Pipeology - The Fine Art of Pipe Smoking and Thought

 I see in black and white.  I interpret the words of Jesus in black and white not giving much thought to the rest of Bible apart from the Gospels.  I give most of my attention to the Jesus of the Gospels.  This makes me different from many Christians.  Jesus often gets ignored because many Christians don’t understand Him.  Many Christians today understand Judaism better than they understand Jesus.   Jesus is not all that complicated with His message of love and Peace.  Forgiveness matters to Jesus.  Too many get hung up on an eye for an eye.  But the parables are about those who follow the path of the Pharisees.  I won’t get into all that in today’s post.  Just that Jesus is about love and Peace and the Pharisees were about the law.   Jesus knew for whom He was to give His life.  He was to die for the Peacemakers and the Judgment was for those who were obedient to the law.  The law demanded life for certain sins....

 I watched some vids on what some believed the rapture would take place September 23-24 of this year.  There are always those who grift off some secret knowing.  I don’t do that.  In fact I don’t grift off my Angels.  I promised I’d never make a penny off my Angels.  I’ve had many guesses and have kept them mostly to myself.  I watch and simply wait.   There are Christians who believe they have it all figured out and aren’t shy about sharing their beliefs with the world.  I could claim to know more than any of them.  But I keep my secrets to myself.  But why?  When it is time God will open my mouth.  Until then I’ll share what I claim to know here and otherwise I’ll be quiet.  Mostly because I don’t care about numbers.  I have all the time in the world without being rushed.  There is a method to my madness.   If I shared every thought here I’d be considered a mad man by most.  I bide my time until ...

 It’s Sunday and I am smoking my Angel pipe with Quiet Nights and drinking a cup of Guatemalan blend coffee while listening to SundayMorning Coffee by Chip Davis.  I am reminded this morning that all human life matters.  At the Judgment God will separate the sheep’ from the goats.  Until then the sheep have to live the goats.   Usually I say at the end about my pipe and coffee, but this morning I say it at the beginning.  I’m pretty relaxed this morning thankful I am a sheep.  In fact I know no goats personally for which I am thankful.  I’m thankful for a lot this morning.  I’m thankful for the simplicity of life.  Not a lot of complexities.   A pipe is a simple pleasure—not much to it really.  I’m too old for the complexities of life.  Religions can be very complex.  Been there done that.  A simple belief is best.  And my Angels keep things simple for me.  I meditate on problems of others mostly. ...

 I listen to a lot of music from both the 60’s and the 70’s.  I love to watch reaction vids of Gen Z kids listening to the music I grew up with for the first time.  Everyone knows the Beatles, but not so much The Beach Boys.  The Beach Boys were America’s answer to the British Invasion, as it was called.  The Beatles were the first of many from England.  The Rolling Stones came on the scene about the same time and they are one a few groups holding concerts still.   But many groups and artists came from Britain.  It was the best time for music, in my thinking.  I hear these old songs and I’ll recall the first time I heard a song from this period.  It’s great to see young kids today wowed as much as we were back in the day.  But as Willie Nelson turns 92, I am reminded of old rockers who have passed and many are up in years.  Some stopped performing for health reasons but are still alive.   It certainly was the best of times...

It’s something else.  Life is a lot like that.  We enjoy our Florida life, but in some ways we’d like our own place.  But it’s mostly my wife who keeps these running around here.  She knows who to call when something needs done.  She maintains her list of guys, although my son has friends that can do things.  But we try to keep things running smoothly here.   This is a lot of house for just one person.  I try to stay out of the way as I smoke my pipe.  My wife knows where I am.  And it’s college football season and I watch most games out here on the lanai.  If my wife needs me she knows where to find me.  And if anyone wants to join me they are certainly welcome.  I just try to be out of the way.   I wanted to order that small batch from Cornel and Diehl.  When I placed my order this morning I was told they were sold out of the small batch.  But I wasn’t too disappointed.  They have a Christmas blend ca...

 I wasn’t sure I’d write this morning, but I start working on my next tobacco order about a week ahead.  My wife said she likes Captain Black Original, so I decided to add a tin in my order.  I had more Bayou Night on order and simply reduced the quantity so I could make room for Captain Black.  My order changes as I prepare it.  I’m adding a tin of Cornell and Diehl special blend. Perique adds a kind of pepperiness to the flavor of the tobacco.   Virginias and Butlys  are often the base tobaccos for most any blend.  I might review the Special Batch here, but on Smoking Pipe this blend gets a 4.9 out of 5 stars.  I might not review it on Smoking Pipes, but I might review it here.  I am sure it is worthy of almost five stars.  The reviews are probably spot on with this. The batch is limited and I hope I can get my order in before it’s gone.  They are limiting the number of tins one can order.  Often a special batch runs out...

