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To your first comment... to each their own. But when someone is acting like they are literally all that and a bag of chips...
To the rest of the post.... Pregnancy is hell. I have had 4 kids myself. Each one I smoked though because they were addicted to the nicotine, and had caused me to miscarry each time I tried to quit.
Surprisingly though I wasnt a ball of hormones thoughout it. Many guys are jealous of Calin because the worst thing he had to deal with was my obsession of cleanliness.
Thank you Raven. On both call outs; it never ceases to amaze me that men of certain demographic believe they gain some kind of street cred by spreading their misogyny via the internet-- especially considering that they'd probably never recount their tales to a real live woman. Not in person, not face to face.
Back to the topic at hand (standing in line at minimart)
Mullet Guy: Is that one of those electric cigarettes?
Me:Yes.
Mullet Guy: You like it?
Me:Sure.
Mullet Guy: Cool.
Back to the topic at hand (standing in line at minimart)
Mullet Guy: Is that one of those electric cigarettes?
Me:Yes.
Mullet Guy: You like it?
Me:Sure.
Mullet Guy: Cool.
Thanks God for small miracles....
and I wonder if your mom felt that way when she was pregnant with you or maybe it's now she feels that way?
I've encountered many who are skeptical. I don't blame them. It's one of the reason why some positive words-of-mouth is so important, if not media coverage. Even my friends, who I believe they are intelligent enough to see the difference and welcome the change, were not.
With my friends, I was encouraging it but not to the extent to sound like some sort of tele-marketer or some say, a zealot. I will however be more assertive to my father who's an occasional smoker though.
All of this, has to be by own choice, IMO. We all made a choice of choosing analog back in the days. Now we chose e-cigs instead of analogs learning it from various sources. They'll also be hearing it someday. Maybe they'll choose our side. Maybe not. However, it's their choice, not ours.
Once ecig becomes real mainstream item... I expect to hear more full fledged attacks from both non-smoking and smoking groups....
With my friends, I was encouraging it but not to the extent to sound like some sort of tele-marketer or some say, a zealot. I will however be more assertive to my father who's an occasional smoker though.
All of this, has to be by own choice, IMO. We all made a choice of choosing analog back in the days. Now we chose e-cigs instead of analogs learning it from various sources. They'll also be hearing it someday. Maybe they'll choose our side. Maybe not. However, it's their choice, not ours.
Once ecig becomes real mainstream item... I expect to hear more full fledged attacks from both non-smoking and smoking groups....
So far, I haven't really been attacked, or had my PV use attacked, an odd comment here or there-- the non-smokers that I've been around think its pretty nifty that I've quit smoking analogs and the smokers I'm around think its pretty sweet that I haven't turned into an antismoker.
Honestly the most disturbing thing that has happened so far was being sniffed by a woman as I was vaping outside a restaurant. I asked if the smell bothered her (peach cobbler so there's not a whole lot of smell, but just a hint) she said no, and continued sniffing at me (not in a bad way, but like she was a human beagle hybrid trying to get a lock on my scent.)
Actually I sort of did have the same reaction, but it was from a person who has tried all of the smoking cessation products (probably thousands of dollars worth) particularly Nicotrol (the tampon looking inhalation device). Basically they view it as a smoking cessation device that works for you, and another that won't work for them. Does that make sense? The irrational fella who said he doesn't see a problem with smoking in his office if you can vape in yours doesn't realize the e-cigs don't have an odor. (Remember he still can't smell or taste due to the analogs) Cigarette smokers don't usually realize when they smell like smoke! I have walked past my brother and sister in law after smoking 15 minutes prior, and they complained that I reeked! With the e-cig, they let me do it in their house, around their child, and their pets... which is a huge step!
