Older Folks and Vaping Front Porch - Part Three

[MattB101]

My intro to the Porch was only just this morning - yet I feel as though I've known many of y'all forever . Such amazing people!

I didn't realize I was meant to introduce myself in any but the most cursory way. My apologies! At my age, I should know better. So, here goes.

I'm 52, but started counting backwards 3 years ago. My mom taught me about counting backwards. I miss her enormously; she'd be thrilled to know that I don't smoke anymore. It's been just a year (this time around), but I'm confident that this time is the forever time. I smoked for, maybe, 28 years; neither NRT nor Chantix were of any use. Much to my delight, however, vaping was - and is - of use. That first ecig wasn't much to write home about, but the eGo was a huge improvement, and the P2 (and now, P3) were the cat's meow! So is the Billet BoX, the Gi2, and my beloved mech, The Dark Knight/Sir Lancelot. (Fitting that Sir Lancelot is one of my rescuers.). As I said this morning, I'm pretty good at spending my own money, and quite talented at spending other's money

Probably TMI ... So, enough. Except one more thing. I am so grateful for each new day, no matter what the day brings. It is, after all, such a wonderful world.

Welcome little bird. I will repost my story after we get off the road. Right now I can hardly keep my eyes open.

 

[johnspack]

Hmm, lost my old post somewhere... memory ain't what it used to be.... 53, smoked for 40 years, hitting a year smoke free Jan 28th. Had to use 32mg nic strength 70/30 pg/vg with my 900mah ego and single coil Davide to get off smokes. Now I make my own eliquid, and run 8mg 40/60 pg/vg through my Fogger at 30 watts with my Sigelei 100w box mod. My how times have changed.....

 

[FlamingoTutu]

Today is my 2 year vapeaversary! After 40 years of smoking, the last 20 years struggling to quit, 2 years ago I decided to try an ecig. I bought a Blu from a drugstore and thought "this could work!". At the time I was only smoking about 1/2 PAD but it was 1/2 PAD too much. Google is my friend. I joined ECF and spent literally hours reading. I purchased a VV ego kit and never looked back. I now have several mods from Vamos to MVPs to iSticks and more. I use mostly EVOD/protank style clearos that I rebuild. I tinker with some DIY and have a lot of tobaccos I have extracted. I subscribe to several threads I actively participate in. have seen this thread before but just never got involved. Tonight as I read I decided to join this wonderful group of vapers who continue to help and support each other. I look forward to reading your posts and participating where I can.

Vape long and prosper. Peace and long vape.

Welcome to the porch and congratulations on your two year vaperversary!



I am also owned by a German Shepherd. He's completely off his rocker but we're slowly adjusting.

ETA And there is another picture that can't be deleted. So, congratulations twice.

 

[MattB101]

Jeez. I missed one full day on part 2 and am 10 pages behind. I'll catch up and comment tomorrow night. Got one more travel day. Wolf thanks for the K4 link.

 

[DingerCPA]

Today is my 2 year vapeaversary! After 40 years of smoking, the last 20 years struggling to quit, 2 years ago I decided to try an ecig. I bought a Blu from a drugstore and thought "this could work!". At the time I was only smoking about 1/2 PAD but it was 1/2 PAD too much. Google is my friend. I joined ECF and spent literally hours reading. I purchased a VV ego kit and never looked back. I now have several mods from Vamos to MVPs to iSticks and more. I use mostly EVOD/protank style clearos that I rebuild. I tinker with some DIY and have a lot of tobaccos I have extracted. I subscribe to several threads I actively participate in. have seen this thread before but just never got involved. Tonight as I read I decided to join this wonderful group of vapers who continue to help and support each other. I look forward to reading your posts and participating where I can.

Vape long and prosper. Peace and long vape.

