"Smoke 'em if you got 'em"

"Way ahead of you, Al."

Smoking crossed my path a few times today. I'm known (if only by me) to say something sly to any smokers I know when they light up, and sometimes to people I don't. "Oh, there's something I meant to tell you," I'll say in a concerned voice. I'll lean in a little and say, "I heard smoking was bad for you." I usually wink or give a wry smile, so as to, hopefully, avoid getting punched in the face. I typically get a similar reply from most people. "Yeah, I know man, but it's so hard to quit," or something to that affect. Today I got, "Yeah, I'm trying to quit. Really need to with how much they cost." Another exchange I had with another lady went like this:

Waitress: "Do you need a cleaner ashtray?"
Lady friend of mine: "No, I'll just dirty it up anyway."
Me: "Just like your lungs!"

Good times.

I don't mean to dedicate this writing (I really hate the word "blog" and "toaster" is already taken) to the bad habit of inhaling damaging toxins, but it leads to a larger issue that I'm also curious about: Why do we (people) do things that could, or will, directly hurt us?

Smoking is only the tip of the proverbial iceberg. Other hot contenders are: drinking alcohol, smoking marijuana (or other, harder drugs), driving after drinking or getting stoned, unsafe sex w/ random people, and stuff like the "extreme sports" of skydiving, bungee jumping, etc. I might be pushing it a little to include the extreme sports, but this is my deal, homie. The ironic thing is that I'm writing this and I've done (or do) some of the things listed. I wish that having first hand experience with this sort of thing would provide something deep and insightful, but I really don't think I have an answer.

I guess everyone's case is unique, to an extent. I was two classes away from having a Sociology minor in college, so part of me blames the upbringing and popular culture an individual has been exposed to. Did you grow up in a home where drinking and smoking were the norm? Chances are you do one or both of those now. Were you born on "the wrong side of the tracks" and into a family of drug use and flop houses? Well, there's a strong chance you're comfortable with all that and feel like it's OK. In the same vein, but to certainly a lesser degree of importance, why am I am Auburn fan? Because my dad is and I was brainwashed. Evidence.

But then, with all the information and research available today about the hazardous side effects to these things, why do people who grew up and developed these habits keep them? I guess I've never been addicted to anything, though. Maybe it's as simple as that. While I've heard that cigarettes are bad for you, I also hear that nicotine is a powerful thing. I didn't give it enough time to sink in, I guess. Sure, I've smoked a cigarette before but it just didn't seem that cool to me. Of course, I didn't grow up in a smoking house. My dad used to smoke a pipe and maybe a cigar every now and then, but nothing like the chain smoking of cigarettes that I know goes on in some households.

So what have I done from the list I busted out above? I do fancy an alcoholic drink in social situations. I might have a cigar or two each year in certain company. i.e. if someone brings them. I'd never buy one. I have never smoked marijuana, but I've been around it and had the chance. I think I first saw it being done in high school at someone's house. Maybe you're aware, but I also spent some time at Georgia Tech, where I came in contact with it again. Last year I somehow ended up at a random guy's apartment during Masters week and someone broke out a bong. I left shortly after that. Everyone was always fine with me passing on the grass, though. I guess it was just more for them.

One thing that's more serious that I've done is drive after drinking. I can only think of one time for certain when I really shouldn't have driven and did, but I'm sure there have been others when a ride or a couch would have been better ideas. I do usually do that, really. I have slept on many a couch in my advanced age and slept for a few hours in my truck once because I was too embarrassed to call anyone. Please don't think I'm a menace on wheels. Of course, the crazy person doesn't think he's crazy. So take this paragraph as you will. I do realize it only takes one time for me to hurt myself, or someone else, so I vow not to take the chance, or even put myself in that situation, if it comes up again.

As for bungee jumping and skydiving, I'm not certain I'd be interested in either. But, I'm also a "never say never" guy, so who knows what the future holds. This subject came up on the patio at The Cotton Patch at lunch today, actually. My "brotha from another mother," Gabe, and I agreed that skydiving would come before bungee jumping on the list. Well, I've just gotten back from a 5 minute break to research skydiving...and, I can't believe I'm saying this (well, typing this) it actually doesn't sound that bad. This FAQ provides descriptions of what happens and what it feels like and it's not what I assumed. GAH...I went and rode some upside down roller coaster and freefall-type things at the fair for the first time last year, maybe I need to skydive this year?

So, yeah, this graduated from talking about smoking to me contemplating skydiving. That's how my stream of consciousness writing style rolls.

