Pipeology - The Fine Art of Pipe Smoking and Thought

 With age comes wisdom—we hope.  Turning 74 has finally set in.  I faced death twice and don’t fear it.  We get tired as we grow older.  I love the stamina of youth.  I sit around mostly smoking my pipe and meditating.  My wife has me do things.  But if my wife has several things for me to do, I’ll remember the last thing she tells me.  I go in for water and she’ll have me do something and I’ll forget what I went in to do.   Sometimes I’ll just go in and forget what I went in to do.  That happens a lot these days.  We were checking out at the grocery store and the we like the lady who usually checks us out.  She began having riddles to me solve.  I did okay on a few and a few stumped me.  But interactions with people are good for me.   But if I’m around too many people at once I get distracted.  Over the years I’ve slowly become my own best friend.  I like that I am or can be when I wish to be. ...

 I am not afraid to spend time alone.  My pipe keeps me company and is a tool for meditation.  I work on myself while thinking about others.  I’m willing to share my space with others.  And I often do.  But I enjoy my alone time.  I’ll put my phone down and get away from the news and social media.  I simply enjoy my alone time.   Mostly I connect with my Angels and it’s so I don’t forget.  It was almost 32 years ago, but they gave me a lot to remember.  I’ll often go over that conversation in my mind and remember the most important things we talked about.  I can’t forget.  They have been my obsession ever since.  But many did not know whom I should have told.  But they are now out in the public.   I don’t worry so much that everyone needs to know.  So, in essence I am never alone.  I am with the unseen now.  But in time all will be revealed.  I simply wait patiently for that time to come....

 I’ve been reading the Gospels because I’ve been bing watching The Chosen on Prime.  I like the portrayal of Jesus the best of all the various portrayals of Jesus I have seen.  I told my wife that I remember the artist Hook who did so many artist renderings of Jesus getting a lot of flak from conservative churches about a smiling and laughing Jesus.  This Jesus in The Chosen might be too human to many but I like this portrayal. The chosen is more about the three year ministry of Jesus and His choosing of the twelve disciples.  But there are others in the group including Mary Magdalene and other women.  But this Jesus is not cold, but on the contrary is warm, smiling, and approachable.  Sometimes the accents are hard to understand so close captioning might help quite a bit.   Perhaps Jesus’ association with Nicodemus the high priest might be overdone the essence of the story is there.  The Chosen takes some liberties as every portrayal of the ...

 I just ordered one pound of Bayou Night by Cornel and Diehl.  Sunlit had Old Professor that used to be my favorite and one my wife liked the least.  I wrote a review for Smoking Pipes explaining that I thought I had found a new favorite in Bayou Night.  It might be a bit spicier than I would like, but I’ve also found there is no tobacco worthy of five out of five stars.   Bayou Night comes close, in my thinking.  First of all, I enjoy Orientals mixed in a Blend.  Perique adds spice and maybe Bayou Night has a little too much of it.  But apart from this I enjoy Bayou Night and can smoke it all day long.  I’m getting used to the little extra spice of Perique.   But after smoking eight ounces I like it better than most other English I have tried.   Some English require too much thought and are often too complex.  Other English are more for beginners or for those who want to try an English.  Not that Bayou Night is simple. ...

Pipe smoking is a hobby.  It was up until not too long ago it was a lifestyle.  But these days pipe smokers, much like myself, find it to be a pastime.  But perhaps more than other pipe smokers I do it while meditating unless I’m doing something while smoking my pipe.  I have been reading through the Gospels lately and find smoking a pipe relaxing while reading.   My eyes get strained and I need to put my phone down and look far away.  What might be even more important is that my wife knows where I am at all times.   I can’t do much else but read or watch TV while on the lanai and smoking my pipe other than meditate.  But a pipe keeps me occupied.  It demands my attention.   But this why many professionals like professors smoked a pipe.  It gives one time to think while giving it attention.  I probably like the quote from C. s. Lewis about pipe smoking the best.  He once famously said that smoking a pipe closes the mouth o...

