Where to Start

If you are interested in learning the adventurous hobby of belly dancing, then you will be glad to know that belly dancing is a lot of fun to learn. However, it isn’t an easy form of dance to learn and you will have to be disciplined and willing to put time into learning it. When it comes to belly dancing, you want to do it right. You won’t be able to amaze people and give a good show if you aren’t belly dancing the correct way. You want to put in the practice and give it your all while you are being instructed. The more time and practice that you put in to belly dancing; the sooner you will become great at it.

Dance Studio: You will want to find a belly dancing instruction that you feel comfortable with. You can start by contacting the local dance studios in your area. Oftentimes, they will offer classes in belly dancing. If you choose this as your method of instruction, then you will go to the studio on specific dates and times and be instructed with others whom are learning belly dancing. This is a great way for you to meet and interact with other people who are interested in belly dancing as well. Also, you will be able to be instructed by an instructor hands on who will be able to show you what it is that you are doing right and wrong.

Private Instruction: Another option for you is to look for a private instructor in your area. This is great if you can find one because you will be able to be taught belly dancing one on one by an experienced belly dance instructor. These one on one lessons can be very good, they allow you to get all of the instructor’s attention. When you have private lessons you will be able to ask them any and all questions that you have and they will have the time to answer you. It can be a little more difficult to get all of your questions answered when you are in a class with other students because the instructor has to pay an equal amount of attention to all of the students in the class.

Instructional DVD: If you can’t find a class in your area, then you can still learn how to belly dance. You will be at a slight disadvantage, but this means you will just have to work a little harder. You can get yourself a belly dancing instructional DVD. You will find that there are a lot of them for you to choose from online. Make sure that you purchase one which gives you a lot of instruction. You also want to choose one that starts at a beginner’s level. You will see that you can get an instructional DVD that starts at a beginner’s level and goes all the way through to an advanced level, this is a good thing.

Instructional Manual: Another way that you can learn belly dancing is through belly dance instructional books. The thing about this is that you have to read each step and then put it into a move yourself. You won’t have anyone there to tell you whether or not you are doing the moves correctly. This is definitely the more difficult way to learn belly dancing. However, with enough practice it can also work. One good thing about learning through the use of an instructional manual is that you will be able to learn at your own pace and make sure that you have a move down before you move on to the next section.

Where to Dance

Once you have belly dancing down and you know what you are doing, you will be able to create absolutely beautiful daces that will amaze those that watch you. Once you know how to belly dance, you will be ready to put it to use. There are a lot of occasions and other ways in which your belly dancing will come in handy. The best part of all is that you will be able to have a lot of fun with it. The costume and the moves make belly dancing a very fun hobby that will keep you and others entertained. The more you do it, the better you will get and the more you will come to appreciate this beautiful form of dance. There are a lot of ways for you to enjoy your belly dancing.

Romance: Belly dancing can be very romantic and sexy. If you are looking for a great way to perform a sexy act for your significant other, then belly dancing is a great way for you to do it. You will be able to put on a sexy romantic show for your partner that will include sensual movements, seductive eye contact, and exotic clothing. Belly dancing can be a very respectful form of dance, but it will also translate well in the bedroom.

Dancing Career: If you are thinking about learning how to belly dance as a way of supporting yourself, then you will find that it can be a very fun career. You can get hired as a professional belly dancer to put on shows for others. You can also start your own business in which you will belly dance for others at special occasions and gatherings. Many restaurants also hire belly dancers to entertain their patrons. The amount of money you can make from belly dancing will vary depending on your talent and which area of the industry you choose to focus on.

Entertainment: A lot of people choose to learn the art of belly dancing simply for its entertainment value. You will find that there will be a lot of opportunities that will come up which will allow you to show off your talents. It may be a friend’s birthday party, a family gathering, or a romantic vacation which finds you showing off your belly dancing and entertaining your friends and family members. No matter what the case, there will always be times that you will be glad you learned this beautiful and exotic form of dance.

