FIVE YEARS...

...four days and counting.

I celebrated an anniversary the other day. I have been off the chokes, smoke free that is, for FIVE YEARS and FOUR DAYS now. On March 11, 2001 around 4:30 in the afternoon I inhaled my last cigarette. I was living in Chicago then and I just reached the end of my rope as far as smoking was concerned. I KNEW it was STUPID and that if I did not quit that there was the grand possibility that the fucking things would end up killing me.

Like most people, I started in my teens because smoking was seen as cool and rebellious, etc. etc. blah, blah, blah...meaning, I fell right into the trap set up by the tobacco industry. I smoked for 18 years and I was seriously addicted. I based my entire persona around smoking. I even wrote a column for a weekly paper in Tennessee that I titled "Smoke & Whiskey" (I still like my whiskey - but in perspective, I don't drink 20-25 shots a day - in fact I only drink the stuff on occasion). All my heroes smoked (most are dead) and all my friends seemed to smoke (far too many still do - if you read this and you know who you are - please quit that shit!). Somehow I got up the gumption to just fucking STOP. No patches or gums or hypnosis or electro-shock therapy, nothing, just good old fashioned COLD TURKEY. I am so happy I quit. I do not miss them. I am around smokers all the time still and I just think to myself, "Did I SMELL that bad for 18 years?" I did and now I don't.

So I am patting myself on the back.

FUCK YOU TOBACCO INDUSTRY

Sunday, Bloody Sunday

There is a joint in Chattanooga Tennessee called the Northshore Grill on Frazier avenue that does this deal where you go in, buy a pint glass full of ice & vodka and then you can make your own Bloody Mary. They've got a long table full of Bloody fix'ins (hot sauces, asparagus, celery of course, horseradish, etc.) and it's a great way to loll around on a Sunday afternoon with your pals and at the same time get a fat dose of veggies, vitamin C and get your swerve on too! That's my very good friend Tish in the picture and she's the Coolest! I wish some joint did this in MY town (Savannah Georgia - and if you own a restaurant - DO THIS). Oh yeah, it's a rather inexpensive deal too, I think they are charging 3 bucks a pop per glass, which is totally reasonable.

If you haven't noticed (and looking at the hits here, you probably have not)...

...I have been on "Blog" hiatus.

This is OK. I'm OK. Just been busy.


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