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Last week, I probably would have worked up a good righteous indignation about the city flexing its nanny-muscles and passing an ordinance to prohibit smoking in one of the last bastions of smoking — bars and taverns.
This week, nah, not so much. I gave up the habit with yesterday's dawn after a week of celebrating, or bemoaning, my birthday.
I'm doing this without the aid of patches, or pills, or gums, or hypnosis, or stout whacks to the side of the head. There are a few whacks to the head, but they go to the forehead and they're delivered by my own hand.
This is all cold turkey. So, yeah, wish me luck.
But back to the impending city ordinance banning smoking in bars. It seems like our governments — federal, state, municipal — and citizens have a classic dysfunctional relationship. Through nanny laws, the government enables the citizens' addiction to a lack of self-responsibility.
A quote in the referenced article in the DMN serves as evidence: "It's the City Council's job and responsibility to protect the citizens of Dallas, and that includes protecting them from secondhand smoke," said Karen Hoyt-Potasznik, chairwoman of Smoke-Free Dallas.
I suggest that maybe it's our own responsibility to protect ourselves. If you don't want to be subjected to secondhand smoke don't go where there are firsthand smokers.
How hard is that?
9 responses to this post
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LakewoodTX said at 8:42 p.m. on June 30, 2008, 8:42 p.m.
Good luck! You're going to keep us updated on here right? So we can all hold you accountable?
bfelps said at 10:51 p.m. on June 30, 2008, 10:51 p.m.
oh yes. seems only fair for an objective group to help hold me accountable after i harp on it so much in print. so far, so pretty good. two days, four smokes. not all the way there yet, but a far sight better than an average of 15 cigarettes a day ... for more years than i care to think about. i thought the hardest part would be the morning routine — coffee, newspaper, cigarette. in fact, that's been pretty easy. still doing the coffee and newspaper, and no real urges. one of the the biggest urges hits about an hour and a half after lunch. wrestled that one to the ground, too. the hardest is the first trip of the day out in my car. the car's a manual transmission. the lighting up was automatic.
Lynn said at 7:15 a.m. on July 1, 2008, 7:15 a.m.
WOW! I know first hand how expensive your cigs were, too, so you need to start a piggy bank fund of what you would have spent and take a great vacation!!! Good for you and I wish you luck! You will feel so much better ultimately.
Lynn said at 7:22 a.m. on July 1, 2008, 7:22 a.m.
And thanks for the John Lennon YouTube! Excellent!
N8TVCO said at 8:37 a.m. on July 1, 2008, 8:37 a.m.
Can't wait for smoking to become illegal anywhere in public. I love the fact that my family can now go out to eat without coming home smelling like a cigarette butt. The problem with smokers is - they lose touch with reality and how much they stink - and cause others to stink...
Why should I have to stay home so you can suck on a cancer stick? Smokers logic.
bfelps said at 10:39 a.m. on July 1, 2008, 10:39 a.m.
N8TVCO, given the long-ago restaurant ban, from where is it you return smelling like a butt? at least for the next while, going to a bar and being shocked to encounter smoking is somewhat akin to going to Lone State Park and being shocked to encounter gambling.
Lynn said at 9:34 p.m. on July 1, 2008, 9:34 p.m.
Remember.."Smoking Sections"? I think N8TVCO needs to get over it! Never smoked and still won't suggest any form of Prohibtion! If you don't like the "atmosphere"...don't go there!
TerisaB said at 7:27 p.m. on July 2, 2008, 7:27 p.m.
Har de har... N8TVCO smells like a butt.
bfelps said at 11:22 p.m. on July 2, 2008, 11:22 p.m.
now, now, TerisaB, let's play nice. [snicker ... chuckle ... hahahahaha ... whew].