Exercise: Many people choose belly dancing as a way for them to exercise. It can provide them with a great workout which is fun at the same time. In fact, belly dancing can burn as many calories as walking, swimming, or riding a bike. However, it is much more of an exciting experience. If you have decided to use belly dancing as a way to lose weight, then you will want to select a belly dancing instruction which keeps you moving continuously, this will help you to get the most out of your workout and see the weight loss results that you are looking for.

Bragging Rights: Some people may want to learn belly dancing simply for the novelty of knowing how to do it. This is fine, and it is a very intriguing dance to be able to brag to others about knowing. However, you will still want to make sure that you take it seriously and practice it if you really want to be able to show off your abilities to others.

The Basics

Most types of belly dancing are derived from one or more of 12 traditional movements. You can get a good idea of belly dancing by practicing and putting into motion these 12 general moves. By practicing these movements you will have the basic idea of most of the movements involved with this form of dance. If you are serious about learning more about belly dancing, then understanding and putting the following moves to use is a great place for you to start.

Traditional Hip Moves:
• The hip twists
• The hip bumps
• Up and down moves

Traditional Rolling Hip Moves:

• Hip figure 8 movements
• General hip circle moves
• Vertical hip circle moves

Traditional Ribcage Circles:

• Horizontal rib circles
• Diagonal rib circles
• Vertical rib circles with undulation

Traditional Head, Shoulder, and Arm Movements:

• The arm waves
• Shoulder movements followed by arm waves
• The head moves

When you are practicing the basics of belly dancing, you will want to realize that not everyone will look exactly the same while they are doing it. Therefore, you can expect to look a little different when you are doing the moves than the person next to you. You will want to make sure that you are doing them correctly and putting everything together the right way. But the end result will be you looking the way you do when you are belly dancing. As long as you have the motions and movements down and you put yourself into it, you will look great.

You want to make sure that you have all of the basic movements down before you go on. If you continue throwing new movements into your routine before you fully understand the basic movements and can correctly do them, then you will be moving on before you are ready. This will result in a sloppy and incorrectly performed belly dance. Take your time with it, this is a process and the more that you take your time to understand and practice all of the moves, the more graceful of a dance you will be able to perform.

Accessories

Belly dancing is an art, a tradition, and a very entertaining and fun form of dance. When you get into it, you will want to make sure that you are fully prepared and that you have everything that you need to do it to the best of your ability. This is why you will want to invest in the correct belly dancing accessories. Also, belly dancing accessories are an important part of the art of this type of dance. They will make all of the difference in how you look as you are performing it. The proper accessories truly add to the overall experiences of the dance and give you, as well as the people you are performing the dance for the entire experience.

Makeup: Makeup is an important part of the belly dancing attire. You will want to apply your makeup to appear dark and mysterious. You will use black eyeliner and apply it to both the tops and bottoms of your eyelids. The eyeliner should extend out towards your temples and form a point at the end. You will want to wear dark mascara on your eyelashes. You should have on a light and powdery foundation with a mild blush. You will want to apply a dark lip liner and matching lipstick. You can put some sticky and shiny jewelry on your forehead to really look the part. The main idea is that you want to achieve a mysterious and desirable look.

Costume: In the west, the costume which is most associated with belly dancing is the “bedleh”. This costume consists of a fitted top which is usually adorned with fringe and beads, or coins, a fitted hip belt which also has fringe with beads or coins, and either a skirt or a pair of harem pants. The belt may be made to be a separate piece, or it may be sewn into a skirt.
The hip belt is a full piece of fabric which is worn low on your hips. The fitted top usually matches the belt and it does not resemble lingerie. The classic harem pants are very full and they gather at the ankle, but there are different variations. The colors vary yet one thing generally remains the same and that is the fact that the attire is shiny and gorgeous.

Dancing Accessories: Anything you want to use can be used as a belly dancing accessory. However, there are many items which are commonly used when dancing. Some of the more commonly used items are such things as finger symbols, snakes, sashes, tambourines, swords, and fans. However, you may use anything you choose and incorporate it into your dance as long as you can hold it in your hands and dance with it.

