Archives for the ‘Blog Entries.Local’ Category

Opening the ‘My Cigar Pack’ May Package

Author: From http://www.musingsoverabarrel.com/ • Jun 12th, 2023
   Category: Blog Entries.Local
A few years ago, I subscribed to the My Cigar Pack monthly shipment. I opted for the full bodied profile selection offered at the time. The subscription makeup was later simplified from three options to two, offering a Mild - Medium choice and a Medium - Full choice for the five cigars sent each month. Initially that was fine as as I enjoy a range from medium to full, depending on the circumstances. After a few months I decided to pause the subscription for a bit and pick it up later. This was for several reasons -- I had an abundance of cigars on hand from many sources, winter was approaching when opportunities for smoking would decrease, and a few of the selections I received had ventured into the mild flavor spectrum, which generally I do not enjoy. After a short time, the subscription faded from my mind.

Fast forward to May of this year. My Cigar Club sent out a reminder that I had a paused subscription, and alerting me that they were changing their backend systems. I would need to resume or cancel the subscription. Now reminded, I opted to resume for a bit to see what new cigars would come. It's always fun to try something new out of the blue.


The May package finally arrived this week and it was opened with much anticipation. The five cigars are sealed in a humidified bag with a Boveda pack, packed in a well cushioned box. The package also included a six page booklet describing the cigars, as well as the selections that were included in other subscription offerings.

The shipment elicited excitement yet some let down. The selection is great and I look forward to enjoying all of them. Sadly three of the five are not new to me, even though they are all cigars I do enjoy. The first one out of the pack was the Crowned Heads Le Carême, a cigar I smoke frequently in a variety of vitolas. Then there's the Crown Heads Las Calaveras LE 2022. I've enjoyed the Las Calaveras series each year when they are released, the 2022 release included. Also included was the Black Works Studio NBK, another one I pick up often. The final two selections, Black Trading Company Santa Muerta and a My Cigar Pack exclusive Quantum Habano are indeed new to my humidor. 

As far as the quality of the cigars included, there is nothing to be disappointed about whatsoever. I can attest from experience that at least three of the smokes are excellent. The value of cigars received exceeds the cost of the subscription easily. My anticipation was in the adventure of something new that I might not pick to try. Of course, that's perhaps not a fair metric on my part given the variety of smokes I regularly seek out. No worries, these will definitely be enjoyed. Now I'll eagerly look forward to what shows up in my mailbox next month.

Cheers!


[ This content originated at Musings Over a Barrel ]

Comments Found. Logic Missing.

Author: From http://www.musingsoverabarrel.com/ • Jun 11th, 2023
   Category: Blog Entries.Local
Wow. Sunday morning while enjoying my coffee on the deck, I was clicking around the comments section of the Blogger admin page. I brought up the spam section in the comments page and there I saw one of my own replies to a reader's comment. "That's odd," I thought, especially since I commented as the logged in owner of these Musings. I get an email anytime someone comments, at least that's what is configured in the settings. The more I scrolled through pages and pages of "spam" comments, I came across more of the same. Most of the spam comments are indeed spam, but I saw a lot my own replies, and even a bunch of comments from friends -- all awaiting release.

It's logic only a Google engineer would understand. Why they send an email stating a comment been posted, but make no mention that they randomly held it for moderation or flagged it as spam? Or why would my own comments to my posts would require moderation -- by me!?!

I've released a bunch of those mis-flagged comments, but I also finally deleted all the old stuff. I'll pay closer attention going forward. My apologies to those who took the time to comment, but never saw their comments posted.

Cheers!


[ This content originated at Musings Over a Barrel ]

DrupalCon Pittsburgh Wrap Up

Author: From https://odonnellweb.com/pelican/ • Jun 9th, 2023
   Category: Blog Entries.Local

I was in Pittsburgh 10 years ago for a long weekend with my wife. DrupalCon brought me back this week.