 Jesus says one doesn’t put new wine in an old wine skin.  I used to hang out at one pipe shop where the debate was whether one would smoke a pipe costing ten thousand dollars.  I remember that debate well.  If I ten grand to invest in a pipe I used to think that was like buying a Ferrari and not driving it.  But cars are meant to be driven.   That Ferrari would cost just as much to maintain the same as if it were driven.  But pipes?  Is every pipe supposed to be smoked?  There might be collectors who have pipes for show and only smoke hundred dollar pipes.  Smoking one bowl in a ten grand pipe might decrease its value by half.  One won’t use a Ferrari for commuting every day.  If it’s not driven much that Ferrari will increase in value.   But any pipe smoked loses value.  But are all pipes for smoking?  No.  In all likelihood if that pipe is never smoked, there still are no guarantees it will go up in value...

 A lot of pipe smokers worry about keeping the bowl of a pipe clean.  I don’t know how many videos I have seen where pipe smokers use salt and alcohol to clean the inside of a bowl of the pipe.  It’s not necessary and I’ll explain why.  I have a Dunhill estate pipe that came to me as if it had never been smoked.  This is good if resale is a goal.  But the enjoyment of a pipe is a build up of caking on the inside.   A pipe is meant to be smoked.  I saw a vid recently where a pipe smoker was cleaning his pipes by this method to keep the bowls of his pipes in like new condition.  This is wrong.  A cake build up inside a pipe is what a pipe smoker wants.  The more a pipe is smoked the more of a build up inside is done.  This prevents from burning the briar and the pipe can be smoked as intended.   Cleaning by the alcohol salt method should only be done if selling the pipe.  Otherwise we want a build up of residue on the i...

 I’ve been following what casual observers and scientists say about the water levels in Lake Mead.  But a reservoir further upstream is Lake Powell and it might be in dire straights.  We can’t produce water where there is none to be had.  While Lake Powell may be left behind, it’s Lake Mead that has everyone concerned.  Las Vegas uses so much water now that Lake Mead can’t keep up. It’s not just the Venetian and the Bellagio that use a lot of water.  The city of Vegas gives tax breaks to those who don’t have lawns.  A lot of grass is disappearing.  Grass and trees cool the planet.  But it’s not just Lake Mead but the snow melt in the mountains of Colorado has not been enough in recent years to feed the Colorado River.    Now I am one of those people who believe these are the Last Days and I pay close attention to all that is happening in the world.  Lake Mead might be my own canary in the coal mine, so to speak.  But I kin...

 Okay, I have a thing for smoking pipes and tobacco.  It took awhile for me to find them, but I’ve made at least a few friends on FB who share my hobby.  I just found out that the Dunhill pipe my family bought for me a couple of years ago for Christmas is from 1978 and while they paid a few hundred for it, the pipe is actually worth about $1500 with the right buyer.   And everything these days is always with the right buyer.  A wealthy businessman paid an artist ten thousand dollars for a painting with a single line on it.  The businessman sold it for $25 million to a wealthier man for a museum.  The museum now has it and the wealthier man owns it as part of his collection but gets a tax write-off for loaning it to a museum.   I can’t do that with my pipe collection.  Except for my Dunhill my pipes aren’t worth that much.  But some collectors have only a few pipes worth thousands of dollars.  I often wish now I had the foresight bac...

 I have yet to be friends with or know a woman who smokes a pipe and if I did I wouldn’t refer to them in the masculine.  But I know they are out there because I have seen them on YouTube vids.  But right now they are all guys.  And there are a lot of them.  I think more women smoke cigars than pipes.  I had some cigars in my next order, but deleted them from my cart.  I’m just ordering some extra pipe tobacco instead.   I’m not interested in friending women pipe smokers, but if any come along they are certainly welcome.  I won’t go out of my way to find women pipe smokers.  So for now we are some guys who smoke pipes.  I’ll welcome women if they wish to join in.  A gentleman always treats a woman with respect.  This is especially true of men who smoke pipes.   I’m smoking my St. Nicholas pipe my wife gave me for Christmas a few years ago.  My tobacco is Bayou Night.  I’m finished with my coffee this morning...