Resources

When it comes to belly dancing, you will find that there are a lot of resources out there which can help you to learn more and become more familiar with what is involved in this form of dance. There are a lot of websites, books, DVD’s and other resources which you can use in order to learn all that you can about this fascinating dance. Here are some of the resources that you will want to take a look at to start with:

Websites:

www.shira.net – This is a very helpful website for anyone interested in belly dancing. This site has information on just about every aspect of this form of dance.
www.bellydanceclasses.net – This website is great for anyone trying to locate a class near them. They will help you to find a belly dancing class near you no matter what part of the world you live in.
www.bellydancingcostumes.com – This website is perfect for anyone looking to purchase belly dancing costumes. They have a wide variety of costumes which are gorgeous and high quality.

Books:

The Art of Belly Dancing - Shimmy Your Way to a Sexier You! – This is a great book for anyone that wants to learn how to belly dance as a way to achieve a weight loss.
Belly Dancing Basics – This is a good book for anyone that is new to the world of belly dancing and wants to learn more about it.

DVDs:

www.bellydance.org – This is a great website to go to if you are looking for DVD’s on belly dancing. They have a large selection available which cover various belly dancing topics.

Equipment

Camera Selection:
Obviously go digital. The pros of a digital system out weigh the cons 10 times over. Simply being able to see your picture instantly is the single biggest advantage.

My recommendation would be the Canon Rebel Digital SLR. I bought this camera with no regrets the day that it came out. This was my first SLR camera and I couldn't be happier. With that said, if you like Nikon better, buy Nikon. Here is a very interesting review on the d40. Tommy basically nails it saying "Most of the other items on the checklist are just inherent to Digital SLR cameras. Like, quick to start, quick to shoot, good quality, etc. The rest of the specs I didn't know anything about and probably wouldn't know the difference anytime soon." All these entry level digital SLR cameras are loaded with features you'll probably never use or need. Getting a quality camera is what IS important and you can't go wrong with a Canon or a Nikon.

Why an SLR? A single Lens Reflex offers a drastic improvement in picture quality. These cameras use much larger digitizing sensors capturing more of the image in digital space. Also SLRs offer the ability to change lenses. Depending on the type of photography your interested will dictate the lens you choose. More on lenses in the next section.

Lens Selection:
If you're investing $500 - $1000 in an SLR camera body think long and hard about your lens choice. I would highly recommend you not purchase a body + lens kit that most of the big chain stores sell. Yes you'll get a little bit better deal but your lens probably isn't at the top of the lens quality list. Just remember your lens is the second most important factor to taking great pictures. I'm not saying spend a fortune but don't skimp on a lens. You'll regret it down the road.

Lenses basically come with two major features you need to concern yourself with. Focal Length (i.e. 28mm - 75mm) and Aperture (i.e. F2.8). These two features are discussed in detail below. What you should remember is as Focal Length goes up so does price and conversely as the Aperture goes down the price goes up. Once you understand the concepts of Focal Length and Aperture pick your lens accordingly. I would also highly recommend you read as many reviews on your lens choice before making your purchase.
A great site for reviews is Fred Miranda.

Memory Card:
Depending on your camera will depend what type of memory you'll need. Buy as big of a card as you can afford but more importantly buy the Ultra Fast memory. This directly effects how fast you'll get the data to the card and be ready for the next picture. Remember you'll be transferring 10's of megabytes in a fraction of a second. You'll need all the speed you can get if you want/need a respectable frame rate.

Other Accessories:
The only things you really need to take pictures have already been discussed. There are a ton of extras where you could literally waste thousands of dollars. A camera bag really is a must have. A tripod is a nicety especially if you're interested in time lapse or low light photography. The other accessory to mention are filters. There are a dozen different types of filters. I went ahead and purchased a polarization filter since I spend a lot of my time outside taking pictures. It really knocks down on the glare and reflections.

Types of Photography

This section of the guide is meant to inform new users of the different types of photography. You're obviously not limited to any particular type but some people find one type more appealing than another. Some people also find it easier to take good pictures of a particular type. I for instance enjoy taking portraits. I've found after you take enough pictures of a given type you begin to understand what's involved in taking great pictures.