What I would do, in the instance of the people who are angry or defensive is explain that you don't view it as a smoking cessation product, more of an alternative cigarette. When people hear the word QUIT, the nicotine receptors in their head go beserk and they get MAD! We should call it MAD TOBACCO DISEASE. LOL
What I would do, in the instance of the people who are angry or defensive is explain that you don't view it as a smoking cessation product, more of an alternative cigarette. When people hear the word QUIT, the nicotine receptors in their head go beserk and they get MAD! We should call it MAD TOBACCO DISEASE. LOL
Well, I haven't been attacked personally either. I vape outside when I'm walking towards the subway, or when I'm walking outside. The most I've gotten is a couple of old ladies looking at me with some disgrunted look, saying amongst "look, they now sell those fake cigarette thingies".
Thing is, the general public doesn't know much about cigarettes. I was surprised how many didn't know what's exactly bad about analogs either - that Nicotine is pretty much only guilty by association. Surprisingly many people think, even smokers, that Cig=Nicotine=Cancer=Bad in my experience.
We already have attacks from groups like ASH and TFK, etc.... and I do believe once it becomes even more mainstream - the attacks will become more apprent. More frequent, and depending on media coverage, many will take a "stance" on this e-cig issue.. and that's probably when all hell breaks loose. (which I hope it won't happen.)
Right now it's more or less "unknown" for them... and that's one of the reason a lot of people backs away from this new way of smoking, or at best, try appear being neutral about it. In case of such pregnant woman that was mentioned by OP, has maternal instinct to step up. Most people don't have to, and don't feel like doing so, as it seems - as first sign of smoke is not necessarily the visual itself - but the smell.
We can't always expect trouble, and we can't always be on the defensive. If you take on the attitude that you're always going to need to defend and explain your habits then you're going to always HAVE to do so.
People are incredibly flexible when it comes to their stances-- more than most people would believe themselves to be, you just have to frame it for them. Say we are both standing at a bus stop, VPs in hand, vapor billowing and someone is giving us the hairy eye. I'd deflect eye contact hold out my VP and say "Isn't this neat? Its helped me quit smoking!"
Most people respond favorably even if they'd already made up their minds about VPs, nicotine or (more likely) you. If you act like they are already in the know then they will let you tell them what they know-- yes, its weird and manipulative, but we're biologically wired to respond positively to acceptance-- even from weird vapor sucking strangers.
True that we can't always be defensive about it. That's why we need PVs to be legal, and why the general has to be educated more... via word of mouth, publication, broadcast etc. Current consensus regarding ncotine = evil is something that I'm worried about. Right now, with whole FDA and Waxman bill thing going on... whole thing might not be exactly legal, but I'd say it falls pretty much on "gray" area.
On personal level, it's much easier to convince someone about it. They are more willing to listen and understand.. as at least to they try their best not to be fla-out rude, and it works on our advantage. But online (trolls), or some prohibitionist groups are different matter, IMO...
Fortunately its the offline world that still counts. Online is good, don't get me wrong-- but we need to take it for what it is, a place to gather ideas and share information, and possibly to organize. Offline is where we talk, eat, sleep, poop, and vote.
When you run into someone that starts in with the nicotine is still poison, agree with them-- it is. Deadly stuff. Then go on to explain that the doses of nicotine that we use are nothing close to that amount, and yet we are still very careful to keep it away from our kids and pets to prevent accidental exposure. If you feel like keeping up the conversation, explain how everyone thinks its the nicotine that's bad, when its really the carcinogens, carbon monoxide, and tar that do the long term damage etc, etc.
The nice thing is that we don't really need to evangelize door to door with our PVs, people notice them when we're in public and when they notice-- it only takes a few short words to give them a favorable impression of the VP and its user. So long as we don't come off as telling the smokers to quit or die (like everyone else does) they are going to respect that we want to keep our habit just as much as they want theirs, and so long as we're those nice vapor people the antis aren't going to have much of an argument with us either.
Still, I wouldn't count out internet and media... even though we live in real world. They still take big part of opinion formulation process, and while we talk some senses into someone personally, they have power to reach out hundreds and thousands of people too. I do believe internet played a big part of Obama winning the last year's election. It's one of the presumable proof that opinions formulated in cyberspace, can really affect the outcome of real world. Many have different persona in their cyberworld... as of matter of fact, I am a bit more vocal when I'm on forums as well. However, it's still same old me. In real world, I just happen to be not so outspoken in many issues.
