Bands, Bands, And More Bands. A Time Machine.

A common trend with cigar smokers is to keep the cigar bands of the sticks they have smoked and liked. Some are avid collectors that search the web for one of bands of sticks that never made it. There are also less fanatic collectors, the ones that hold on to pretty bands, or bands that have a special meaning behind them, or just have them laying around just because. I think I fall in to that latter description. But the big question is whats the best way to present your beauties? I've seen everything from catalogs to a full coffee glass table inlaid with the stuff. I don't have quite enough yet to fill up a coffee table, but here's what I did:

A CD jewl case is the easiest way to display all of your bands attractively. Just pop the back jewel that hold the CD the Track listings and line up you bands and then BAM! Next time you pull out you your Fav CD and look at the back there they are, all your conquers and defeats. Then there you are, looking, and you're just reminiscing your favorite stick behind that plastic envelope. Its like a small time machine. When I look at my La Aurora 100 Anos Band I remember the trip I took this summer to Boston. Breaking bread with my cousins, just hanging out smoking cigars and laughing and bringing up old memories. I remember taking the Boston T, the adventure in itself to just get the cigar, nevermind the smoke. A single cigar band can bring you back in time. With most of these sticks I can picture the day or night, the reason why I decided to pick it up. They reminded me of great evenings, the laughter shared and missed. There's something truly magical about that, these simple bands tell a story. But when ever I do end up having enough to fill up a coffee table, I hope I remember every single evening,every single stick with such fondness as when I look at my simple CD jewel cases.