Coffee Talk #541: Hawaii, Thanksgiving, and Gallstone Surgery

As some of you know, I was supposed to spend Thanksgiving holiday in Hawaii with my parents, brother, and sister-in-law. As some of you know, an unplanned surgery put the kibosh on those plans. Here’s an account of the whole affair, including several nerd thoughts that helped me get through my first major emergency room experience and surgery…more

Welcome to Coffee Talk! Let’s start off the day by discussing whatever is on your (nerd chic) mind. Every morning I’ll kick off a discussion and I’m counting on you to participate in it. If you’re not feelin’ my topic, feel free to start a chat with your fellow readers and see where it takes you. Whether you’re talking about videogames, being happy to see the fraudulent NY Knicks slowly being exposed, the perils of having a large bottle of Vicodin, or adult actresses posting extravagant Amazon wish lists and getting fans to fulfill them, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.

As some of you know, I was supposed to spend Thanksgiving holiday in Hawaii with my parents, brother, and sister-in-law. As some of you know, an unplanned surgery put the kibosh on those plans. Here’s an account of the whole affair, including several nerd thoughts that helped me get through my first major emergency room experience and surgery.

– The week of my scheduled flight, I had some abdominal pain and a fluctuating fever. The pain I could manage; I was always good at being able to deal with constant pain. The fever was much tougher to deal with; spiking to 104F and being in severe chills half an hour later made it difficult to function. The sad part was that I wasn’t really thinking about my overall health. Instead, I was thinking, “I can work through the abdominal pain, but the temperature spikes make it too difficult to write and edit video.”

– The night before my scheduled flight, I was feverish mess, but was determined to catch the plane. My Dad, in the latest of a lifetime of valuable advice, told me to get to the ER. My excellent friend Paul was kind enough to drive me over to Good Samaritan Hospital, which is about a mile from my apartment. Paul knew something was really wrong when the ER attendant asked me, “Why are you sweating so much?”

– The ER nurses gave me some tests and an ultrasound over the course of several hours. The whole time I was hooked up to all kinds of sensors and tubes. The sensors had me thinking about the process that turned a skinny Steve Rogers into Captain America. The tubes had me thinking of the Weapon X procedure that laced Wolverine’s bones with adamantium. I’m pretty sure that nerd thoughts are my mind’s first line of defense when dealing with serious health issues.

– But wait, there’s more! I went through three litres of intravenous fluid. I’ve never had an IV drip before, so the sensation was funky. You know that feeling you get when you down an ice-cold glass of lemonade on a hot summer day? Imagine that same feeling concentrated in your forearm and that’s what three litres of IV fluid feels like. At first, it made me feel like Iceman from the X-Men generating an ice shield. As the sensation spread, it almost felt like I had one real arm and one artificial limb, like Cable (the poorly named mutant savior, not the aptly named television service).

– Loopy on painkillers and generally tired from dealing with this illness, I was told by ER doctor that I had gallstones and would need my gall bladder removed. It sounded like a good idea, but at that point I would have agreed that a brain transplant would have been a good idea.

– I was admitted to a hospital room some time on Friday and scheduled to have surgery on Saturday morning. While prepping for the surgery, I was restricted to a diet of ice chip soup. More fluid, painkillers, and antibiotics were being pumped into my system through IV. At one point I noticed that the fluid was being pumped into my body at a rate of 120ml per hour. The first thing I thought about was vaping: “Wow, that’s like four bottles of premium e-liquid!”

– The surgery was successful, but more complicated than planned. Under optimum conditions, it’s just a series of small incisions that don’t traumatize the body that much; some patients are able to go home several hours after surgery. My gall bladder was really f*cked up. The doctor told me that I had several gallstones that were larger than golf balls and that he had never seen a gall bladder so damaged before. To make room for it all, what’s normally a 1cm incision became a 10cm incision. I currently have two small cuts with four staples and two staples, respectively, and one large cut with at least ten staples.

