I hate hate hate cigars. I wonder if I'd like a pipe, I do like the way they smell. I've thought about e-cigarettes, but I don't know how much safer they really are.

So, workplace drama (whee! not). L runs his own crew. H works for my boss (the company owner). M technically works for L, but usually works with H. All three and the rest of L's crew are Honduran. The more I learn about L, the less impressed with him I am. I had a long conversation with M on Friday, about how he hates working for L and had quit but my boss convinced him to come back, and how he wants to work directly for my boss. And then today I find out that L complained to my boss that I don't clean up after myself. Excuse me?!?! I not only clean up after myself, I work neatly so I don't make much of a mess AND I help clean up after his crew as well. Kiss my ass, dude. Fortunately, my boss knows it's crap, he sees me cleaning up all the time

Eventually, I'm going to be dictating work procedures to L and his crew for lead safety purposes, and I can tell already it ain't gonna be pretty. I bet I'll hear some "puta" then.

I'm working from home the rest of the day - my back keeps wanting to go out and I've still got admin stuff I can do. Seriously, this has been a really bad round of PMS both emotionally and physically.

My mom smoked all her life, up until she went into assisted living, where she wasn't allowed. Yet at the end, her lungs were fine. My BFF smokes, and it worries me. She's under tremendous stress right now, so I understand why she's giving up on quitting for now, but it still worries me. I have never smoked, and yet I have asthma. Possibly from secondhand smoke, from my family and then from working in bars in the 80s.

e-cigarettes

This makes me think you smoke them online or something. Like a virtual pet. Seems like it would be pretty safe!

e-cigarettes

What are those?

Steph, that's huge news about your brother. How staggering, that it came so quickly on the heels of your big convo with him. Wow.

ita !, it is GOOD to see you back.

I will soon be secluding myself in copyediting purdah for much of the week, so I may just come in for occasional gasps of air. Two deadlines on Friday, I have 2 houseguests Wednesday night, and organizing a shindig for out out-of-town friends Friday night. I will not have a lot of time to breathe this week.

As soon as I get this...something sticky off my touch pad. WTF? THAT wouldn't be conducive to smooth editing. (Secret Confession: I think it's Heath Toffee Ice Cream. Oops.)

Electronic cigarettes - [link]

Basically flavored vapor, with or without nicotine, in a wee battery-powered cigarette look alike. I've tried one. It wasn't an acceptable substitute. One with clove flavoring might help, but I don't know. They can also be very expensive, the reusable ones anyway.

good for you brother -- strenght to him , your sil, you and anyone else involved in the process.

and good for you smonster -- quitting is difficult - and it can be done even if the cravings hang for a long time. When my dad quit - it was quite awhile for the cravings to go , but no more bad flu and pneumonia were major rewards.

go Erin -- we support your ability to get through this work.

and I'm sorry Sean , but demons ten to be stupid and only notice bad things. They are wrong. you might not be perfect , but you are an intelligent hard working and attractive person( in all ways )

I took today off and plan on getting a few things done including the possibility of too much tv.

smonster, I have a friend who made her own flavored vapors, I think she liked them better than some of the ones she could get and I think they were cheaper.

I have one of those. Not a substitute, definitely. But I can see how it could help ward off the panic or the bad ass cravings if you were quitting.

I know quitting is a bitch, smonster, but good for you for quitting. My cousin quit smoking about 20 years ago, but he had easily been smoking for 20 years before he quit. He says he had cravings, but he says he can't remember the last time he wanted a smoke.