I love reviewing cigar accessories, gear, gadgets, and all that.  And then I don't.  I mean, a lighter has to light, right? And if it does so in a way that leaves your eyebrows intact, even in the wind, well, yea!  And that 5 count cigar case, wow, it holds 5 cigars!

So you see my dilemma. I love reviewing them, but when I'm done checking them out, the words don't come so easily.  But I'm a sucker for gadgets, and so here we go - and this time, the words are coming pretty easily.

I was initially contacted by the folks at VSB London about running an advertisement on our website and forums pages.  Always eager to help the little guy out, our discussions turned to doing a review - and a give away - of their product.  I reviewed their website, and they sent along a couple of samples.

There are some definite perks to being a full time author. One is that you can work from anywhere. However, while the thought of working from the beach may sound appealing, truth is, sand, salt water and glare are not friends with electronics.

Most authors I know end up working from small, dedicated spaces in their homes. I tried that for awhile. But there were always distractions – excuses for ‘creative avoidance’. Plus, after a day or two, I'd get cabin fever. Too many years of working in an office environment, I guess. I need to be around people, even when working on a solitary task such as writing.

Cigar Weekly's Cheryl Deseree (StepfordBunny), an avid L.O.L.A. (Lady of the Leaf Aficionado), offers up some great cigar-related gift ideas for Mother's Day.

Mother’s Day is perhaps the most confusing of all holidays for the fellas in our lives. Mothers will say, in all honesty, that we are happy to receive the sweet art our babies proudly bring home from school and a messy attempt at breakfast in bed. If Dad is so inclined, there are numerous magazine gift guides (that pop up at this time of year) pushing spa gift certificates, jewelry & champagne brunches. Even though many of my sisters-of-the-leaf would not refuse such delightful gifts, what do you give the girl whose interests are more like those of one of the boys? While I can’t speak for all the smokin’ mamas out there, here are the cigar accessories I’m drooling over...

Accessories/cigar gear. Very important stuff, right? But when you get down to the nitty-gritty, if it works, it works. If it don't, it don't.

Unlike trying to assess cigars, reviews of accessories are not quite as subjective. Let's face it... An item either does what you want or doesn't, with very little wiggle room in between. It can do the task better than another one, or worse. It can be easier to use, or more complicated. And that's about it.

Maybe that's the reason we review more cigars than gear.

But late last year, the folks at Famous Smoke Shop reached out to me, and provided a little swag to be given away in an upcoming contest. They simply requested that we do a review, and that we provide a link to their site. I quickly agreed, of course, because our members deserve good swag!

The item we have here is the Cigar Caddy 10 Count Portable Humidor.

Although I’ve smoked cigars off and on for forty-plus years, I have only been a serious cigar enthusiast for about the last twelve. I enjoy a wide variety of smokes, and am willing to try any cigar at least once. The picture to the right was taken last April at a herf in Mississippi, where I utilized both of the devices described in this article.

In 2011, I was employed and working as a civilian contractor in Afghanistan. Just before Christmas, I came down with Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS). If you want info on GBS, you can click on the following link:

Information on GBS

It's true. Time flies when you're having fun. In reality, of course, time flies no matter what the situation. Although I've had ups and downs over the last decade, it's still hard to believe it will be 10 years ago come this summer that I made my largest ever single cigar related purchase – an Aristocrat Cabinet Humidor. This was and is, without a doubt, the best such acquisition I have ever made.

How to Cut your Cigar to enhance your smoking experience.

Editors Note: Gary Laden is one of the hosts of Cigarguys Radio Show. See the bio at the end of the article for more info!

During our two hour, live cigar lifestyle radio show in Atlanta, we often field calls from both novice and experienced cigar smokers regarding the best way to cut their cigars. The next time you frequent your favorite cigar shop or lounge, gaze into the ashtray and look at the finished cigars. You'll be shocked to observe just how many cigars were cut improperly, and the consequences of doing so. The cutting of your cigar sets the tone of your cigar smoke experience.

MSRP - $60.95

Average Street Price - $45

Boys love their toys, and we cigar smokers are no exception. 

Most of us cigar aficionados manage to accumulate a vast collection of related accessories over the years. Some of these articles end up gathering dust, while others become an integral part of our ongoing cigar smoking experience. 

One essential item that fits neatly into the latter category is the lighter (or alternative methods of lighting) we choose to use with our beloved smokes.