To precede this rant, I want to say that I mean no personal offense to anyone. To each his own and all that, everyone can make their own decisions and suffer their own consequences and that's fine. Having said that, this cursed town is full of smokers!! We walked some errands today, traversing probably three miles around the CBD during mid-day. It was nice to be out in the bustling business district and to walk around this rather impressive city. There are a lot of cool venues, old rad architecture, sweet skyscrapers, sculptures, public areas, parks, etc. in this town. Overall, I would say Melbourne is set up very well and has a lot to offer a resident. I'm really enjoying living in a large metropolitan area.
The only major complaint I have about this place is the ridiculous quantity of smokers. All ages, sizes, shapes, men, women...so many folks smoke!! And I couldn't care less if they're not bugging me, but walking around town during business hours means being constantly accosted by second hand smoke from people who are now doubt on their smoke breaks, or, as I like to call it, their slacker/cancer breaks.
I guess I've never lived right in a big city before, but I could swear that there aren't this many smokers in California. I know there are plenty of them, but they seem to usually be limited to the eternally addicted, the white (or insert appropriate color) trash, and the hopeful juvenile delinquents. These people are just random business people. They are dressed nicely, they look professional, and they're standing around in an alley next to their resident high rise smoking a cigarette. Maybe I've been brainwashed by PSAs, but it just looks wrong.
So, I basically dart around the sidewalks strategically holding my breath to avoid the big whiffs, attempting to dodge the hot end of their cancer sticks that they wave around rather carelessly, and ritualistically bitching about them once I'm out of ear shot. I think I may instate a smoker kicking policy when walking down the street. Or, maybe I should try something more subtle like sedative darts. Or, maybe I'll just keep walking, scowling, and silently cursing the smokers who are slowly murdering me while they kill themselves to get 5 minutes off of work every two hours.
The irony is that my face got a bit sunburned while we were walking around today. I'm an idiot. Maybe I should just take up smoking and get it over with.
4 comments:
The sun sure can be dangerous; I've been hurt by it badly a number of times. I'm sorry y'all were punished by that big ball of fire! Your comments about evolution made me want to see Ben Stein's documentary: Expelled.
Welcome to anywhere outside of California! Smokers are abound in this world, just not in the imposingly "progressive" state that is California. NZ, UK and all of Europe for that matter were exactly the same. Italy is still the worst place I've been. I don't know what it is, but people outside the US just don't seem to care about the whole cancer aspect. You'll get used to it. Then when you come back, everytime you smell a cig, you'll think of Aussie. so there's a bright side to all this... eventually.
He lit the cigarette and smoked it down to the filter in one breath. He silently thanked the cigarette company for being thoughtful enough about his health to include a filter to protect him. So he lit up another. This time he didn't exhale the squeaky-clean filtered smoke, but just let it nestle in his lungs, filing his body with that good menthol flavor. Some more smokers knocked on his door and they came in and all started smoking along with him.
"How wonderful it is that we're all smoking," he thought.
Everyone smoked and smoked and after they smoked they all talked about smoking and how nice it was that they were all smokers and then they smoked some more.
Smoke, smoke, smoke. They all sang "Smoke That Cigarette" and "Smoke Gets in Your Eyes." Then the smokers smoked one more cigarette and left him alone in his easy chair, about to relax and enjoy a nice quiet smoke. And then his lips fell off.
eewwwww!..... I HATE smoking worse than you do! We are so spoiled here....I love California!
Watch out for that sun, now.
Happy Valentines Day (do they have that there?)
And happy birthday DIANE!!
I agree with Eric... Eastern Europe is nearly on fire with smokers. I was virtually smoked out of Poland. It is a national pastime and there is no move for change currently. Everyone was smoking..wizened grandmas, old aunties, the young, professional (especially professionals) and everyone else in-between. The Pacific Northwest equals California in political correctness around smoking. It is anathema all over the region and it is now illegal to smoke in bars... which has pissed off a goodly part of that population. Enforcement is an issue. Apparently,health education around smoking has not reached the rest of the world.. I think smoking is so deeply embedded in the culture of most countries change seems improbable. How long can you hold your breath???
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