Patches, we don't need no stinkin' patches!

Red has decided to try to quit smoking. She feels bad about smoking around me, because, well, I don't smoke. It doesn't really bother me, honestly- while I'd rather she didn't smoke, I'm too old and too tired to think I can change a person overnight, so I'm excercising some patience. On our second date, we sat down, and she apologetically asked if she could have a cigarette. "Go ahead, I don't mind," I said, "I'm fine with it." After she smoked maybe 3/4 of the cigarette, she did something I never thought I'd see, especially with prices what they are today. She actually stood up and threw out the rest of the pack. Just like that. Up, and gone.

At first I thought she just threw out an empty pack, but then she smiled at me. "I don't want to smoke around you."

She doesn't want to smoke around me. Hm. I had to mull that one over, but in the end, I'm fine with it. She went out last week and bought the patch, but we hit a little stumbling block this weekend. I'm trying to encourage, without pushing too much, this quitting smoking venture. Once she's done that, she wants to buy a bike, but she's afraid she won't be able to keep up with me.

Anyways, I'm on day two of nose/headache, and loving every second of it. Unfortunately, I'm out of painkillers, so a trip to my local drugstore is in order. Damn nose. Damn pain. Damn dirty ape. Oh well. Back to the grind.