– Due to the more invasive surgery, I had to spend several more days under hospital care. I recovered quickly, graduating from ice chip soup to solid foods in a day. The Internet connection in the hospital wasn’t the greatest, so using my tablet was hit or miss. To pass the time, I watched a lot of television…and was quickly reminded why I hate a lot of television. Moonshiners?!? Mystery Diners?!? This is what people want?!? Crappy television shows and general impatience had me really anxious to leave on my third day of recovery. Thankfully, I was able to do so.

– So I’m back at home, healing up. The pain can be high and a lot of simple movements are difficult because my abdominal muscles are just wrecked. Laughing can hurt. Sneezing and coughing hurt a lot. My energy levels won’t be normal for a while too. Right now my goal is to make it to next week; my wounds should be healed enough by then so that I can get my staples removed. There are a lot of things that I want to write, shoot, and edit, but I need to take it easy. I’m sure you guys and dolls will be instrumental in making sure that I don’t go batty while I’m healing.

– While I currently have the strength of a small kitten, I’m happy to be rid of the pain and fever I had before. I didn’t realize how bad it was. While I was bummed to miss a trip to Hawaii, I’m thrilled to be alive. While it wasn’t an ideal Thanksgiving, there’s definitely a lot that I’m thankful for.

Vaping Diaries #19: Interview With the Owner of The Vapor Spot

In October, I stopped by The Vapor Spot, a vapor bar in Los Angeles. The bar lets vapers try out different hardware and e-liquids. Many people buy their gear and juices online, often relying on message boards and reviews for information. While recommendations can be really useful, nothing beats being able to try out different vaping devices and sample different juices with your own mouth. This is what The Vapor Spot offers.

Last week, RPadholic N8R and I spent a few hours at the store. Like I mentioned in October, the environment is really cozy, like a mom-and-pop record store. The vibe is friendly, the decor is fun, and I absolutely loved the ’70s soul music in the background. I watched JJ and two of his staffers work with customers. They provided accurate information on hardware and sharp recommendations on e-liquids. As many of you know, I hate the retail experience provided by companies like Best Buy and GameStop. It was almost shocking to watch a store staffed by friendly people making intelligent recommendations.

Obviously, The Vapor Spot’s prices are higher than what you can find online; the store has to pay for retail space, utilities, and staff, after all. However, there’s something to be said about the service and having a place where you can hang out with other vapers. With Internet orders, a lot of people are going in blind or with second-hand information. Like many vapers, I’ve bought e-cigs and juices that I ended up not liking. The Vapor Spot helps people avoid those purchases. It’s a great place to hang out, learn more about vaping gear, and sample great juices from top vendors.

In my interview with JJ, we discussed:

  • What kind of services The Vapor Spot Offers
  • How the store competes with the numerous online vendors in vaping
  • The company’s Rock ‘N Roll-themed e-liquids (Elvis, Janis Joplin, and Jimi Hendrix), including hints on the upcoming Freddie Mercury juice
  • The different hardware the store offers
  • The different juice vendors the company works with

Check out the interview when you have a chance and let me know what you think (please!)

Vaping Diaries #18: Ahlusion Review

Raina and I checked out three fantastic e-liquids from Ahlusion — Blue Grass Burley, Devil Dog!, and Poppin’ Peach. In addition to offering high-quality juices, Ahlusion does a phenomenal job of packaging its wares. The e-liquids comes in sealed glass bottles that are covered in bubble wrap. The bottles are placed in a box full of foam peanuts. Standard caps are on the bottles by default and separate dripper caps are included. As far as packaging and presentation go, Ahlusion is the best I’ve seen. Now onto the e-liquids!

Blue Grass Burley: While all three are clearly high-quality juices, this was our favorite. Raina loved the rich, complex tobacco flavor. It reminded me of expensive Nat Sherman cigarettes I used to smoke (when I wasn’t poor). More than any other tobacco e-liquid I’ve tried, this tasted like a real cigarette (though possibly too flavorful for fans of cheapie smokes). This is an amazing e-liquid that fans of high-end cigarettes will love.

