guilty pleasure.

Yes, I dabbled in nicotine use when I was an encouragable and awkward fifteen year old. I would routinely pay a $5 per pack finders' fee in order to fit in with the rest of my hungry-to-fit-it friends; and if I didn't have enough cash to buy my way into the group, I was "lucky" to have a parent that smoked like her life depended on it (read: I stole Mom's cigs or I stole the money to buy my own).

In time I fell into the graces of a different social group with a less than optimistic and pleasant opinion of cigarettes. Eventually I kicked my habit - An abhorrible habit and an unfortunate right of passage for American youth.

And as I sit writing this, my maternal grandfather is losing a battle with lung Cancer most definitely cause by many years of smoking, so the following revelation carries with it a certain amount of guilt...

There are some people who make smoking look so incredibly sexy. You know the "smoke curls around his head" variety: George Clooney. Colin Farrel. A select few of my hipster friends. Any one of the Sex in the City gals.

If you need more evidence, check out this Italian drool-monger. Now, aside from the words found on an Olive Garden menu, I do not speak a work of Italian, but I think Frederick's photos speak for themselves [I'm guessing the site has something to do with smoking]:





I will continue to vocally oppose smoking.

And I will continue to champion the New York State smoking ban by casting hateful glances at those who feel exempt from this law . . .

... unless you're sexy/Frederick.