Portraits:
My personal favorite. Usually taken of a person, but not necessarily always the case. Pets tend to make great portraits. A portrait should capture the likeness of of the person. Obviously everyone looks different and just taking a picture of their face really doesn't capture their likeness. To take a great portrait you have to take some time to get to know your subject. Understand what makes them unique. Once that's nailed down you can attempt to capture those nuances in the portrait.

Nature / Landscapes:
Everyone seen the lone tree in a field, a skyline shot of the Big Apple, or a magnificent shot of Niagra Falls. All these types of pictures fall into the Nature/Landscapes category. These types of pictures are generally taken with a wide angle lens in order to capture as much of the scene as possible.

Events:
Wedding, gradations, sporting events, and birthdays all register in the event type of photographs. Pretty popular category as everyone wants to remember that momentous occasion. Lets choices are endless depending on the situation.

Macro:
Get close up. No, real close. Now your in the macro range. A macro lens is necessary to capture objects close up. The lens must be able to focus at very short ranges.

Camera Settings

Aperture and Shutter Speed:
The aperture is "how fast" the lens is. Basically the aperture defines how wide the shutter can open in a given amount of time. The wider and faster it can open the more light the lens can collect and the faster the shutter speed. Faster shutter speeds mean sharper images because your frame has less time to move while the shutter is open. The implications of this are seen indoors when taking pictures of kids. You don't want to use a flash because it makes your pictures all blown out, so you use a lens that has a low f-stop/aperture. With these fast lenses you can take pictures inside without a flash and expect them to not be blurry.

All my best pictures have been taken with a Tamron 28-75, f2.8 lens. The one thing i forgot to mention about aperature is the Depth of Field. So if I take a portrait, 10' away at f2.8 the following will happen. Where the camera is focused will be perfectly clear or in focus. Then ~5" in front of the focal point and ~5" behind the focal point will be in relatively good focus, then everything else will start blurring out. Portraits look really good because there are no distractions. If you take the same picture from 10' away at f25 then the entire picture, foreground and background, will be in perfect focus. f25 shots are really good for landscapes and such. You can mess around with all these functions on your point and shoot its just a pain to adjust the settings because its all menu driven. On an slr its a flick of the finger wheel.

A great way to learn about aperature is to shoot pictures on an SLR in aperature priority mode. You can look through the view finder and see the frame and a number - not much else. The number I see is the f-stop. Take a picture, and flick my forefinger to move to the next f-stop. Take another picture. The camera will meter the shot to determine the frame rate to make the picture expose at that f-stop. If the number blinks it means there isn't enough light to properly expose but it will still take the picture since you could have it on a tripod or something to hold it really still. There is also frame priority which allows you to set the frame rate and the camera will adjust the aperture to compensate for a great picture. It won't take long before you have a really good understanding on how to take decent/great pictures using these 2 modes. There is a fully manual mode, but who has time to adjust all those settings.

ISO:
If you have a point and shoot try this. Take a picture at ISO 100 and ISO 1600 and look at the difference on your computer. SLRs are really good to about ISO 400. Basically ISO is digital noise that is injected into the pixels. So if you were at f2.8 and the number was blinking you could run the ISO up to 400 or even 800 to increase the shutter speed so the picture exposes correctly.

Composition

So you want to take great pictures? Don't we all. Having a nice camera certainly makes pictures better but your composition is what will make those pictures truly great.
Two major tips I can offer for the composition of your pictures.

1. Use the rules of thirds. Ask yourself what's interesting about your picture? Now take that interesting 'thing' and put in the vertical or horizontal third of the frame. Looks better doesn't it. Why? Thats just the way the human mind works.

2. Fill the Frame: All the dead space around what you're taking a picture of only adds distractions. Zoom in. Get closer. Fill that frame up as much as you can with whatever you're photographing.

Lighting:
Lighting is photography. The best light you'll find as a photographer is a couple hours right after sunrise and a couple hours before sunset. If you could take your pictures at these times it wouldn't be an issue. Since timing isn't an option in most cases its important to understand how to handle light.