I got into town Sunday around noon. I was originally excited to catch the Sunday afternoon game at PNC Park. However, the Pirates were scheduled as the 11:30 AM game this week, so I did not get to the game. Instead, I checked into the hotel, then had a fabulous taco lunch at Condado Tacos across the street from the hotel. In classic DrupalCon fashion, I ran into Drupal friends at the Airport and the taco place. That would be a recurring theme of the week, reconnecting with friends in the Drupal community.

Speaking of hotels, I stayed at The Westin, one of the official convention hotels. It was fine, your typical big city upscale hotel, but the shower. OMG the shower. It was like being under a perfectly warm waterfall. I don’t know if it was just the shower head, or they can afford to use up 85 gallons of water per shower, but it was glorious and getting out of the shower may be the toughest thing I did all week. (I assume it is the shower head). I’m now on a quest to find that shower head, because showering like that every day would be fabulous.

After lunch, I headed out to explore. I walked to Point State Park, which is on the point where the three rivers in Pittsburgh meet. On the way, I walked through the Pittsburgh Arts Festival, which was 3 city blocks of artists and food vendors. On the way back to the hotel, I heard live music from the arts festival, so I checked it out. The band sounded like they grew up listening to Green Day, but that is impossible, as nobody on the stage was old enough to have grown up listening to Green Day. Sunday night was the annual DrupalCon pub crawl, which is always a good time. We hit 4 pubs, but I was still in bed by 11. That would be a theme for the week. I was in bed before midnight every night. That is a first for me at DrupalCon.

The convention kicked off Monday morning. I spent most of my time on booth duty. Every year I plan to get to a bunch of sessions, and every year I end up watching them on YouTube later. Monday night was a team dinner with my coworkers followed by a couple of drinks with a friend. My coworkers were all Canadian, and we ate at a southern food place. None of them had ever had a hush puppy, or shrimp and grits. I fixed that. I was in bed by 11.

Tuesday and Wed were the usual convention stuff by day and industry parties by night. A common thing for me is that I come home from DrupalCon with only 2 or 3 meals to expense. There is a lot of free food at DrupalCon. A lot of free beer, too.

collage of photos from Drupalcon Pittsburgh

They changed the format this year and did the industry summits on Thursday instead of Monday. I do not like the change. The summits are the most interactive events of the convention. By Thursday, I was interactived out. I got that same sentiment from others I talked to on summit day. Also, for people new to the community, the small group stuff in the summits allows them to met people more naturally, and then have a few folks they know for the rest of the event. Doing it last means those new relationships don’t form, as everyone goes home immediately.

DrupalCon was about 1300 people this year, which is 300 more than last year but only ½ of pre COVID attendance. The vendor hall was maybe a third of pre COVID. I don't know if this is still a pandemic hangover, or if the convention world has changed for good. Also, there were no executives or decision maker level folks there. DrupalCon is not like a lot of trade shows where selling is the primary focus. It’s more of an add-on benefit for the vendor sponsors, as sponsoring there is more about giving back to the community and brand building, than it is about meeting a bunch of hot prospects. But still, this year seemed particularly sparse in that regard. Maybe it makes sense given the attendance. The only ones attending are the more hardcore community folks, who are overwhelmingly developers.

So that is a wrap on Drupal 2023 in Pittsburgh.


Five O’Clock Friday: Spending Priorities

Author: From http://www.musingsoverabarrel.com/ • Jun 9th, 2023
   Category: Blog Entries.Local
The struggle is real.  And at the same time, it's no struggle at all.


I hope your decisions are easy this weekend.

Cheers!


[ This content originated at Musings Over a Barrel ]

Crowned Heads Le Carême Pastelitos 2023 Limited Edition

Author: From http://www.musingsoverabarrel.com/ • Jun 9th, 2023
   Category: Blog Entries.Local
The Le Carême from by Crowned Heads is one of my favorite smokes. I always have it in the humidor, and currently I've got three different vitolas on hand. The Le Carême Pastelitos 2023 Limited Edition 2023 is the latest addition to that lineup.

