Pipeology - The Fine Art of Pipe Smoking and Thought

 My smoking a pipe relaxes me.  Due to my theology at times I get stressed by the world and life itself.  My pipe keeps me relaxed as does a glass of wine from time to time.  Relaxation is the key to survival.  Otherwise stress could get a foothold and I refuse to let it.  If I am out of sorts, so to speak, I make sure I have my meds.  My wife often reminds me to take my medications, both for my heart and my mind.   I’m not changing my theology in order to adapt.  I consider myself an independent thinker including being independent in my politics.  I filter everything in life through the lenses of my Angels.  I work hard at being as forgiving as God is, but I draw the line in the taking of Human Life believing only God can take a life.  No one else can.  But the death is this world can get to me.  Including the most recent plane crash in DC. And my own survival matters.   So, I smoke a pipe in order to remain rel...

 Yesterday I wrote about heaven, but what about that other place called hell?  Does it exist?  We can’t wrap our heads around a concept of eternity or forever, but what about a forever in hell?  Did my Angels say much about hell?  It is the one topic I hate the most.  But it exists.   Long ago in heaven, Satan was the best of Angels.  But he wanted to create as God does.  God wouldn’t let him.  So he was kicked out of heaven and brought one third of angels with him.  This is why there is death.  Everything dies because of him.  He sees his task as killing all God has made.  Since he can’t create he destroys all God has created. Sounds like a myth to a nonbeliever.  But it explains why things die.  Hell is the punishment for the murderers of this world including murderers of the self.  Hell is separated by a veil in heaven.  It is so bright in heaven that those there can’t see into hell.  But t...

 Just something else to invade your day.  But I do it mostly for family.  It keeps us connected.  I do it for love:  Both for the love of family and the love of writing.  I couldn’t care less whether anyone reads what I write.  I carefully think about what I want to say.  Part of it comes from my meditation.  Part comes from what’s on mind.  But most comes from my heart and not so much my head.     And if no one cared, I couldn’t care less.  But the question is:  What am I thinking about this morning?  A fear people my age have is the fear of loneliness.  But I have no such fears as I spend a lot of time by myself.  But I’m out of the way as my wife knows I’m right here even though my mind is mikes away.  I don’t know where heaven is, but it could be just a heartbeat away.   I wonder about heaven only knowing what my Angels said about it.  If we only knew, we’d do anything to get there. ...

 I’ll try to write even if I don’t have much to say or after some 740 posts on this blog I’ve said it all before.  Writing is good for my mind even if only a few read what I have to say.  If I cared about numbers, I would add my son as a friend on FB and many of his followers would know I am his father.  The first time around FB made me neurotic.  Now I simply don’t care.  If I cared I would add my schools and my places of work.   But these days and this time around I am doing things differently.  If you care about Angels and Divine Intervention then it’s already out there.  And if you don’t care, I’ll try not to bore you.  But this time around I simply don’t care.  I’ve had to learn.  There have been very few days I haven’t written.  I usually have something on my mind.  My world is still full of hopes and dreams. But my dreams now are visions for the future.   Everyone thinks about the end of life in some form ...

 I guess you could say I’ve always been somewhat of a Spiritual person.  The most beautiful sunrise I ever experienced was during the summer spent in Colorado.  The sun rose over a mountain and the sky was a perfect pink and orange.  But as for sunsets I have experienced many.  I don’t recall a favorite sunset.  Maybe to some either a sunrise or a sunset is just either.  Maybe nothing special. But I’m thinking this morning as I get older I’m still like mid-day, but that I haven’t yet reached the sunset of life.  Those who are younger won’t be thinking about the sunsets or the sunrises but that every day is an adventure.  We slow down as we get older.  I used to look forward to trips, but these days I’d rather stay put than travel.  We’ve had our travels.  I used to dream of road trips, but no more.   Maybe I’m at the sunset of life to some degree, but really I’ve just slowed down preferring instead to let my thoughts take ...

