I ride a Vespa-clone scooter, and have ridden motorcycles. When one is first learning, within the first 500 miles or so, there tends to be a majority who have careful understanding that if you're stupid, this activity could hurt you. I've heard it said that once you gain your comfort zone, that's when the problems can occur: confidence, even overconfidence, invincibility, complacency and alertness all dwindle a little, finding their safe equilibrium between being paranoid and being completely aloof.

So, what does this have to do with pipe smoking? I pipe smoking won't likely kill or hurt you, but it shares a common root: learning and application.

Over the summer/fall of 2011 and through winter 2011/2012, when I re-started this hobby (the right way), I've had a great time smoking my pipes and tobaccos, often gifts of the Brothers, carefully-chosen pipes upon proper research and suggestions, a bunch of sunny mornings to go and contemplate my day and how to approach it, pleasant evenings letting the day wind down. I smoked slow, I packed just right, I chose (to the best of my ability) the right tobacco and the right pipe--and nine times out of ten I'd feel I got everything perfect. I was confident I'd get a great smoke, each and every time.

Recently, I've been developing problems. Problems I know better as to why they're occurring. My smoking time has gone from a good hour or hour and a half, to 30 - 40 minutes. My tongue is getting scalded. I'm getting wet smokes. My tongue is leather. Tobacco isn't tasting as good. Pipes are getting hot. I'm drinking more liquids to counteract this problem, and this is making me smoke wet. One of my cobs started to burn out on the bottom, and I find myself chasing the flavor/nicotine/relaxation to the bottom of the bowl (which I fear burning out even a briar). I'm simply not finding the slow, sit-down satisfaction I once did, or at least, not as often.

Perhaps it's a bit of stress keeping me from realizing that this time is my time, new jobs and the spring weather starting to give hints at work and less "free time" to find the need to fill. Maybe I have done the pipe equivalent of taking the bike around the corner a little too fast, a little too soon, because I was so mindful and great at doing this just a little while ago, I can rev it up a little right?

Apparently not. It's another reason why I like pipe smoking, even a little more now, because it's honest. You're not going to get more thrill out of speed. You're not going to get relaxation out of simply stuffing more tobacco in the chamber because it's going by too fast. In fact, I'm starting to realize that the pipe and how I interact with it directly reflects exactly what's going on with me at that moment, and the tongue bite, hot pipe and potentially ruined pipes may be a good way to say, "Hey pal, stress kills, take a step back and a deep breath." It's strange, too, I saw all of these digressions coming, slowly, and then they started adding up. They sneaked up on me, little by little, until something had to be done.

Like a good friend you might have had a disagreement with, piping without gratification it isn't something permanent. So you might have stepped on your beloved dog's paw or cat's tail. They aren't going to leave you over it. They're always there for you. Pipes are the same, they need the attention, both short-term and long-term to give back to you the benefit they were designed to do.

This is just an "intermediate pipester's" missive not to give in to bad habits, and not to get complacent--even if you're doing fine from the start. I know I'm doing something wrong, but because I had it so right, I figured it wasn't me, it was everything else. Ain't that just a typical human thing to do?

The good part is, it's always a new day and a new time to maybe go back and read (or ask) the obvious from those who know, go "back to church" in a way, hear the preach and the praise, and find out you might have strayed off a simple path just a little--but it will always welcome you back.

Today I start over a little, again, to remember my roots, remember my reasons, and go back to basics.

+1 kyle. Thanks for the insight.

Like my dad used to say "hey stupid stop thinking" it seems when issues arise I tend to over think the problem.

There's a fine line between over-thinking and mindfulness. One is bad, the other is ideal. Rather than suffering the first, I was lacking the latter.

Just today:

MM Diplomat. Connecticut Yankee packed properly. A trusty lighter. A tamper. A small cup of water. A chair. Music. My porch, my laptop and perusing BoB. Calm. Conscious.

An hour just went by like nothing, but seemed like a nap. Flavor. A few more lights. Cool pipe. Dry smoke. Pondering. Relaxation.

Nice; nothing to worry about.

Rinse and repeat every day for the next six months, give or take a day, a pipe and 'bacca.

Eventually I'll develop a true routine, and it'll all be second nature. I was just foolin' myself, and let me tell you: I'm glad it happened!

When I find myself getting in a hurry, I break out my first pipe that is prone to gurgle. I slow down when I sense a touch of gurgle. I see if I can slow smoking enough to prevent another gurgle. Sometimes the pipe goes out, but i do not sling the moisture out of the stem or swab it with a cleaner.

Good thread Kyle, these are good things to remember.

My recent “back to fundamentals” had to do with packing. I had became very comfortable packing 2 or 3 of my pipes and then when I really started exploring my other pipes it all fell to pieces. I had to start over from pinch one and am finally getting a good regular pack once again.

http://www.brothersofbriar.com/t16335-reverse-pack-method?highlight=reverse

...was a packing thread that threw me off. I think I had just gotten to the point where I was comfortable and had found a way that worked. I got drawn into the concept I may have been over complicating. I ended up... erm... over complicating. Not in the way that was obvious by my tedious testing, but by the fact there was something to it that wasn't there with what was working before.

In the future, I'm going to ignore all other packing methods contrary to what is working, because if it works, why fix it?

I think beginning and intermediate smokers should find a packing method that works for them. Stick with it until something needs adjusting. When you can easily go back to "tried and true," then you can go about debunking or reinforcing pack theory.

Interestingly, it was that thread, that reminded me that I should stick with what works.

Before that thread, I had really started over complicating things, a had started doing something a little like the three pack and a little like the Frank method... was really over complicated. Before that, and what I have largely returned to, at least with my pipe kit and bagged baccy, is to move the pipe in a spiral/scooping motion through the tobacco. This gives me a very nice pack in most of my pipes, all that is needed is a light tamp, perhaps a pinch more tobacco on top and all is good.

Of course, I am still trying to figure out the packing in my large bowl pipes...

Before that thread threw me off, I did (and will do) it by feel, and each pack is different, depending on pipe and bacca. I'll fill the bowl up, make some room by packing it down to whatever degree feels right, add some more, again, pack a tad, test the draw, add a little on top, and good to go. Takes longer to type it out to explain it (or read it) than do it. It worked for most of my tobacco, whether chunky, flake, cube, or ribbon.

The only other method I came up with is for flake, taking a flake, folding it in half, balling it up between my palms to roughen the edges, and adding that chunk to the pipe. Sometimes doing this twice, linin' 'em up like pinballs if the bowl will allow it. As it burns, the ball opens up and fills the chamber nicely.

I'm sticking with this. It meshed well with my slow but steady puffing, which the "palm twist" method in the link led me down a road of hotter-than-normal smokes because it was packed too loosely compared to my own. On the plus side, it was a very even pack and burn, which made me wonder if I should look down that road more. On the negative side, it was a terrible choice in the wind--ribbon cut packed loosely is asking for heat. It's almost always windy here.

Again, just musings of someone going back to basics. *shrug*