By popular demand and much thought I have elected to start another "Spring Forward" pass. Only a few things have been changed from other passes, hopefully everyone thinks they are improvements. Everyone will be allowed to keep the box for at least six days, no matter when it is delivered to your house. I am also stressing the point that it is perfectly acceptable and encouraged to take a bowl or two of a blend that is in the box to try at a later date. I have also increased the total number of players from 20 to 25. This allows both new people in on the pass along with us "old" grizzled farts who also like being in on a pass. I know that a lot of you have expressed interest but I ask that you still email me with your current address and information along with what blends you might like to see in the pass and whether or not you want to be in on the second box. If you don't say anything then I ill assume you do not want to participate in the second box. I will try and contact Craig Tarler this year to see if he has any new blends I can get my hands on so that the group can be un-official taste testers. No guarantees.
The biggest change this year is that there will be two boxes but with a different twist. One box will be for only the people who would like to participate in only one pass (which by the poll is the vast majority) while the other will be for not only the single box people but for those who would also like to participate in two boxes like last year. You need to let me know when you send me your address if you want to be included in the second box. If there are at least ten people who sign up for the second box it will take place (with only those who want to be included on the second box), otherwise it will only be a single box this year. Also, do not feel obligated that you need to trade, etc. with each box. There is nothing wrong with just sampling on either box (or both). Another change that will probably not have any affect on anyone but I feel it necessary never the less is a "maximum" of trading "Two" tins from the original blends that I will be seeding the boxes with. I will try my best and put in some of the newer blends for everyones enjoyment. I will mark these tins on the list and put a Red "X" with a grease pencil on the bottom of the tins in question. I’ve decided that each box will be of mixed blends. I am also going to try and send out the box first to us seasoned veterans (who I know have pretty good cellars) so that they "might" help seed the box with some blends that all of the newer pipe brothers might enjoy to try out or trade for if there are no objections. I will probably send the box out first to Alaska to our BOB in the cold northwest who emailed me about putting in some blends. This way he doesn't have to send the stuff to me and then I send the same box back to him.
One last thing. If there is a blend or type of blend you would like to try please include the name in your email and when posting here. If I don't have it maybe someone else who is participating does and will include it in the box when it gets around to them. So without further ado, here is the official announcement.
Brothers and Sisters of the Briar. It is that time of year again to wish spring would hurry up and get here and for the "Spring Forward Box Pass". This will be the sixth "Spring Forward" pass that I have put together. We have always had a good turn out and fun has been had by all. So get those fuzzy slippers out and sign up. I encourage all new Brothers and Sisters of the Briar who have never participated in a pass to sign up. It is a great way to test out new blends and trade for blends that you might like. For all of you who have participated in years past I also encourage you to sign up again. In the next couple of days I will be posting some of the blends and tins I will be putting in the box.
PLEASE read and understand the following parameters BEFORE signing up for this box pass. I’m sure there are some folks who have never been in a box pass before, so if those of you who are old hands at this would please just bear with me, I’ll clearly outline the “rules” of this pass. If you have any questions or want some kind of clarification, please email me at: mmillersprint03 "at" earthlink.net.
--This pass will be limited to 25 participants or the cutoff time of 6:00PM Friday February 20th, 2009, whichever comes first, first come first served! This means the Box will "hopefully" leave me no later than February 28th, 2009. If 25 folks sign up before then I'll start it out sooner if everything I order gets here on time. I will be placing my orders on or around the 8th of February when my tax refund is suppose to get deposited. There will be no exceptions made to the deadline or the limit. If you do not understand the concept behind a box pass, please e-mail me for an explanation BEFORE signing up for this pass. Sign up requirements are at the end of this post.
--This pass is open to USA Residents ONLY! We have many brethren across the borders that we’d love to have participate in this pass, but issues with Customs makes this impractical, at best. Our apologies to those Brethren of the Briar outside the USA.