 Nothing is guaranteed in life.  I told my wife if anything should happen to her I’ll remain with my son unless he decides to sell his house and move elsewhere.  I’ll remain here in Cape Coral and simply find a place to live.  But those are my plans.  Same with her if anything happens to me, but where we live otherwise depends on her.  I’ll let her make that decision.   I’m thinking I’ll live to see the Messiah come.  I have no proof of this but it’s in my thinking.  I might wait quite some time.  Meanwhile life goes on.  As cold as it has been it will get warmer.  But I’m here in Cape Coral to stay.  We have our home in NY I can visit, but this is permanent.   I’m not planning for my death, because if I were, it would be like lying.  So, I plan for life accordingly.  I am the only proof I have and so I live as I wish.  I’ll let others make end of life plans but I won’t.  This is the only guarantee...

 It was a song by Mary Hopkins that has no bearing on our lives back then, but when you are young the world is your oyster.  But those days are gone now, but the memories linger along with many songs from our era.  I know I’ve written a lot about the music from the 60’s to the early 70’s, but it’s the music we listen to today; at least I do.  My wife is little more eclectic, but in the car my wife and I both have our playlists from our era.   But the fact is I can’t stop listening to it, mostly because it was so good.  There was a basement pub we frequented as students.  None of us drank, but we’d drink our Cokes and enjoy the atmosphere and it was off-campus where a few would order drinks.  But thinking back on it, those were our days.  My wife and I didn’t have a lot of days of dating before we were engaged, but I remember those days with great fondness. Fifty years later life happened but with our 50th anniversary coming upon us we both re...

 My wife and I invested a small amount in crypto currency and I’m learning about it.  It’s another distraction I seem to need.  I watch it occasionally to see how it does, but I’m not sure I care too much as long as it doesn’t go below our small investment.  But I’m learning about it.  We might invest more, but right now it’s an experiment.  I go to the app once in a while to see how it is doing and I must say it is at least interesting.   We’re newbies to investing in crypto, but at least it’s interesting.  This is not an endorsement of crypto, as I don’t know enough to endorse it.  But it is interesting.  We’re not big on investments and always had what we consider to be safe investments.  As to how safe crypto is, we’ll just have to see.   But my wife says now I’ll be at least distracted by it as I watch it from time to time.  We might make enough to pay my monthly tobacco bill which is about $50 a month.  So, it g...

 I have a lot of days throughout the year I remember and recognize.  Today is my wife’s birthday and wanted to be the first this morning to wish her a happy birthday, but Publix beat me to it.  They woke us both up with a happy birthday text.  But today, while important, is another in a long list of days I have to remember.  Valentine’s Day is next on the calendar although at our age it doesn’t mean much. I could get all sentimental and say every day is Valentine’s Day, but that is like my saying every day is Christmas too.  So, I’ll save the love points for later.  Happy Birthday, Honey!!  With that out of the way, not a lot on my mind this morning except for the weather here.  It has been chilly as of late.  The high today is expected to be around 54 today.  To you northerners that sounds balmy.  But to us here in Florida that is downright cold!   Next week the high is going to be in the upper 70’s.  I’ll take that ...

 My wife’s birthday is tomorrow and I’m thinking we both like surprises, but both of us are too old to be celebrating birthday’s apart from family celebrations.  Actually, neither one of us wants to be reminded of how old we are.  She’s still has a youthful heart and that is what matters.  My heart not so much.  Her heart is much healthier than mine.  At least I hope it is.   But if I don’t write about my Spiritual journey here, I need enough distractions to keep from writing about the Spiritual of my life.  And if it’s not my wife’s birthday tomorrow, it could be our 50th anniversary in March.  I’m just not into celebrations.  I enjoy a quiet life these days without a lot of interruptions.  Spiritual people enjoy being alone a lot.   But what actually defines Spirituality?  It’s not about religion or even group thinking.  Spiritual people don’t mind being alone.  We are our own best friend.  My wife is defi...

 Mac Baren has four different blends called Seven Seas.  They have Black, Gold, Royal and regular, which is their best-seller of the four.  Right now Smoking Pipes is sold out of the Regular.  It has a 4.3 rating and is a top 25 best seller.  It is the highest rated of the four, which is why I ordered it.  Any Mac Baren blend is excellent.  But what makes the Regular so special? First of all it’s the toasted Virginia that makes it naturally sweet.  It is an Aromatic without a lot of extra artificial flavoring.  Black is a tad sweeter with extra toasted Virginia.  A lot of pipe smokers find most any Cavendish as being too sweet with little flavor.  Regular has more tobacco taste that is naturally sweet.  I can see why it gets such a great review.  It’s more natural than the other three.   The more Virginia in a tobacco the better it is.  But the more toasted it is the less natural it is.  Royal and Gold have ...

