A few weeks ago I was reading through my cigar subscriptions in Google Reader and stumbled onto a very interesting series. Craig Vanderslice, of CigarCraig.com, posted an article entitled “Take A Cigar For A Walk”. In this article Craig introduces us to a man named Tommy.
Tommy is overweight and gives us a look at his successes and failures with various weight management programs. While reading Craig’s blog, Tommy tells us that he was inspired to take a page out of Craig’s book and go for a walk with his cigar rather than lounge about. After reading what Tommy had to say, I looked inward and decided that I certainly could use a bit more exercise as well.
Walking during the week is tough but I have been squeezing it in as I can. If the weather is nice, I strap my eight month old daughter into her pink umbrella stroller and parade around town. She seems to like looking around as I hunch over and take half steps behind her. Even with a stroller that was not designed to be pushed by someone over five-feet tall, I make the best of it.
On weekends I find myself with more free time and kick things up a notch. I am an early riser and take advantage of my wife and daughter sleeping in. Before leaving the house, I go to my humidor and select a cigar of substantial size. For example, yesterday I selected a La Aurora 107 – Gran 107. This behemoth of a cigar was supposed to last my entire walk. In the event that it would last longer than my walk, I intended to re-route my walk and not come home until I was finished with the stick.
As it turns out, a cigar that generally lasts over three hours while I lounge at home lasts half that time as I walk around (which is a good thing). The Gran 107 wasn’t the best of walking companions and irritated me as I was forced to slow down, or stop, multiple times to correct the burn, or re-light. If I were out for a leisurely stroll this wouldn’t have been a problem, but I was walking with a purpose.
I finished my cigar less than a half mile from the end of my walk.
When I arrived home I was tired but felt good.
The moral of the story here is that we can use our hobby as a means for motivation. In Tommy’s case, he uses a cigar as a reason to get out and do some walking. Not only did Tommy get out for a walk, it seems as though he has inspired a few other people to do the very same thing.
It isn’t uncommon for me to finish a task around the house and reward myself with a cigar that I wouldn’t normally smoke. For instance, in summer when it reaches 90+ degrees and I spend hours mowing the lawn, I cap off the evening with a well deserved cigar. I’d like to know how many of the Stogie Review readers do the same.
I recently started a weight loss regiment and cigars are an excellent tool for helping me control cravings. Often times, I’ll get these sudden urges to eat after I return from the gym or when I have some downtime (ie. watching a movie or playing a few rounds of TF2). Lighting up a mild cigar generally curbs my hunger and assists me in watching what I eat.
I use cigars as motivation all the time. I am an actor and a stagehand. With both jobs I spend a lot of time in the car and I smoke a lot of cigars while driving to and from jobs. The motivation part comes into play when I go to auditions and when I take big steps regarding my career. Positive reinforcement in the form of a more high end cigar to keep me motivated. Driving home from Boston after an audition or interview, I usually smoke a nice cigar and stop by my favorite liquor store for a new beer I haven’t tried yet.
Cigars are my motivation to get through the week!!! I don’t smoke M-Th. So come Friday after work I hit my B&M and then unwind. I try and get atleast 2 more in through out the weekend and come Monday I start all over again.
I’ve been using cigars as a self reward for years. Whether it’s a puro on the patio after a long day of yard work or a evening at my favorite cigar lounge for finishing up my “honey do list”, the tasks always seem less dreadful knowing I get a treat at the end.
I always dangle a cigar like a carrot before the cart when I have a project deadline to meet.
Be it exercise, writing a paper, finishing a painting or finishing my honey-do list around the house; I know a cigar is waiting for me when I’m finished!
I use to reward myself with a cigar after passing an exam when I was studying for my MCSE but now not so much. I just smoke whenever I can.
I use cigars frequently as a motivational tool. I think Lincoln said “When I do bad, I feel bad. When I do good, I feel good. That’s my religion.” I guess I’m religious with my cigars in that generally when I do good I give myself a cigar. When I do bad, I won’t smoke at all.
I have used cigars both as a motivational “carrot” to get something done &/or as a reward, as well as a means to recover from a particularly bad day or situation.
I’m in college and reward myself if I do well on a tough exam or get a good amount of work done. It definitely helps keep me on task knowing at the end of the day I’ll have a nice relaxing smoke. My reward may not be as nice of a cigar as other people, (poor college student) but I’ve found some decent value alternatives and will spring for something if I’ve had a particularly rough week.
Nah….
I enjoy cigars as a form of relaxation and reflection, so I light up whenever I feel the need for one or both.
J
I would first like to say that I love the site. I got my first cigar for my 18th birthday this past February. I wanted nothing more than to light it up right then and there, however, within myself I wanted to use this newfound “vice” as a way to reward myself for doing well, especially in school. I worked really hard the past few weeks to bring my grades up and I finally smoked it just this past week. I think the work it took me to get there made the cigar that much better. I recently bought two more, and I am planning on doing the same thing with those, only with different goals.
cigars are the best meditation after work.