Other things we're "into"...

[Arsalan]

Did toyota take this car and simply rebadge it?

Toyota bought a stake in Subaru and they got together to do this car. Same factory. Toyota fuel injection tech and Subaru style boxer engine. Naturally aspirated 2.0 l...nearly 50/50 weight distribution. Not that fast off the line, but awesome around bends.They kept it very simple...and light..no unnecessary buttons and electrics.

Also in over 20 yrs of driving this is my first auto transmission...but they’ve done a great job, enjoying it so far...

 

[soulfoud]

My mechanic was telling me of the effort he had to go through to replace a new BMW's steering track - had to buy access to BMW's servers for a limited amount of time, connect the car up and get BMW to officially allow the new part to be usable by the car! Just fitting the new bit didn't work...

Yikes. Fortunately, my E39 is very analog and very amenable to DIY maintenance. There's a great community of sharp people always willing to lend their expertise too. Best car I've ever owned hands down.

 

[Sproaty]

eek...hopefully finished now.

Since Sunday, I have washed my car 4 times! I keep doing stuff in the evening and running out of time and having to carry on the next day - but that means having to start with a washed car

The past few days I've properly wash and decominated it, "clay bar"'d the whole car (picks up contaminents and crap off the surface that you can't even see) and then to apply a polishing cleanser following by a wax/sealant balm.

I think yesterday I was at it for 4-5 hours in total!!

This was yesterday prior to applying any product:



And this morning after 2 coats of the wax stuff:



The colour looks much deeper and richer and also many little "swirls" in the paint have been filled in. Am pretty happy, car is super reflective

 

[Mr.P]

Anyone here have any love of airguns? Kind of an inane sounding hobby I admit (blowing holes in things over and over and over) but I love the challenge of target shooting and sight adjustment, and the physics and power of these things can be amazing.

I just got my first pre-charged pneumatic air gun (these use tanks of pressurized air, not spring or hydraulic pistons like the ones I had as a kid). This thing is a work of art - it’s just pure physics and experimenting with pressure levels and projectile shapes / compositions creates a kind of satisfying destructive scientific endeavor during this pandemic. These can reach power levels approaching or surpassing those of .22 rifles.

I have no interest in hunting. I just enjoy target practice and punching holes in tin cans and such. The process of adjusting sights is a perfect model of the scientific process and I enjoy it for some reason - trying to understand and push the limits of precision and human error. This would be the perfect way to introduce a student to the whole concept of accuracy, precision, and human error.

I enjoy the whole thing - physics, collisions, focus, deep breathing... it is a kind of meditation when done alone in the right frame of mind.

 

[soulfoud]

Not airguns, but real ones out to 600 yards. It's a very knowledge-intensive and performance-oriented discipline, and yeah, quite meditative after decades of consistent practice.

 

[KodoKing]

Looks good! Here’s mine - this was first time I’ve had to clay bar since New, just last year

#mirrorfinish

Chemical guys - these guys are out of California and make a quality auto detailing product at reasonable pricing.

 

[Moe Ab]

I love Oolong teas as well. I got into them because everyone here seemed to really appreciate them and puerh tea as well (which I'm still not a massive fan of - but also need to explore more)

In any event, on the oolong side I've tried soooo many vendors. Domestic and international (I'm in USA). It's been tough finding good quality and like oud, lots of times if you want a good deal you need to get a fair bit of it. Buying tons of samples can be costly and leaves you with lots of opinions but not a lot of tea

So I know this isn't a tea forum and this vendor isn't part of ouddict, but I think she definitely matches the ethos of what ouddict represents. I think y'all would vibe with her very well. This is Floating Leaves Tea out of Seattle. She is an oolong specialist and has incredible dong dings and lots of roasted tea. Her pricing is very fair compared to others in the market and if you are from the USA, it means cheaper shipping - free above 100 bucks.

Be on the lookout for her House Oolong which only releases once in a while (every other month-ish) and is the best price/quality ratio roasted oolong on the market that I've found. 18 bucks for 150 grams for some really good tea that you won't feel guilty about drinking all the time. In the beginning I was silly, buying teas that were 70-90 bucks for 150g. That becomes unsustainable for daily drinking.

These 3 bags - total of 450 grams (plus a 25 gram sample not seen) was 103 shipped. Not too shabby and this will last me a while! Check her out if you like a heavier roasted oolong!

Soooooooo sorry about that!

You can blow it on shit...or you can sip bliss

I make 2 L of tea from about 5-10g of tea every morning while I’m cooking breakfast for my wife. I work primarily at home. She works in an office. A bit of the traditional role reversal. Haha

We split the tea between us and it lasts us the rest of the day.

