A luxury or a simple pleasure

[Randolph]

It was suggested to me by a colleague today that my cigar smoking hobby (I note the word hobby was carefully selected over habit) was a bit of a luxury, possibly an extravegence. I'm sitting here thinking about our verbal exchange and thought it'd share it.

The employee commented that her cigarette smoko would take 5 minutes and that my cigar smoke could take up to 2 hours. Hers would involve a cup of coffee from the coffee shop at let's say $3.50 a shot, while mine would involve half a bottle of Shiraz at $20. Her cigarette would cost $1.50 while my cigar would cost abive $25. It was a very interesting conversation.

My response was that I would never smoke more than one cigar a day (unless company and free time was readily available) while she would smoke a box of 20 cigarettes and would consume two coffees. I mentioned I buy very nice wine from Greysonline at about $15 per bottle, I don't go boozing at clubs or bars, and lime a good meal at home partly because smoking a cigar outside is so difficult these days. I don't inhale smoke and felt far healthier that I did when a long time ago I smoked cigarettes. During my 1 or 2 hour journey with a cigar I would ponder over things, think of new ideas, new plans, mull over finances in my mind, while relaxing thinking about the flavours I'm enjoying and taking the sniff here and there if aroma. A cigar in solitary is a business meeting with ones self.

Time with a good cigar is quality time. With friends or while alone.

[GavLew79]

I absolutely concur. "A business meeting with one's self". How eloquently put. Bravo.

And being an ex-cigarette smoker and heavy weekend social drinker, the cost, both financial and health wise, of fine cigars, whisky and wine is probably lesser than that of my younger years.

[Hunter1974]

Its really none of her business ! You work you pay for it ! I feel Cigarettes are more about getting a fix where cigars are pure relaxation.

[JerseyG]

Quality over quantity

[Randolph]

Her eyes would bulge bigger than mine through my thick glasses if she knew I devoured nearly a whole bottle of Shiraz and one Upmann Half Corona followed by an Upmann Connie No 1..... Extravagance....only as Mrs R had to spend longer in the office than normal.

Agree none of her business, but an interesting conversation with a lady half my age....and I'm only 41!

[btp1979]

Let's say it is a luxury ( is there any doubt?), or even an extravagance. Does it matter? I don't need to justify to anyone save my wife how I choose to spend my disposable time and income. I don't have a large surplus of either, so I try to maximize what I get out of both.

[stogieluver]

I'm a logical thinker, at best, seeing things in black and white. Math tends to be black and white. So, if your cigar takes two hours to smoke, and you've spent $25 on it, and $20 on the bottle of wine, then over the course of two hours of smoking time, you've spent a total of $45. If you take two hours of smoking time and break it down into the twenty-four 5 minute smoking segments, she has consumed 24 cigarettes and 24 cups of coffee, for a total cost of $120. Whose habit or hobby is more expensive?

Edited to add: she's killing herself and you're saving yourself.

[RickHendeson]

Both cigars and cigarettes are a luxury.

I wish more people would realize that when it comes to cigars, though, as it might stop the daily posts "Oh golly if only I could afford these cigars!"

[finecigar]

Well said! It is hard for others to understand the kind of aura we enter with our cigars- it is more than just a hobby. It is an important time to think about life, family, business, relationships, etc. If anything, cigar smoking helps us to become more conscious of our senses and life experience/surroundings. I love nothing more than to sit back with a cigar, read a book slowly (or listen to music), have a glass of wine, and think.

[Nino]

It was suggested to me by a colleague today that my cigar smoking hobby (I note the word hobby was carefully selected over habit) was a bit of a luxury, possibly an extravegence. I'm sitting here thinking about our verbal exchange and thought it'd share it.

During my 1 or 2 hour journey with a cigar I would ponder over things, think of new ideas, new plans, mull over finances in my mind, while relaxing thinking about the flavours I'm enjoying and taking the sniff here and there if aroma. A cigar in solitary is a business meeting with ones self.

Time with a good cigar is quality time. With friends or while alone.

Well said Randolph,

I like your comments, they are accurate - don't know about Aussie prices but it can be even less dear :

Just returned home from my daily pub visit.

Smoked a custom rolled Canonazo, say 10€, and drank, as usual, two 0,4 liter glasses of Rose wine with sparkling water ( staple drink here ) that costs 5 € both ( we are in wine country here, cheap ).

Had 90 minutes of pleasant thinking, planning, listened to Jimmi Hendrix, chatting with friends, daily routine before dinner.

I believe that the "luxury" of cigars is the time we have to enjoy ourselves in this hectic world ... and that is where envy comes from ...

My 2 cents... :-)

[PigFish]

What is a luxury?

Is it a luxury that you need not toil to do your laundry in a nearby stream? Of course it is. Is it a luxury that you can convey your being at 65mph down are relatively safe road to a place of work, worship or leisure while listening to Mozart? Of course it is. Is it a luxury that someone provides a conveyance to the 40th FL so that you need not walk up 40 flight of stairs...? Of course it is!

