Posts Tagged: ‘beginner’

10 Tips for the Cigar Novice

June 9, 2010 Posted by admin

Starting up a new hobby can be intimidating. Going golfing for the first time with a bunch of guys who have been doing it for years can make a beginner feel self-conscious about his lack of prowess on the links. People just learning to play guitar will go for years refusing to play in front of others. Even someone learning to cook might be embarrassed to share a less than savory meal with his family.

Some people might not consider smoking cigars a hobby, but it certainly is a pastime and it has its own intricacies just like anything else. There are traditions and faux pas when it comes to smoking cigars that any old puffer at the country club will notice and call you out on in a heartbeat.

Good-natured as the ribbing may be, it can’t hurt to brush up on some cigar “do’s and don’ts” before you have a cigar among the aficionados. Included are some suggestions for classy cigars and accessories that will show off your sense of refinement and good taste.

1. It is not a race. Smoking a cigar should be a leisure activity. The best way to start is to smoke as if it is no big deal. Take your time and enjoy it.

The Ashton Magnum is a smooth and creamy cigar that is perfect for new smokers. The aroma and flavor is remarkably consistent so you won’t ever get a bad draw. Ashton Magnums are made from Dominican leaves and shade-grown Connecticut wrappers. It is truly a cigar to be savored.

2. Trim the end of your cigar with a cigar cutter. Don’t try to bite it off with your teeth. This may look cool in the movies but it will just leave you with an unsightly and decidedly uncouth mouthful of tobacco.

The Double Blade Stainless Round Cigar Cutter from Orleans is an inexpensive yet fully functional cigar cutter. In other words, it is perfect for beginners. It works with a dual-blade guillotine action, which ensures a shred-free cut. It is housed in a durable stainless steel case for a long lifespan.

3. Don’t grind out a cigar in an ashtray. Let it go out on its own. This is a handy technique for being able to re-light a cigar later on. It is also polite to not leave the smudged out remains of tobacco scattered around in an ashtray.

In your own home, it is also nice to have a relatively clean ashtray. The Flor De Gonzalez Ashtray is made of simple black porcelain with the company’s logo in the center. It is square with resting places for your cigar in all four corners.

4. If there is less than a quarter left, let it go out in an ashtray. When a cigar starts to get that short, it will begin to lose its flavor. Nothing gold can stay. When it gets to the ¼ mark, it is time to let it go.

Another practical and stylish ashtray is the Hexagon Crystal Cigar Ashtray from Orleans. It looks incredibly luxurious for its modest price. It has wide stirrups (that’s where the cigar rests) to accommodate bigger cigars and a deep bowl for plenty of ash.

5. Don’t show off. Nothing screams amateur more than someone who makes a big deal out of smoking a cigar. Cigar holders and fancy smoking techniques are the antithesis of the cool guy casually smoking a cigar. You are allowed to blow smoke rings though. That’s a cool trick that’s not overtly flashy.

The best way to look natural smoking a cigar is to find one that you enjoy. In the beginning, it is best to start with a milder cigar and work your way up to fuller flavors. The Montecristo #1 is a legendary Cuban-inspired cigar that is made in the Dominican Republic.

6. Don’t chew on it. You are not Peter Parker’s grizzled boss at the newspaper. You are not a grunt in World War II. Unless you are being shot at or trying to ruin Spider-Man’s good name, chewing on a cigar is just plain gross.

Fine cigars can be works of art and the Griffin’s Robusto Natural is not something that you chomp away at. It has a rich and mild taste that smokers of every level can enjoy.

7. Don’t ask for a light. Seriously, you are a cigar smoker now. You should be carrying your own lighter around. In the worst case scenario, ask the bartender for a pack of matches.

The refillable Xikar EX Windproof Flame Cigar Lighter is far more practical than it sounds. It looks good and is affordable without appearing cheap or flashy. It is a functional, fantastic lighter that gets your cigar lit. What else could you want?

8. Don’t be afraid to let it go out and re-light it later. If you have spent some money on a nice cigar, there is no need to smoke it all at once and no need to waste it. Just scrape the ash off and rotate it over a flame for a moment to catch it again.