We tend to cycle between a Russian Tea and a Thai Ruby Oolong that we get from a company out in Savannah, 509 and their top shelf Li Shan from Ten Ren, the English, Irish, and Nepalese Breakfasts from Teabox ... these are the teas we drink most frequently.

The teas we drink range from $5 - $10 / 120g to about $150 / 120g and honestly - they are all equally as enjoyable and are enjoyed on a wide range of occasions.

I know my life looks extravagant on the surface because of this oil and incense work - but that’s business and it’s not as extravagant as folks think. Haha Honestly - I don’t spend much money outside of tea and eating healthy. Wife and I are both foodies and we love to cook.

Most of us aren’t rich, by any means - which makes it ironic that we are surrounded by things like Tea and Agarwood. Modern goods that most folks don’t think twice about - yet they were lavish and extravagant luxuries through most of History. We can pour a cup and light up some incense for less money now than at any point in previous history. We can live like Pauper Kings and no one will know.

PS - at the time of the Boston Tea Party - Tea was about $3500 / kg. Even the most expensive tea we might drink today would be cheap in comparison. Most folks don’t realize there was an equivalent of hundreds of millions of tea dumped in the Harbour...perspective, right?

I'm into Tea aswell, but havent tried Oolong yet. I usually order from this site, go check it out. maybe you will like to products offered or the idea of the brand itself.
https://www.teabox.com/

Happy Sipping

 

[Sproaty]

Looks good! Here’s mine - this was first time I’ve had to clay bar since New, just last year

#mirrorfinish

Chemical guys - these guys are out of California and make a quality auto detailing product at reasonable pricing.

wow, bet that took some time to do! Looks great

 

[RisingPhoenix]

I'm into Tea aswell, but havent tried Oolong yet. I usually order from this site, go check it out. maybe you will like to products offered or the idea of the brand itself.
https://www.teabox.com/

Happy Sipping

I love Tea Box!

Their English, Irish, and Nepalese Breakfasts are 3 of our faves

 

[halim]

coffee fan
blue mointain jamaica
blue montain skyburry from autsralia ( my coffee in thoses day )
papua new guinea

i like tea too green like gyokuro and sencha some time

need to test oloong ...

 

[zeedubbya]

I am a collector/connoisseur of fine tobacco. Pipe tobacco and cigars in the main, although there’s a small niche market for vintage cigarettes and snuff. Been at it for about 20 years. At one point I had a collection of over 20,000 cigars and 80 lbs of pipe tobacco. The number is quite a lot less now. Caring for that many cigars requires a huge time/financial commitment. I realized I wasn’t enjoying it anymore because of all the extraneous factors. The lifting of the restrictions on possessing Cuban cigars in the US made this hobby a lot more enjoyable (maybe..).

I have a diverse collection. Vintage Cuban cigars, current Cuban cigars, some select New World (Non-Cuban) cigars, and pipe tobacco from the 1940’s-current from all over the world. My favorite Cuban Marca is Bolivar and Partagas, my favorite Non Cuban is Padrón, and my favorite pipe tobaccos are English Blends made by JF Germain in Jersey, British Isles—Smokers Haven Exotique being top of the list.

I used to smoke a cigar or bowl of tobacco 3-5 times per day, but now am around 3-5 times a week. I have narrowed down what I personally enjoy and I focus on that now instead of purely grabbing whatever shiny thing comes along.

There’s a really great meditative peace which comes from sitting alone or with a friend enjoying a fine cigar and swiping on some Oud. If anyone needs assistance with any type of tobacco needs I’m your guy. I am happy to give experienced advice or assist in acquisition.

 

[RisingPhoenix]

I am a collector/connoisseur of fine tobacco. Pipe tobacco and cigars in the main, although there’s a small niche market for vintage cigarettes and snuff. Been at it for about 20 years. At one point I had a collection of over 20,000 cigars and 80 lbs of pipe tobacco. The number is quite a lot less now. Caring for that many cigars requires a huge time/financial commitment. I realized I wasn’t enjoying it anymore because of all the extraneous factors. The lifting of the restrictions on possessing Cuban cigars in the US made this hobby a lot more enjoyable (maybe..).

I have a diverse collection. Vintage Cuban cigars, current Cuban cigars, some select New World (Non-Cuban) cigars, and pipe tobacco from the 1940’s-current from all over the world. My favorite Cuban Marca is Bolivar and Partagas, my favorite Non Cuban is Padrón, and my favorite pipe tobaccos are English Blends made by JF Germain in Jersey, British Isles—Smokers Haven Exotique being top of the list.