This luxury (harkening back to some other threads) and many others are the result of living in a free society that has allowed personal achievement for an individual to grow to the extent were there are free hours and revenue for things other than our daily bread.

Even the two hours you spend, whether it be cigars during the day, or cigarettes during the day, a chat over the cubicle wall, or a power walk along with lunch is a luxury when viewed from a perspective where the principle focus is on necessity.

To many in the world our ability to sit in front of a computer and opine about something as frivolous as cigars is a luxury. I can understand that. I certainly hope that someday all people can sit and discuss the concept of luxury.

Often while I smoke I reflect upon how lucky I really am. Other times I say a silent prayer for those around the world who are less fortunate.

What I don't do, is feal guilty about it and blame myself because they cannot.

Cheers! -Piggy

[joeypots]

A luxury is something whose price one keeps from one's wife.

[luv2fly]

A cigar is about the only real "Me" time I get. Yes I am blessed to be able to buy the cigars I want. I see the luxury side of it. I have not felt so relaxed than the times I am sitting and enjoying a cigar. My mind wonders to numerous things and I find it a time for reflection. When i am with friends it is still a time to relax but in a different way. Enjoying good times and discussions with friends is another form of relaxation for me.

[foursite12]

A cigar is about the only real "Me" time I get.

Amen. That says it all.

[Akela3rd]

If it's been a bit of a day and I need to chill out, it's not a luxury, it's almost a necessity. I don't drink, don't smoke cigarettes or any "recreational substances " so a cigar, a tea or coffee and a bit of dark chocolate is as wild as it gets.

Other times the same combination can seem like the ultimate indulgence.

With regard to cost, which is often regarded as a factor in defining something as a luxury - I bought 50 Quintero Favoritos last week and they work out at around £2 (GBP) each, but then again I'd spent £100+ on cigars in one hit. I also bought RACAs recently which work out at 6x that cost as a treat, a luxury. Where's the cut-off?

So luxury is relative, as Piggy stated earlier, and to me it is definitely also a simple pleasure and one I intend continuing to pursue. Take your little pleasures where you can cos this ol' world is full of stuff that will piss you right off if you let it.

[Orion21]

The real issue is that this lovely woman associates value with cost and time. She sees your cigar hobby as extravagant because it's time consuming and one cigar costs a multiple of one cancer stick. However, the five minutes it takes for her fix costs her $1 per minute - whereas your hobby "costs" you 37.5 cents per minute. But I think the real issue is that she's in her 80's still working and probably is jealous that you've figured out how to enjoy life. I would take a wild guess that she's not ever been able to do that for herself and the joy that your get from smoking a cigar annoys her.

Maybe it would be nice if you offered to smoke with her and brought her a minuto. You could give her direction on how to smoke a cigar vs a cigarette and maybe she would come to appreciate it. Who knows, the world is a crazy place.

[kuma]

Cigar smoking = relaxing, Cig. smoking = a mad minute throw it away light up another...........

[Colt45]

I guess technically, cigars, cigarettes, coffee, etc are luxury items in that they are not necessary for survival. And though it might be difficult not to consider cigars luxury items when many who produce them try to portray them so, I don't consider them a luxury or a hobby either.

For me, a simple pleasure.

[Fuzz]

It is neither. Tell her it is a mental health aid to help you cope with all the stupidity in the world. Having a cigar and a glass or two of Shiraz allows you to coalesce the vapor of human experience into a viable and logical comprehension.

[Phinz]

I guess technically, cigars, cigarettes, coffee, etc are luxury items in that they are not necessary for survival. And though it might be difficult not to consider cigars luxury items when many who produce them try to portray them so, I don't consider them a luxury or a hobby either.

For me, a simple pleasure.

Whoa, easy there... Nobody said anything about coffee! Cigars I could give up (I wouldn't want to, but I could), coffee is a different matter!

[Lotusguy]

Time is the luxury for me when I smoke a cigar.

[El Presidente]

Can you dismiss someone for questioning your cigar culture or will you end up in the Fair Work Commission

[PapaDisco]

I'm afraid you're on the losing end of this one Randolph . . . you forgot to consider the monetary value of your two hours of 'lost' time I do like that line of "a cigar in solitary is a business meeting with one's self" Excellent.

I wouldn't worry too much about the lost time though, since cigar smokers live longer than non smokers and certainly cigarette smokers, every hour we spend with a stogie is adding time to the back end of our lives.

[joeruby]

I agree with others here, a cigar is enjoyment and therapy at the same time. Definitely not a luxury for me, and I enjoy smoking alone in the main for that quiet alone time.

I know some friends who would call it a luxury, especially if they new how regularly I smoke cigars, but they have never smoked a cigar and just go to the typical stereotypes (luxury, indulgence, wealth, etc) that they think represents a cigar smoker.

[Randolph]

I enjoy smoking alone in the main for that quiet alone time.

Agree completely Joeruby. A time when contemplation and relaxation comes together.

Time to order some Punch DC's I think!