[geeks] This bogles my mind

[Brian Hechinger]

being an ex-smoker i'd like to comment on the follwing:

> 1. quit throwing your anti-smoking rhetoric around. it only makes smokers
> more belligerent and less inclined to quit. a little support really does
> go a long, long way these days.

hell yeah.  i probably would have quick a long time ago if my mom hadn't of
harrassed me all the time.  "oh yeah, well then i'll just keep smoking, that'll
show you!"

> 2. if you abhor smoking in the workplace, be sure to find a job at a
> company who does not allow smoking on the premesis or property. only deal
> with companies who do the same.

a lot of the larger places i've worked for, or places that were in office
complexes make people smoke out back, and make the main entrace to the building
off limits to smoking.

that gives you the option of having at least one available entrace to go
through. :)

> 3. if a smoker is annoying you, politely ask then to stop until you
> leave.. most _will_. 

until you are a rude bastard and then we will light right back up.  i was in
a dinner once, in the SMOKING section, and the guy at the next table asked me
if i would put out my cigarette, and then instead of saying thanks, he acted
like i damn well better of, and so i lit it right back up.

"be nice to me, and i'll be nice to you, be a prick to me, go ahead, i DARE you,
cause i can be a HUGE prick if i put my mind to it." is my motto. :)

> 4. if you know a smoker who you are concerned about, skip the rhetoric and
> calmly and nicely ask them why they began smoking. then ask them if they
> truly like the taste (answer's almost always no). then ask them what
> prevents them from quitting and ask them what you can do to help. 

see 1)

> but first, like a smoker quitting smoking, you've got to want to help
> instead of throwing useless blame.

be nice.  don't spew crap at them.  that will help tremendously.

cheers,

-brian (quit in the beginning of november)