Devil Dog!: This is a tricky one to review. Like its sister juice above, this is a complex tobacco e-liquid. One of the owners of Ahlusion is a Marine and he made this juice for his fellow heroes. It’s bold and striking — too much so for likes of Raina and me. When I first tried this juice, the flavor knocked me on my ass. It mellowed after a bit, but was still too much for me, though possibly a great choice for fans of unfiltered cigarettes that have switched to vaping. Raina said that this one put hair on her chest, but I didn’t notice any.

Poppin’ Peach: This juice has a wonderful natural peach flavor, as opposed to many competitors that taste more like a Jolly Rancher or a Now and Later. Raina has been snacking on dried peaches lately and the flavor reminded her of those healthy treats. As for me, I’m an absolute sucker for all things peach, so I was super-happy with this juice. This will definitely be included when Raina and I do a peach shoot-out review in the future.

Bonus: Before I get to the steeping notes, here’s a photo of Raina and me (with a McKayla Maroney is not impressed face).

Steeping Notes

Blue Grass Burley
70/30 PG/VG ratio, 6mg nicotine
Uncapped: October 23, 2012 7:45PM
Recapped: October 26, 2012 12:46AM
Tested: November 13, 2012

Devil Dog
70/30 PG/VG ratio, 6mg nicotine
Uncapped: October 23, 2012 7:45PM
Recapped: October 26, 2012 12:46AM
Tested: November 13, 2012

Poppin’ Peach
50/50 PG/VG ratio, 6mg nicotine
Uncapped: October 23, 2012 7:45PM
Recapped: October 26, 2012 12:46AM
Tested: November 13, 2012

Vaping Diaries #17: Innokin iTaste MVP Review

The iTaste MVP from Innokin is currently one of the hottest products in vaping and it’s easy to see why. It offers great performance and battery life in a sturdy metal body. What’s even more impressive is that the iTaste MVP offers top performance and versatile features for a low price. That said, it’s missing one key feature and has a few quirks. Read on for more details on Innokin’s latest and greatest.

Continue reading “Vaping Diaries #17: Innokin iTaste MVP Review”

Vaping Diaries #16: Totally Wicked Odyssey Review

For the last few weeks, I’ve been using the Odyssey e-cigarette from Totally Wicked. This is an unusual and beautiful vaping device that really stands out. What I mean by unusual is that unlike most vaping products (or products of any kind, really), it’s not made in China. The Odyssey was designed in the UK and is manufactured there as well. What I mean by beautiful is…well, just look at it. This is a gorgeous mechanical mod that’s made from steel and glass. Considering the top-notch materials and craftsmanship, the Odyssey comes at a surprisingly low $99.99 price (increasing to $119.99 on November 26, 2012). Let’s go through the details!

What’s in the Kit: Totally Wicked did a phenomenal job with the packaging. The presentation is really classy — I’m talking Apple-level classy. Inside the box you’ll find the e-cigarette, two 14500 batteries, a charger, a tank-filling tool, a registration card, a guarantee card, a certificate of authenticity, and one of the most detailed instruction manuals I’ve seen for a vaping device. The device is backed be an atypically long five-year guarantee.

Construction and Build Quality: This is easily the most outstanding aspect of the Odyssey. Most of the unit is made from 303 austenitic stainless steel, while the tank also features laser-cut borosilicate glass (often marketed as pyrex). The lines are smooth and clean. It’s just incredibly well-made and gorgeous. One thing to note is that the firing button/locking mechanism is very tight out of the box. It loosened up for me after a day of use.

Ergonomics: Using the Odyssey is unusual compared to other vaping devices. Due to its steel construction, the unit is heavier than it looks. The balance is also bottom heavy. Whereas you’d hold a cigarette or a similarly sized vaping device towards the top, you’re supposed to grip the bottom half of the Odyssey. The firing button is at the end of the unit and meant to be activated with your pinky finger. It felt odd, but I got used to it after a day. While I found the Odyssey comfortable and easy to use after a brief adjustment period, I can understand someone else finding the device too heavy.

