Yesterday, I had to run some errands, and once again, I had to pass the workmen on my way to the shops on the harbor. I was in an awful, weepy- feeling sorry for myself kind of mood because I had just gotten news that one of my best friends will be out of town during my trip back to the states. As I got closer to the worksite, I could feel myself getting more and more self-conscious and uncomfortable and when I approached it, I told myself - 'it's no big deal, just look straight ahead keep up the pace'. While I was walking past them (with my MP3 player blaring to appear in my own world), I looked and saw that they all just stopped what they were doing and starred (all 15 or so of them), as if they had just been rescued from a deserted island and hadn't seen a woman for years. They just stood there in their hardhats and neon yellow work vests and stared as I walked by. I instantly felt hot under the collar and embarrassed by such attention and it almost made me stop in my tracks and turn back. Then, suddenly, I thought 'this has to stop!' so, with a 'if you can't beat 'em' type join them' type attitude, I just stopped, smiled and waved at them. With that, they all at once, smiled back and waved enthusiastically as I started on my way again. I laughed to myself and suddenly felt better and I have to say - that those guys made my day. Being a stranger in a strange place, sometimes makes me feel invisible, like I could scream and jump up and down and no-one would see me - but at least I know that if I want to be seen - I can just take a walk passed the construction site and I'll be sure to get at the very least a 'ello Love' from one of the guys!
I quit smoking when I moved to the UK, mainly because I promised my husband I would. I did it for him, but not because I wanted to. I enjoyed smoking. I missed it, but quit successfully for many years until I went through a stressful time and started again. My relapse lasted over a year. The whole time, I was ashamed of myself. I hated the smell. I hated how I felt, I hated the health risks and I hated my lack of willpower. I've known a few people who have tried e-cigarettes. I was a skeptic. I thought it was going from one habit to another. The people I knew that tried it, always had it and were constantly sucking on it. It seemed to me they were more addicted to it then they were cigarettes. I don't know any smokers that constantly had a cigarette in their hand. Then in January, I saw a piece about it on the BBC News. I watched with interest thinking they were going to say that they have found it to be harmful. What they said was quite the o
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