This is a unique shape for the blend. Not only is it a short 4" x 54 robusto, the cigar is round, rather than the box press most usually seen. There is an also a decorative pigtail end cap. The limited Belicosos Finos is a somewhat annual round torpedo I've mused on previously. Like all the Le Carême, Pastelitos features a Connecticut broadleaf wrapper with an Ecuadorian Sumatra binder and fillers from Nicaragua. 

The pre-release marketing noted the Pastelitos has a short smoke suitable for those cold winter smoking sessions. The cigars did not ship to retailers until April. I've smoked two since they arrived, but I will surely have plenty left come next winter. I placed an online order pre-release last February for a five pack, and then at the end of March placed the same order, forgetting I had an order already waiting. It was a nice surprise when I received two shipping notices on the same day in April!


The Pastelitos flavor profile is similar to the other in the line. It's that medium body and creamy, sweet notes, with a touch of cedar that makes it pair so with bourbon or coffee. The smoking time was around 40 minutes.

For the aforementioned bourbon pairing, I grabbed the bottle of Wyoming Whiskey Small Batch. This is a  tame five year bourbon that comes in at 88 proof. There's a mild balanced flavor profile with raisins, brown sugar, and charred wood. The finish as a touch of heat and lingers, more so than expected in the low proof. 

I'll try to resist, and leave the remaining Pastelitos to rest in my humidor until next winter when I am desiring of a quick 30-45 minute smoke. Should I fail, you'll read about it here. 

Cheers!


[ This content originated at Musings Over a Barrel ]

Wild Turkey Rare Breed and El Güegüense

Author: From http://www.musingsoverabarrel.com/ • Jun 7th, 2023
   Category: Blog Entries.Local
This was my consolation after returning home from shooting on Saturday. It had been a long day, with some disappointment, so I retired for a languorous evening on the deck with a large cigar and a classic bourbon pour, or two. 

Wild Turkey Rare Breed is a ubiquitous bourbon that readily available. At approximately $50 a bottle, it's a good value at 116.8 proof. There's no age statement on the bottle, but the Wild Turkey website lists it as a blend of 6, 8, and 12-year-old bourbons. The bourbon kicks off with some sweet notes, caramel, and a hint of citrus fruit. A good bit of spiciness then heats up the mouth, but is never overpowering. The bourbon warmth lingers a bit. I recently attended a bourbon, cigar, and smoked meat charity fundraiser when I recommended the Rare Breed to a number of gentlemen present who were not familiar with the array of bourbons offered. The suggestion was enjoyed by all but one friend who found it too hot. (In fact, his rejection inspired my choice this evening as I needed to doublecheck myself!)


The Foundation El Elgüegüense selection was from a five pack I obtained a while back. I've smoked this blend in both the Robusto and Lancero vitolas. This 6" x 56 Toro Huaco was a size I don't recall smoking previously. When I was placing the order I must have focused on the word "Toro" in the label and didn't look at the details. Toro can mean anything, but generally they tend to be around 6" in length, with an average range gauge of 48 - 52. For this evening the heftier cigar was a fit.  The Nicaraguan puro has a Corojo 99 wrapper and binder, and the binder is a blend of Corojo 99 and Criollo 98 tobaccos. 

This particular stick had a small amount of give to the pack, with an airy draw that I did touch up a few times when the smoke seemed to be slowing. The burn line stayed pretty even. The flavorful cigar brings a pleasurable blend of cocoa, espresso, and nuts. A creamy chocolate mixed with pepper joins in as well. In any vitola, El Elgüegüense does not disappoint.

After the nearly two hour smoke, and the flavorful bourbon, I was sufficiently "consoled" 'after the day of shooting and travel.

Cheers!


[ This content originated at Musings Over a Barrel ]

Sanner’s Lake IDPA Match

Author: From http://www.musingsoverabarrel.com/ • Jun 6th, 2023
   Category: Blog Entries.Local
After a restless night due to the previous day's injury, I arose early to head to Lexington Park, MD to shoot the monthly Sanner's Lake IDPA match. I picked up my traveling companions mid-way and continued on the trip in good company. Fortunately the injury only revealed itself strongly when enter and exiting the car, but had minimal effect on mobility while shooting.