Low Light: In low light you'll have to adjust your aperture and ISO settings to get a reasonable frame rate (no blurry pictures). A flash is also an option but can sometime cause an unwanted harsh feel.

Bright Light: Remember what you're mother told you. Don't look at the sun. Same goes for picture taking. If you're taking a picture into the sun you're going to get some very bad sun spots/glare on your pictures. Reposition yourself to get the sun at your back, just make sure your shadow isn't in the frame.

Resources
Here are just a few resources for you to reference as you're exploring this great hobby. If on your travels you find a resource you think belongs here please let us know.

Review Sites
Steve's Digital Camera Reviews

Techniques / Tutorials
Luminous Landscape
Morgue File
Digital Photography Tutorials

Photoblogs / Forums
Digital Photography School
Fred Miranda
StrayMatter

Boomerang Types

There are literally an infinite number of shapes and sizes of boomerangs.  It turns out you can make a boomerang in any shape and one of the manufactures has a boomerang for every letter of the alphabet.  Others have boomerangs that look like people or animals.  Whats most important is that you find a boomerang that fits your skill level.

Beginner Boomerangs

These boomerangs are the traditional V shaped or 3-bladed boomerangs.  These boomerangs are light weight and don't require a strong throw.  This also means that the boomerang is not going to travel very far.  The range is likely to be 10-20 meters.  Also these boomerangs will be heavily affected by the wind.

These boomerangs are great for learning to throw and practicing your form.  The one advantage to these is they won't hurt nearly as bad if you don't see it coming back around or you mis-catch one.

Intermediate Boomerangs

These intermediate boomerangs come in every shape and are generally heavier than the beginner boomerangs.  Accordingly they will work much better on a slightly windy day and have an effective range of 30-50 meters.  Since these are intermediate throwing techniques will need to be tweaked  depending on the model, flight path, and distance thrown.

Advanced Boomerangs

Since you're probably just getting into this hobby an advanced boomerang probably isn't right for you.  These boomerangs can literally do or go anywhere you want them to.  They are capable of going 100s of meters, flying for minutes at a time, or doing tricks.  When you've mastered the boomerang hobby this is the style of boomerang for you.

Buying

Coming Soon...

How to Throw

Here's the meat of the NotSoBoringLife.com How to Throw a Boomerange article.  Basically if you can throw a ball - you can throw a boomerang.  Like anything you'll need a little practice, but before long you'll be throwing and catching your boomerang with the best of them.

When to Throw

Ideally a warm sunny day is the optimal time to throw your boomerang.  Little to no wind is a necessity for a beginner however it should be mentioned that some boomerangs need wind in order to make it back.  Generally these are the heavier more advanced boomerangs.

Throwing in the rain, wind, or even snow is not unheard of, but I'd hold off until your comfortable throwing and catching before moving to less than ideal weather conditions.  Its just not worth losing a boomerang.

Where to Throw

A wide open space with no trees, power lines, shrubs, mailboxes, lamp posts, or houses.  You need about 60 yards in every direction.  That means finding an open soccer field or baseball field.  You should avoid fields where the grass is long or that border bodies of water as your boomerang will mysteriously disappear.

Where ever you choose to throw you need to make absolutely certain its clear of  people and pets.  Once the boomerang leaves your hand you have zero control.  The boomerang, moving at 30-40mph, effectively becomes a flying blade.  If it hits anything its going to hurt, so pay attention before and after you throw.  Yelling "FORE" isn't an acceptable warning to spectators who think you know what you're doing.

Gripping Your Boomerang

You've got two choices when gripping your boomerang.  The pinch grip and the cradle grip.

The pinch grip is the most popular and consists of pinching the end of the boomerang between your thumb and forefinger.  The boomerang is held by friction between your fingers during the throw.  At the end of the throw you'll snap your wrist to create the spin necessary for the boomerang to return.

The cradle grip is similar to the pinch grip, but the difference is that you wrap your forefinger around the end of the boomerang.  At the end of the throw you'll "pull the trigger" which creates the spin.