There are blends of tobaccos that have been around for over a hundred years.  Captain Black was founded in 1956 and remains a top seller.  It comes in Captain Black Original and Cherry.  There are a couple of others with the Captain Black logo like Royal and Gold.  They are all Aromatics with just different flavoring.  It comes in both tins and pouches.  The Original formula is my favorite in the Captain Black series.   Prince Albert has been around since the late 1800’s and remains another of my old time favorites.  I don’t smoke much of Prince Albert but it comes in both original formula and Aromatic.  It is a cube cut Burley based tobacco.  It remains as one of my old time favorites.   There are some old blends like Velvet, Amphora, Borkam Riff, Mixture 79, and others that have all been around for a very long time.  Mixture 79 might be my least favorite, but was Hugh Hefner’s tobacco of choice.  I find it too over beari...

 After being married to the same woman for 50 years I guess I know a thing or two about love and romance.  I’ve smoked a pipe for over 50 years too and I guess I know a thing or two about pipes and tobacco.  I seem to write a lot about both love and the hobby of pipe smoking.  Actually, I know a bit about a number of things in life having seen life through my 74 year old eyes.   I guess I know a few things about a lot of things.  Watching carpet cleaning vids has been my new relaxation when I want to get away from the news of the day.  I know a few things about college football and a lot less about pro football.   I’ve been writing quite a few tobacco reviews for Smoking Pipes.  I know a few things about cardiology and health.  I know that smoking pipes isn’t the healthiest hobby for my health.  I’ll get to the gym when I get a chance.  I saw a meme of a guy who said his wife went to the gym for six months and he never saw any ...

 Ask my wife, I can get irritated.  But someone said to me that I don’t get angry.  I avoid anger as much as I can.  It’s not subconscious, but I consciously avoid anger.  Irritation is about as far as I will go.  I’ve had enough anger in me to last several lifetimes.  Probably the same is true of irritation.  God and I have a lot of talks when I get irritated about life.   I think that is one reason I like to be alone a lot and limit my social interactions.  It’s like fingernails on a chalkboard.  The sound is irritating.  But I’ve learned irritation is okay but anger isn’t.  And it’s been this way for the past 32 years.  I CAN get angry.  It’s not that I can’t.  But anger for me solves nothing.  I make my thoughts known and move on.   Some people seethe in anger.  It’s just not there for me.  I work hard at keeping anger subdued.  It’s the same with hatred.  It’s not in me to ...

I just can’t read or follow news too closely these days.  But as I said in an earlier blog I don’t lose sight about the forest.   I, like the prophets of old, ask, how much longer do we have to wait?  I can lose my patience thinking maybe I haven’t done much, but in other ways I may have done a lot already.  But following the news is tough.   I’m informed just enough.  And I know when I have to watch some carpet cleaning vids.  It’s why I watch them.  I love to watch the filthiest of carpets that begin black revealing their true colors.  It reminds me of the darkest souls being cleansed.  There are a lot of dark souls out there that will become clean at the Judgment.   Others might laugh at my watching carpet cleaning vids, but I find these vids relaxing.  Some might enjoy watching cat vids, but I enjoy these vids.  There are a lot of relaxation vids I could watch.  I follow college football throughout the week. ...

 I wasn’t going to write this morning, but I thought I’d say something about unconditional love.  Romantic love is different.  Romance is why people marry and have families.  But as I’ve grown older the romance has given way to unconditional  love.  It means to love regardless.  Romance is why it’s possible to live in an abusive relationship.  But one can get out of such a relationship and still love.   I would never tell someone to stay in such a relationship.  But one can still love without being in such a relationship.  Such love means forgiveness and move on.  Unconditional love means to do no harm.  We are to be wise as serpents and harmless as doves.  But there are those who are not harmless.  But they are not to be harmed in return.  We then love and move on.   This is true of many relationships.  The romance has been lost but not the love.  It simply means forgiveness and to move on. ...

