Investments Secured
Posted on March 15, 2007
Filed Under Uncategorized |
I have officially secured all of my pre-trip investments. The cigar cutter was the easiest of the bunch, since it only cost a couple of bucks. I picked one up a few weeks ago when I started making my semi-regular visits to Burlington on Whyte. Last week, I found a nice little “hobby size” humidor on eBay, which should be arriving tomorrow or Monday. I also bought another one today–a 10 stick traveldor that came with a nice lighter and cutter[1]. The final investment was a new pair of glasses. After scouring the city, I have finally found a pair that I liked, and I’ve put my deposit down. In seven to ten days, I should have a new pair of spectacles.
I’ve got to say that, of all of the things I wanted to buy before my trip, the new pair of specs was the toughest. The cigar cutter was ridiculously easy. The humidor was also surprisingly easy. I did a bit of research online, checked around on eBay, queried the guys at Burlington, and then found something that fit my needs and my budget on eBay. Even with the cost of shipping, it’s still cheaper than it would have been to buy something equivalent here in town. The glasses, though, were not so easy.
Normally, I don’t have problems when it comes time to buy a new pair of glasses. I usually just check out what’s available in my optometrist’s office, try a few pairs on, and then buy the ones that I like the most. This time around, he didn’t have anything in stock that I particularly liked. I started checking around in the malls, but found that my selection was limited. Because I have a nickel allergy, I can only buy frames that are titanium or stainless steel. (I can also buy plastic frames, but plastics tend to come in a very distinct style–a style that I’m not fond of, and which doesn’t look particularly good on me.) The trouble was that, the ones I could wear, I didn’t like. The ones that I liked, I couldn’t wear.
Finally, at Wal-Mart of all places, I found a pair that I like and that are made of 100% pure titanium. They also happened to have a pair of clips in stock that are a perfect fit, which is nice, since few of the Easy Clips frames appealed to me this season (make no mistake, glasses are a fashion item, and follow “seasons” in much the same way that clothes do, which sucks if the styles you favour are not in style during the time you’re shopping for a new pair). I haven’t worn “hook” clips in a long time, but they’re really no different than the Easy Clips, except that they’re not magnetic. They’re also a lot cheaper, which is good, since I have a habit of sitting on my clip-ons.
Now, all I need to do to be completely ready for Cuba is to go for a couple of tanning sessions so that I don’t burn my pasty ass to a crisp when I get exposed to the Caribbean sun. Surf, sand, and sun (and rum and tobacco) here I come!
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[1] This is probably the first thing I’ve ever purchased where the shipping costs were more expensive than the item itself. Despite that, I still got a great deal, and paid less than I would have had I purchase the same items individually in a local shop.
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4 Responses to “Investments Secured”
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how is a cigar cutter an investment. how does it improve in value over time. is a spoon, or a fork, or a hedge trimmer an investment in this manner. learn what an investment is.
In the truest definition of the word, none of the things I’ve referred to in this post are investments (with the possible exception of the humidor which, though unlikely, could one day be considered a piece of antique furniture). In that sense, yes, these things are merely purchases, and not actual investments.
However, from another point of view, one could say that the purchase of a cigar cutter is an investment in the “hobby” of cigar smoking. It adds “value” to the act of smoking a cigar by making a cleaner cut than if one were to, say bite the cap off of the cigar instead of using a cutter. Again, in the literal sense, this isn’t an investment. However, in a more abstract sense, it could be viewed as such.
Regardless, it would be nice if, the next time you want to get pedantic, you at least identify yourself as something other than “anonymous.”
Adam, you were being figurative. Of course, you are investing in your hobby!!! You are investing in the enjoyable activity of smoking the occasional cigar. I smoked a particularly fine, Monte Cristo “Torpedoâ€? a.k.a No. 2, in Banff, in front of a roaring fire, with Talisker 10-year-old whisky. (damned fine cigar). I put my investment (clipper) to good use! The No. 2 is not as perfect a smoke as the No. 4 (petit corona) but close. Have ever tried an H. Upmann Petit Corona? Do, when you’re in Cuba. They’re excellent!!!
Thomas, I’ve never tried a Petit Conrona, but I’ve heard many good things. I’ll definitely have a go with one in Cuba.
To the pedant, I’ve one more thing to say (because I can’t simply let things go). If you’re going to attack my use of language, it would be best to use proper grammar while doing so. Learn what a question mark is.