I used to smoke tobacco, but quit in 2008 (it remains the only one of my addictions which I can claim to have truly quit). Still, I couldn’t care less whether others still want to use the stuff, and it does sometimes look good. This is, of course, an optical illusion, but an effective one.
Well, that’s what it looks like. In truth we were all, Doris the dog included, enjoying the sunshine; there’s not been that much of it to be seen in northern England this year so far but summer does appear to have broken out over the last few days, at least.
I’m as satisfied with this portrait as I can be. Important elements come together: the woman walking past; his ankle (and what it implies); the just-lit cigarette.
After eleven different places in eleven days it’s time to spend some time at home again. I’m still not back to work though: that can wait another week or so. Stan generally agrees with this approach to life, I feel.
These have appeared around Canal Street in Manchester, three or four of them with different choices inscribed on each — another reads “I’d rather have true love/megabucks”. This one lent itself best to documentation, however. I notice the ‘half empty’ optional seems to be winning, slightly. Although it always strikes me that the answer to this question in fact depends not on one’s innate optimism level but on whether the glass in question was currently being filled, or drained.
I wonder whether now I have hit 50 that I am going to start seeing any aspect of the world differently. It won’t happen overnight of course, but maybe changes in my worldview will become more apparent. Here’s an example. I certainly understand this guy’s attitude rather more than I might have in the past.
Not an eventful day today (and don’t expect one tomorrow, either). It was either this pic of Gareth having a fag or some okra. The okra were cute, but let’s go with Gareth.
Well, I assume he’s rolling a cigarette, but perhaps he might just be playing a tune on the world’s smallest harmonica.
Last day in Manchester for a fortnight, anyway. If things work out — I have, let’s say, a logistically complex next 72 hours, but the payoff will be good if it does…
Sunday afternoon at the pub, one of the first pleasantly sunny and agreeable days in weeks. I mean, the world is still a bag of shit, but there’s music, tobacco, beer, sunshine.
I am here in Moscow with three colleagues and since they heard about this blog they seem all day to have been competing to be featured on it. Craig wins 🙂
Posted also for the novelty value of being taken in a place where it is still legal to smoke in bars and restaurants. Apparently a ban is due to start in Russia in a few weeks, but looking at how many people here still do smoke, I wonder how well it will take.
Being 42 