Cigarettes and booze

I don't smoke. Never have, never will. Growing up in fact, i actually worked in a tobacconist on Saturday afternoons, and my nan used to smoke up to 70 cigarettes a day before she finally decided to quit. What I'm saying is I was always around cigarettes, but it never interested me. I am however fascinated with the psychology of people who are smokers. Why can't they quit? Why do people that quit, start back up again? I was talking about this at dinner last night with a group of former smokers, and mate who has quit a dozen times previous but still can't kick the habit. One of the guys asked me if i could quit alcohol? Now, I'm the first to admit that i probably drink too much. If i was to keep a booze diary I'm sure my intake would safely hover between twice to three times the 'recommended' amount. Do I think i have a booze problem? Maybe. I mean, I know it's bad for me. Much in the same way cigarettes are bad for smokers. I thought a lot about it this morning. After waking up with a thumping hangover and headache i pondered the thought of my life without booze. I couldn't. I love booze. Not just the fine Pinots of Burgundy, excellent Apple Brandys of Normandie, sweet Rums from Guyana and the sumptuous Pilsners of Europe. I also love 3€ Port, wine from a box, and blue cocktails. I'm not a snob about booze. I just think i like getting drunk.

What I do know is there's got to be a time in my life when the party stops. A time when i settle down with a woman and make babies and grow up. Do i think i'll drink less then? I hope so! Alcohol addiction is as lethal as an addiction to Nicotine. I know now i drink too much but why don't i do something about it. When i don't drink I'm told I'm actually more charming than when im pissed. This sounds obvious when reading it back, but at first, to my ears this thought was unfathomable.

So here I am again, 400 words into a blog without a 'point'. I guess today i really don't have one. Maybe today is more of a confession blog rather than a rant. Going back to the whole smoking thing. I can see why it's so hard for you guys to quit. I mean the romance of a cigarette after eating or having sex does sound good. I just hope the friends that want to quit, can. I love my friends. They are great!! If one of them, later in life, was to get seriously ill from a smoking habit I would feel a bit guilty for not getting them to quit. Or at the least putting pressure on them to do so.

AHA! I have an idea for a point of this blog now. Today is my appeal to my smoking friends that the smoking party is over. Please stop. I'm not going to get on your back about it. I just want you to know I'd rather you alive than dead. Quit smoking for your friends, not yourself. I hate to sound like I'm preaching when i would probably have a lot of trouble quitting drinking but like i mentioned before. There is a time in people lives -usually in their late 20's - that you settle down, stop going out as much, and hanging out in bars drinking vodka & cokes. This won't happen to my smoking friends. You need to take the onus on yourself now. Please do it. I promise you, if you quit smoking, the drinks are on me!