When I talk to other people about the Nicotine, it's not the posonous nature that many people mention about it - it's usually associated with "addiction", and "addiction" in general is considered a vice, rather than a virtue. Most non-smokers that I've talked to, for some reason automatically thinks this is a cessation device rather than an alternative. When I tell them rather firmly, that it's an alternative, they ask in somewhat in demanding tone of "but you are planning to quit e-cigs someday, too?", as if they need some sort of assurance out of it... At that point, I usually just let go of the subject, as I know they already made up their minds about vaping.
The recent ASH petition for requesting a ban on e-cigs with their so-called reasonings, stirred me up quite a bit, obviously...
The recent ASH petition for requesting a ban on e-cigs with their so-called reasonings, stirred me up quite a bit, obviously...
Understandable, there are always going to be ASH-holes but they aren't the majority.
I'm not discounting the power of the internet or the media-- but we can't approach the internet like its a faceless god. As for the media, use what contacts you have, and if you don't have contacts-- do something that gets noticed.
You may have noticed this, but I'm not a terribly smart person. I have just seen this before-- when the factory farms wanted the politicians to redefine organic standards (that were created by organic growers themselves) the senate was going to do it (which would have allowed treated human waste to be used on "organic" labeled food.)
The organic farmers didn't win the fight. They let the food buyers (predominantly housewives) do the fighting for them-- and *they* won, the bill was shot down in flames. The expended the effort to inform the people buying food and feeding their families. The grocers helped put out the word, but it was a whole bunch of angry housewives that wrote the letters and made the phone calls (this BTW happened in the early 90s and there was hardly any media coverage.)
Now if we look at another group (the ones that want to legalize a certain plant) and see that they really do have the media, they really are all over the internet, they have billboards, for that matter they have Woody Harrelson.
We're (as a collective, not as individuals) acting as if we're like those people, and not approaching it like the organic farmers, when we should approach it like the organic farmers because that's how we're going to stay legal.
Big tobacco hates us, big Pharma isn't very nice to us either, the FDA is not looking good, the public isn't quite sure that what we're doing is right or wrong. So-- we approach the public, as individuals.
If you want vaping to be most assuredly legal, then point out to individuals that it somehow will benefit them: no second hand smoke, lower health care costs, fewer sick days, higher productivity, no nuisance smell, reduced fire hazard, whiter teeth, public health, the economy, etc etc. Make them want to defend you and they will.
One time Stevie Ray Vaughn and Eric Clapton were sitting in a restaurant eating lunch. Stevie put a certain famous white powder in his coffee for a buzz/boost. Eric saw what he was doin, and Stevie mentioned his doctor said it was tearing up his stomach lining. All Clapton said was sometimes you gotta do that. I thought that was the coolest thing what he said, Eric also being a recovering drug addict didn't judge or hate on him. He just related and understood. That raised my respect for Clapton alot.
My favorite saying... "Minds are like parachutes, they only work when open."
My favorite saying... "Minds are like parachutes, they only work when open."
I was standing outside using my PV, I had probably gotten three drags when a woman a short distance away interrupted her conversation with her friend, which was about how the medication is making the stress of being a stay at home mom so much easier, and asked what I thought I was smoking.
Looking at her I was struck by several things. First was that either she has a horrible bleach job on her hair or god hated her. The next was 44dd breasts this unnaturally skinny 54 woman had. They were like the plastic surgeon had meant them to be an advertisement for personal floatation devices. They didnt pretend to be trying to look natural. The aspect of her physical appearance was the slightly lopsided collagen implants in her lips.
Not finding anything attractive enough in her physical appearance to distract me I was freed to examine her personality. She seemed a bit agitated, a bit indignant, but most of all she seemed thrilled to be able to put on a show for her friend. Being the nice guy that I am, I decided to play along. I took apart her introductory sentence, what do you think your smoking out here?