--Each participant can keep the Box for a maximum of six days, if you want to ship it sooner you can. Hopefully this will give you longer to sample the goodies. Feel free to sample from the open tins and from the bulk tobaccos (but, please be sure to reseal the baggies that contain them once you are done…thanks!). All that is asked in exchange for this is that you leave something in the box for others to sample. If you would like to take a couple of bowl full’s of the bulk or open tins to sample at a later time please feel free to do so. While this is fun, please remember that your fellow Brethren further down the list from you are anxiously awaiting the box’s arrival. Uncalled for delays spoil the fun! If an unforeseen emergency comes up that you cannot get the box out within the six days please let me know so other arrangements or adjustments can be made. Everyone realizes that things do happen.
--When shipping the box to the next participant the use of Priority Mail service with Delivery Confirmation is required. Shipping via UPS is also acceptable. A word of caution, from past experience. The box postage usually runs between $10 and $16 due to its size and weight. I try and set up the order so that the box has the least amount of travel between participants as possible. If you are a new participant and funds are limited please let me know when signing up and I "might" be able to help. It is also perfectly acceptable to have a "hand off" with a fellow "BOB" if you live close by. It's a great excuse to meet up with friends and share a bowl or two from the box.
--If the box is beginning to show some wear and tear, please replace it with a new box. "It can make it one more time" thinking in the past has resulted in items being lost due to the box failing while in the shipping company’s hands.
--Puts and Takes should be of like kind of items in the box. If you take a sealed tin, replace it with a sealed tin. If you take a partial tin, replace it with a partial tin. The only caveat is that sealed tins can be used to replace any tobacco in the box. Partial tins in this box will be individually placed in Ziploc bags, so please be courteous and place your partial tins going into the box in Ziploc's as well (this is to insure that they do not dry out).
--Bulk tobaccos in the Box are mainly for sampling. If you have a favorite bulk you would like to share with the Folks following you feel free to add it to the goodies. Just be sure to Ziploc the tobacco and make sure it has a readable label. If you would like to take a couple of bowl full’s of the bulk to sample at a later time please feel free to do so. If you only have "bulk" type blends available in your area to purchase for trading let me know and I am sure we can work something out.
--Tobacco used for Puts into the box should be of good quality and should be blends that you would like others to try. This is not a disposal service; it is an opportunity to sample and trade for some tobaccos you may not have had the chance to smoke and to give your fellow Brethren of the Briar a chance to try some tobaccos they may not have tried before.
--Please, no glass containers. One word—breakage! ‘Nuff said!
--Puts and Takes should be notated on the list enclosed in the box. Additionally, all puts and takes should be posted to this thread of the bulletin board. Remember: That’s part of the fun of participating in a box pass is watching the thing play out on the board!
--Due to past experiences, I find it necessary to include the following statement: Inclusion in this box pass is purely at my discretion--I reserve the right to refuse anyone. As a side note. The only time this has happened was people who asked to be included “after” the box had already started to make the rounds.
--The ONLY person who is allowed to change ANY of the Box Pass rules is myself.
--The vast majority of all proceeds from the Box Pass are used for care packages to fellow BOB’s and/or care packages to our Enlisted Men and Women serving overseas.
SIGN UP PROCEDURE
This is easy. Send an email to mikem (Mike Miller) at mmillersprint03 "at" earthlink.net with the following information (in the following order, please):
--BB handle (if you have more than one, please include the one you use most often)
--Name
--Address
--email address
--Phone number (only to be used as a last resort for contact and will not be included in box list)
I will send you a confirming email letting you know that you are in the pass. If there are more than 25 people who sign up, I will use the time stamp on the emails I receive to determine the cut-off point.
I'll be posting a list of the goodies that will be in the Box in the next couple of days so be on the lookout.
Regards
Mike Miller (mikem/mdmiller5)
Below is a list of people who have either contacted me or shown an interest in the thread for this years pass. I will mark you off as confirmed as I get your emails with your latest and greatest information.