The Davidoff Millienium Churchill is a full-bodied, hearty, Dominican cigar that you won’t want to let go to waste. These cigars are top-notch and have a complex blend of aromas and flavors. Don’t be afraid to let it go out and enjoy the rest later.

9. Take your time warming up the end before you light it. This prevents you from charring the tobacco.

The Vector Vulcan Triple Flame shoots out a powerful trident flame that will allow you to perfectly light your cigar without over-toasting it.

10.  Don’t smoke one after another. You are not chain smoking cigarettes here. Cigars are meant to be savored. Take your time and enjoy it. When it’s done, it’s done. Get on with your life for a while before having another.

If you find yourself enjoying your new pastime of smoking cigars, you are going to want to eventually invest in a humidor to keep them fresh. The Capri Humidor is a lovely, affordable way to keep your cigars tasting fresh for a long time.

Smoking cigars isn’t like smoking cigarettes. It is a hobby, not a habit. It is the difference between enjoying a fine glass of wine and slamming whiskey before noon. Take to heart these tips and smoke in moderation and you will be on your way in no time.

William Patterson is a freelance writer who writes about luxury items such Cigars

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Categories: cigars

Tips on Turkey Hunting with Gun and Bow – What Most Beginner Turkey Hunters Should Know

January 25, 2010 Posted by admin

Turkeys can be hunted with many different arms, including guns and bows. Turkeys are very wary and fast and therefore, hunting with knives or similar is just not possible. Whenever a hunter goes hunting for turkey, he has to make sure that he checks the local hunting laws and regulations in regards to arms. Generally these laws allow a shotgun with a gauge somewhere between gauge 10 to 20 and shot sizes between #4 and #6, as well as bows. Bow pulls must be similar to bows allowed for deer hunting. Some places even allow rifles and handguns as hunting gear during fall.

When turkey hunting with a shotgun, it is always important to aim for the neck or the head. Hitting the body or feathery part of the turkey might not kill to bird, but leave it wounded instead of dead. The turkey’s head and neck are very small targets compared to the deer and a good aim and a good choke are essential. There are many good scopes that might help bag that turkey, but one thing that is important before going on a turkey hunt is to pattern the gun in advance. Pattern means to do some target shooting on targets the size of a turkey head and neck. Using different ranges for the target to shoot at and different ammunition will help the hunter learn which ammunition gives him the best overall aim and accuracy. It will also show him exactly how he has to aim to get his shot into the center of the target when the gun pulls a little low or high instead of dead center. Patterning the gun is like pumping up tires for a long bike ride or making sure everything necessary for a trip is packed.

A good tip, especially for new hunters is to not to shoot a turkey when it is in mating or attack posture. A turkey that is all puffed up generally pulls the neck in and down into the feather dress and shields the target area the hunter is looking for. Therefore, do not pull the trigger ahead of time. Be patient and wait for the turkey to straighten and stick his head up high and then take the shot.

For bow hunters, it might be interesting to know that it is recommended to use razor-sharp broad head arrows as usually used for deer. The bow hunter does not aim for the head or neck, but rather for the bird’s vital internal organs.

Many hunters use such accessories as blinds. Whether it is a natural or a commercial portable blind, the function is the same, to conceal any unnecessary movement. This type of accessory is a great one for everybody that is not quite adept at completely sitting still for long amounts of time. Blinds are also a big item for bow hunters, since raising the bow, drawing the bow and aiming are movements that can easily be spotted by a bird. Bow hunting requires more movement in general than gun hunting and any cover and camouflage is important. Also, good equipment for bow and gun hunters are little stools or seat cushions. A stool raises the hunter off the cold and often wet ground and also provides for a more comfortable wait.

The last bits of accessories that might be used for bow and arrow, as well as for gun hunting are decoys. A decoy is an imitation turkey that not only gives the nearing turkey what it was looking for, but also helps distract the turkey from the hunter while the hunter is taking aim. But as always, before going on a hunt, checking the laws and regulations for the area is very important and should not be forgotten. These regulations can differ greatly from state to state.