At first I thought that the operative part of her sentence was the word think I could see where she may need someone to do that for her. After all she had just belligerently approached a stranger on a city street, and there really isnt anything about me that exudes friendly . However after a moment more of examining this woman it became readily apparent that this woman would never willfully seek knowledge of any kind.
Hoping that it wouldnt be too much for her I decided to just answer the whole question all at once. Im inhaling a liquid vapor compose primarily of a small amount of nicotine suspended in a pharmacological liquid suspension called propylene glycol. I said, and in the interest of giving a complete answer I added, I also seem to be inhaling a completely unnecessary over abundance of truly foul smelling perfume. Granted, its educational as I didnt know that patchouli could rot. However I assume the latter stench will leave with you.
So your smoking, cigarettes! she replied with a look of pride at her near brush with assumed brilliance.
Not at all I replied There is no flame, which should be evident as your fumes have not combusted. Its more like an inhaler, just mist and nicotine.
Well it has nicotine in it though, and nicotine will kill you. I could tell she was determined to find something horrible here.
Interesting, if this Nicotine is some person you have knowledge of, Id suggest we have him arrested. However if your referring to the chemical compound nicotine, then yes this does have nicotine in it as to tomatoes. There is an Italian restaurant just around the corner that I think you should give a good talking too. Ill be happy to wait for you here and find out how it goes.
It became apparent to me that I was outmatched, or at least would have to step up my game, as this woman had super powers. Not only was she impervious to logic, the direct brush off had no effect on her what so ever. And isnt it illegal to smoke near a store front she continued. Im not sure what she was continuing by starting a sentence with and but I didnt think educating her would be wise.
No madam, sadly it is not illegal here. Youre in Fort Worth, not LA. Perhaps you should check your map, it seems you took a wrong turn somewhere around Albuquerque
You are just so rude and stupid! she exclaimed
You may be right madam. I agreed in fact I wouldnt talk to me at all if I were you.
Just stupid! exclaimed the woman with fake breasts, lips, hair, and a professionally medicated personality, I would never put a foreign substance in my body!
I understand that Madam, however I have to do it myself I just cant bring myself to pay someone else to do it. Even, I gestured to her chest an obvious amateur or, I stared pointedly at her lips perhaps blind."if it makes you feel better I wouldn't put anything in you either."
Her friend chose this moment to physically drag her away from the bad man.
And quickly to some earlier posts:
A baby is a sexually transmitted parasitic infection. It is introduced from an external source. It feeds off of its host until it is capable of existing on its own. Then it goes external and continues to feed of f of both the host and her mate for another 18 years of so. Parasite, obviously.
Looking at her I was struck by several things. First was that either she has a horrible bleach job on her hair or god hated her. The next was 44dd breasts this unnaturally skinny 54 woman had. They were like the plastic surgeon had meant them to be an advertisement for personal floatation devices. They didnt pretend to be trying to look natural. The aspect of her physical appearance was the slightly lopsided collagen implants in her lips.
Not finding anything attractive enough in her physical appearance to distract me I was freed to examine her personality. She seemed a bit agitated, a bit indignant, but most of all she seemed thrilled to be able to put on a show for her friend. Being the nice guy that I am, I decided to play along. I took apart her introductory sentence, what do you think your smoking out here?
At first I thought that the operative part of her sentence was the word think I could see where she may need someone to do that for her. After all she had just belligerently approached a stranger on a city street, and there really isnt anything about me that exudes friendly . However after a moment more of examining this woman it became readily apparent that this woman would never willfully seek knowledge of any kind.
Hoping that it wouldnt be too much for her I decided to just answer the whole question all at once. Im inhaling a liquid vapor compose primarily of a small amount of nicotine suspended in a pharmacological liquid suspension called propylene glycol. I said, and in the interest of giving a complete answer I added, I also seem to be inhaling a completely unnecessary over abundance of truly foul smelling perfume. Granted, its educational as I didnt know that patchouli could rot. However I assume the latter stench will leave with you.