*Mikem (confirmed) Two boxes
*Danish_Pipe_Guy One box Confirmed
*Artic Smoke One box Confirmed
*Jhuggett One boxes Confirmed
*Justpipes One box Confirmed
*Trout Bum Two boxes Confirmed
*Pipetongue1 One box Confirmed
*Mark One box Confirmed
*Carlos Two boxes Confirmed
*Vaperfavour One box Confirmed
*Benjamin Button One box Confirmed
*Tennessee Dave One box Confirmed
*Midnight Blues One box Confirmed
*Grant Gimper Two boxes Confirmed
*Mr. Houston One box Confirmed
*Rail Man Two boxes Confirmed
*Bill One Box Confirmed
*Eggman Two Boxes Confirmed
*J_Rock Confirmed
The biggest change this year is that there will be two boxes but with a different twist. One box will be for only the people who would like to participate in only one pass (which by the poll is the vast majority) while the other will be for not only the single box people but for those who would also like to participate in two boxes like last year. You need to let me know when you send me your address if you want to be included in the second box. If there are at least ten people who sign up for the second box it will take place (with only those who want to be included on the second box), otherwise it will only be a single box this year. Also, do not feel obligated that you need to trade, etc. with each box. There is nothing wrong with just sampling on either box (or both). Another change that will probably not have any affect on anyone but I feel it necessary never the less is a "maximum" of trading "Two" tins from the original blends that I will be seeding the boxes with. I will try my best and put in some of the newer blends for everyones enjoyment. I will mark these tins on the list and put a Red "X" with a grease pencil on the bottom of the tins in question. I’ve decided that each box will be of mixed blends. I am also going to try and send out the box first to us seasoned veterans (who I know have pretty good cellars) so that they "might" help seed the box with some blends that all of the newer pipe brothers might enjoy to try out or trade for if there are no objections. I will probably send the box out first to Alaska to our BOB in the cold northwest who emailed me about putting in some blends. This way he doesn't have to send the stuff to me and then I send the same box back to him.
One last thing. If there is a blend or type of blend you would like to try please include the name in your email and when posting here. If I don't have it maybe someone else who is participating does and will include it in the box when it gets around to them. So without further ado, here is the official announcement.
Brothers and Sisters of the Briar. It is that time of year again to wish spring would hurry up and get here and for the "Spring Forward Box Pass". This will be the sixth "Spring Forward" pass that I have put together. We have always had a good turn out and fun has been had by all. So get those fuzzy slippers out and sign up. I encourage all new Brothers and Sisters of the Briar who have never participated in a pass to sign up. It is a great way to test out new blends and trade for blends that you might like. For all of you who have participated in years past I also encourage you to sign up again. In the next couple of days I will be posting some of the blends and tins I will be putting in the box.
PLEASE read and understand the following parameters BEFORE signing up for this box pass. I’m sure there are some folks who have never been in a box pass before, so if those of you who are old hands at this would please just bear with me, I’ll clearly outline the “rules” of this pass. If you have any questions or want some kind of clarification, please email me at: mmillersprint03 "at" earthlink.net.
--This pass will be limited to 25 participants or the cutoff time of 6:00PM Friday February 20th, 2009, whichever comes first, first come first served! This means the Box will "hopefully" leave me no later than February 28th, 2009. If 25 folks sign up before then I'll start it out sooner if everything I order gets here on time. I will be placing my orders on or around the 8th of February when my tax refund is suppose to get deposited. There will be no exceptions made to the deadline or the limit. If you do not understand the concept behind a box pass, please e-mail me for an explanation BEFORE signing up for this pass. Sign up requirements are at the end of this post.
--This pass is open to USA Residents ONLY! We have many brethren across the borders that we’d love to have participate in this pass, but issues with Customs makes this impractical, at best. Our apologies to those Brethren of the Briar outside the USA.
--Each participant can keep the Box for a maximum of six days, if you want to ship it sooner you can. Hopefully this will give you longer to sample the goodies. Feel free to sample from the open tins and from the bulk tobaccos (but, please be sure to reseal the baggies that contain them once you are done…thanks!). All that is asked in exchange for this is that you leave something in the box for others to sample. If you would like to take a couple of bowl full’s of the bulk or open tins to sample at a later time please feel free to do so. While this is fun, please remember that your fellow Brethren further down the list from you are anxiously awaiting the box’s arrival. Uncalled for delays spoil the fun! If an unforeseen emergency comes up that you cannot get the box out within the six days please let me know so other arrangements or adjustments can be made. Everyone realizes that things do happen.