Congrats clnire I'm still waiting for my First Vaperversary (in about 3 months.) I am now eligible to join AARP (as of a couple months ago ) I've been putzing on this forum for about as long as I've been vaping (for real - a couple of starts and stops over the past four years - wish I'd have found this "back in the day",) and it never ceases to amaze me of the vast number of folks who have found e-cigarettes to replace the real ones. I'd been a smoker for about 27 years (give or take a bit, can't really remember when I became a "real" smoker.) My parents both smoked (Mom cigarettes, Dad pipes) My Aunt and Uncle both smoked (she cigarettes, he pipes.) Mom and Dad finally quit - not sure how, and I don't really know when. Mom had been diagnosed with Parkinsons. Might have been shortly around that time that I'd gone to visit them, and all Dad's pipes were stacked neatly in his pipe racks, but no more ashtrays or smell of smoke in the house.

Mom passed about 8-1/2 years ago; Dad 5-1/2. I'd visit my my Aunt and Uncle after working on cleaning out my folk's house, and we'd all sit in the garage puffing it up. Then, my Uncle finally confessed that they'd found tumors in his lungs. We still kept on smoking (although by that point, I'd found cigalikes and had started messing with them a bit.) Year and a half ago, my Uncle FINALLY HAD to quit, as hospice was brought in, and they'd strapped an oxygen tank on him. He lost his fight exactly two months before his 75th birthday.

I was tired of "hacking up a furball" every morning, and my S.O. didn't care for the smell of stale smoke on me, even though I wasn't smoking in the house any more. Made one more foray to get back into vaping (although I didn't know that's what everyone was calling it at the time. Heck, I didn't even know there were vape shops in my town!)

Yes, it's so much easier to "flick my Bic" (or my Zippo) and light up a cigarette, but once I'd found better equipment (still sophomoric by "today's" standards ) and some decent flavors *AND* had the realization that I was wasting money on BOTH cigarettes and vape things, I was finally able to put down the real ones.

Anyway - rambling aside - I'm amazed at the age range and demographics of today's vapers. I wonder what my Dad or my Uncle would think of vaping a pipe. I'd given my Uncle all my Dad's pipes (save a couple special ones I wanted to keep). When my cousins were cleaning out their Dad's house (my Aunt passed just a few months ago) it brought back a LOT of memories - I knew many of my Dad's pipes in that collection.

I just want to thank everyone out here for sage advice as well as the chuckles I get (one of the first posts I'd read was a guy commenting that his wife couldn't understand why he had to have eight different vanilla flavors - I'd laughed so hard, I was crying by the end of the post.) I hope I can one day be that "older person in a rocking chair" able to offer advice to newbies with wit and wisdom.

 

[mattiem]

I know most of y'all have heard my story before but for all those that haven't this is from 4/21/2012

Hey guys, don't you think suppliers should give us a senior discount? 63 years young here. Been smoking since I was 17. Saw the ads on TV and at first laughed it off. Just couldn't imagine something like that would work. Boy, was I ever wrong. Went to the smoke store to get my usual 2 cartons but we decided to give these new fangled things a try. Hubby ended up smoking the cigarettes. I couldn't stand them after a few days of vaping. He is having a few problems vaping so we are trying to troubleshoot it. Right now he is doing the drip on an atty method with unflavored nic juice. So far it is working.
I know I can take a much much deeper breath now without pain and I no longer have to spend the first hour of the morning coughing and hacking. Love it and will never go back.

And from 1/29/2014

Only change. Hubby is now using CE3 smokymizers. Still having a bit of a sore throat but I think that will go away once he learns that he can't vape the same way he smoked.
Some things have changed in the past 1 1/2 years. I am now 65 years young. Even after over 2 years of vaping I've not advanced past ego type batteries and that works for me. I do love my VV Spinners but that is about as advanced as I need. Have tried carto tanks, T3's, MT3's and viva novas but am very happy with my 1.6ml eVods and 1.2ml CE3's.

Hubby is still smoking some but he has cut back from 2-2 1/2 packs a day to a carton every 2 weeks or so. The only juice delivery device he will use is the little 1.2ml CE3 XL's and unflavored juice. Can't say that I blame him on the CE3's. They sure do deliver good vapor and for me, taste.

