Thank you for the tag and putting me onto this thread
@ForestMagpie, it goes so much beyond winning a mere kit.
This thread is giving people an opportunity to get to know each other in ways they ordinarily wouldn't and that's by far the most important thing here. It's also the essence of vaping for me.
Since I've begun vaping I can honestly say I've met the friendliest and most welcoming group of people I've ever encountered and have benefited enormously from it in many ways. Vaping has created a new community of people drawn together from all walks of life and each with their own story.
I have been isolated and socially excluded for my entire life but now have a community of people to talk to all without feeling judged.
Like many here my introduction to vaping was health related, but unlike many of the others mine is not only physical health, where I have problems with my liver and immune system, it's mental too.
As a man on the Autistic spectrum and sufferer of complex co-morbid mental illnesses, I used smoking as a crux and as a means of distraction from my problems and something to occupy my time.
I smoked when things were bad and stopped again when they were less so. They were never good and still aren't. Unfortunately they never will be either.
I was never a heavy smoker because I hated the smell of stale tobacco about my person but always craved to be. I scrub myself raw as a sufferer of OCD and I'd do so even more so after smoking. I'd have smoked 100 a day if I could've tolerated the smell but fortunately I couldn't and often went days without it.
Vaping has changed all this for me though and provided me with a means to 'smoke' without the smell. I still use vaping as a crux for my problems but also as a means of pleasure. I get to enjoy a plethora of new flavours and aromas all without having to scrub myself afterwards. This has been a massive boon to me and provides a means to calm my nerves and occupy my time, all without the health risks of smoking.
I now vape many times throughout the day and enjoy nothing more than a cup of tea and a vape in the early evening. I can't imagine life without it. I can't start too early though because my physical health won't tolerate it, but then I can't tolerate food or drink until late morning either.
The most satisfying part of vaping for me though has been the ability to convert others and potentially improve their health. Since taking it up I've evangelised the benefits of vaping over smoking to anyone who'll listen and have already converted my Dad from smoker to vaper. This means more to me than anything I get from it myself as having extra years with him will provide the greatest pleasure of all.
I now have plans to convert a childhood friend, and now next-door neighbour, too.
He has two young daughters (4 and 1) and I'd love for him to stop.
He's a good man and never smokes around them but it would still be good if their daddy didn't smell of stale tobacco.
As for me, I am delving deeper into the science of vaping all the time and already learning the intricacies of mixing and building.
Vaping has provided a window into both physics and chemistry for me and has probably taught things to people that ordinarily wouldn't have learnt them.
There is so much more to vaping than blowing big clouds and showing off.
The community, the science and most of all the health benefits for ourselves and others. I feel we are actually saving lives as well as learning and socialising.
We're also saving money.
I hope you're all getting as much out of vaping as I am and continue, or go on, to reap the rewards of them in every way - intellectually, socially and financially.
Most of all I hope you all benefit from them medically and go on to live happier, longer, cleaner and richer lives because of it.
Thank you all for reading.
Love, hugs, kisses and blessings to all of you.