[Mugen910]

Originally Posted by poker

Herfs are a great way to put faces on the folks you see here everyday. Its true, its not about the cigars. Its about the people.

I can still remember the SoCal I Herf. It was one of the first real big gatherings I attended. It was a blend of folks from 2 major places. ICG & ASC. There was probably 100 folks in all, and like someone mentioned earlier, I was pretty uneasy at first seeing what these guys brought not only to smoke, but to also pass out to everyone. I felt seriously under gunned. One of the old time ASC folks (Mig) told me not to worry about what cigars others had brought. He told me just have fun, work the room and talk to folks I never met. Following his suggestion gave me something very special. It gave me the beginnings of many friendships that still exist to this day. That was almost 10 years ago.

So my suggestion to those new to herfs or have never attended one before, would be to not worry what other folks have. It dosent matter if their smokes are older or better than yours. It dosent matter if they bring their cigars in a ziplock bag or a custom painted Zero Haiburton. It dosent matter if you brought only 6 cigars and many others brought 200. Your religious, professional, or racial background makes absolutely no difference. It makes no difference if you are a millionaire or just making ends meet. None of this matters.

The one thing that really matters is that you are there. Because if that happens, chances are you'll find others there that you'll bond with over great conversation, good cigars, and it just may be the beginning of some close friendships that will wear on through the years, no matter how far apart you may be.

The only thing that must happen is you need to show up. Everything else will fall into place from there.

Great addendum to Vin's post Mr.Kimura!