Proper etiquette would have been to introduce myself a while ago...

[AndyCAYP]

Way back when I signed up for the site I introduced myself on the cigar side, but with most of my energy spent here in the pipe section I figured another introduction was appropriate.

Hi! My name's Andy. Back when this was the other site, and on other other sites and Twitter, I go/went by "szyzk".

I live in the hamlet of Warren, PA, tucked into the semi-NW corner of the state near the NY state line. I am a Certified Retail Tobacconist at Nice Ash Cigars. I handle all web work, some customer service, some graphic design, and a good portion of the order fulfillment, for niceashcigars.com, cigarsatyourprice.com, and egars.com. I've been married now for 8 years, have a few cats, and our first little one is on the way. I'm a diehard Bills fan. My family emigrated from Poland to Buffalo and most of my relatives still live there, so I consider it a second home. I alos have a soft spot for the Lake Erie rust belt - next to Buffalo on my list of favorite places is Cleveland. It doesn't hurt that I've been a Cavs fan since I was young. I'm a sucker for Sherlock Holmes, I deceloped a soft spot for Shel Silverstein when I was a kid, and I have a huge foreign film collection on blu-ray, anything from early Japanese samurai to artsy fartsy French New Wave to the current detective stories coming from Hong Kong.

I'm one of those annoying foodies. I live about 10 minutes from a phenomenal free range farm so I stuff myself with incredible beef, chicken, pork, lamb, and goat, and I make regular trips to Cleveland's West Side Market when our farmer's market is closed. I love artisan bread. The stinkier and runnier the cheese the better. I eat my beef extremely rare. I'm really happy to suck down oysters, tripe, and foie gras. I'll eat truffles with shaved truffles on top. I love right bank wines, especially St. Emilion, I'm nuts for rye whiskey, I enjoy Havana Club rum, my local brewery is Southern Tier so that's awesome, and I'm a coffee & tea snob.

I have been smoking cigars for 17 years now, although I wasn't serious about them until 2006 or so. Despite being online back when there was no internet per se, just dial-in BBS's, I didn't realize there was a cigar community online until 2008 or 2009 when I found the other site. I read it daily but didn't sign up for an account until 2010, mostly because although I talk a lot I rarely have anything to say.

Not for nothing, I think Cuban tobacco, and then Dominican, is tops. My favorite wrapper is the true Cameroon, Meerapfel.

Anyway, participating online really forced my enjoyment of cigars to become a more passionate endeavor and that lead to me working with tobacco all day.

It was shortly after I signed up for that site that I was introduced to piping. I skipped the aro phase and went straight into English, Balkans, and Orientals, which I still enjoy although in much more moderation. As with others, it took me a while to learn how to appreciate VAs but I'm hooked now.

As I wrote elsewhere, I have a few favorite blends that I couldn't live without. Ennerdale (anything stinky from G&W, honestly), Royal Yacht, Capstan, Hamborger Veermaster, Lancer's Slices/Bengal, FVF, 1792, Grousemoore, Irish Flake, anything Lat from GLP... I'm also a huge fan of Condor, Walnut Flake, Warrior Plug, Parsons' Pleasure, Digger Flake, St. Bruno, McQuaid, Punchbowle, etc. Our UK brothers have it made with their OTCs; I've come to enjoy Carter Hall but I'd gladly give it up for their selection.

Anyway, as I said above, lots of words but rarely anything to say.

[WNYTONY]

Welcome Andy - lol that just seems weird since you've been around forever.

Next time I'm over I gotta have you hook me up with a couple beginner pipes. @c.ortiz108 just bombed me some pipe tobacco and these cobs I have are probably not worthy of such fine leaf.

[Desertlifter]

Howdy again!

[c.ortiz108]

Welcome Andy - lol that just seems weird since you've been around forever.

Next time I'm over I gotta have you hook me up with a couple beginner pipes. @c.ortiz108 just bombed me some pipe tobacco and these cobs I have are probably not worthy of such fine leaf.

A lot of experienced pipe smokers actually advise starting out with cobs. I guess they're supposed to be easier to smoke? Only thing is, especially if you're trying out aromatics/flavored blends (and I think I sent you one) or latakias (which I think I mostly sent), it's best to smoke them in separate pipes so the flavors don't "ghost" the pipe. Some will dedicate a pipe to only one particular blend. As someone who's only been smoking a pipe since early this year, though, I feel a little silly giving advice!

Anyway, sorry to hijack, @AndyCAYP , and Welcome to the pipe side!

[Nature]

What an intro Andrew! Thank you!
Well with that " Welcome " again! We are glad you are here.

[Lostmason]

Welcome Andy,,sorry to hear your such a vegetarian, I know if you'ld just try bacon you'ld convert,,
And the Bills,really,cummon, the Stealers are soo much more.Anywho, I'm just picing on ya, it's really
cool to see we have so many here that actually know tobacco.

THUNDER UP, Brother

[Lynn]

AN THEN I FOUND THIS INTRO>>>>>>>>>>AN THOUGHT WHAT HAPPENED HERE>>>>>>CALI MED YOUR BAD>>>>>>>>>WELCOME TO THE PIPERS AN TOKERS>>>ALWAYS LIKE HIM>>>>>>>>>

[jhedrick83]

Glad you are here with us Bums!

[Cigars4Troops]

you the best!

[AndyCAYP]

Welcome Andy - lol that just seems weird since you've been around forever.

Next time I'm over I gotta have you hook me up with a couple beginner pipes. @c.ortiz108 just bombed me some pipe tobacco and these cobs I have are probably not worthy of such fine leaf.

I'm a bit late, as this was already tackled above, but there is absolutely nothing wrong with cobs Tony! I always keep a couple on hand because they smoke dry and cool and are pretty much non-fuss. Briars look nice but they're basically just a more expensive version and sometimes don't perform as well... Such is the way with this side of our hobby!

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Howdy again!

The Killah from WA Zillah is still around! Good to see you!

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What an intro Andrew! Thank you!
Well with that " Welcome " again! We are glad you are here.

My life story in a nutshell. Thanks!