A non-smoker's guide to hanging with smokers...
At the risk of further inflaming an already sensitive topic with one very good friend of mine who I love dearly, I must post.
I have had smoker friends for more than half my life. In fact, all but one of my past lovers (and my darling Ili, although she's quit) have been smokers. But I've never really had the problem I now have: the "feeling-like-I-have-to-shower-twice-a-day-to-wash-the-smell-off" problem. Oh, and the "crap-I'm-going-to-die-from-second-hand-smoke-inhalation" problem.
Damn. This weekend, ili and I had a discussion and agreed that we were tired of coming home smelling like an ashtray, and that we were going to see if our friend (who shall remain nameless until she no doubt posts a fuck-you comment) would be okay with sitting in non-smoking when we go to a certain restaurant, which everyone knows we go to all the time, from now on. We feel that it's only fair; we don't smoke, and we shouldn't have to smell like it, not to mention risk the serious and very real detriment to our health. If she wants to smoke, we don't feel like we should have to sit in it, since ili quit because she knew it was time to take her health seriously, and I've never smoked because I know what it will do to me.
Is this unreasonable?? Is it too much to ask to want to spend time with our best friend but be healthy? I think not. Yet the thought seemed to upset her, and I had to fight very hard against the instinct to apologize. For what? I love spending time with her and would hate to lose that. But come on.
What say ya peoples?
Oh right, so on to my
Non-Smoker's Guide to Hanging with Smokers:
1. Keep plenty of body wash on hand for multiple showers a day.
2. If you have allergies or asthma, carry an inhaler and some Claritin-D at all times.
3. Be prepared to be guilt-tripped for being healthy.
4. Practice biting your tongue at night so you don't suffer from speaking-your-mind syndrome at otherwise pleasant functions during the day.
5. Get a good retirement plan and set aside extra funds for emphizema treatments when you're 80.
6. Get extra cancer coverage for when you're 35 and undergoing chemo.
7. Remember: you're not the addict, so you don't know what it's like and therefore apparently have no valid opinion.
8. Get your pets used to the smell so they don't reject you.
9. Tell your parents ahead of time that it's your friends, not you, so you don't get lectured, even though you will get lectured anyway.
10. Don't post inflammatory anti-smoking blog posts...it will annoy your smoker friends.
~J~
I have had smoker friends for more than half my life. In fact, all but one of my past lovers (and my darling Ili, although she's quit) have been smokers. But I've never really had the problem I now have: the "feeling-like-I-have-to-shower-twice-a-day-to-wash-the-smell-off" problem. Oh, and the "crap-I'm-going-to-die-from-second-hand-smoke-inhalation" problem.
Damn. This weekend, ili and I had a discussion and agreed that we were tired of coming home smelling like an ashtray, and that we were going to see if our friend (who shall remain nameless until she no doubt posts a fuck-you comment) would be okay with sitting in non-smoking when we go to a certain restaurant, which everyone knows we go to all the time, from now on. We feel that it's only fair; we don't smoke, and we shouldn't have to smell like it, not to mention risk the serious and very real detriment to our health. If she wants to smoke, we don't feel like we should have to sit in it, since ili quit because she knew it was time to take her health seriously, and I've never smoked because I know what it will do to me.
Is this unreasonable?? Is it too much to ask to want to spend time with our best friend but be healthy? I think not. Yet the thought seemed to upset her, and I had to fight very hard against the instinct to apologize. For what? I love spending time with her and would hate to lose that. But come on.
What say ya peoples?
Oh right, so on to my
Non-Smoker's Guide to Hanging with Smokers:
1. Keep plenty of body wash on hand for multiple showers a day.
2. If you have allergies or asthma, carry an inhaler and some Claritin-D at all times.
3. Be prepared to be guilt-tripped for being healthy.
4. Practice biting your tongue at night so you don't suffer from speaking-your-mind syndrome at otherwise pleasant functions during the day.
5. Get a good retirement plan and set aside extra funds for emphizema treatments when you're 80.
6. Get extra cancer coverage for when you're 35 and undergoing chemo.
7. Remember: you're not the addict, so you don't know what it's like and therefore apparently have no valid opinion.
8. Get your pets used to the smell so they don't reject you.
9. Tell your parents ahead of time that it's your friends, not you, so you don't get lectured, even though you will get lectured anyway.
10. Don't post inflammatory anti-smoking blog posts...it will annoy your smoker friends.
~J~
posted by Jadyn at 9:25 AM
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