I used to smoke a cigar or bowl of tobacco 3-5 times per day, but now am around 3-5 times a week. I have narrowed down what I personally enjoy and I focus on that now instead of purely grabbing whatever shiny thing comes along.

There’s a really great meditative peace which comes from sitting alone or with a friend enjoying a fine cigar and swiping on some Oud. If anyone needs assistance with any type of tobacco needs I’m your guy. I am happy to give experienced advice or assist in acquisition.

Well damn man, don’t stop there - where the pipe porn!?

 

[Andrew Salkin]

New puppy! Ziggy

(Stardust. Not marley)

 

[Santal Claus]

I am a collector/connoisseur of fine tobacco. Pipe tobacco and cigars in the main, although there’s a small niche market for vintage cigarettes and snuff. Been at it for about 20 years. At one point I had a collection of over 20,000 cigars and 80 lbs of pipe tobacco. The number is quite a lot less now. Caring for that many cigars requires a huge time/financial commitment. I realized I wasn’t enjoying it anymore because of all the extraneous factors. The lifting of the restrictions on possessing Cuban cigars in the US made this hobby a lot more enjoyable (maybe..).

I have a diverse collection. Vintage Cuban cigars, current Cuban cigars, some select New World (Non-Cuban) cigars, and pipe tobacco from the 1940’s-current from all over the world. My favorite Cuban Marca is Bolivar and Partagas, my favorite Non Cuban is Padrón, and my favorite pipe tobaccos are English Blends made by JF Germain in Jersey, British Isles—Smokers Haven Exotique being top of the list.

I used to smoke a cigar or bowl of tobacco 3-5 times per day, but now am around 3-5 times a week. I have narrowed down what I personally enjoy and I focus on that now instead of purely grabbing whatever shiny thing comes along.

There’s a really great meditative peace which comes from sitting alone or with a friend enjoying a fine cigar and swiping on some Oud. If anyone needs assistance with any type of tobacco needs I’m your guy. I am happy to give experienced advice or assist in acquisition.

Uh, 20,000 cigars? Not sure where that places you...either uber rich, or uber nerd, or both. I used to enjoy cigars until they overcame me. Y todo lo bueno para que sepas, as I would say in Spanish.
Bolívar and Partagás de Cuba are like incense. Most of them smell great. Padrón is still a wonderful brand. My wife's uncle smokes that one in non-COVID times. Ultimately, despite how good cigars smell, they take a very strong toll on the mouth and lungs, nevermind the bad effect on those that surround us. At this stage of my life, for me, tobacco is not meant to be ingested by puffing or otherwise, despite its amazing aroma. But, I'm in my 40's, so this is more of a thing for me. I gave up a while ago and was never a true smoker, but when I smell a nice cigar, it is pleasurable.

 

[Mr.P]

Yes cigars are nice! Never put a lot of energy but recognize something good there. Had a few “high quality” (but probably mass produced) consumer cigars but that’s all.

Here is a picture of the airgun that I’ve been shooting. I’ve never hunted anything nor do I plan to. This is, for me, just about target practice and the physics of it. I don’t have many other thoughts on this kind of thing.

What’s different about this (for me) is you pump it up with a special hand pump, like a sturdy bike pump. It takes a LOT of energy and actual physical force to get this up to 3000 psi. You actually have to weigh 175lbs+ just to be able to push the plunger down... the first time you fill it has to be done in stages - a person gets too tired and the pump gets too hot. When shooting you only drop the pressure to 2000 psi before refilling, so it’s much less work.

This is a pistol with a small bottle so once the bottle is filled up you can only get 10-20 good solid shots before having to refill. I don’t mind pumping it up - it’s a bit like doing push-ups.

Folks with more $ and less patience can buy electric pumps or larger scuba tanks and use those for quick refills.

When it comes to shooting, it is really accurate and you can dial the power from something pretty quiet and (kind of) tame at a setting of 1 to an ear-ringing blast at 13 that will punch holes in just about anything including most airgun pellet traps. It shoots a pretty fat pellet at 0.25 cal. The larger diameter pellet experiences more force than smaller ones and comes out with a lot more energy.

This needs a more substantial backdrop or trap, which I have managed to rig up. Quite a different beast from the crossman i shot as a child.

