thank you for not nagging
I just want to say that nonmokers are getting out of control in this country. I get that some people find smoking to be a repulsive habit. Fine. I find public nosepicking repulsive, but I am not moving to legislate against that. Shit, while I was waiting for the bus yesterday I watched this woman walking down the street digging wax out of her ear and eating it. Repeatedly. Dig, lick, repeat. Don't tell me that smokers have the market cornered on filthy habits. I know some will say that I did not have to inhale this woman's second hand earwax (gawd it made me laugh to type that) but that is hardly the point. It does take some effort to suppress vomit. I think it took a toll on my health. Besides, I don't think there's anyway to quantify the number of pathogenic organisms that are transmitted when traces of bodily secretions are left all over public accomodations. Once I watched this woman on a bus pick her nose and wipe it on the window. Just the other day as I was standing on the bus I grabbed the handrail only to find some mystery residue on my hand. I won't even recount all the instances I have observed of public ass scratching. My point is that smoking is not the only distasteful habit that is indiscreet. I know it is a dirty habit, but there are habits that are far filthier. Smoke might come out of one of my orifices, but it is not a product of one of my orifices. The distinction is important.
I just want to be clear, I try really hard to be a respectful smoker. I do not smoke indoors. I walk away from groups of nonsmokers before I light up. I am careful to not smoke upwind of nonsmokers. Basically, I put a good deal of effort into keeping my stinky habit to myself. I think it is only fair that rabid nonsmoker return the favor and keep their stinking habit of judgemental nagging to themselves.
This is all inspired by a friend of mine who, while otherwise an enjoyable person, will not let up on bugging me about smoking. I think I'm going to say something in a minute. It is kind of a dilemma for me since I haven't yet made that many friends here. I am starting to feel, however, that if this persists I can spare a new friend.
Hardly anyone smokes here, which is just another thing that makes me unexpectedly nostalgic for Oregon. Maybe it was the rain that drove people to nicotine dependency. Regardless, I was not the pariah that I am here. I had smoking allies. At the very least, there were other people at my side to tell nagging nonsmokers to STFU. I am not, by any means, on a campaign to recruit smokers. The problem is when all the nonsmoking hoardes feel emboldened to harass me on my personal choices. Smoking is bad for you. No shit?! They should put a warning on the label or something! Oh, yeh, they do. Being a literate person, as well as a person who has regular access to the media, I don't need to be informed everytime I light up of the risk of smoking.
So nonsmokers, let's call a truce. I will not shove cigarette smoke down your throat, and you will cease to state the obvious. It is a waste of your breath and an insult to my intelligence to continue to belabor this topic. You might ask yourself, 'if you are so smart, then why do you smoke?' I can't speak for all smokers, but personally I just don't buy into the hype. Yeah, smoking is bad for your health, but so is living in a smoggy metropolis, eating additive rich food, drinking alcohol, living a stressful life and eating too much salt. That doesn't even take into consideration all the natural disasters that could get you in an instant. My motto is "moderation in all things, even (and perhaps especially) moderation. Living will eventually kill you, no matter how clean you are living. In the meantime I want to at least enjoy myself.
I just want to be clear, I try really hard to be a respectful smoker. I do not smoke indoors. I walk away from groups of nonsmokers before I light up. I am careful to not smoke upwind of nonsmokers. Basically, I put a good deal of effort into keeping my stinky habit to myself. I think it is only fair that rabid nonsmoker return the favor and keep their stinking habit of judgemental nagging to themselves.
This is all inspired by a friend of mine who, while otherwise an enjoyable person, will not let up on bugging me about smoking. I think I'm going to say something in a minute. It is kind of a dilemma for me since I haven't yet made that many friends here. I am starting to feel, however, that if this persists I can spare a new friend.
Hardly anyone smokes here, which is just another thing that makes me unexpectedly nostalgic for Oregon. Maybe it was the rain that drove people to nicotine dependency. Regardless, I was not the pariah that I am here. I had smoking allies. At the very least, there were other people at my side to tell nagging nonsmokers to STFU. I am not, by any means, on a campaign to recruit smokers. The problem is when all the nonsmoking hoardes feel emboldened to harass me on my personal choices. Smoking is bad for you. No shit?! They should put a warning on the label or something! Oh, yeh, they do. Being a literate person, as well as a person who has regular access to the media, I don't need to be informed everytime I light up of the risk of smoking.
So nonsmokers, let's call a truce. I will not shove cigarette smoke down your throat, and you will cease to state the obvious. It is a waste of your breath and an insult to my intelligence to continue to belabor this topic. You might ask yourself, 'if you are so smart, then why do you smoke?' I can't speak for all smokers, but personally I just don't buy into the hype. Yeah, smoking is bad for your health, but so is living in a smoggy metropolis, eating additive rich food, drinking alcohol, living a stressful life and eating too much salt. That doesn't even take into consideration all the natural disasters that could get you in an instant. My motto is "moderation in all things, even (and perhaps especially) moderation. Living will eventually kill you, no matter how clean you are living. In the meantime I want to at least enjoy myself.