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Spare Cigarette - a mythical object.

If you are a smoker you would have noticed how frequently you are asked for a Spare Cigarette. While most of my smoking friends willingly give away some cigarettes from their own packets, I never do. I know that this cigarette that I am giving away will be the very same one I will be cursing that I no longer have once cash runs out. It will be that cigarette that I will crave for at an ungodly hour of the morning when everything is closed. And above all it will never be a Spare Cigarette, it will be simple one of mine that I will not smoke.

It's unalienable truth: the cigarettes you give to people who ask for a Spare Cigarette are not actually spare, they are just regular charity. Spare Cigarettes don't exist in the real life and that's why when asked for one I always say there is no such thing. It usually just annoys people, because they really ask me if they could have one of mine and the question for the mythical Spare Cigarette is just simply so strongly embedded in English language that we have long forgotten that you could ask in any other way. Knowing that, I would ask "could I have one of your cigarettes" although in most cases when dealing with less picky people than me both ways would have the same effect.

I probably gave way too much thought to the subject of this mythical item, but I found that I can imagine exactly one situation in which regular cigarettes would become spare. Spare means something just in case, stuff that one has but won't use any time soon, stuff that one bought and doesn't need anymore. This would point to one realm where Spare Cigarettes could exist: quitters pocket.

Still, I have never met a quitter who would quit in the middle of a packet and even if they would they would not normally keep them in an attempt to avoid temptation.

So does a Spare Cigarette really exist or is it like Yeti: so everyone has heard about it but nobody ever saw one?

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Spare Cigarette - a mythical object.

If you are a smoker you would have noticed how frequently you are asked for a Spare Cigarette. While most of my smoking friends willingly give away some cigarettes from their own packets, I never do. I know that this cigarette that I am giving away will be the very same one I will be cursing that I no longer have once cash runs out. It will be that cigarette that I will crave for at an ungodly hour of the morning when everything is closed. And above all it will never be a Spare Cigarette, it will be simple one of mine that I will not smoke.

I am not my stuff - or am I?

I have recently read (after being pointed to it multiple times by various blogs) a very interesting article in the Washington Post (link below). The article is about a man who compulsively hoarded items and found it difficult to throw anything out, to the point where items took over his life. He tried his best to fight this compulsion and ultimately, failed.

His mantra, when he fought his compulsion, was "I am not my stuff".

Now, I am not that bad. I like my stuff, but I don't have that much. I pile things up, but unpile and repile frequently. I guess it's mainly because it's impractical for me to own too much: it is expensive to buy stuff that I don't need, also, my apartment is very small and I like my living space more than my stuff, and above all stuff is an anchor that ties you to a place where your stuff is - it limits my freedom. But I can't say for sure I am not my stuff.

Window Washer

I was making myself a cup of coffee few hours earlier and the most beautiful evening light came trough my kitchen window.
It was a funny day, I spent it all working on my computer and therefore didn't even notice the fluctuating weather much, not until I looked out my kitchen window as I was waiting for the kettle to boil.

There is a tall birch outside and the wind was playing with it softly in the sharp bright sunset light. There were clouds gathering far in the east providing dark violet and ultramarine backdrop for the vivid fresh green leaves dancing on the other side of the window. There was no one on the street and I felt as if it was a personal show just for me.

What next?

Since I have been rendered unemployed, I have registered to FAS and been picking up the Dole every wednesday.

Friends will be Friends.

My story on friendships is a truly miserable one. I've had friends in school and we grew apart - I wanted to change the world and they wanted to cut hair/sell ice-cream/marry a Spanish guy.

Reward Systems

First of all, they say:

"Never tell anyone that you're writing a book, going on a diet, exercising, taking a course, or quitting smoking. They'll encourage you to death."

I presume that once my eyes watered.

Recently I cried not knowing where my pain comes from, I cried and there was nothing to comfort me, nothing to ease the pain.

Declaring War on Reality

When I sleep well and nobody wakes me up in the morning, I have very nice lucid dreams.

Lifechanging moments

I knew a man once who laughed after sex.

Metamorphosis from the larvae form.

The annual Autumn Depression has arrived resulting in re-thinking the entire life and making rather serious and rather life changing decisions, including these that will make one rich, these that will make one a better person and these that will make one a happier person, none of which involve sexual favors.

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