A you does a smoke?

[Remus]

roll roll roll

your boat, gently down the stream! Merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily,
Life is but a dream.

?

 

[Sulkdodds]

It seems to me you're implying that the de facto attitude of those who use a masculine generic pronoun is an acceptance of a 'history of violence.' Association fallacy! Bad!

It is one of those things for which I am not really uncharitable enough to castigate others but for which I would chide myself. Without implying anything about anyone's intentions, it seems to me that using the language helps perpetuate the implications. That simple. Not very simple, given the context, but simpler than trying to maintain presumptuous claims about conscious attitudes. I'm only talking about material acts, like when a journalist chooses to call someone or not to call someone a "terrorist," and that choice is what gets printed and read. It's not a dig at you or a claim that you are some kind of oppressor (of course we all are, thinking of the lock). Please forgive me if I inaccurately read a certain irritation into your response of the kind one frequently used to see on /r9k/ - "how dare you suggest there's a penis in my ink?"

So I'm not going to ask others to bother (although it would be nice). It is simply something I personally don't wish to do. It is part of my ideological hygiene, maintained in the hope that persistent exposure to such an attitude might at some point cause someone to have a small rethink, or indeed to even skim-read a debate like this one. If that does not happen, I at least feel satisfied with myself. In the meantime I feel it necessary to explain just in case anyone cares.

Now, if you want to talk about reading in context and respecting likely intentions, let's be clear. Using 'hir' is not now something that takes me more than a moment to think about. The word itself actually looks fairly ordinary to me. As my phrasing switch-up indicates, my post was hurried and uncaring, its pronoun deformation more the product of an aforementioned sometimes-barely-conscious 'general policy' than "ha ha, I'm going to bring gender issues into this thread!" What actually happened was: I wrote "his or her" with two implications: one, to parade a mock equanimity rendered ironic by my explicit spam suspicions and clear itching to lift the banhammer; two, a humorous nod to the spammer's feminine name; three, a wry acknowledgement that since the spammer is adopting a wholly false identity we really can't know one way or another. But the next time opportunity knocked, I briefly thought "ha, let's get serious" and wrote "hir" - as I would actually prefer to. In between, I mistakenly, unthinkingly wrote "they"; mea culpa.

In fact, had I been writing an article which I wanted to flow well, I would be sorely tempted to use "she" and "her" as the default. I am slightly leary about it just being the same thing backwards - it gestures directly at problems rather than beyond them to a possible resolution. But on the other hand it is perfectly conventional, as far as 'rules' go, and therefore the surprising effect it still creates is derived much more from the recognition of gender imbalance and much less from consternation at abnormal/controversial vocabulary. If anything your reaction has shifted me in that direction as I am now more acutely conscious that "hir" could result in people getting up in my grill about aesthetics.

Again, my feeling about "hir" in a random forum thread amounts to "deal with it"; I'm not particularly trying to throw the fuck down, but will engage in discussion if I find it interesting, and meanwhile just can't bring myself to give a shit about how awkward people find it!

 

[sinkoman]

Lol, epic thread bump!

I think it's kind of funny too, because since making this thread, my tobacco intake went back up to about two packs a day, till I got sick around september or so and started smoking only one or two a day, one in the morning and one before bed. After I exhausted that last pack, I just decided "**** this, one a day wasn't even that hard", and I haven't bought another pack since.
at the countless times i've tried to sit down and actually quit, i've always failed quite miserably after a few days, but the one time i'm actually successful is the time that I just randomly decide "**** this, this shit sucks"

 

[Sulkdodds]

How dare you go off the topic of women's oppression and how fantasy ooga booga words can save the day?

Man, I used to love weed, but after I bugged out a few too many times I decided that the kind of massive neurosis it brings out of me is not what I need to bloody relax. I think I just find it hard to let go of my own thoughts and be like "whatever." I ended up chasing worries in circles. It was fun to watch completely mediocre TV and pronounce, with a single tear rolling down my cheek, that this was the best thing I had ever seen in my life. I think it's okay with a lot of talkative company, but I'm not inclined to ever again let my stoned mind wander in a moment of pause.