Experiment with both until you find the most comfortable grip that creates the most spin.

Adjusting for the Wind

If there is any wind you'll probably need to adjust your throw accordingly.  Start facing with the wind directly in your face.  Now turn about 60° to your right.  The wind should be blowing from left to right across your body.  Throw!

Throwing a Boomerang

Examine your boomerang and notice the shapes and curves.  In general you'll want to throw with the most curved side facing towards your face.  That's easy to remember, right?

Now grip the boomerang and throw the boomerang like a baseball directly over you head.  No crazy sidearm throws unless you want to accelerate the boomerang into the back of your head.  Make a conscious effort to create as much spin as possible.  How'd you do?

More Wind Adjustments

If the boomerang landed short, you need to adjust your throwing angle a bit to the left or more into the wind.

If it landed behind you, adjust to the right a few degrees.

Other Problems

If the boomerang is coming right at you but over your head, don't throw it so hard!

If it's coming at you but hits the ground, throw it harder!

If it flies straight and hits the ground you need more spin or you've throw it upside down.

The perfect throw will go straight out do a perfect circle and return to you for the amazing and daring catch!

Catching a Boomerang

Yup, you've got to catch that crazy flying object.  The best way to catch a boomerang is to sandwhich it between the palms of your hands.  Basically you'll clap your hands and hopefully the boomerang will stop between them and not smack you in the shin or forehead for that matter.

Doing a one handed catch is not adviced for a beginner but if you must try just stick your hand into the hold produced by the spinning boomerang and grab.  Be advised the boomerang could take of in any direction.

Your First Cigar

Choosing Your First Cigar

Here are a few things to consider when choosing your first cigar.

The Size: The length and diameter of the cigar is directly related to the intensity of the cigar. When you're first starting out you'll want to smoke a skinner and longer cigar. These will provide a cool smoke that is truly enjoyable. If you go for something that fatter then you'll likely be in for a full bodied cigar that will smoke for over an hour. Starting out you need to develop your pallet for tobacco smoke. Take on cigars that are a bit smaller in diameter and longer in length to fully enjoy the stogie.

The Quality: Since you're on here looking for a new hobby I'm guessing you're not planning to stop by your local drug store to pick a 99 cent special. You're probably ready to enjoy the finer things in life like a premium quality cigar. Cigars over $10 in price are likely 100% tobacco. That's exactly what you want. No fillers and no impurities. Squeeze the body of the cigar to ensure there are no lumps and inspect the wrapper for discoloration. These are 2 red flags when looking for a quality cigar.

I highly recommend you find a cigar you feel is the right size for you. You don't want a monster stogy hanging out of your mouth that is just uncomfortable. You also don't want the darkest cigar you can find. Hold off on those full bodied cigars until you've developed your pallet a bit. Find a nice mild or medium bodied cigar (lighter in color).

Here are a couple great choices when considering purchasing a cigar.

Cohiba: These are about $10 a stick but are a high end cigar that is sure to please. Be sure to pick up an extra for a friend.

Romeo y Julieta: These are also a great choice for a beginner however most beginners are scared off by the price tag. They are also priced similar to the Cohibas.

Smoking a Cigar

Cutting Your Cigar

Now that you have you cigar picked out you need to cut it, light it, and sit back and relax. Let's discuss the cutting of your cigar. This is vitally important as an improper cut can will absolutely ruin your cigar. A bad cut will normally cause the end of the cigar to split or allow the wrapper to unravel leaving you just a pile of tobacco leaves to look at.

The idea to cutting a cigar is to let the smoke freely flow through the end of the cigar. Cut it to much and it cigar unravels. Cut it to little and the smoke is hard to pull into your mouth. To properly cut a cigar you'll probably only need to cut 1/16th of an inch off the head. To give you some perspective that's about the thickness of a quarter. With lots of different shapes of cigars it can be tough to cut

If you plan to smoke any number of cigars you'll want to pick up a good quality cutter. They only cost a few bucks but it will making cutting your cigar a breeze. You want to find your mark and make the cut quickly so the cigar isn't disfigured once you're done cutting. If your cigar tears or gets smooshed its time for a new cutter. On the next page we have several different types of cutters you can choose from, however the most popular is the guillotine cigar cutter.

