with a little sleuthing, I've discovered the flavorings added to the tobacco in my beloved Capri!
My thanks to all of you for posting - I've probably read most of them and learned a bunch. Special thanks to Eric Rose and the wonderful gentleman who posted the video on cleaning Eluma atomizers. If I were more saavy at forum posting, I'd put a link in. Just do a search for Eluma. Not too many posts about them yet so should be easy to find.
Soon I will write a review on the Eluma which, despite some battery problems, is a pretty great product. I'm not a menthol smoker so my thoughts on their non-menthol flavors might add to the knowledge base.
If only I could collect on all those bets that I couldn't quit...
Cate
P.S. How do I add the little boxes that say how long you've been analog free and the amount of money saved?
If you click on one of the graphics you'll be brought to a page where you can make your own - then just put the code they give you into your signature here on the forums.