One of the attraction of this match, besides the courses of fire, is that they efficiently run 50-60 shooters through six stages in about 2 1/2 hours. It's still a long day with the approximately 2 hour drive each way, plus the fun stops to shop for whiskey and to eat lunch.

As usual, the stages were interesting and enjoyed with a friendly and fun group of shooters. This was the first time I had shot the Full Size SIG P320 in a match for a couple years. I had to constantly remind myself I had 15 rounds allowed per magazine, thus 16 rounds when starting with a loaded gun, per SSP division rules, as opposed to the 10 allowed in CCP that I had been shooting. This especially came in to play on the couple stages that had an exact 16 round minimum shot count. That meant added pressure for a "perfect" stage with no make up shots and no reloading. 

The first stage we shot started facing up range center stage. Eight targets, from three shooting positions, all requiring two hits each, except the last which need two hits on the body and one to the head -- something to remembered at the end. I was two points down for the stage.


Next up was another eight target stage involving weaving around walls, before heading down range to engage four quick targets behind some barrels. It was another good stage finished with just three points down.


The third course our squad shot was a Standards exercise involving SHO and WHO shooting. It started with the gun downloaded to six rounds. The symmetrical stage had three targets on each side, two of them partially covered by non-threat targets. I was actually very pleased with the results on this stages I finished with three points down -- 1 while SHO, and 2 shooting WHO, and placed 2nd in my division. 


Our next stage started with the shooter seated on a stool facing up range. Shooting positions with a variety of target distances and availability followed. Though I enjoyed the stage very much, I found I had miscalled a head shot, mistaking a loose paster for a bullet hole, along with a another miss on a far target. 


The day was warming up now, but still quite pleasant as we moved on to our next to last stage. Here, after shooting a few targets around cover, we advanced downrange engaging surprise targets in the open as we passed. Shooting while moving towards the back gave the opportunity for some quick shooting action. However one had to be attentive, as there was actually four surprise targets, one of which was a non-threat. The repairs on that target revealed that a few previous shooters had been lulled into engaging it. Sadly it turned out one of my first shots from cover had gone through the edge of the barrel before striking the target, counting as a miss. Often one can hear when a round strikes one of the plastic barrel, but this one I had missed noting. On the bright side, I was told that my two shots on the further target could be covered with one paster. Small wins.


Finally, the last stage of the day. We started seated behind a table centered on the stage. Two barrels were placde in front of the table, with the unload gun on one and all magazines on the second. After retrieving the firearm and ammo, and moving between and opening in the wall, there was a target on either side to be engaged in the open. The shooter then moved either left or right along a wall of barrels. From both sides there were matching arrays of two steel poppers, and two paper targets to be engaged. This was the stage where my brain disengaged, and a lack of proper stage prep showed. The center array of targets needed a hard lean around each end of the wall to shoot one half of the pair. I totally forgot to shoot those center two targets! This meant 20 points down for the misses, plus the two PE's for not engaging the targets. That put a dark cast over the morning. Fortunately it was the last stage, and I didn't have that weighing on my mind for the entire match.


Admittedly, and perhaps not surprising, I beat myself up for a bit afterwards. However, it is part of the game. As a friend is fond of saying, "it's not like I was going to win the Lexus anyway." I also came to realize as I put together my thoughts on the match and the day, the majority of the match was not a disappointment. Much of the day I found some improvements gained even from the recent limited practice time, also noting that many of the points down were due to competition induced rushing, giving me some match-specific adjustments to be made in the future. 

After the match, our trio headed to the local purveyor of adult beverages, my goal specifically to hunt for interesting bourbons not available under the limitations of Virginia's government monopoly. This trip did not result in anything especially rare, but I did add a couple of new bottles to my shelves to enjoy in the future.