I was going to say that I couldn't imagine what it must feel like to smoke 2 packs of cigarettes a day, just going through the motions, and then I realised that I can imagine it very easily. I'm probably going to get addicted once I have a wage. It might not happen for a while. But one month I'll just slip into it and bam.

 

[Viperidae]

Dodds--I respect your justification, and that it's one that's based on a self-realised morality, rather than social pressure (for instance, profs threatening to to deduct points off your paper if you don't use poco words--yayyyyyy). Remember, my first post was only half-mocking. I didn't mean any serious criticism. I was just pointing out that it annoyed me (and, part of what I didn't mention, was it reminded me of the prescriptive bullshit that gets paraded in academia), which, you rightfully pointed out, I need to deal with.

 

[Ennui]

So I voted yes in this when the thread appeared, but I don't smoke no mo'. I tell you it was one hell of a bitch cutting from about 20-30 cigarettes a day to zero, but I've pretty much managed it.

Sulk, despite your undeniably attractive floweriness on the subject, I entreat you not to kid yourself. With a substance as insidiously addictive as nicotine just about any explanation for your habit is foremost a self-justification in its own right. I smoked only once or twice a week when I was 17... by 18 it was a couple times a day, where it hovered for another year or so... then half a pack a day for another year... then a pack, then even more. After 4 years of this I decided I was tired of convincing myself it wasn't a big deal.

I hate to sound typical and old and boring, but that's just how it is from all that I have experienced so far. You probably won't really take this at face value, but if your flirtation with cigarettes persists you will eventually agree with me. I should note that at this point the "you" is plural and I'm talking to anyone who'll listen, not just specifically Laurence. I really ought to stay away from forums while I'm drunk.

I did.

It's funny when some random 1-poster bumps a year old thread and everyone joins in the thread as if it's all normal. I just picture like a bunch of old people talking, and then you just mention a new topic and they immediately start talking about that, instantly forgetting what they were previously discussing.

Hah. This was pretty much my thought.

 

[Emporius]

?

Poor image choice, they're successfully rolling the canoe.

 

[Remus]

Poor image choice, they're successfully rolling the canoe.

So sue me. I couldn't find a decent pic of a capsized row boat.

 

[Wanted Bob]

Poor image choice, they're successfully rolling the canoe.

I like me some Esquif Nitro.

 

[Naudian]

I've tried cigs, cigarillos and cigars. Meh, meh, and meh.

Weed is pretty meh too, but I don't turn it down like I do cigs. "Oh, we're blazing? Okay."

 

[Mogi67]

Taking back my vote. Sometimes I smoke weed. Not very often.

Same here man. I only toke maybe twice a day.

 

[sinkoman]

How dare you go off the topic of women's oppression and how fantasy ooga booga words can save the day?

Man, I used to love weed, but after I bugged out a few too many times I decided that the kind of massive neurosis it brings out of me is not what I need to bloody relax. I think I just find it hard to let go of my own thoughts and be like "whatever." I ended up chasing worries in circles. It was fun to watch completely mediocre TV and pronounce, with a single tear rolling down my cheek, that this was the best thing I had ever seen in my life. I think it's okay with a lot of talkative company, but I'm not inclined to ever again let my stoned mind wander in a moment of pause.

I was going to say that I couldn't imagine what it must feel like to smoke 2 packs of cigarettes a day, just going through the motions, and then I realised that I can imagine it very easily. I'm probably going to get addicted once I have a wage. It might not happen for a while. But one month I'll just slip into it and bam.