I interact with a lot of fellow pipe smokers on FB.  I decided to expand my hobby of smoking a pipe.  We discuss mostly tobacco as opposed to pipes, but often I’ll share about the pipe I’m smoking and tobaccos.  My collection while numerous is modest.  I don’t have a lot of pipes worth much over a hundred dollars new.  But each pipe has a story.   My Gettysburg pipe I am smoking this morning might be my most interesting pipe.  I have made up my story about it and affectionately say it’s haunted, but I don’t really believe it is.  It’s a mysterious pipe.  I have an order ready for my birthday next month and I’m including five cigars in that order.  When anyone asks my advice on cigars I always mention the Hemingway Signature cigar by Arturo Fuentes.   I also now have a new favorite pipe tobacco called Bayou Night.  I am including eight ounces of that in my order.  I expect my next order to still be less than a hundred dolla...

 There is a lot more to life than just my Angels, but for me they are most important.  Yesterday I was sitting here smoking my Dunhill pipe and there is a mocking bird that mimics the souls of our cat’s cat finder he wears on his collar and chirps when he’s close by.  That mocking bird is now mimicking that sound.  I first heard it the other day as I was playing that sound and heard the sound from across the street.  I thought surely the cat wasn’t over there.   Sure enough it was a mocking bird mimicking that sound.  It’s a distinct chirping sound.  But the bird mimicked that sound perfectly.  Now I use my locator on my phone instead of playing the sound.  The sounds of birds here in Florida is much different from NY.  Here in Florida there aren’t the song birds as in NY.   There’s a lot to life.  Some day all birds will sing a melodious harmony.  Some day all our trials will be over.  It might be today.  B...

 I’m not posting much about Angels on social media, if at all.  If I have something to say, I’ll say it here.  Jesus died for every sin but the sins of murder and suicide.  I represent my Angels in all I do and they don’t judge and it’s what I do the most work on not being judgmental.  The Messiah will judge everyone only for those two sins when He comes.   Now, I wish more people read my posts on this blog, but writing for a few is much better than silence.  I wasn’t going to write this morning, but I was thinking about the Four Horsemen of Revelation last night and my Angels told me they are here.  I only know who one is.  But the time of His coming is short.  I am to work on Grace and NOT judgment.   I work on that for myself too.  I have to forgive myself for being human.  My Angels did not make me Divine.  I’m constantly working for my Angels in all I do.  As I observe the world I smoke a pipe in order to ju...

 It may seem to a casual observer that I don’t do much more than sit around, smoke a pipe, and watch a lot of YouTube.  I may not be much of a participant in life, but I am not just a casual observer.  I don’t interact much on social media and probably don’t need a smartphone.  But I’m here more for others than myself.   I interact when I feel it necessary to do so.  And I write mostly for my mind.  I don’t find an active social life necessary.  I do stuff.  But meditation and a quiet life IS purpose.  I lead by example.  Sometimes being quiet is necessary.  I’ve had all the noise I’ve wanted from life.  I listen.  Maybe according to my wife, not very well.  But I listen.   It is my primary task to listen.  I let the Angels speak to me and I respond when necessary.  I enjoy a quiet life these days.  Sometimes there is just too much noise from life.  And at the age of almost 74 a quiet lif...

 There are two things I cannot do.  I can’t do harm to others and I can’t do harm to myself.  Most religions are paths of Peace.  I say most because there are some religions that are not peaceful.  Most any belief is a religion.  Even science is a religion.  Not all religions even believe in a greater being.  Some religions worship themselves.   But a path is Peace is the supreme test of any religion.  Even science isn’t peaceful.  Religion removes fear.  But not all do.  I wasn’t going to post this morning because yesterday I felt so tired and wasn’t sure how I felt this morning.  But the Spirit gave me a message of Peace.  I am harmless,   This is the ongoing theme of my life.    I have felt I represent my Angels in all I have done for 31 year,  but only in the past five years or so have I been open about my Angels.  Talking about them gave me fear of unbelief. I just had to learn. ...

 My wife said yesterday that aliens could be beings from other dimensions.  In my thinking there is only one other dimension we enter and the only way through it is death.  But there are those who believe that after death is just nothingness.  I don’t know the realm of either Angels or demons.  But they both interact with humanity.  But the question is a metaphysical one about dimensions.   I believe there is only one dimension we cannot see until death.  But then too, this all ties into the judgement and where souls of the dead remain until then.  Is there a kind of dimension for the dead?  There are some things I can’t answer.  I only know this dimension.  And I had an encounter with Angels who told me that if we knew what heaven was like we’d be falling all over ourselves trying to get in.   After they told me this I wanted to go there.  I wondered whether they would just take me.  But they didn’t.  Heave...