Bill is a turkey hunter enthusiast, and if you would like more tips on turkey hunting with gun and bow, please visit http://www.howtohuntturkey.com

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/hobbies-articles/tips-on-turkey-hunting-with-gun-and-bow-what-most-beginner-turkey-hunters-should-know-1777732.html

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Tags: beginner, bow, gun, hunters, hunting, tips, turkey
Categories: cigars

Beginner Beekeeping – Six Considerations

January 20, 2010 Posted by admin

Before you go you and spend money for beginner beekeeping, it is best to know if beekeeping is something you really want to do. Is it, or could it, be a passion? How do you know if you have a passion for beekeeping and whether you will be able to progress from beginner beekeeping to commercial beekeeping?

Firstly, ask yourself; Why beekeeping as against something else? Do you have a long standing interest in bees? Have you worked with bees before? Have you worked in a honey processing factory and wondered how the honey is made? Do you find yourself tuning in to news items about bees? What are your aspirations? Are you just interested in beginner beekeeping? Do you want a second income? A full time living? You need to ask these searching questions of yourself.

Secondly, do you have a place to do your beginner beekeeping? Do you live on a property suitable for bees? Are the bees going to bother your neighbours? Beekeeping in an apartment in the city is not impossible. You can keep bees on some apartment or office building roofs. You will need approval from your manager and perhaps your local Council! However, if you live in the USA you may have legal problems if your bees sting any residents!

The best places for beginner beekeeping are on farms, lifestyle blocks, and on urban properties with large gardens. Miniature or mini hives are suited to an urban location. But if you live the countryside, you are in the best location for beginner beekeeping.

Thirdly, how much is beginner beekeeping going to cost? It is important to consider costs. You will have the costs of buying protective clothing, a helmet and veil, and gloves. You will need to purchase the hive or hives, your swarm, beekeeping tools, a smoker, and smoker fuel. Beginner beekeeping equipment and a an operating hive could cost $300 – $1,000 or more. The best option is to purchase a living hive from a beekeeper and to purchase the beekeeping tools and clothing brand new.

Fourthly, how much honey do you want to produce per year? The number of hives you purchase depends on this. But also, the number of hives depends on your beginner beekeeping location.

Fifthly, can you afford the time to look after your bees? They will require feeding, the hives will require scraping and moving, and you will have to process your honey. If you just want comb honey you will only have to cut it into squares from the frame. If you want liquid honey you will have to extract it with your own honey extractor or take it to an established beekeeper for extraction if you have lots of frames. For beginner beekeeping you will probably not have your own honey extractor so the best choice will be eating the comb honey.

Sixthly, are you planning to sell your honey? In beginner beekeeping you will probably lsell little, if any, honey. You will probably eat it or give it to friends. If your beginner beekeeping is on a bigger scale you might sell it from the side of the road if you are in the countryside. If you are beekeeping in the city you might sell it to your neighbours (if they haven’t been stung!)

If you give adequate thought to these six items you will prepare yourself well for your start in beekeeping. You will avoid the major problems and know that you will sustain an interest in beekeeping long enough to gain its benefits, both emotional and financial.

Bill Rutherfurd writes on bee related subjects and is developing a large bee products marketing company. His lens on on this subject is at http://www.squidoo.com/beginnerbeekeeping

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/hobbies-articles/beginner-beekeeping-six-considerations-1753266.html

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Tags: beekeeping, beginner, considerations
Categories: cigars

Beginner’s Bass Guitar Basics

January 5, 2010 Posted by admin

The bass guitar looks similar to the electric guitar but it has a larger body, a longer neck, and fewer but thicker strings. There are usually four, sometimes five or six strings, tuned one octave lower. The body is usually made from maple or rose wood.

The bass is used in many styles of music including rock, metal, pop, country, blues, and jazz. It can solo in jazz, fusion, Latin, funk, and in some rock and heavy metal. It underlies the music’s beat. And it is that beat that appeals to many guitarists, who decide to expand into playing bass and take bass guitar lessons.

The bass guitar, unlike other guitars, is not chord oriented and this actually makes learning to play the bass guitar more complex than learning how to play acoustic guitar. You might think that since there are fewer strings, it is easier to play, but that’s not true!

Learning to play the bass guitar is a foundation that will make learning how to play other guitars like acoustic or electric easier.