Performance and Battery Life: The Odyssey produced consistent power for the first 3/4 of the included 900 mAh batteries. After that, there was a significant drop-off in power. With that in mind, it usually took three battery charges to get me through the day. Since the kit includes two batteries, I just swapped one out when performance started declining. Naturally, battery life depends on your vaping habits and the resistance of the cartomizer used. I tried the Odyssey with both single-coil and dual-coil cartomizers. For me, single-coil cartomizers in the 1.5-1.7 ohm range were definitely the way to go. The Odyssey uses a 510 connection. You can use it with standard 510 cartomizers and, if you take off the plinth, eGo-threaded products. This gives it some nice versatility.

Verdict: Looking at photos or video clips of the Odyssey doesn’t do it justice. Feeling the device and seeing it with your own eyes makes it seem like a steal compared to competitors. Keep in mind you’re getting a body that’s made from steel and a glass-and-steel tank; pyrex tanks alone can cost $40 to $50. The construction and build quality are brilliant. I’ve seen competing devices made of plastic and mass produced in China sold for similar prices. I’ve seen products made from inferior materials sold for twice as much. As far as fixed-voltage vaping devices go, this is one of the finest I’ve ever seen.

That said, it’s not for everyone. Although it didn’t bother me, I can see the device’s weight being a problem for some people. This also isn’t a device for demanding vapers that often change voltage or wattage. (On a side note, I’d love to see the Odyssey’s makers come up with a mod that’s compatible with the Evolv Kick for variable-wattage performance. That would rule me.) If a fixed-voltage mod works for you and you don’t mind having to change batteries once a day or more then you’ll be happy with Odyssey. It’s a beautiful and luxurious e-cigarette that comes at a surprisingly low price.

Vaping Diaries #15: Orb Vapor Review (E-Liquid)

RPadholic N8R and I checked out three e-liquids from Orb Vapor — Organic Caramel Apple, Organic Mexican Vanilla, and Organic Watermelon Menthol. The juices come in blue glass bottles with a dripper cap. The bottles are wrapped in a thick layer of wrapping tissue and sent in a bubble envelope; in my experience, only one other vendor does a better job in terms of packaging and presentation. Check out the video above and some notes on the juices below.

Organic Caramel Apple: This was N8R’s favorite juice of the three, though he got more of a candy apple taste than a caramel apple taste. I enjoyed this juice too, but wanted more caramel flavor. Both of us agreed that apple was the predominant flavor.

Organic Mexican Vanilla: Both of us agreed that this was a thick, savory juice with more of a vanilla bean flavor than a sweet vanilla flavor. N8R made the analogy that this was closer to Breyer’s ice cream than generic vanilla ice cream. Out of the three, this was my favorite — very rich and flavorful, without overpowering sweetness.

Organic Watermelon Menthol: Both of us felt that this was more of a subtle mint than a menthol. N8R really liked this one and felt that it’s a great vape for a hot summer day. I liked this e-liquid too, but really wanted more mint/menthol.

Steeping Notes

Organic Caramel Apple
50/50 PG/VG ratio, 6mg nicotine
Born On: October 22, 2012
Uncapped: October 29, 2012 5:20PM
Recapped: October 31, 2012 8:33PM
Opened: November 13, 2012

Organic Mexican Vanilla
50/50 PG/VG ratio, 6mg nicotine
Born On: October 22, 2012
Uncapped: October 29, 2012 5:20PM
Recapped: October 31, 2012 8:33PM
Opened: November 13, 2012

Organic Watermelon Menthol
50/50 PG/VG ratio, 6mg nicotine
Born On: October 22, 2012
Uncapped: October 29, 2012 5:20PM
Recapped: October 31, 2012 8:33PM
Opened: November 13, 2012

Vaping Diaries #14: Vapor4Life Handle Review (V4L OMG)

The Vapor4Life Handle is a nice, compact vaping device that offers big power and amazing battery life. It’s part of V4L’s OMG line, which is geared towards advanced vapers. The Handle is currently available for $89.95 and comes in four colors: black, blue, green, and magenta. I’ve been using the blue model for a little under two weeks and I’m super-impressed with the product, save for one aspect. Read on for the details (please)!