There is much about life we do not understand leaving us always with a ‘why’ question.  Peace always answers the ‘why.’  I always see the big picture and leave the details to God.  Details always bother me the most.  Many times I don’t understand the details.  But if I can see the big picture the details don’t matter so much.  Many times the answer is because it’s the times we are living.   I try to focus on the big picture.  Doing so makes the details less impactful.  I want to know enough but not too much.  I’d go bonkers if I followed the news closely every day.  And if I let the details bother me, I’d lose sight of the big picture.  For me it’s the times we are now living in.  My angels do much I do not see.  Angels are like this.  Many times the details are only what we want to see and lose sight of the big picture.   The phrase not seeing the forest for the trees applies here.  We forget we are in...

 The presence of Angels is mostly felt.  They say that if you find a stray feather an angel is in your home.  But I can tell you from experience that angels are more felt than experienced by some physical manifestation.  But angels often make their presence known by feelings.   Angels do not have wings but most often appear as ordinary people.  In my experience I knew from her voice that sounded like a crystalline harp.  They always announce themselves with peace.  Often their voices say not to be afraid.  Demons should be feared, but angels have nothing to fear.   I don’t believe I have feared much if at all, since my experience with my Angels.  Sometimes I have a difficult time understanding a lot of human emotions.  But while my Angels didn’t make me perfect, I just say I am better.  If Angels are unseen they are felt.  Their presence is an overwhelming feeling of peace—never fear.   Angels often make their pr...

 There is a reason why I do not belong to a church or any other kind of organization or belief system.  I am my own religion.  I refuse to debate my angels or anything they told me, although now I can hold my own when it comes to understanding Jesus and His parables.  I’d rather just state what I claim my angels told me and let the seeds fall where they may.  I am not saved by the preaching or teaching of any person living or dead.   In most any church I would be a polarizing figure and would have to take part of the congregation with me.  I will not do this.  I am best alone with my angels.  I have a very simple theology with no rituals or rites.  I am to just be me spreading Peace and Love where I can.   The world right now is about as messed up as it is going to get.  And while the world needs my angels I’ve decided I will do more when God moves me to do more.  Right now it is person to person as God sees fit.  I t...

 We are living in the Apocalyptic Age.  I have been told that my Angels kind of made me like a canary in the coal mine.  When the canary sang it meant danger was near.  Gangsters used that terms for those who turned on them and “sang” to the cops.  I thought about this the first thing when I woke up this morning.  Life is cheap during this period of time.  Jesus said there will be wars and rumors of war.   Yet, I do not worry or fear.  I take Jesus’ words to heart.  How long this period last just depends.  But I am getting up in years and have yet to see the Messiah come.  I do not know what it means that I will not see death.  And no one will harm me.  But a lot of people have a lot to worry about.  I do not.   But as the canary I am singing.  The time is short now.  And I do not live in fear.  I have plenty of worries but I do not fear.  This is why I can smoke my pipe, relax, and just ...

It’s Monday morning as I write this.  I was up early this morning as one of our cats woke me up to be fed this morning.  I got  up and fed him then went back to bed for a bit and decided I was wide awake.  I have yet to make my coffee as the electric bean grinder makes a lot of noise.  Others aren’t up yet so I thought I would come out and enjoy my first bowl of the day.   Quiet Night is my tobacco of choice this morning.  My coffee will be Bella Maria when I get around to making it.  But I was up just before sunrise.  I just sat in the quiet of the early morning reflecting on the weekend.,  I enjoyed college football on Saturday as I usually do on fall Saturday’s.  Sunday I didn’t do a lot but just kind of hung out on the lanai.  I’m not into pro football but did catch some scores yesterday.   Weekends are generally pretty quiet for me.  There were a few surprises in the scores from Saturday.  As always there we...

 I said in this blog yesterday that my wife isn’t really crazy about pipe tobacco smoke.  I don’t know whether there is romance in vaping, but years ago tobacco companies relied on sex to sell tobacco products.  They wanted smoking to be sexy.  And maybe in a way it was.  But I can tell you from experience there isn’t much sexy about a guy who smokes unless it is a reminder of days past.   I will admit that when I see vids of women smoking pipes I find it rather alluring.  But there isn’t much that is sexy about a bunch of guys gathered for smoking pipes.  I prefer to smoke alone knowing my smoke doesn’t bother anyone.  There is an old line from a cigar commercial that had a woman saying, “Blow in my face and I’ll follow you anywhere!”   I won’t say romance is dead, but I will say that smoking a pipe doesn’t contribute to romance.  But I dispelled any romantic notions about pipe smoking long ago.  It used to be that guys who sm...