 I asked ChatGTP about aliens and found a very interesting answer to my question about aliens.  Could aliens be either demons or angels?  Science says aliens are advanced beings.  But in the realm of theology, they are either demons or Angels and earth is their battleground.  I tend to reject the science of aliens.  But this eliminates the scientific view all together.   Most theologians think as I do about aliens.  They are supernatural beings.  Demons cause fear.  Angels do just the opposite.  They come in Peace.  Earth is their final battleground—in my thinking.  Except for demons and Angels we are alone in the universe.   But such thinking excludes all science.  Demons cause panic and havoc.  Angels do just the opposite.  Why then does the universe exist?  I believe the universe is infinite like God.  It has always existed and has no end.  Can science prove this?  In a way it has...

 Does everything in my life revolve around Angels?  When I am thinking about my Angels it does.  But sometimes I am distracted from my Angels by life.  I am focused on them when sitting quietly, but I don’t always sit quietly.  I do things.  And this is when I am most human.  Sometimes I am just me.  I often don’t feel I do a very good job representing the Angels.   But when I feel this way, I need to get back to them.  I forgive myself for my humanity and just move on.  Loving myself comes first.  Forgiving myself is paramount.  And then I move on and let love flow from me even in my humanity.  One can’t love others if one has no or little love for oneself.   But my Angels knew all about me when they came to me.  They knew my every flaw.  I often tell myself God could have done a lot better than me.  But I just have had to learn as I go along.  And I’m still learning.  Forgiving myself i...

 My wife said yesterday that a famous preacher said we are living in the Last Days.   Like the prophet Jeremiah who asked God how long it would be before the Messiah comes, is the same question I ask today.  My parents and grandparents thought they’d see Him come before they died.  And the Messiah has been expected for thousands of years.   Will I see death before the Messiah comes?  I’m expecting not to see death.  But I have no proof of this.  It would sound like I am guessing to say the Messiah will come first.  Many believed Jesus wasn’t the Messiah the first time.  But this time will be different.  He will leave nothing in doubt!   But many believe these are the Last Days.  I’m in that group.  I believe they are.  Yet, I Am getting older.  But am I gaining in wisdom in order to be heard later?  I’ve often wondered this.  My voice is not yet needed and may not be needed.  So, what purpose ...

 My Angels made me a much better person.  I’m not sure how classy Angels are in terms of acceptance, but I want to believe they gave me a touch of class.  I try to give respect to everyone regardless of how they make a living.  One can tell a lot about a person by how they treat others regardless of wealth or status.  It matters not to me, because I think of every encounter in life as a gift from Angels beginning with family. I was married to my wife 20 years before the Angels.  But I can see how the Angels worked in my life for those previous 20 years.  And since the Angels I can see why they sent me the people in my life since.  I knew I represented my Angels in all I have done for the past 30+ years.  I have kept most of them in some form or another.  Some have left me not knowing about my Angels.   I am not an angel nor do I think of myself as one.  I am far too human for that.  But in some ways I might not be fully hu...

 God and I have an understanding.  I came across a quote that says my soul is a symphony.  I understand the Grace of God about as well as anyone.  If I had anything to worry about in regard to my soul I would be a neurotic mess.  But when I feel I’ve messed up, which is often, I  can forgive myself and just move on.  I have to remember people judge, butI’ve been judged by God already. I try to forgive as I say God does, but in my humanity I am not perfect.  It helps to have a sense of humor as I know I make Angels laugh a lot.  But I still have to live in this world and many times I just wish the Messiah would come and take me to Heaven.  This world can get me down, but often I say these things must be.   I certainly am not boasting, but the Angels gave me a voice when they are silent.  I would love to say I represent my Angels in all I do, but I know I don’t.  I’m too human for that.  My Angels didn’t make me perfect...

 There are times when I feel I don’t do enough for my Angels.  But I realize I need to focus on a few things at a time.  I just don’t sit and smoke a pipe.  I focus.  A pipe helps me do this.  How, you may ask.  My Angels didn’t tell me not to smoke a pipe.  I asked them whether they wanted me to quit pipe smoking.  They told me that it was up to me. I find smoking a pipe helps keep me focused and relaxed.  Sometimes I have thought maybe I smoke too much.  Maybe I do.  But I am not an evangelist for pipe smoking agreeing with doctors who say any kind of tobacco use is detrimental to one’s health.  But it lowers my blood pressure and takes my mind off the cares of the world. This world could cause me great stress, but a pipe reduces that stress.  I carry on a centuries old tradition by smoking a pipe.  And I realize too that a pipe for me is a tool for quiet meditation.  So, I try to take very good care of my...

