Hello from SE of England

[Big_T_UK]

OK, I get the impression I should give a little more detail about myself.

A cigar smoker since the age of fifteen from the inspiration of my paternal grandfather. An occasional pipe smoker but very rare these days. Never smoked a cigarette in my life.

An American father who arrived with the US Navy, met my mother in London and married. I am dual national who CHOOSES to live in the UK, and why the hell not! LOL

Many hobbies about which I become a total bore. I love film of all periods. I am particularly into post war Japanese cinema but I also have a love for many other genres, 50's and 60's scifi is another soft spot.

I am a scotch, vodka, gin, champagne, wine, etc, enthusiast.

I have a strong interest in military history, especially the history of the empire and I am really into naval history post 1906, the launch of HMS Dreadnought being a watershed, but I wont bang on about that now.

I am a TOTAL gadget freak, if anybody has any old mobiles phones they do not want then pass them onto me and you can have a giggle at my expense at how thrilled I am, "sad bastard" I know.

I am a frequent sports shooter. I started out clay pigeon shooting at about fourteen years of age and do still shoot clays most Wednesday afternoons. I moved into pistol shooting but when that was banned I took up rifle and practical shotgun. I quickly dropped the practical shotgun as they are a SCARY BUNCH OF PEOPLE, but I am seriously into my rifle shooting. I tend to specialise in lever action "western" style carbine and heavy calibre shooting, as well as old military service rifles of the major world powers. I dabble with a little black powder shooting also as its the easiest way to stay shooting pistols, even if they take an age to load the six rounds.

Like most red blooded men I like my cars but I am also an aviation freak having a few hours in a few types but never having fully achieved my PPL, one day I will I swear!

I tend to smoke exclusively Cuban cigars if for no other reason then that is what I know. My friend James is trying to get me to try some non-Cuban brands. I hope to try the NUB range and also the MX2 Gordo looks rather dark and yummy.

If anybody shares my interests or is mad and wants to hear me prattle on more, drop me a line.

[daverave999]

Wow! I get the impression you'll be staying.

I suspect you will find a lot of kindred spirits round here with hobbies like those.

[misterbulgarin]

Try some nubs, theyre a unique experience

[Jimmeh]

I am not here to Hijack - but i thought i would introduce myself in this thread as opposed to opening another, as i am a friend of Trevor, whom i smoke with regularly!
Just a bit of brief information- Hobbies: Smoking, Texas Hold'em, Shooting (normally current issue service rifles - but ive shot Trevor's arsenal also). Not much more than that really, aside from some trivial things. I smoke at pretty much the same places as Trevor - Boisdale, Dunhill, Casa in Soho, Hotel Du Vin, Tom Tom Coffee (occasionally).
Thats me really - i dont do well at describing myself - so i'm sure you shall work me out at some point.

[G-man]

HI!

[Simon-JG-hr]

What an excellent set of hobbies and interests you've got there Big T. I don't do much rifle shooting, but clay pigeons are a once a fortnight event for most of the year.

Gin - excellent shout. What's your favourite. I find it quite hard to pick one out (depends what you're using it for), but Plymouth Gin takes the overall crown for me.

Bang on about military and empire history as much as you like! Naval history even better (I'm ex-RN and I'm just about to start planning a dissertation on maritime doctrine and/or maritime force projection).

PS. Welcome aboard Jimmeh!

[Rhys]

I'm from Cwmbran and work in Newport so not to far from Caerphilly. Good to see a few people from the area

[Big_T_UK]

Ha, my dissertation was on the development of command and control systems. I ended up going on about how the star wars program that Reagan was such a proponent of was really a red herring to get the Soviet communists to spend themselves into oblivion. Well it worked!

As for gin. I used to live just up the road from the Plymouth Gin distillery, the naval strength is ok. I have a very soft spot for Tanqueray 10 but the mood also takes me for Miller's Westbourne Strength on occasion, if you can find it. I have stockpiles of all except the Miller's, it does not survive long in my home.

[Simon-JG-hr]

Small world, isn't it... my apartment in Plymouth is about a 45 second walk away from the distillery! I've heard good things about Miller's before, but still haven't got around to trying any.

[Big_T_UK]

You live in the Barbican? Oh the memories, and the entire nights I have no memories of at all. Best nights out were when the marines and a visiting navies crew got pissed in union street and a small scale war broke out.

[Simon-JG-hr]

Yep, when I'm in Plymouth I'm about 100 yards from the waterfront - in the corner of Sutton Harbour and Guys Quay. (I can't quite see if from my window though... ).

My first ever run ashore was in Cherbourg - in fact, my only foreign run ashore. The ship had been working up for a deployment, so everyone had been working hard with little rest. The Captain was worried that something might kick off with the locals. He needn't have worried - the stokers and chefs had a little ding-dong instead... Not sure who I'd least like to piss off - the guys cooking my food, or the ones that keep the heads in working order...

[snooky]

Welcome aboard Big T , see you at one of the London herf's.

[Big_T_UK]

What did you serve on?

[Simon-JG-hr]

HMS Bulwark. Only for a few months of fleet time, then I buggered my back up. Hence the current life of academia...

Plus a year staring at the river at Dartmouth, and a few months staring a Devonport's tower blocks from HMS Vivid - the Reserves unit in Plymouth.

[Big_T_UK]

God so you had to put up with the marines regularly! Poor bugger, LOL.