One of the most used and one of the truest statements is "Don't count the ones you smoke, count the ones you don't". That is the way I look at his smoking. Wish he could completely quit but it is his choice.

And today, over 3 years smoke free, I still enjoy my little CE3's and evods but....I now love my MVP and isticks...yep, I now have 2 of 'em and various toppers. I now rebuild the coils for all my Davides, aerotanks and evods. Hubby still smokes about a carton every 2 weeks but he has moved on to a 30W orbit and an MVP and gave up his CE3's. He is now sporting and aerotank on top. Still hoping he will someday give up those last smokes.

 

[MikeE3]

Hmm, lost my old post somewhere... memory ain't what it used to be.... 53, smoked for 40 years, hitting a year smoke free Jan 28th. Had to use 32mg nic strength 70/30 pg/vg with my 900mah ego and single coil Davide to get off smokes. Now I make my own eliquid, and run 8mg 40/60 pg/vg through my Fogger at 30 watts with my Sigelei 100w box mod. My how times have changed.....

Haven't they though! I went quickly from 510 stick batts & eGo's to Provari's. Thought I was in vapin' heaven. Could not understand the fascination many vapers had w/ mech mods. Now I've got 1/2 doz mech's and the Provari's sit idle. Recently acquired some DNA30 and 40's and have been trying them. Not sure yet if they've won me over from the mech's though. It's cool technology and all - but the mech's are just so simple and work well for me.

 

[bigbells]

Here's my first post in which I shared autobiographical info with y'all, in March 2013:

I retired in 2011 as a city letter carrier after a 25-year career with the USPS. I was a Union activist and officer for most of that time. Managerial ineptitude abounds, yet the majority of USPS's financial woes were brought on by a greedy Congress in 2006. "Hey, the Post Office has money! Let's take it from THEM!"

The issues are complex. The National Association of Letter Carriers has successfully beaten most, but not all, attempts to turn delivery over to private contractors. We continue to fight. Write your Congresspeople and Senators. There is NO logical reason to end 6-day delivery. The USPS receives not one red cent of your tax dollars. Darryl Issa is a buffoon who only seeks to profit personally from dismantling the USPS.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------I've shared more detailed info since then, but that was how I introduced myself to the fine folks here.

 

[MikeE3]

Congrats clnire I'm still waiting for my First Vaperversary (in about 3 months.) I am now eligible to join AARP (as of a couple months ago ) I've been putzing on this forum for about as long as I've been vaping (for real - a couple of starts and stops over the past four years - wish I'd have found this "back in the day",) and it never ceases to amaze me of the vast number of folks who have found e-cigarettes to replace the real ones. I'd been a smoker for about 27 years (give or take a bit, can't really remember when I became a "real" smoker.) My parents both smoked (Mom cigarettes, Dad pipes) My Aunt and Uncle both smoked (she cigarettes, he pipes.) Mom and Dad finally quit - not sure how, and I don't really know when. Mom had been diagnosed with Parkinsons. Might have been shortly around that time that I'd gone to visit them, and all Dad's pipes were stacked neatly in his pipe racks, but no more ashtrays or smell of smoke in the house.

Welcome to the porch Dinger. Thanks for telling your story. Whoohoo - the 1st year milestone is something to look forward to. Heck - I was overjoyed w/ myself when I made it 30 days. At the 1 year mark I couldn't believe I made it. That's when I really thought - this is going to work.

 

[MikeE3]

Well since our resident Professor, PapaSloth, hasn't checked in yet - I'll do the math lesson. The new front porch opened about 2 1/2 hrs ago and we're up to 50 posts, so thats about 20 post per hour. Who said old folks are slow.

 

[Frenchfry1942]

Thank-you all, I hope I give back when I can.

No, no more deployments. I has been 33 years and I am diabetic, both eyes operated on, VA says they have a hearing aid for me, both knees shot...But it is okay. Even the motorcycle has sat this summer. My wife still works and does well enough, so I am not in a hurry to work. Nice just to walk the dog and sit on the front porch.