 Ever since my experience with my Angels I never knew how I fit into this world.  They didn’t give me much of a message except an understanding of God’s grace.  THAT I understand.  It’s not the same understanding I would find in a group.  In fact I’ve given thought to wearing a monk’s robe with a cross.  I bought one once thinking I might wear it all the time, but it looked stupid.   I don’t wear suits and ties, but feel more comfortable in shorts and a T-shirt.  I have a collection of tropical shirts I wear once in a while, but really shorts and a T-shirt is my everyday outfit.  But as to how I fit into this world, I’d say I don’t.  But I married the right woman.  She understands.  But I don’t feel understood except by her.   Sometimes I think I am to be some kind of influencer for my Angels, but I don’t believe I can do this.  I just work on one person at a time.  Or maybe two or three.  Otherwise I spend ...

 The laws of the Old Testament did not apply to Jesus.  He simply found no reason to take a human life for ANY sin.  The Pharisees did, however.  In fact anyone could be judged for most any sin.  But the Pharisees were far from perfect.  They sinned as everyone does.  They committed sins as everyone does.  Yet they found reasons to judge others, but not themselves.   I COULD say since I have been judged already, I can judge all I want.  But I too know the Grace of God about as well as anyone.  But my Angels didn’t make me perfect; only better.  Yet so often I feel my Angels could have done better.  I deserve to be the least in heaven instead of being chosen by Angels. Yet, I have to live it and just remember God is the Judge—not me.  I have to be careful about judging others and leave that up to God.  I also have to remember that we are living in the Last Days and these things must be.  All these things toda...

My Angels are all about Love and Peace.  I love my wife as she is my wife.  But Love and Peace came to me from my Angels.  No one can understand me as my wife does.  She is everything I want and need in a relationship.  No one can replace her.  For this reason I won’t.  But I can share the Love and Peace of my Angels any way I wish. I told God this morning that many times He got it all wrong with me.  So many times I have thought I have blown it all up for my Angels.  And in an earthly sense maybe I have.  I have done so many things by trial and error with Jesus as my example.  But I know too I am far from Jesus and probably should be the least in heaven. But while I can get distracted from my Angels, I just must not forget I represent them as flawed as I might be.  But when I take the time to refocus I simply don’t forget.  I don’t forget who my wife is to me and she’ll never be replaced.  But my Angels didn’t give m...

 I am not an influencer, but I have enough confidence in my Angels not to worry about it.  I had another post written for this morning, but I deleted it.  I am to just sit quietly and wait.  If God needs my voice for something I will know.  This is my quiet confidence.  I have the luxury to sit quietly and wait or I’d just be spinning my wheels.  I can’t make something just happen.  I’ve been there before and it almost drove me bananas. I had to learn.  And I think I have.  I work on my Angels one person at a time.  I focus first on family then expand outward whenever I find the opportunity to do so.  I learn by focusing on a few and not very many.  But it seems God always gives me a few at a time to work on.   I thought after my experience with my Angels, God was asking me to be an influencer.  This is not the case.  Only a handful of people read this blog and after a number of years, I realize I do it most...

  I don’t have much more to say about my pipe lounge, but this is a view from the other side.  Usually I have my back turned to the pool, but I can always turn around if I so wish.  That’s all I have to say about pipe lounges this morning.  I’m not sure I’d trade my pipe lounge for mahogany and leather.  My wife said my lounge looked messy in the photo yesterday.  I told her it always looked like that.  But this is my final post about my pipe lounge or any other.  I’ve said enough about pipe lounges. I can do without the heat and humidity.  Air conditioning would be nice, but this is my only choice other than to not smoke a pipe.  The pool might look better with a model, but then I wouldn’t be smoking here but on a park bench!  I’m relaxing with my Hilson pipe this morning with some Bayou Night pipe tobacco.  My coffee this morning is from Cameron’s.  Thank you for your time and Peace to each one of you. Papa Chasteen