What’s in the Kit: The Handle comes in a nice box with the unit, a battery, a charger, and the instruction manual. The 18650 battery is rated at 2,800 mAh, which is considerably higher than the competing batteries.

Form Factor and Ergonomics: This box mod has a simple but sleek look. With the battery in the unit, it strikes a nice balance between feeling light and having a good heft. The Handle is a pocketable device that you can safely place on a desk. I put a full 7ml tank on top of the device and it was totally stable on flat surfaces. The side of the unit has four finger grooves, but I found that using all four was too tight and my hands aren’t particularly big. For me, placing three fingers on the grooves and my pinky on the bottom was the most comfortable way to hold the Handle.

Operation: Using the Handle is a snap. It turns on and off with five clicks of the power button. A single click shows you the resistance of the cartomizer you’re using and the battery’s remaining charge. The former feature is fantastic for trying to figure out what voltage setting you should use (generally speaking, higher resistance cartomizers require higher voltages). The voltage can be adjusted from 3.0 to 6.0 volts in increments of 0.10.

Build Quality: This is the only aspect of the Handle that I wasn’t pleased with. The device is made from a rubberized plastic that has a nice texture, but feels a bit chip and flimsy. The battery door has a hinge that feels delicate. If you’re clumsy or not careful, I can see the battery door ripping off. While the plastic hardly screams luxury, the unit is put together nicely and the lines are clean.

Performance and Battery Life: The Handle’s performance exceeded my expectations. Output was very consistent for the first two-thirds of the battery. After that, I had to turn the voltage up a bit to achieve the same vape. This is normal behavior for an unregulated device. Battery life was outstanding. A full charge usually got me through a day and a half of heavy vaping. I can easily see many vapers getting two days out of a full charge.

Verdict: Aside from the plastic, I really enjoyed using the Handle. It’s a strong performer with stellar battery life. That said, it’s slightly overpriced. The good news is that Vapor4Life provides strong customer support, so the price is justifiable. For existing V4L users, I’d suggest picking up this product straight away. It’s easily the best device V4L offers and is compatible with the company’s many 808D parts. If you’re not part of the V4L family and have an abundance of 808D cartomizers/clearomizers, the Handle is definitely worth considering.

Vaping Diaries #13: Heather’s Heavenly Vapes Review

My excellent friend Raina Lee and I checked out three e-liquids from Heather’s Heavenly Vapes. We vaped a trio of juices named after The Lord of the Rings characters: Gandalf, Gollum, and Shadowfax. While we were impressed by the quality of all three, we each had a favorite. Watch the video review to hear details on the flavor of all three products. They’re even tastier than Hobbit leaf!

Steeping Notes

Shadowfax
60/40 PG/VG ratio, 6mg nicotine
Uncapped: October 20, 2012 5:20PM
Recapped: October 22, 2012 5:34PM
Opened: November 6, 2012 1:35PM

Gollum
60/40 PG/VG ratio, 6mg nicotine
Uncapped: October 20, 2012 5:20PM
Recapped: October 22, 2012 5:34PM
Opened: November 6, 2012 1:35PM

Gandalf
60/40 PG/VG ratio, 6mg nicotine
Uncapped: October 20, 2012 5:20PM
Recapped: October 22, 2012 5:34PM
Opened: November 6, 2012 1:35PM

Vaping Diaries #12: Ovale USA Emini Review

Here’s a stylish and unique e-cigarette that’s geared towards casual and social smokers: the Emini from Ovale USA. This vaping device comes with two batteries and a cool charging case that strongly resembles an Apple iPhone 4/4S. While it’s not powerful enough for hardcore vapors, it’s a compelling choice for social smokers that don’t want to fuss with charging cables and want a product that looks good. Here’s the rundown.