But, back to close this up, why do people do what they do? No idea, but I'll stick to my original thought that it's unique to everyone, but has a lot to do with sociological impact.

Masters Week Review

If you're not from Augusta, then the first full week of April probably doesn't hold much meaning to you. For us locals, though, it's many things. Spring break, vacation time, party time, or a total nuisance. You see, that's the week the PGA comes to town for The Masters Golf Tournament. I wouldn't say that I'm a golf fan, and I haven't touched my clubs except to move them from one place to another in years, but even I watch golf that week.

Flashback: I worked out at the tournament my junior year of high school. The basketball coach got a bunch of us onto the Litter Patrol. Prestigious; I know. So I spent the seven days of my spring break walking around in a yellow jumpsuit poking at cigarette butts with a long pole and emptying trash bags. I don't remember exactly how much money I made, but $7/hour sounds right. That was pretty hefty for an almost 17 year old in 1996. Coolest thing I can claim is that I think I saw Anthony Edwards checking out the action on some hole.

Present Day: Being pretty far removed from the spring break days, and not really feeling like a vacation time, this year was more or less party time. Come to think of it, so was last year. I didn't work at all during either week. Last year I had taken the time off to go on a cruise. The cruise didn't happen, for me at least, and I still had the time off, so I went out five or six nights. This year I was off because I'm unemployed, having been laid off last month. I think I only went out four nights this year, though. With all the presumed big wig tourists in town for the week, my favorite places to have a beer or two tripled their prices, so I couldn't afford to hit the scene every night. Most of the time there was live music, though, so that's always a plus.

Tuesday: The fifth annual Rock Fore! Dough concert was Tuesday night and featured my favorite band, Hootie & the Blowfish. For flavor, there was also a local act, 48 Volt, and national acts Shawn Mullins and Zac Brown Band. Overall, it was a pretty good show but a couple of things brought it down. First off it was freezing! It would have been tolerable if the wind hadn't been so bad, but I was shivering the entire time. Second, I really felt like my boys in HBF just kinda mailed it in. Having seen them probably a dozen times, I think I qualify as being able to say that. Luckily, their 80% is better than most bands at 100%.

There was an after party deal at Wild Wing Cafe featuring Occasional Milkshake, which is two guys from Hootie and a guy from another favorite band of mine, Blue Dogs. While I met the members of that little band in various levels of complexity, the highlight of the night was meeting Mark Bryan (the Hootie guitarist). During the show I yelled out a request for one of his solo songs, A Fork in the Road. He thanked me but said the rest of the guys didn't know it and he gave me a fist pound. Good times.

Wednesday: I got talked into going to Country Club to see LoCash Cowboys. I'd seen them before back in December, so I felt good that it was worth the price of admission. They're a semi-country music act that I guess still hasn't fully been discovered yet. Like a lot of popular country acts, they're really more rock-oriented when you listen to them. They put on a pretty good show with lots of energy. You haven't lived until you've seen a guy in a country music band, wearing a Motley Crue blue jean jacket, playing an camouflaged acoustic guitar that's not plugged into anything just so he can shoot confetti out the end.

Thursday: Took in Sam Thacker at Somewhere in Augusta. It was my first time seeing him and he's pretty good. He seemed to know just the right amount of his own original stuff to mix in while playing everyone's favorite mix of bar and grille covers.

All in all, it was a pretty fun week. It was a nice escape from reality. Now, unfortunately, it's back to the real world that I live in the other 51 weeks of the year. Not that I don't like my life, that's not what I'm saying. It's just nice to get away and do something new for a while. Now I'm back to just sitting on the couch with Hazel and looking for a job.

Maybe I'm in need of a change...?

Can't Sleep

It's almost 4AM and I can't fall asleep. It's not unusual for me to have trouble drifting off into Slumberland, but I would have thought tonight would be different. I only got about six hours of sleep last night, I went to the gym for the first time in a while this afternoon, didn't drink any caffeine after about 8PM, read a few chapters of Hebrews, and said my prayers. Still, I'm just lying here.

I guess part of it is I've got a lot on my mind these days and maybe I don't take enough time to properly think things through during the day. When I lay down my mind must be going, "Whew...well it's about time he stopped doing stuff...now I have time to think through some things..." If you know me well enough, then you know what's been going on the past couple of months. If you don't know me that well, then chances are you're not reading this. :) (cleaver, yes, I know).

Maybe I'll write more later about some things. Of course, that's the trouble with the word "maybe". Along with it comes that pesky "Maybe not" card, which I don't guarantee won't be played.