 I enjoy tobaccos designed for evening pipes that can be enjoyed throughout the day.  Quiet Nights by G. L. Pease is like that.  It’s a contemplative complex blend I enjoy a lot.  An eight ounce can is about $60 retail, so it’s not cheap by any means.  It is a blend of aged Virginias, Oriental, Latakia, and a pinch of Perique all cased together in a sliced cake cut.  It’s great for meditation, reading a book, or just watching TV.   It burns slow.  My first pipe bowl of the morning is always my best bowl of the day.  Especially with my first cup of coffee.  Maybe this blend is best in the evening with a bit of hard liquor.  I can see how this tobacco might pair well with a bit of Rum.  My wife strongly dislikes the room note of this tobacco, so it must be good.  Right?   This tobacco is part of an Old London Series by the same company.  It is a true English tobacco.  I noticed some tongue bite in my first bow...

 Am I speaking of wealth?  No.  Followers.  Trends in religion come and go.  Some say the Prosperity Gospel, as it is called today, was started by Norman Vincent Peake and is now propagated mostly by Joel Osteen and others.  I thought about followers in terms of religious sects, but it can refer to a church or most any organization.  I thought about this the other day as I thought I am basically a cult of one with no followers.   I know what I believe and I know I am going to heaven.  And I was saved by Angels.  I can’t tell anyone how to be saved by Angels.  They came to me.  I didn’t summon them.   They gave me a simple Message.  Basically it is to do no harm to anyone or myself.  That makes for a very simple way of living.  But I can’t say I am my own authority.   Many teach the philosophy of doing no harm, but how many actually live it?  I’m far from perfect.  But doing no harm means just ...

I’m not sure the Arturo Fuente Opus X is the most expensive cigar made, but I’ve had one.  The price back in the 90’s was around $30.  I saw a box of Opus X cigars for sale on Smoking Pipes, which was $2,690 for 13 select cigars.  That comes to about $200 per cigar.  I pad $50 some odd for a five- pack of Hemingway Signature cigars.   I figure that five-pack will last me about a year as I don’t smoke cigars much these days.  $200 cigars are out of my price range.  That box of 13 cigars will be consumed by some CEO celebrating some special deal he or she made.  But otherwise, they will be placed in a special Humidors to be saved for some later time.   For me about $10 a cigar is all I want to spend.  But at a cigar bar that $10 Hemingway will be around $15, if they have it in stock.  But a $200 cigar is a bit out of my price range, which would be the case for most anyone.  I’ve heard of $50 cigars, but a $200 cigar is rare. ...

 Demons seek to destroy the Children of God.  This is the task of demons.  I’ve been reading a book about Angels and it is written from a Christian perspective.  I’ve only read the first several chapters, but anything that destroys humanity is evil.  This is why my Angels said Jesus died for every sin but that which destroys human life including our own selves.   That which preserves human life is good, but that which destroys human life is evil.  This is why my Angels came to me otherwise I might not be here today.  All that protects human life is good.  This is the battle between good and evil.  We might see destruction in some good, but all evil seeks to destroy.   Angels are sexless because there is no need for sex in heaven.  Only God creates.  Satan wanted to create but in doing so, he would be like God.  God couldn’t allow that so Satan and his angels were cast from heaven.  Good and evil exist until God c...

 My wife and I have check-ups with our family doctor every six months.  This includes blood work and just a general overall health check.  At 74 now you might call it the 100,000 mile check-up.  But I came through with flying colors except my BP was a little low.  He took me off one blood thinner I was taking since my heart attack.  I turned to my wife and asked if I was still alive!  She assured me I was!  It was something like 90/64.  112/80 is about the new normal now.  It was 120/80 which was my BP a few months before my heart attack.   I told him I fell the other day after tripping over a table leg out here on the lanai.  But fortunately I’m okay.  Just a small scrape on my arm.  I can now say I’m 74.  I got a gift card from the family that will be used to buy some Hemingway Signature cigars.  A five-pack will last me for a year!   I simply don’t smoke cigars much any longer.  But of all the c...