Our excursions always include a stop for lunch after shooting. The trip we ventured slightly off the route to visit a local BBQ restaurant. There isn't much that smoked meat won't make better, and this stop was particularly satisfying. I suspect it may be added to our list of regular stops.

Despite a few disappointments, the day was exceptionally pleasant. The drive on rural roads on a bright day, challenging shooting, tasty food, and most importantly, the company of good friends, all combined to make for a remarkably enjoyable day.

Cheers!


[ This content originated at Musings Over a Barrel ]

Bourbon and Cigar Pain Reliever

Author: From http://www.musingsoverabarrel.com/ • Jun 5th, 2023
   Category: Blog Entries.Local
I was looking forward to a relaxing Friday evening, but first I had to repair the blade drive belt on the lawn tractor, and then mow the grass. After about an hour, much of which was spent trying to recall the correct route of the serpentine belt, the fix was done. But not before I stretched or twisted my back in such a way to suffer a very painful muscle pull in my side. My body doesn't flex like it did when I was younger! Riding the mower afterwards was an exercise in suffering. Offer it up they say.


The evening was spent in much discomfort. However, the bourbon and cigar did provide some alleviation. I poured some of the Henry McKenna Bottled in Bond I had picked up a few weeks ago, along with a Powstanie Habano. 

The Powstanie in both the Habano and Broadleaf blends make frequent appearances on these Musings. I had the pleasure of meeting brand owner Mike Szczepankiewicz a couple weeks ago at Hogshead Cigar Lounge when he made the worldwide release of the two cigars in a new Corona Gorda vitola. The Robusto being enjoyed was one of the party favors from that evening. The Habano wrapper covers an Indonesian binder, and Nicaraguan and Dominican fillers. There's a mild spice blended with creamy chocolate and woody notes. The medium bodied smoke goes well with a smooth bourbon.

The Henry McKenna 10 Year BiB is a bourbon I don't get to enjoy as frequently as in years past. It used to be an inexpensive $25-$30 bottle. The bourbon won Best in Show Whiskey at the 2019 San Francisco World Spirits Competition, that combined with the general boom in bourbon popularity has caused the price to double, if not more. In addition, the Virginia ABC labeled it an "allocated" bourbon, and as such is only available at their random drops. The artificially manipulated supply as a store and typically sells out in the first rush of shoppers after the announcement.  I find it a nice, well-balanced, 100 proof bourbon with a classic caramel, oak, and vanilla sweetness.

Despite the attempt at relaxation, the night was restless. I was also shooting in the morning and would deal with some lingering pain for that. That's a story for later.

Cheers!


[ This content originated at Musings Over a Barrel ]

Afternoon Range Trip

Author: From http://www.musingsoverabarrel.com/ • Jun 3rd, 2023
   Category: Blog Entries.Local
This week's trip to the range got off to a false start. I arrived at the range and started unloading my gear. That's when I realized I had neglected to pack the range box that held the supplies needed to hang the targets --staplers, binder clips, etc. I drove back home, grabbed what I needed, and hoped the range would still be clear. I was in luck, only one of the two bays was occupied.


I spent about an hour working on simple drills with one and two shot strings, per the limits imposed by the range rules. I did force myself to shoot a bunch of strong hand and weak hand only drills. I also shot a lot of 25 yard shots. All shooting this day was to the IDPA practice target.

It was a fun afternoon of trigger time and I enjoyed just being at the range. Building some consistency in trigger control and sight alignment is always a good thing, especially relating it to the distance at which I was shooting. Overall it was a satisfying exercise.

Now, if only IDPA matches involved no timer, no cover, no movement, nobody watching... But they wouldn't be very much fun would they?

Cheers!


[ This content originated at Musings Over a Barrel ]

Five O’Clock Friday: Shopping Self Control

Author: From http://www.musingsoverabarrel.com/ • Jun 2nd, 2023
   Category: Blog Entries.Local

When it comes to buying cigars and bourbon, sometimes my impulse is greater than my common sense.


But is that really a bad thing? Enjoy the weekend.


Cheers!



[ This content originated at Musings Over a Barrel ]

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