Smoke gets in your eyes

As a reformed smoker, I love hearing the news that a small (rich exclusive) town in Northern California is thinking of banning smoking, well, almost everywhere. Belmont is holding hearings to see if they should ban smoking even in private apartment buildings. Yeah baby! When I smoked, I didn't care who or what was in my way, just gimme a cig! Well, not really. I was a very polite smoker. But I know that when I lived in my townhouse I felt free to stink up the place as much as I wanted. And I know that the smoke drifted over to my neighbors, none of whom smoked. And this wasn't even in an apartment building with shared ventilation systems.

I smoked for 23 years, and quit 15 years ago, on my birthday. Unfortunately it wasn't soon enough. They used to say that if you quit smoking your lungs would start returning to normal within months, and after a few years, I think it was 5-10, your lungs would be fresh and new, as if you had never smoked. WRONG! My lungs are damaged, something I may not have know for years if I wasn't trying to be a runner. Whether it turns out to be asthma or COPD doesn't really matter, it was caused by my smoking and second hand smoke from my mom's cigs while I was growing up. I smoked "light" cigarettes since they were supposed to be less harmful, but that's been disproved too.

I loved smoking, loved the feeling of holding and touching a cig, loved lighting up, loved my fancy schmancy lighters, loved holding smoke in my lungs, loved exhaling, loved the heady feeling of that first cig of the day, loved the way a cig would relax me or give me something to do in a crowd. I never knew how much I stunk, ignored the morning cough, tried to ignore the dirty looks I got. Smoking was my favorite drug and had the benefit of being legal and available everywhere. I understand why people smoke, and how hard it is to quit. Boy do I understand! Nevertheless, it's a nasty, dirty, destructive habit that contaminates everything around it. I wish all public buildings and public spaces, everywhere, were smoke-free. I'm glad that cigs cost a fortune now, and I think they should increase the price until it's $5 for each stinky cigarette. All that money (except for about 10 cents per pack which can go to big tobacco companies) should go to research into addiction and lung diseases and creation of a nontoxic legal drug that could recreate the feeling of smoking, without smoking. I say, go Belmont!

(this is me stepping off my soapbox)

I had a great run last night. Another warm night, and light until after the run was completed. It was buddy run night, although I don't really have a buddy there to run with; they're all too fast for me. I ran 3.25 miles, at a pretty decent clip -- for me. I felt really good afterward. That'll be my last run until the Shamrock 8k on Saturday, followed by the full marathon. My legs will be very happy for the rest; my ankles are still a little swollen from the long run.

Today's Gratuitous Bear of the Day is one last bear, for many years, from Carol. He's a little bear, just a few inches tall. I don't remember why she gave him to me, or exactly when, but it was while I was still living in my teeny studio apartment in Oakland, before I got married. I gave it her nickname, so this is Twink!