Writer's Block: Smoked Out

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A, and C. With a liberal helping of pity. You see, I've been there, done that, and bought that T-shirt... and it was a damned expensive T-shirt, for which I'm still paying.

I was introduced to smoking at an Eastern prep school at the age of 13. At that age, and in my shoes, I would have done anything for acceptance, so this was a great way to belong to a group. By the time I hit my first year of college, I was up to 3 packs a day. I quit in 1969, but my lungs were forever scarred. Thus far, no cancer, thank G-d, but I have a nagging cough I have never been able to get rid of.

So for me, banning smoking in bars is a Good Thing. Anything that will dissuade people from smoking is a Good Thing. But I remember articles in Readers' Digest clear back in the 70's describing cancer patients right after surgery, smoking through their stomas... people don't do what they know is good for them.

The Meaning of Liff

I hope you're all familiar with this gem. I saw it in hardback in a shop in Oslo, and figured it would be online.

The Meaning of Liff by Douglas Adams and John Lloyd.

Not only the words are delightful, but the fact that they are so in touch with all these little scraps of life that hardly anyone ever talks about... There's an expanded version also, but it doesn't appear to have made it online yet.

LINDISFARNE (adj.)
Descriptive of the pleasant smell of an empty biscuit tin.

MALIBU (n.)
The height by which the top of a wave exceeds the height to which you have rolled up your trousers.

YEPPOON (n.)
One of the hat-hanging corks which Australians wear for making Qantas commercials.