I created this site, The Vanilla Cigar, for two reasons. One, I'm finally taking advantage of one of the internet's best qualities. I can easily express myself to anyone in the world who may want to read what I have to say. Two, it keeps me on track. I can be a very lazy guy at times, so I figure if I have readers that are depending on fresh content, it will force me (in a good way) to keep reading, writing, adventuring, and whatever else I decide to include in this site.

I have now added to my site the three extra sections I've been working on: Adventures, College Life, and Sailing. I'm glad my site is growing so much, and I hope you like it all. I have a few more ideas for new sections, but they are still just brainstorms. The only fully-developed idea I have so far is to make a section about 503 Studios, where I can talk about my experiences in business and the lessons I've learned. I might also still make a Creative Writing section, but I have so few works... Time will tell. As I said before: as time goes by, I will add more and more to this site and pour more and more of myself out to all you perfect strangers.

Another main purpose of this site is for me to learn PHP. PHP is a web programming language that can make a site interactive. See the slogan on the main page? "The best way to talk philosophy." Well, it has a double meaning. Now I have a forum where you can talk philosophy too! All you have to do is register and you can philosophize about anything and everything, with anyone. I hope this site really does become the best way to talk philosophy with many people. Using PHP, I also hope to make a weekly or monthly poll, a rating system so that you can rate the books I have read (and works I have written), and as many other interactive features as are feasible. Right now, school is keeping me pretty busy, but eventually I will add all these perks to the site.

Now, the unanswered question: why "The Vanilla Cigar?" I named my site this because I recently found that the best way to discuss philosophy is to smoke a good ol' vanilla cigar with a good friend. Of course, it is not necessary, but I sure enjoyed it.