August 8th, 2018. Doomsday.

Today is August 8th, and two years ago I would have told you that today was going to look very different than it actually does right now. Today I got up, talked shop stuff with Reid, got ready, walked the dog, and then headed off to Tinley Park to work for the day.

The beautiful thing is I am working in one of our vape shops! The one that we opened AFTER the deeming regs were announced. These are the same deeming regs that stated all electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS), a.k.a. vapes, would have to come off the market TODAY if they had not gone through a Pre Market Tobacco Application and been approved by the FDA. So yeah, two years ago we were slated to close up our shops for good. Without the various developments and deadline extensions over the past two years, today would look very different. It is all a bit surreal.

I am thrilled that we can spend more time doing what we do. One friend reminds us often, "What we do is special." He is right.

There are probably a few points in your life that you could pick out and tell me how life would be different if XYZ didn't happen. Birth of a child probably tops the list for many. People entering or exiting our lives is another big one. But what about a thing? How would your life be different if vaping had not entered your life? Alternatively, how would your life be different if you could no longer access vapor products?

Today is the day to reflect on what you would do if it all went away. Then make sure you are sharing your story. Others need to hear it! Did vapor products change your life in some way? Does today look different than how you expected it to? Our future isn't promised, and we have no idea what will happen between now and the new doomsday, 8/8/2022.