 Maybe by now everyone is tired of football especially if you don’t have a team in the championships.  I wanted the Lions to win because they haven’t been in it for so long.  I’ll root for them almost over anyone except an Ohio team, so I might be a Lions fan for a long time.  OSU is in the Championship game against ND.  I know how many feel about OSU and its fans, but I am not one of those fans.  These are probably the most loved and hated teams in college football.   No one can be a hater of the Lions or its fans.  They got so close last year.  But until the Lions win a SB I’m sold on the Lions.  Maybe the Browns if they ever get their act together.  But Browns fans and OSU fans are a lot alike.  But mostly they’re from Ohio.  What can I say?  I still think Day is the best college football coach although granted he inherited his position.  But if he can’t coach he wouldn’t be there.   I like that so much o...

 I have a couple of tobaccos I can review now. But I have another take on a tobacco I like, but thought the nicotine was too much.  I ordered four ounces of Haunted Bookshop thinking I’d try it by itself again and see if it still is too much nicotine.  It gets a 4.7 stars out of 264 reviews and is a top 25 seller on Smoking Pipes.  So, what was my problem with it?  Simple:  Too much nicotine.  It is a Virginia, Burley, and Perique blend.   It’s the Perique.  It has quite a bit of it that has at times affected me.  So, what is different now?  I’ve had enough tobaccos with Perique that it doesn’t seem to bother me now.  I made my own blend with Haunted Bookshop that gave me some flavor, but the blend softened the Perique.  I slowly got used to it so much so, I can smoke Haunted Bookshop by itself without it bothering me.   I have to smoke it often enough to prevent it from bothering me.  The Nicotine takes some get...

 ASMR is an acronym for Auditory Sensory Median Response which most psychologists suggest is a nothing-burger.  Frankly I have found that most any ASMR video or recording does absolute zero for me.  I can find the sounds relaxing, but I’ve never had the tingles or other responses as evidenced by others.   So, what is the history of ASMR?  In 2007 the internet became a discussion forum for the feelings of various sensations of ASMR and it was reported that it was relaxing, like someone brushing their hair.  In 2010 Jennifer Allen coined the term to describe the tingly sensation of relaxation from certain sounds - hence the term.  One ASMR producer does absolutely nothing while meditating in his Yoga position for hours in a day and has millions of followers on YouTube.   Subscribers to his channel say it relaxes them just watching him.  One ASMR video is nothing but a woman brushing her hair.  Others might include lip smacking.  Some ...

 I’ve said a lot about my Spirituality here that I’m not sure I need to say more about it.  My theology is rather simple not dependent on anything but just believing the taking of Human Life is the ultimate sin.  But I do beliefs prevent this from happening to most anyone.  Beliefs are more detailed than my own, but I’ll never argue beliefs except for the two sins I’ve mentioned.   Maybe my thoughts are more like prayers and maybe they are.  But still I focus on people and not world affairs or politics.  And still I avoid religion except to say that I think more like a Buddhist than a Christian.  Except while Human Life is more of a Buddhist belief than most anything else.  I still believe in Divine Intervention as I have always believed except now I think it’s more imminent than before.   But my Spirituality keeps me more focused on the Divine.  I have my distractions which I need wondering what I’ll do after college football is ov...

 We went out grocery shopping last evening and I have an OSU hoodie I wear around the house but not out too much.  We went to the local Winn-Dixie where I thought I might get some stares or eye rolls, but none of that happened.  In fact I have it on this morning as it’s not even 60 degrees and is quite chilly.   We let our gym membership expire so I have been taking walks around the neighborhood .  Our insurance has been paying for our gym membership and this year they aren’t paying for it.  So I average about 23 minutes for a mile and a third walk.  I discovered a local pipe shop that is mostly a vape store, but they do sell tobacco pipes and pipe tobacco.  I usually have enough tobacco to last me until my next order comes in, but today I am running low and might take a walk down to the local shop and get some tobacco. Their prices are a little higher, but last time I got a can of Captain Black Original.  I just got back and took a break fro...