Thank-you all, vaping is a blessing over cigarettes. I am grateful.

 

[MikeE3]

Okay folks .... don't turn out the porch light ... no telling when Rat and Wolf might show up ... and we don't want them tripping up the steps. Time for bed in our house. See ya in the morning. Thanks for the house warming party on the new porch. Ya'll are making it a success.

 

[Janet H]

I'm a relative newbie to the Vapor World, (about 3 mos) but I do qualify in the "older folks" category. Heh heh. I smoked for 43 flipping years!! I'm struggling right now, but I'm hanging in there. I'm so weary of being a slave to cigarettes.

Today is my 2 year vapeaversary! After 40 years of smoking, the last 20 years struggling to quit, 2 years ago I decided to try an ecig. I bought a Blu from a drugstore and thought "this could work!". At the time I was only smoking about 1/2 PAD but it was 1/2 PAD too much. Google is my friend. I joined ECF and spent literally hours reading. I purchased a VV ego kit and never looked back. I now have several mods from Vamos to MVPs to iSticks and more. I use mostly EVOD/protank style clearos that I rebuild. I tinker with some DIY and have a lot of tobaccos I have extracted. I subscribe to several threads I actively participate in. have seen this thread before but just never got involved. Tonight as I read I decided to join this wonderful group of vapers who continue to help and support each other. I look forward to reading your posts and participating where I can.

Vape long and prosper. Peace and long vape.

WELCOME Rotowoman and Clnire! Wow, switched over to a new thread just a couple hours ago and we have new people already! Make yourself comfortable, just watch out for those cushions on the rockers. Iffy likes to add "special" cushions...

I just sat and read the restart posts. I started with the second porch. Nice to see it has been refurbished. I can see some momentos hung for those that have passed on. I am grateful for a comfortable place to sit in a rocker. Today is day 365 and I feel good.

I'm only 52, but deployed a lot of times. Just came back from Afghanistan. I kept up...but, soaked my feet a few times.

Anyway, its a great hobby and my doctor said, "good".

Hope to be there...

YAY French!!! Congratulations on your 1 year vapversary!! And Congratulations on making it back from A-stan and for your service for us there.

 

[2legsshrt]

You did help a lot Mek. It was alot easier then I thought it was going to be just as easy as the KFL. Now ever used Ethyl Malto to sweeten. I ordered some TFA Cotton Candy which I assue is Ethyl Malto how much do you use per say 10ml?

 

[DavidOck]

Heck, I can't remember when I found the porches, so here goes anew

66 yo retired dam electrician. Yes, that's right. Dam electrician. As in hydro-electric plant. Happy to have made it out alive, as 110,000 volts only lets you get away with doing it right. (Actually, like the Navy, written procedures on working around high voltage to make sure, followed faithfully. But stuff happens...)

Little over 2 years ago, after RYO pipe tobacco cigs for years, decided to try the "e" kind. Got thoroughly confused about what I was finding in online shops, so went to a B&M - we had two within about 30 miles then. Came out with a 650 ego and a CE4, some 18 flavors. Heck, that was pretty decent, but not quite enough. Went back the following week for some 24 juice, another battery and topper plus some heads, and haven't smoked since.

Of course, the hardware has been significantly changed since then. This is most of my current collection:



although the Lemo and the IStick aren't there, or all the other "stuff" that goes with vaping and building....

 

[FlamingoTutu]

I just sat and read the restart posts. I started with the second porch. Nice to see it has been refurbished. I can see some momentos hung for those that have passed on. I am grateful for a comfortable place to sit in a rocker. Today is day 365 and I feel good.

I'm only 52, but deployed a lot of times. Just came back from Afghanistan. I kept up...but, soaked my feet a few times.

Anyway, its a great hobby and my doctor said, "good".

Hope to be there...