So your smoking, cigarettes! she replied with a look of pride at her near brush with assumed brilliance.
Not at all I replied There is no flame, which should be evident as your fumes have not combusted. Its more like an inhaler, just mist and nicotine.
Well it has nicotine in it though, and nicotine will kill you. I could tell she was determined to find something horrible here.
Interesting, if this Nicotine is some person you have knowledge of, Id suggest we have him arrested. However if your referring to the chemical compound nicotine, then yes this does have nicotine in it as to tomatoes. There is an Italian restaurant just around the corner that I think you should give a good talking too. Ill be happy to wait for you here and find out how it goes.
It became apparent to me that I was outmatched, or at least would have to step up my game, as this woman had super powers. Not only was she impervious to logic, the direct brush off had no effect on her what so ever. And isnt it illegal to smoke near a store front she continued. Im not sure what she was continuing by starting a sentence with and but I didnt think educating her would be wise.
No madam, sadly it is not illegal here. Youre in Fort Worth, not LA. Perhaps you should check your map, it seems you took a wrong turn somewhere around Albuquerque
You are just so rude and stupid! she exclaimed
You may be right madam. I agreed in fact I wouldnt talk to me at all if I were you.
Just stupid! exclaimed the woman with fake breasts, lips, hair, and a professionally medicated personality, I would never put a foreign substance in my body!
I understand that Madam, however I have to do it myself I just cant bring myself to pay someone else to do it. Even, I gestured to her chest an obvious amateur or, I stared pointedly at her lips perhaps blind."if it makes you feel better I wouldn't put anything in you either."
Her friend chose this moment to physically drag her away from the bad man.
And quickly to some earlier posts:
A baby is most certainly not a sexually transmitted disease. Get it right.
A baby is a sexually transmitted parasitic infection. It is introduced from an external source. It feeds off of its host until it is capable of existing on its own. Then it goes external and continues to feed of f of both the host and her mate for another 18 years of so. Parasite, obviously.
Check on who provides the lions share of the funding for these non-profit groups. Especially American Heart and a few others that have come out against the PV it is truly educational.
Nicotine is poison. It is a natural insecticide. However an equal amount of caffeine will kill you just as dead.
Personally I never defend, or apologize, for who I am or what I do. If people ask me, I explain, in the same manner that they ask.
There are many more fun household poisons that we could play with caffeine and nicotine aside. One of my favorites is alcohol. My next favorite is solanine.
And then there are the corrosives! But I digress.
You were mean to the nice plastic lady.
I never said that anyone had to defend or apologize for their existence, what I said is what I said and I meant exactly what those words conveyed. Go back and reread, if there's any confusion let me know and I'll say it again using short words so you can understand it.
You went out of your way to make someone feel stupid. That's wrong and petty. (See my slight aimed at you up a paragraph? That is wit, try it sometime, you might like it. Oh, and its way more effective if you actually read someone's post all the way through before trying to construct a witty retort.)
You prove my point though, if you're acting like you have something to defend, then defend it you will-- all the time. If you share the inherent niftiness of something then you'll rarely be in that position.
BTW, when she said "..nicotine will kill you." The real reply in that case should have been (if I were a mean person) "So will botox."
I think plastic lady got exactly what she deserved.
People who have a lot of fake implanted and injected crap in their bodies and who wear stinky noxious scents really have no room to talk about what we do, imo.
People who have a lot of fake implanted and injected crap in their bodies and who wear stinky noxious scents really have no room to talk about what we do, imo.
People get addicted to plastic surgery, body modification and tattoos too. If anything I feel sorry for her (we can quit smoking she can't go back to her presurgery self) and I don't think she deserved to be snotted off. Because she started it is not a good excuse for just being in return.
I also think its creepy and weird that he was able to give such a full and vivid description of her. How long was he staring and was he writing his notes down (or did he wait until later to do that?)
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