 Now that I choose a pipe for a day, with literally thousands of tobacco blends available, how do I choose my tobacco?  First of all, one can choose either English or Aromatic pipe tobacco blends with the term English not really being correct.  But as Aromatics depend on artificial flavoring and how they are flavored, English tobaccos depend on various tobaccos for blending.  Each tobacco gives flavoring depending on the tobaccos.  In English tobaccos there is the tobacco consisting of Virginias and Burleys, but the various flavorings come from Orientals, Latakia, and Perique's.   It’s the difference between flavored coffees as opposed to origins of unflavored coffee and how the beans are roasted.   When it comes to Aromatics it all depends on what flavors one likes the best.  Lane 1-q is the most popular aromatic followed by Autumn Evening if one likes Maple pancakes.  But unlike reviews of Aromatics I take reviews of English blends more ser...

 I gave a lot of thought to this morning’s topic.  I have some 30 or 40 pipes I could choose from any given day.  How do I choose a pipe?  I have pipes for select days of the week, but I enjoy smoking most of my pipes.  And once I choose a pipe for a day, I won’t go back to my pipe cabinet and choose another one.  I have favorite pipes for smoking and I have pipes that are very special as gifts. given mostly by wife and family.   I have pipes dedicated to certain days of the week.  My favorite smoking pipe goes almost without saying that it is my Dunhill pipe my family gave to me for Christmas a year ago.  That is by far my favorite and best pipe for both smoking and for the pipe itself.  I usually smoke that pipe on Tuesday’s but don’t ask me why.  I always give my pipes a week rest before I smoke them again.  I reserve Sunday’s for my Angel pipe, which my wife gave me as a gift for my 70th birthday.  It is by far my favo...

 My wife and I have listened to an album from Chip Davis of American Gramophone fame called Sunday Morning Coffee.  The album was produced in the early 90’s, I believe, and I have it in my CD collection but listen now on YouTube.  I’m sure Spotify has it but I haven’t gotten around to make too many playlists, but I haven’t done that one, but on Spotify I can listen without commercial interruption.   My wife and I both have found relaxing on a Sunday morning the best time of the week.  And listening to New Age music while sipping a hot cup of coffee is the best way to spend a Sunday morning.  Sure we could be going to church or doing other things, but listening to quiet music while drinking coffee is the best way to spend a Sunday morning.     I saw this album on a CD rack in a store and I already had several of his Fresh Aire albums and it was the cover that attracted my attention plus the name of the album.  It pictures two coffee cups fille...

 What do I do for a diversion after football is over?  Do I get into hockey or basketball?  Right now I am clueless about college basketball.  It will be over the first of April which is when baseball season begins.  Will I get into baseball? I used to be an avid reader, but I haven’t read much in the past three decades other than reading the news.  And I would say that in the past ten years or so the news hasn’t interested me all that much.  But I thought about doing some book reviews here, although in a way, I can’t say I’ll read enough to write about books on a regular basis.   I don’t listen to the pop music of today and apart from a few famous music artists I have no idea about today’s music.  I’ve been watching a few rug cleaning YouTube vids lately because while I like what is called ASMR vids, there is nothing to say about this except to say that in the end the filthiest of carpets come out clean.  It’s about as exciting as golf ...

 Okay, let’s talk football!  I need my diversion now and for me there is nothing like football.  It is really the only diversion I have for the moment.  I’ve been watching a lot of YouTube predictions about the two games left before the championship game.  OSU is the Vegas odds-on favorite to win the whole thing.  The Penn State/Notre Dame game is essentially a toss-up.  ND is favored by a point and a half, which is basically a toss-up.   I’ve been listening to what analysts are saying, but despite OSU’s wins it’s the most recent Michigan loss that raises questions right now.  OSU is favored over Texas by five and half, but I’ve heard several experts say that margin should be seven or more.  Is Texas that much better than Oregon?  There are a few who say Oregon just might be the best team still.  No one seems to know which OSU team will show up for any given game.   What is fascinating is that the oldest of the four coache...