What’s in the Kit: The Emini comes with two batteries, a charging case, three e-liquid cartridges, two atomizers, two atomizer heads, a USB charger, and a wall adapter. The kit currently lists for $69.99 on the Ovale USA site.

Form Factor: The e-cigs are a little bit shorter than the standard ones offered by competing companies like Safe Cig and V2. They look like “real” cigarettes, which is good for people that want to blend in with smokers and want to vape without drawing attention to themselves. The charging case, which holds one battery at a time, is smaller than an iPhone 4. The setup is very much pocketable.

Performance: As far as the batteries go, the Emini performs inline with other automatic batteries for competing vendors. The draw is decent, while the vapor is good for this type of device. Each 90 mAh battery lasts around 20 to 30 minutes. The case is rated at 1,090 mAh, which is more than enough for the type of vaper this product targets. The charging case should provide enough power to get casual smokers through a day. If that’s not enough, the case can be recharged with a standard micro-USB cable.

Consumables: The batteries use standard Ego-C atomizer heads, which are common and easy to find. The e-juice cartridges are proprietary and costs $5.99 for a five-pack at Ovale USA.

Verdict: This is a really cool e-cig that’s stylish and practical. The charging case is super convenient. Personally, I prefer the Elips-C as far as smaller e-cigs go, but this is good choice for casual vapers that want something that resembles a tobacco cigarette. Remember, this product is not meant for heavy vapers; the battery life, vapor production, and draw won’t satisfy them. If you’re the kind of person that occasionally takes smoke breaks at work or wants to vape over drinks, the Emini’s looks and convenience will keep you happy.

Vaping Diaries #11: E-Cigs and Big Tobacco

I’ve been surprised that big tobacco companies have been slow to adopt e-cigarettes. There are a few exceptions, but the majors are moving at a glacial pace, failing to take advantage of a booming market. It seems like such an obvious thing — sell tobacco cigarettes to get people hooked and sell a healthier alternative when people want to quit. Have these companies learned nothing from Monsanto?!? Then again, American tobacco companies are so old and slow that perhaps I shouldn’t be surprised by their failure to adapt. For now, let’s look at two companies that are cashing in on the e-cig craze: Lorillard and Swisher.

Lorillard might sound like an unfamiliar brand, but you’ve surely seen the company’s products. Newport, Kent, True, Satin, and Maverick are the most famous Lorillard tobacco cigarettes. In April 2012, Lorillard bought Blu Cigs. While they’re far from the best in terms of performance and taste, Blu has some of the best marketing of any e-cig company. Lorillard has turned the marketing dial to 11, with an aggressive advertising campaign featuring Stephen Dorff.

In addition to big marketing dollars, Lorillard is using its retail relationships to get Blu on store shelves. For most (quality) vaping products, Internet stores or specialty shops are the only options. Blu Cigs, on the other hand, can be found at drugstores and groceries. In fact, I could go down the street and pick up Blu Cigs at my local Walgreens if I wanted to. That kind of reach is extremely powerful.

I’m sure that many of you are familiar with Swisher Sweets cigars. A lot of young people like to blend them with…other types of herbal remedies. The company has an e-cig line call e-Swisher, consisting of products that look like cigarettes, as well as those that look like Swisher cigars. Like Lorillard, Swisher has extensive retail relationships and is able to reach a lot of eyeballs.

These two traditional tobacco companies are just the beginning. There’s a great chance that the market will boom, with other traditional tobacco companies releasing e-cig products in the near future. Like Blu, I also expect more celebrity endorsers. Katherine Heigl (pictured at the top of this post) has been vaping for years and even busted out an e-cig on The Late Show with David Letterman (clip below). More recently, Robert Pattinson was spotted using an e-cig. Imagine all the Twilight smokers he could convert?!? The future of vaping would be insured if the world’s most desirable vampire endorsed an e-cig. Hmmmm, I’m going to try to get in touch with his agent.