Imagine said:
@blr_p.... I've been in zurich only for an year man... and i totally understand the problem u are mentioning... well i was irritated quite sometimes but sadly i dont think there is any solution...
It all hinges on the defintion of a public place, if you got the facts then there is less intimidation.
let's see, i know a lawyer, that has had heart bypass surgery and still contines to smoke, i expect him to be rather knowledgeable on this subject. One of these days i will get a more informed opinion.
Let's talk about what smokers get, they must be getting something or they would not be doing it. How much of a price to pay is the question ?
Its the sense of alertness that i think im hooked to. Not so much the tension thing i dont think, well it feels good to have a smoke but i expect you could do a lot of other things to feel good too which would have the same tension relieving effect.
I can look at reams of code or docs all day and not lose my focus. I'm not for a minute suggesting that i can work 15hrs straight. Not at all, just can stay in the groove longer. Sometimes there are problems that move around in your head, the smoking helps to see the problem from different ways, its like a boost. The non-smokers who are in the same type of work would probably say caffeine has the same effect. Its the same in any informatoin heavy profession, be it law, finance or medicine, where there is a lot of stuff to absorb and never enough time.
For someone that tried all the starbucks crap and what not roasted this or the other in the US, i finally settled on the drip coffee you get in most street joints here, amazing. Its not actually filter coffee, as they call it, since it takes a lot longer than what passes for filter coffee elsewhere.
The smoking actually helps me do a better job, helps me think better.
If only i could get that same sense of alertness other ways, i have enough doctors and loved ones in my family, that have lectured me on this topic already.
