The Cigar Forum Newbie Guide

My name is Eric.  I live in Virginia and I am by no means an expert on anything.  My cigar hobby began around 1999 and my foray into the world of cigar forums began in 2004.  In the decade-plus I've been a participant in the forums, I've seen a lot of people come and go.  I think every newbie is a potential valuable member of the community, so I created this guide to help newcomers avoid the mistakes that I have seen result in the banning of  new members.  Over the years I have participated in several different cigar forums, but the first board I joined is the one I still consider home (CigarPass).  The screen name I use on every forum is Eshaw99.