 

[zeedubbya]

Uh, 20,000 cigars? Not sure where that places you...either uber rich, or uber nerd, or both. I used to enjoy cigars until they overcame me. Y todo lo bueno para que sepas, as I would say in Spanish.
Bolívar and Partagás de Cuba are like incense. Most of them smell great. Padrón is still a wonderful brand. My wife's uncle smokes that one in non-COVID times. Ultimately, despite how good cigars smell, they take a very strong toll on the mouth and lungs, nevermind the bad effect on those that surround us. At this stage of my life, for me, tobacco is not meant to be ingested by puffing or otherwise, despite its amazing aroma. But, I'm in my 40's, so this is more of a thing for me. I gave up a while ago and was never a true smoker, but when I smell a nice cigar, it is pleasurable.

I too am in my 40’s, and I have found now it’s more about owning what I like and introducing others to the hobby, rather than the race to grab as many as possible. It’s very difficult to get and keep that many cigars. It required a lot of time, dedication, money and making well-heeled friends who don’t care a bit about the money but the person. I was able to build my collection by acquiring cigars for others and in the process made the connections to build that type of collection. It was a lot of work.

You may be surprised to know, that in some wealthy circles a 20,000 cigar collection would be considered well below average. I imagine though (for reference here) it would be akin to obtaining a 500-700 bottle artisanal Oud Collection. However, imagine you had to attend to those bottles on a daily basis to ensure proper climate. It was a fun thing when I was younger, but now I take a lot of interest in teaching others what I have learned and making recommendations about what I think they would like.

Also, health is a concern, although I am (maybe naively) convinced enjoying cigars in moderation is very good for the mental health of a person IF they enjoy that sort of thing. There’s so much I could write on the subject, but this is an Oud forum, not a cigar forum. I digress—and I agree—the aromatic nature of a fine cigar is really amazing. To me, it’s still a great pleasure to take in the smell of a well aged/cared for cigar burning beside me.

 

[RisingPhoenix]

I too am in my 40’s, and I have found now it’s more about owning what I like and introducing others to the hobby, rather than the race to grab as many as possible. It’s very difficult to get and keep that many cigars. It required a lot of time, dedication, money and making well-heeled friends who don’t care a bit about the money but the person. I was able to build my collection by acquiring cigars for others and in the process made the connections to build that type of collection. It was a lot of work.

You may be surprised to know, that in some wealthy circles a 20,000 cigar collection would be considered well below average. I imagine though (for reference here) it would be akin to obtaining a 500-700 bottle artisanal Oud Collection. However, imagine you had to attend to those bottles on a daily basis to ensure proper climate. It was a fun thing when I was younger, but now I take a lot of interest in teaching others what I have learned and making recommendations about what I think they would like.

Also, health is a concern, although I am (maybe naively) convinced enjoying cigars in moderation is very good for the mental health of a person IF they enjoy that sort of thing. There’s so much I could write on the subject, but this is an Oud forum, not a cigar forum. I digress—and I agree—the aromatic nature of a fine cigar is really amazing. To me, it’s still a great pleasure to take in the smell of a well aged/cared for cigar burning beside me.

I dunno - tobacco flavoring kinda falls in line with the general Flavor / Fragrance threads found here, and given that Agarwood is added as a flavoring to tobaccos in Asia ... maybe it's more pertinent than you think?

I have a friend that was chummy with an old, now deceased, tobacco flavor chemist that worked in the industry for 40-50 years. He had some really cool stories he's relayed to me about some of the flavor ingredients used in pipe and cigarette tobaccos back when they were using the natural flavoring materials. One of the more interesting stories involved a 55 gallon drum (yes, a dang DRUM) of Ambergris - EVERY WEEK - that went into their company's cigarette tobacco flavoring. That was just one company, 4 drums of Ambergris A MONTH. God knows how many TONS of Ambergris that equated to every year. Needless to say ... that was just one of the cool stories I've heard through the grapevine about the flavoring of tobaccos when they utilize all naturals.

It's what I like about Pipe Tobacco. The higher end stuff usually uses naturals, exclusively.

I, myself, have been known make use of my small collection of pipes - although it's generally only once or twice a year during cold weather. Like @Santal Claus said - getting a whiff of a good cigar or pipe tobacco is enough to send one into some blissful corner of breathing.

 

[DubOudh]

Another collection that I have built up over the past few years...is...Native American flutes made by tribal members.
A beautiful sounding hand crafted wooded flute is just the perfect compliment for a beautiful Oud...A wonderful partnership.
Charles Littleleaf makes the most inspiring sounding flutes. Considering I am not great at playing them...none the less, even I sound fantastic....(though I say so myself)

 

[DubOudh]

One of my favourite custom made Native American Flutes...made from over 100 year old enchanted Cedar wood..
Such a beautiful sound from this wood.

 

[DubOudh]

A little closer...all hand carved work. Artisanal work always best work.