 I quit worrying about my Angels years ago.  I was told they were a psychosis and I hallucinated them; that they were demons; and that I lied and just made them up.  If any of these things were true, very simply put, I wouldn’t be here.  It took two near death experiences to convince my wife.  It took some nearly twenty years to convince a social worker.  And it took 25 years for me to find community. But through it all I prevailed.  I wasn’t about to give up.  And I never have in 31 years.  Very simply put, if any of these things were true, one thing is evident:  I very simply wouldn’t be here.  I am the ONLY proof I have.  I wasn’t going to talk about them until my family believed me.  I learned one thing from all this:  God does the convincing; not me.  All I have to do is live and God doesn’t care how, but just that I live. I no longer worry about convincing anyone.  It’s not up to me.  I am just a ...

 It wasn’t until I did my vids for Rise.TV that I now have is a community of believers.  I never had this before, which is why I don’t concern myself with numbers.  Before I did.  It’s what I now have that is different.  It took nearly 25 years after the experience to find community.  It’s what I now have that I never had.  I was looking for community.   I now have that.  I have community now and I am no longer is search of community.  So, I no longer care about convincing anyone as I did before.  I was psychotic and bi-polar before but not really am I any longer.  I take my meds and can have episodes, but I no longer need professional help as I did before.  I was alone but no longer am I alone. This is what is different now.  It’s why in many respects I no longer care because my story is out there.  Maybe not entirely, but what is most important is out there.  What is most important is the value of human li...

 First of all. angels aren’t winged creatures, but appear as humans.  Secondly, I wish I knew how to summon them.  And lastly, I just wish I knew more than I claim to know.  Of course, I am my only proof I have.  And because they changed my theology, I have pretty much ditched all I thought I knew.  God simply is not that complex.  I only wish now I could converse with them again. Angels don’t have wings.  They appear in human form.  And they will always announce themselves with Peace.  Angels often appear at one’s death or at accident scenes.  Many people have had near death experiences that often involve angels and heaven.  Many have come back from death and have talked or written about their experiences.   Angels have the potential to change lives.  Once encountered they are never forgotten.  I have so many questions for my Angels I often wish they would come to me again.  But knowing they exist I believe...

My Spirituality is my own brand.   It is just my own.  I can’t pass it on and it isn’t marketable.  It is a new year now and I’ve decided to focus on my own brand of Spirituality.  It is different.  But I am unable to say how it is different.  This has been a problem for me for 31 years.  But I will continue with it.  As much as I’d love to share it, the fact is I simply can’t.   Each Spiritual person has to find their own path.  It took me literally years to find mine.  Some even find spirituality through various relationships.  I won’t get into all that, but it’s implied.  The fact is I have shared all my secrets only to a few and a few secrets I’m keeping to myself.   It may seem as if I’m boasting about being superior or special, but the fact is I’m different.  Not many are saved by Angels.  I claim to be otherwise I would not be here.  I am the only proof I have.  But too I need diversions fro...

 I’m going to try to make this as simple as I can.  We have two cats.  Sir William Wallace was our first cat we acquired about six months ago.  Apollo is a cat we acquired about a month ago.  I call the other cat “Sir” but it seems he prefers “Willie” or at times we call him “William.”  He’s a Maine Coon cat mostly and lived in a barn for four years.  When we had a dog staying with us that was part Rottweiler, he not only owned the house, but the dog too. In his playful moods he’ll chase Apollo around who has nothing to do with him if he can help it.  Apollo is a full Siamese cat that gets into everything.  But he knows Sir owns the house.  But most of the time they get along quite well.  We acquired Apollo from owners who moved to Australia and couldn’t take him with him.  So in a sense he’s on loan, but since it costs thousands of dollars to bring him into Australia, we are thinking he might be permanent.   When Ben was ...

 Actually, I have none.  Except maybe just one.  As to when it will happen I have none idea.  My Angels gave me one date and that is a spring birthdate as to when Jesus was born the first time.  I celebrate that date by myself and make it my own religious day.  But when He will return I have no idea but I think it will be soon. I don’t pay too  much attention to what others have to say about predictions.  Many seem to think and believe as I do.  I see many predictions, but I think of most of it as just click-bait.  I just don’t pay much attention to the predictions of others.  I have seen productions about Trump; the economy; and world affairs, but I’m not sure I care. No one can predict the future as I take life a day at a time.  I try to live in the now and let tomorrow take care of itself.  If I f pay too much attention to the future I could very well be anxious about it.  Today is New Years Day and actually, I’m p...