Congratulations on the one year! Wonderful achievement. Here are the mini, but energetic, penguins.



Thank you for your service. With some rest, I hope some of those weary body parts start to rejuvenate.

 

[FlamingoTutu]

I'm a relative newbie to the Vapor World, (about 3 mos) but I do qualify in the "older folks" category. Heh heh. I smoked for 43 flipping years!! I'm struggling right now, but I'm hanging in there. I'm so weary of being a slave to cigarettes.

Rotowoman, is this your first post here? If so, welcome to the new, improved porch! I've seen you on so many threads I just thought you'd been here before. This is a great place to hang out, shoot the ...., learn some new stuff and ask questions. Greatest group of people you will ever come across.

 

[holimakaru]

I don’t think I eva introduced myself. Smoked for 50+ years and was up to 3 cartons a month when my daughter said to try an ego with a ce4. Was ok so I told her to get me one. This was the last week of July 2012. Smoked whatever cigarettes I had left (I think my daughter stole most of it) and that was it. Wasted ridiculous amount on joose before I realized that I cannot taste s..t anyway so I diy now. Got a whole bunch of batteries and atomizers, too many I guess. It’s like trying to ride 2 horses with 1 A.....

 

[Iffy]

Today is my 2 year vapeaversary!

SWEET! Kudos...

today is day 365 and I feel good.

Congrats!

And thank you for your service!


A shout out to all our new porchers! 'A stranger is just a friend we haven't met yet.'

 

[PapaSloth]

Well since our resident Professor, PapaSloth, hasn't checked in yet - I'll do the math lesson. The new front porch opened about 2 1/2 hrs ago and we're up to 50 posts, so thats about 20 post per hour. Who said old folks are slow.

I'm here I was just letting everyone else tell their stories before chiming in, since I'm still a relative newbie. I was 20 when I started smoking, should have been old enough to know better. I did know better, I just didn't really care at the time. I was dating a smoker at the time, and somehow that seemed more important. Anyway, 32 years later, and I was still hooked. I tried everything at one time or another to quit, except Chantix. At one point, I successfully stopped for over 6 months, but the craving never went away. I played the mental game where you tell yourself you can have just one, and not want another one after that. Then, a week later, you tell yourself you were able to have one, and you didn't start smoking again, so you can have another. And, before you know it, you're back up to one or two packs a day. Then, I did exactly the same thing later on, as if I didn't know any better. My grandmother died of heart disease (lifelong smoker), and my father died of lung cancer (lifelong smoker), and I was absolutely sure that I'd smoke for the rest of my life and end up the same way. On the plus side, at least it wouldn't be Alzheimer's disease that finally got me.

Well, all of that changed 4 months ago. I'd been interested in vaping for a while, but didn't really know anything about it. I looked at a few pages online, but all that talk about ecigs, and cartos, and clearos, and tanks, and rbas, and rdas, and rtas, and mechmods, and boxmods, and egos, and spinners, and liquids, and solids, and waxes just made my brain hurt. Then, last Summer, one of my students was a vaper, and I picked his brains a few times when we were both out at the designated smoking areas. He told me enough about it that I felt comfortable walking into a vape shop and buying something (a Kanger EVOD blister pack). On the drive home from the shop, I had my last cigarette. I haven't really wanted one since then (there were a few weeks where nothing was working right that I had some minor temptation, but it mostly just made me study harder to figure out what was going wrong). After a few days I discovered FastTech, and within two weeks I'd already upgraded to a Protank 3, and from there to a Kayfun Lite. Since then, I've settled into a collection of Big Buddhas, that do pretty much exactly what I want them to do. I've also been DIY-ing almost from the beginning (in fact, when I bought the blister pack I also bought 5 10ml bottles of eLiquid, and I still have 2 of them [I just looked, and one of them seems to have evaporated. Bad packaging.]).

If you had told me last year that I'd be a non-smoker, I'd have laughed at you (or assumed that some dire medical emergency had finally caught up to me). But no! Life is full of surprises!