--When shipping the box to the next participant the use of Priority Mail service with Delivery Confirmation is required. Shipping via UPS is also acceptable. A word of caution, from past experience. The box postage usually runs between $10 and $16 due to its size and weight. I try and set up the order so that the box has the least amount of travel between participants as possible. If you are a new participant and funds are limited please let me know when signing up and I "might" be able to help. It is also perfectly acceptable to have a "hand off" with a fellow "BOB" if you live close by. It's a great excuse to meet up with friends and share a bowl or two from the box.
--If the box is beginning to show some wear and tear, please replace it with a new box. "It can make it one more time" thinking in the past has resulted in items being lost due to the box failing while in the shipping company’s hands.
--Puts and Takes should be of like kind of items in the box. If you take a sealed tin, replace it with a sealed tin. If you take a partial tin, replace it with a partial tin. The only caveat is that sealed tins can be used to replace any tobacco in the box. Partial tins in this box will be individually placed in Ziploc bags, so please be courteous and place your partial tins going into the box in Ziploc's as well (this is to insure that they do not dry out).
--Bulk tobaccos in the Box are mainly for sampling. If you have a favorite bulk you would like to share with the Folks following you feel free to add it to the goodies. Just be sure to Ziploc the tobacco and make sure it has a readable label. If you would like to take a couple of bowl full’s of the bulk to sample at a later time please feel free to do so. If you only have "bulk" type blends available in your area to purchase for trading let me know and I am sure we can work something out.
--Tobacco used for Puts into the box should be of good quality and should be blends that you would like others to try. This is not a disposal service; it is an opportunity to sample and trade for some tobaccos you may not have had the chance to smoke and to give your fellow Brethren of the Briar a chance to try some tobaccos they may not have tried before.
--Please, no glass containers. One word—breakage! ‘Nuff said!
--Puts and Takes should be notated on the list enclosed in the box. Additionally, all puts and takes should be posted to this thread of the bulletin board. Remember: That’s part of the fun of participating in a box pass is watching the thing play out on the board!
--Due to past experiences, I find it necessary to include the following statement: Inclusion in this box pass is purely at my discretion--I reserve the right to refuse anyone. As a side note. The only time this has happened was people who asked to be included “after” the box had already started to make the rounds.
--The ONLY person who is allowed to change ANY of the Box Pass rules is myself.
--The vast majority of all proceeds from the Box Pass are used for care packages to fellow BOB’s and/or care packages to our Enlisted Men and Women serving overseas.
SIGN UP PROCEDURE
This is easy. Send an email to mikem (Mike Miller) at mmillersprint03 "at" earthlink.net with the following information (in the following order, please):
--BB handle (if you have more than one, please include the one you use most often)
--Name
--Address
--email address
--Phone number (only to be used as a last resort for contact and will not be included in box list)
I will send you a confirming email letting you know that you are in the pass. If there are more than 25 people who sign up, I will use the time stamp on the emails I receive to determine the cut-off point.
I'll be posting a list of the goodies that will be in the Box in the next couple of days so be on the lookout.
Regards
Mike Miller (mikem/mdmiller5)
Below is a list of people who have either contacted me or shown an interest in the thread for this years pass. I will mark you off as confirmed as I get your emails with your latest and greatest information.
*Mikem (confirmed) Two boxes
*Danish_Pipe_Guy One box Confirmed
*Artic Smoke One box Confirmed
*Jhuggett One boxes Confirmed
*Justpipes One box Confirmed
*Trout Bum Two boxes Confirmed
*Pipetongue1 One box Confirmed
*Mark One box Confirmed
*Carlos Two boxes Confirmed
*Vaperfavour One box Confirmed
*Benjamin Button One box Confirmed
*Tennessee Dave One box Confirmed
*Midnight Blues One box Confirmed
*Grant Gimper Two boxes Confirmed
*Mr. Houston One box Confirmed
*Rail Man Two boxes Confirmed
*Bill One Box Confirmed
*Eggman Two Boxes Confirmed
*J_Rock Confirmed
ipe:
