Currently I smoke a couple PC sized cigars a day, monte 4s or principes, something that area, one of the reasons for taking up the pipe is to lessen the load on the cigar budget and well I like the idea of pipes, the leisure smoke that you aren't committed to like you are with a cigar. There are so many fantastic blends out there and yes the pipes themselves, all of it really.
Today I brought the corncob to work and just smoked that and yes leaving it a tree so I don't bring it in the office and tick people off, it's fine though and everyone knows it's mine so it doesn't get messed with ... well at least that's what they tell me.
I love to fiddle with it (
Phrasing!) the lighting and tamping the relighting, everything you said, for some reason the tamping part is awesome to me, stoking the fires as it were.
The tabaccy that people have sent is awesome, it let's me try so many things, take some notes if I find something that really strikes my fancy, I think I just need to read up (or watch videos) on different pipes, what is best for aromatics (if there is such a thing) and go from there.
I have been smoking a bowl, then cleaning out the pipe and putting it on the rack, if I feel like another bowl or one later I just take another pipe to let the first one dry / sit, that much I have learned from reading all the threads here, actually I've learned a ton from the threads here.
I don't work for the Government and I will retire about 2 hours before I die because I'll have to work right up till that moment.