Lighting Your Cigar

There are several choices of flames to light your cigar. A butane torch is probably the best choice but a match or standard lighter are also completely acceptable. Make sure if you're using the latter two that you allow the chemicals to burn off before bringing your flame to the cigar.

When lighting your cigar try not to puff on the cigar. This could ruin the taste of the cigar. Instead hold the cigar to the flame until it starts to smoke. Then puff on the cigar to determine if its adequately lit, if not simply repeat the process until you've got a good light.

Smoking Your Cigar

With your cigar cut and lit it's time to sit back and relax. Savor each puff as if its your last and revel in your accomplishment or celebration. If you take a puff once a minute or so you're right on track to enjoying your cigar to its fullest extent.

Do not inhale your cigar. Cigar smoke is only meant for your mouth, not your lungs. Once you've got a few cigars under your belt you can experiment with retrohaling (smoke in the mouth and out your nose).

Lets take a look at some proper cigar smoking equipment like humidors and cutters.

Buying Cigars

Where to Buy Your Cigars

In the 1990's, before cigar smoking saw a major increase in popularity, there were only a few major brands to chose from. Since then cigar smoking has seen some major growth and now boasts over 1000 different cigar brands to chose from. If you're brand new to cigars the best place for you to visit is your local tobacconist. These guys are catering to you the cigar smoker, and are more than happy to spend time with you explaining and recommending different cigars they have stocked in their humidors. It can be intimidating walking into a humidor to see and endless supply of cigars. Generally you'll be asked what the occasion is and if you're familiar with cigars. From their you'll be recommended a dozen different options from which you can chose.

Once you're familiar with you options you begin to develop a taste for what you like. From there you can continue to support your local tobacconist, or you can go online to save yourself some cash. There are a few major players in the online cigar market and we highly recommend any of them if you know exactly what you're looking for.

• Cigars International - A Pennsylvania retailer offering plenty of variety, sampler packs, and weekly specials.
• Thompson Cigars - Thompson promotes their own line of cigars which are great quality cigars. They also offer a wide range of cigar accessories.
• JR Cigars - JR Cigars is a North Carolina based retailer and specializes in machine rolled cigars. However they have exceptional prices on hand mand imported cigars and are often as cheap as their machine rolled competition.

Remember when buying your next cigar to pick one up for a friend. No one wants to smoke alone.

Cigar Accessories
If you plan to smoke more than a handful of cigars you'll probably want to pick up a few essential cigar accessories to ensure every smoke is a pleasurable one.

Cigar Humidor

Cigars will absorb moisture or dry out based on the environment they are kept in. Store your cigars in a humidor and you're guaranteed an enviroment specifically design for a cigar. A humidor's whole point in life is to keep a steady humidity in the box so you're cigars are fresh. They can vary greatly in price based on size and quality.

Cigar Lighters

Being able to light your cigar is essential. You have several different choices here. None really being better than another. Most importantly let the flame burn for a few seconds to eliminate any chemicals being used to reach the flash point of the material being burned.

Matches - Matches are a great choice, but not very wind resistant.

Torch Lighters - Torch lighters are the cat's meow, but the most expensive flame.

Zippo Lighters - If you're looking for a flame with a bit of character the zippo lighters are a popular choice.

Cigar Cutters

Straight Cigar Cutters - A single blade guillotine is the most basic type of cutter. A double blade guillotine is also an options for a cleaner cut.

Wedge Cutters - Very similar to the guillotine cutter, this cutter removes a wedge from the cap of the cigar.

Hole Punch - These type of cutters will put a hole in the cap of the cigar, instead of completely cutting it off.

Resources

Cigar Smoking Resources

We've already given you a couple of great resources for buying cigars. If you're looking for more information, reviews, or discussion here are some other great resources to check out.
Cigar Jack
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