I know exactly what you mean dude, it seems like half the time when im high, its the normal awesome spaciness, and the other half im an equally spacy but completely anxious mess. It seems as if, for me at least, its dependant on the kind of weed were smoking, how much I smoke, how much energy I have, but most importantly, how many people im with. I've slowly discovered that for me, herb is a very antisocial drug. That is, its best enjoyed in small groups, as large groups of people, especially unfamiliar people, send me into a socially anxious overdrive. Its not like drinking, where I can get shitfaced and then hit the town, herb seems to work best for me when its just a blunt or a bowl after work or the skatepark, in a more laidback setting.

With the cigarettes, you should honestly just quit now while you can do so easily. I didn't even realize I was smoking two packs a day until somebody actually pointed out to me that I was smoking quite a hit for just a single day. I sat down and thoght about it, and it kinda dawned on me, "****, its twelve in the afternoon, im buying a pack, and I just bought my last pack at about midnight last night. That's two in one day". This was after id been doing it for a good month or so too.

 

[Sulkdodds]

Dodds--I respect your justification, and that it's one that's based on a self-realised morality, rather than social pressure (for instance, profs threatening to to deduct points off your paper if you don't use poco words--yayyyyyy). Remember, my first post was only half-mocking. I didn't mean any serious criticism. I was just pointing out that it annoyed me (and, part of what I didn't mention, was it reminded me of the prescriptive bullshit that gets paraded in academia), which, you rightfully pointed out, I need to deal with.

Oh yeah, I know you weren't seriously trying to bust my balls. Having that kind of thing sounds irritating - as a tutor I would never drop marks for it, only chide - and I would have fallen foul to it as well due to my habit of 'getting into the role' and using "Man" and "he" when paraphrasing the opinions of archaic humanists or 18th century conservatives. Interestingly, the only discussion I ever remember having with any of my tutors about gender-neutral language was with an ardent feminist whose response to "why isn't there a men's dinner?" was an only-half-joking, "every dinner is a men's dinner." She saw a "hir" in my essay and asked "what's this? Typo?" I said "It's a gender-neutral pronoun." She said "it looks stupid." I said "T.S. Eliot looked stupid." She said "you're not T.S. Eliot." I said "I get laid." And we left it at that.

With the cigarettes, you should honestly just quit now while you can do so easily. I didn't even realize I was smoking two packs a day until somebody actually pointed out to me that I was smoking quite a hit for just a single day. I sat down and thoght about it, and it kinda dawned on me, "****, its twelve in the afternoon, im buying a pack, and I just bought my last pack at about midnight last night. That's two in one day". This was after id been doing it for a good month or so too.

Sulk, despite your undeniably attractive floweriness on the subject, I entreat you not to kid yourself. With a substance as insidiously addictive as nicotine just about any explanation for your habit is foremost a self-justification in its own right. I smoked only once or twice a week when I was 17... by 18 it was a couple times a day, where it hovered for another year or so... then half a pack a day for another year... then a pack, then even more. After 4 years of this I decided I was tired of convincing myself it wasn't a big deal.

I hate to sound typical and old and boring, but that's just how it is from all that I have experienced so far. You probably won't really take this at face value, but if your flirtation with cigarettes persists you will eventually agree with me. I should note that at this point the "you" is plural and I'm talking to anyone who'll listen, not just specifically Laurence. I really ought to stay away from forums while I'm drunk.

Aw, don't worry about drunkposting, because this was nice advice to receive - from the both of you. But I should clarify that right now I smoke an average of zero cigarettes a day. That has been the case for most of this year, bar occasional celebratory cigarillos or whatever. If I cut down my intake any further I'll go into negative and start pulling Dunhills out of my nostrils and ears. So I'm not yet in a position where I'm trying to play off the weekly cock up my arse from my long-term fuckbuddy as mere youthful experimentation for a committed family man who totally opposes homosexuality and by the way did I mention I'm running this year for Senator? Why yes, I would love a cigarette.