If you want to play the bass guitar, here are some ideas to get you started.

First you need to get a guitar. Borrow one to start or buy a used one. Don’t spend a lot of money until you get proficient and learn a little about what you want in your instrument. You can look on eBay or Craigslist to find a reasonable used one. You can always trade up later.

Expect that you will need to have a certain degree of hand strength to play bass guitar. More than with other guitar types, the bass guitar requires strong hands and fingers.

ou should learn how to tune your bass guitar. Tuning it isn’t really different than tuning a standard guitar. It may be easier since you likely have fewer strings to tune. If you are new, don’t try to tune by ear, but get an electronic guitar tuner. You can get a battery operated one for around $20.

You need to be attuned to the beat of the music that you are playing. Some bass parts aren’t necessarily complicated but the rhythm must be perfect. That means you really need to be able to focus intently when you practice. As old-school as this may sound, practice with a metronome. Don’t worry – it doesn’t have to be a wooden box! You should be able to find one online that you can download. Some online bass guitar lessons will provide you with a digital version.

Now, take some bass guitar lessons or find a good bass guitar instructional DVD or online program. Some of the better ones actually let you “jam along” with their guitar instructors. Or find a friend or two you can play with. Playing with others will push you forward and reveal what areas you need to work on.

Playing the bass guitar can be a lifelong rewarding hobby or even a career. And last, don’t forget to relax and have fun.

Want to rapidly explode your guitar playing skills? At GuitarStar101.com, we give you unbiased, honest reports on the best, most popular products that making learning the guitar fun and easy. Find the perfect guitar instruction DVD or online program for you…and some great articles and tips, too. Check out GuitarStar101.com .

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/hobbies-articles/beginners-bass-guitar-basics-1669628.html

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Tags: basics, bass, beginner, guitar
Categories: cigars

Model train track layout ideas for the beginner

January 5, 2010 Posted by admin

As a beginner in the hobby, it’s easy to get carried away when creating a model train track layout. After the initial excitement of creating your first track, you will quickly have ideas about what to create next. Many people will start with a simple design such as the basic oval shape. This is the best way to get started. If you found that you could put this together quite easily, and without making any errors, then you should think about something more complex.

 

The next thing to move onto is the covered oval. This is where you keep the basic oval that you created but you have some sections of the track covered. You can use scenery for this, such as bridges, Aqueducts or other things. You can also have a section of track that runs over the lower section. This of course, takes a lot more planning and skill, but it creates a great effect, and lets you learn about other design options.

 

By creating an oval with a covered section, you also manage to keep things simple. This is really important so that you are able to complete the track as per your design. When you try to get too complicated you create a lot of unnecessary problems. At the beginning of the process it’s best to slowly build up your skill level a bit at a time.

 

People that are new to creating model railway tracks usually encounter issues or problems when they try to create something that requires more sill than they have. You can certainly build up to a very high skill level in track design but it takes time. You also need to move through the different stages of progression. As with any endeavor, you need to put in the effort and can’t expect to be an expert overnight.

 

The oval is very easy and it won’t need you to ask for help. You can just follow the instructions that are included in the train kit that you bought. You can then create additional sections of track that you can link to the oval. This is a good way to create straight sections although you should keep them small to begin with. You can also create straight sections on another platform. This gives you the experience without interfering with your working oval track.

 

Once you have this experience, then you can create themed based layouts. You can find these in many magazines or even buy sections of track to create these ideas. There are many great track designs that you can create. You can create a logging layout with shay locomotives transporting logs to the sawmill. This looks great as the trains carry cut wood to the furniture shops in the town center. You can create a mixture of urban and countryside themes.

 

Another good design is a number of trains running through the Appalachian Mountains. The train carries coal from the mines to the power stations. As you can see, you can quickly move to more complex designs that look great.

Philip Redfearn is a passionate model train enthusiast, with many informative articles written about this exciting hobby. For more great information on model trains, and to sign up for a free Ultimate Model Railway Secrets 11 lesson mini-course, visit http://www.ultimatemodelrailway.com

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/hobbies-articles/model-train-track-layout-ideas-for-the-beginner-1669948.html

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Tags: beginner, ideas, layout, model, track, train
Categories: cigars