I’m not really into pro football.  Today I can focus on other things and let pro football have its day.  Yesterday, I wasn’t really into three games.  I watched them, but I watched OSU play Grambling knowing the outcome.  But today is today.  I can focus on other things today.   I’ve decided I’m clumsy.  I fell yesterday.  But as far as I know I didn’t hurt anything but bloodied my arm a bit.  My Apple iWatch made an emergency call but I stopped it before the call went through.  My iWatch detects falls.  It monitors my heart as well.  I need that kind of protection as I get older.   I’ve been thinking about turning 74 in a couple of days.  I’m getting up there.  And I still smoke a pipe.  We had a steak dinner last evening and I grilled the steaks.  Everyone said the steaks were grilled just right.  We need to get a new grill.  There aren’t grilling seasons in Florida.  This time of year ...

I’ll watch two B10 games today for sure in the B10 channel.  I might tune into the Mich/Oklahoma game tonight, but my college football day is planned for the day.   I had a conversation last night with my wife about The Chosen.  I am through Season 3 and watched the first episode of season 4 where John the Baptist is beheaded.  Watching it portrayed in film is a lot different from just reading it in the Bible.   That made me emotional.  I’m not deserving of my Angels.  I had my struggles prior to the Angels, but since life has been fairly easier.  In some ways I can see why some say they are not deserving of heaven.  Actually, no one is.  When compared to all that the Disciples went through in their lives makes them all but Judas worthy of heaven.  In spite of my Angels I feel I am the least to be in heaven. Yet, I say in spite of my Angels I am the least to be offered heaven.  I don’t feel as though I’ve done much to prepare t...

 I stared at a blank page before writing for about ten minutes wondering what to say this morning, if anything.  I’m still not sure what to write about this morning I haven’t said in a thousand posts.  As the preacher asks in the Bible , is there anything new under the sun?  Do I have anything new this morning?  Probably not.   I told someone that I feared being alone in my old age.  This birthday has hit me hard.  Not sure why I fear turning 74.  I have few complaints.  So, I’m not going to complain about getting older.  74 is just a number.  My knee is still a little sore.  But apart from this I have no complaints.  I’m far from lonely.  Even though I spend a lot of time by myself I find staying out of the way is beneficial to all.   I’m far from lonely.  But being alone is a fear we have as get older.  Everyone wants to believe they are relevant.  I don’t have to write.  But I find wri...

 Yesterday I sounded more like a prophet.  I don’t always feel that way.  Life goes on.  Today I just want to relax and reflect and smoke my pipe.  Some mornings I wake up thinking and some mornings—like this morning, I don’t feel like thinking at all.  Some nights I have vivid dreams and other nights I might dream, but forget them after I wake up.   My Angels made me very unique in this regard.  I often have dreams related to my Angels.  It just depends.  I try to relax my mind before going to sleep.  My wife and I often share a laugh or two before going asleep.  I try not to think too much in the evening.  I simply want to go to bed with a calm mind.   In today’s world we can be bombarded with information 24/7.  I like that college football is on now and if there is a later game on, I might watch for a while if I don’t care who wins or loses.  If I care too much then I can’t relax before going to bed. ...

 I almost didn’t write this morning, but I’ve been thinking about it more and more.  It being the Apocalypse or the end of the Old and the beginning of the New.  I’d rather write about it here than sound like an idiot full of sound and fury.  I’ve been expecting it for 25 years and just maybe I am right this time.   I’ve been a student of prophecy for over fifty years and I can remember much of the predictions without referring to them.  But this time I think I’ve got it right.  First of all, I’m not worried about myself or family.  In fact, I’m not very worried in general about it.  The prophecies are now being fulfilled.   If I were worried I’d be a neurotic mess as some are these days.  Many see the signs.  And the signs are in the universe too!  The final battle between good and evil is beginning to come into shape.  The Universe is giving us fair warnings.  But we are not to worry.  Jesus said these thi...

I’ve changed over the years—some for the better and maybe some for the worst.  I thought turning 70 would be a distasteful milestone, but I’m finding turning 74 has hit me harder.  I’m much more reflective at 74 than I was at 70.  But I’ll live with it, but now it seems to me that 74 is old.  But I’m better than the average 74 year old.  At least I think I am. I was foolish enough to jump in the pool the other day and the bottom came up much more quickly than expected and I kind of jammed my right knee.  I thought to myself I can’t do that again!  I’ve been swimming a bit more lately to exercise my upper body.  I’m not worried too much about my lower body but my upper body needs strengthening exercises.   My right knee still hurts a little, but give it a few years and it should be fine.  By then something else will hurt.  I find my balance is a little off, but I have little to complain about.  I might sit around a bit more than...