During certain periods of my life - particularly when I was working an internship in London and spending a lot of time standing in the cold around bus stops with no MP3 player - I would start smoking maybe two or three a day. That was quite nice, and also quite horrible, and I thought to myself that if this had been my lifestyle rather than a two week work experience placement then I'd pretty swiftly be spending a lot of money on it. So I can extrapolate that feeling, that "eurgh, guess I'll have another", that working with your hands. to imagine myself with a serious habit. Like, right now I'm going to be paid soon, and I'm thinking, "I should order a couple packs of cloves and maybe smoke one on my way back from work each day." That seems attractive, maybe because I'm dead hungry as I write this. But given your advices (which I appreciate), I'll...jeez, I guess I'll just have to be real careful, to not smoke ever at all, or to only smoke things so expensive I can't afford to buy them regularly.

I don't think I've ever been stoned in the company of loads of unfamiliar people, but I'd probably enjoy it. Then again meeting new people puts you at a certain distance, makes you a bit mentally isolated, since you're assessing and cataloguing, so maybe that'd be bad. But you'd have a lot to look at and occupy you. Many attractive body parts to consider.

Small groups of intimate friends or long acquaintances are definitely best. It is a drug you have to consider quite carefully. Or at least I need to.

 

[Mogi67]

I've tried cigs, cigarillos and cigars. Meh, meh, and meh.

Weed is pretty meh too, but I don't turn it down like I do cigs. "Oh, we're blazing? Okay."

^aka i am a miserable person who finds no joy in anything

 

[CowPunk]

nothings hotter than a heavily tattooed chick walking by that smells of smoke. to me thats a turn on. can't say everyone has a fetish but thats just me

Oh my god. This. But, I only smoke when I'm drunk, and since I don't drink anymore... Now I only smoke hookah when I'm with my friends, so maybe once a week.

 

[soulslicer]

Only sisha..

 

[NeptuneUK]

I smoke between half a pack and a pack a day, smoking for about three years. I <3 my cigarettes but it's a filthy habit and I do not at all recommend picking it up.

This. Exactly this.

 

[Mellish]

It's quite funny because I used to smoke quite a bit but had to recently quit. This is due to me starting a course of the infamous acne drug Accutane, which if taken during long periods while smoking skyrockets your chances of cancer by about 80%, and smoking makes that high enough in the first place. I was never really properly addicted and only started 9 months before my Accutane course, however when I finish the course im on (which is at the start of summer) I will probably start up again as I am incredibly weak-minded, and I just love the act of doing it so much.

 

[Emporius]

The only tobacco I smoke is in weed poppers.

 

[Stigmata]

I only smoke second-hand, from your mother's bed.

 

[Danimal]

The only tobacco I smoke is in weed poppers.

Woah, tell me more.

 

[Lucid]

I can't understand the thread title at all.

Also, smoked cigs all throughout high school and quit about a year after I graduated.
But, I've been smoking pot for about 7 years now.

 

[Mogi67]

everybody smokes weed
/thread

 

[MuToiD_MaN]

Not me.

 

[Stylo]

Not me either.

 

[ríomhaire]

I don't.

 

[kupocake]

Only if someone else is paying.

So basically never.

 

[NeptuneUK]

I only had 2 cigs yesterday.
Back to chain smoking again today probs....

 

[Parky]

Only when I smoke it with *Insert generic illegal substance name here* or if I'm with friends.

So. Quite rarely really.

 

[MuToiD_MaN]

I don't insert illegal substances anywhere, thank you. Especially not suppositories.

 

[Parky]

But that's the funnest place D:

 

[WacK]

Started about a year ago. I just kinda felt like i needed something to do. I smoke about 8 a day. But sometimes i can go a whole week without smoking a single one. I smoke when i feel like it.


Oh. And the wacko tobacco of doom. I smoke that ocationally.

 

[imperi]

I smoke about one every week or two weeks. I like it but it involves getting out of my chair and standing around. I'm too lazy to be a smoker to be honest.