This is the thought in many people’s mind at the turn of each New Year. That means another year has come and gone without much progress being made. Even if our New Year’s Resolution wasn’t health-related, many of us have plateaued in our course toward personal growth and development.

But alas! The New Year is an opportunity to reignite your passions and explore new interests.

This year it will be different. Instead of making promises to ourselves that we know we don’t have the willpower or resources to keep, let’s just going to go with the flow! At the end of the day, that’s essentially what ends up happening away. I’m not saying you shouldn’t plan or set goals. Rather, I’m saying make realistic expectations to simply be the best person you can be day in and day out. Sprinkle in a few healthy decisions here and there, make it a habit to daydreaming every once in a while, and read the most random book you can find.

“Try not to become a person of success, but rather a person of value.” – Albert Einstein.

Any success I’ve ever had always started from doing something totally out of the norm. Spontaneity can reveal thigs about us that we didn’t know rested within us. Taking a leap of faith or stepping outside our comfort zone can help to develop the methods of accountability we need to form consistency.

Cup half-full you say? Not the slightest! Here’s the sum of it all: Life is too short for irresponsible resolutions. Life is just long enough to live each day as it comes. Incorporate small changes, micro goals, and spontaneous activities into your days and weeks. For many of us this will be a great strategy to obtain the small victories first before tackling the grand master plan!

Enjoy every moment of your 2016.

Snow One Should Be Without a Smile This Time of the Year

Tis’ the season for holiday cheer and many new beginnings. Christmas gives us the opportunity to consider the needs of others while New Years’ Day allows us a moment to reflect on ourselves individually. I received a pleasant surprise from the car in front of me at the drive-thru last week. When it drove up to the window to pay for my lunch, the window attendant told me that the car ahead had paid for my food. It was a small gesture but it put lots of things into perspective.

Hopefully, you all will join me in the initiative of making small acts of random kindness this holiday season. It is easy to buy gifts for those we love and support year around. But what about the stranger or those we only know in passing. In a time when the world is occupied with greed and diminishing core values, it is essential that we make it a priority to reach out to the unknown. I believe the only way to close the gaps of fear and insecurity is to fill them with love.

I was ready to slide my Google card to pay for my lunch. The unknown person paid without leaving a note, a name, or any way for him/her to be recognized for their good deed. The only residue that was left was a trail of happiness.

Every positive thing we do for others doesn’t require a spotlight, town crier, or Facebook likes. Sometimes it’s the things we do in private that reverberate the loudest. All of us have the ability to pay it forward.

Last, but certainly not least, we would like thank you for your support this year. Without the greater Arlington community, Tobacco Lane could not be the success it has been. As Arlington’s select tobacco shop, we are dedicated to making your visit here as pleasant as possible.

It is our hope that you have a blessed, merry Christmas and a prosperous 2016!

Now that the Texas heat is withdrawing, now is the best time of the year to sit under the moonlit sky. Take advantage of the quickening eve out in the backyard with your favorite cigar. Entertain the impossible in the same fashion as some of the nation’s prominent statesmen, entertainers, and thinkers.

When you look into the cigar culture you will see many of our nation’s figures helping to popularize the industry. For us, it’s what makes cigar culture so refined and regal – knowing that we’re always in good company. Regardless if you’re hanging with friends outdoors or meditating in your study, you’re sharing in an experience and slow burn exhilaration had by that of some of the most prominent humans to ever walk the Earth.

So the next time you light your preferred cigar, take a moment to reflect on some of the great Americans who have contributed to the cigar culture and enhanced our imaginations and way of life. Here are a few quotes from some fellow stogie enthusiasts:

“I believe that pipe smoking contributes to a somewhat calm and objective judgment in all human affairs.” – Albert Einstein

“I’m at the age now where just putting my cigar in its holder is a thrill.” – George Burns

“I never smoke to excess – that is, I smoke in moderation, only one cigar at a time.” – Mark Twain

“The only way to break a bad habit was to replace it with a better habit.” (after he switched from cigarettes to cigars) – Jack Nicholson

“[Tobacco] is the passion of honest men and he who lives without tobacco is not worthy of living.” – Moliere (Jean Baptiste Poquelin)

“If your wife doesn’t like the aroma of your cigar, change your wife.” – Zino Davidoff

“If you can’t send money, send tobacco.” – (to the Continental Congress, 1776 ) George Washington

There’s absolutely zero reason to drag this out. We could have made this PSA a lot more lengthier and fill this article with fluff. But to save you a few seconds of life we’re gonna get right to the point…the meat and potatoes. Here are the TWO (2) Reasons why you should be “all-up-in” TLane at our October Social Event on October 15th:

1. We will be featuring Roberto Duran cigars!

According to legend, before he left this world, Frank Sinatra asked to be buried with 3 things: a roll of dimes, a bottle of Jack Daniels, and a cigarettes. I’m pretty sure he was buried with a humidor of cigars. What brand of cigars you ask? Roberto Duran cigars (duh!). The comfortably priced stogie is the perfect medium bodied smoke, giving nice flavor variance that would appeal to all levels of smokers. Roberto P. Duran has a strategic selection in their product line. Each cigar offers a solid blend of cedar with just a nip of sweetness. You won’t be disappointed!

2. You will be among some of the most knowledgeable, most wisest, cigar connoisseurs ’round these parts.

Our staff will be more than happy to help you make an intelligent choice that will fit your style and taste. Come in, make yourself at home, and learn something new. Even if you are an occasional smoker this will be a great opportunity for you to take advantage of the free smells in the loose tobacco bins, take uncomfortably funny selfies next to the shelf of handcrafted pipes, or geocache our location as a hidden treasure for a friend in Spokane, WA. Whatever floats your boat, bloke! Just be here and all will be right with the world.

See You There!

-The TLane Crew