Smoking As An Artform, Discuss... (From The Argus)

For those wondering: yes, there is some actual 'story' here among the ritual denunciations and excoriations of smoking. It's in the second and third paragraphs. In future, Ms Wright, for subjects which cause you so much anxiety, perhaps you may want to hand the story to another writer.

Seems worthy of a visit. But what's your interest/connection, RH? (Note you report an exhibition IN ADVANCE of its opening!)

Ok, ok, we get the point smoking is an heinous crime, akin to kicking a baby in the face. Methinks the lady doth protest too much, a little less dissent, a little more about the actual exhibition.
Futhermore who says smoking is no longer considered cool? I don't have a television but I'm assuming from your comment only wizened old ladies are allowed to smoke on television now to put us off. Iconic images of James Dean & Audrey Hepburn smoking the evil cancer sticks are still as fabulous today as they were then. I know it may be killing me, but we can no longer affect non-smokers having been thrown out in the cold. If you'll play the old 'burden on the NHS' card I completely agree. If we do it to ourselves, we should have to pay for our own medical treatment. In the interests of fair play that also goes for the obese, drug addicts and alcoholics.

I do agree with Sussevingian and AdvertsRumoursLies that you have gone rather OTT on the fact that smoking is generally regarded as wrong.
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Anyway, moving on to the exhibition; I have smoked for a large percentage of my life but I still can’t stand doing the ‘hands free’. I remember watching my grandmother peeling spuds with the drooping ash of a Woodbine from her mouth and my mother rushing to complete a row of knitting before the teetering length of curved ash would drop. This exhibition will be viewed as ‘wrong’ by many but you are right, it is a finely honed skill. I think I might pay a visit,

It is truly AMAZING that these two have managed to read your text as an OTT emphasis on the 'evils of smoking', RH.
Only explainable as 'chips' they both carry ... AMAZING.

anubis wrote:
Seems worthy of a visit. But what's your interest/connection, RH? (Note you report an exhibition IN ADVANCE of its opening!)

You will get the gist soon enough, these blogs are either adverts or placements.

Having quit a few weeks ago, perhaps the rant element of the blog comes from the temptation that arises whenever one sees someone else smoking?

The debate itself will never be resolved of course; smokers will forever demand the right to indulge (and it is, after all, legal of itself, despite the ever-expanding list of places where it is forbidden), and non-smokers will eternally preach the habit's evils.

Perhaps the one thing we can be sure of is that our coalition leaders will not advance plans to hide cigarettes and tobacco underneath counters as was recently mooted - with the cuts being imminently made, smokers are too valuable a source of taxation revenue!

1. I did not want this to be a post about smoking or to ‘spark’ a debate about smoking hence the anti prologue to the post, and the subsequent disclaimers. I assumed that if I did not absolutely get the ‘anti-smoking’ message across I would be heavily criticised. What I did not expect was a lambast from the other side. But it’s great to hear, when I smoked I despaired at how little people wanted to understand my point of view. Live and let smoke I say.
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2. Come on, you don’t even have to read between the lines in the post to feel the affection I have or had for smoking and associated paraphernalia? My ‘rant’ is purely to remove myself from anyone wanting to hold me up as a poster girl for the smokers! I felt here that the art itself was of most interest? I mean who stands up for smokers these days?
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3. I haven’t mentioned other iconic images such as Dean or Hepburn because they aren’t in the exhibition and I only mention Dot and Liz because it is true that no new, suave, young character could rock up in the Square or Street these days and enjoy a cigarette, the media just won’t do it whether or not it is real or representative. The truth is smoking is being erased from screens and culture - again which is why I felt this art worth discussing.
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4. I sign up to various newsletters and local organisations so I hear about lots of things in advance – as could any of you! I try to find out about any event or launch of interest for myself or family and sometimes it makes a good blog post. It’s worth sometimes mentioning something coming up if I have enough information about it just because someone might be interesting in also attending (as is the case here and if you enjoy it if you go Anubis and Brighton Bear). I myself am going on Sunday.
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5. I try not to just ‘review’ anything and usually try to have an opinion – so if you find it hard to find the ‘story’ in my writing I suggest you only read the listings pages.
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6. And a special mention for Dunderheads – if you try to suggest again that I write anything on this site for financial or personal gain I will delete your comments. I think its grossly unfair to me and the readers of this blog that you are leading them to believe I write advertorials (the exhibition is free – where is my interest here?) I don’t have to explain myself to you – again – but this blog is meant to be about me and my family living our lives in this area and trying out new things , whether that is a service, an event, an exhibition or just a thought I have had recently, ergo I have to mention them. Do you ever read the social diary section in your paper, the culture, arts, review, and entertainment sections? They are all credited. Maybe the papers you read don’t carry such things, or maybe you only get your information from online forums? If my blogs are not of interest to you I suggest you stop reading my posts, I’m not a fan of detective fiction so you know I don’t buy PD James books – it’s simple! Oh and by the way Anubis has been reading my blogs for a year and a half and while we don’t always agree he knows full well I don’t write anything for a commercial reason.
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7. I used to be so excited to see a comment on my blog, now my heart sinks every time a new one appears as I contend with not just my subject matter being dissected but my looks, personality and intentions as well. I used to like the debate and conversation that some posts received but it seems to be a competition at the moment to see who can bring the bloggers lowest.
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Best, RH

ReluctantHousewife wrote:
1. I did not want this to be a post about smoking or to ‘spark’ a debate about smoking hence the anti prologue to the post, and the subsequent disclaimers. I assumed that if I did not absolutely get the ‘anti-smoking’ message across I would be heavily criticised. What I did not expect was a lambast from the other side. But it’s great to hear, when I smoked I despaired at how little people wanted to understand my point of view. Live and let smoke I say.
.
2. Come on, you don’t even have to read between the lines in the post to feel the affection I have or had for smoking and associated paraphernalia? My ‘rant’ is purely to remove myself from anyone wanting to hold me up as a poster girl for the smokers! I felt here that the art itself was of most interest? I mean who stands up for smokers these days?
.

3. I haven’t mentioned other iconic images such as Dean or Hepburn because they aren’t in the exhibition and I only mention Dot and Liz because it is true that no new, suave, young character could rock up in the Square or Street these days and enjoy a cigarette, the media just won’t do it whether or not it is real or representative. The truth is smoking is being erased from screens and culture - again which is why I felt this art worth discussing.
.

4. I sign up to various newsletters and local organisations so I hear about lots of things in advance – as could any of you! I try to find out about any event or launch of interest for myself or family and sometimes it makes a good blog post. It’s worth sometimes mentioning something coming up if I have enough information about it just because someone might be interesting in also attending (as is the case here and if you enjoy it if you go Anubis and Brighton Bear). I myself am going on Sunday.
.

5. I try not to just ‘review’ anything and usually try to have an opinion – so if you find it hard to find the ‘story’ in my writing I suggest you only read the listings pages.
.

6. And a special mention for Dunderheads – if you try to suggest again that I write anything on this site for financial or personal gain I will delete your comments. I think its grossly unfair to me and the readers of this blog that you are leading them to believe I write advertorials (the exhibition is free – where is my interest here?) I don’t have to explain myself to you – again – but this blog is meant to be about me and my family living our lives in this area and trying out new things , whether that is a service, an event, an exhibition or just a thought I have had recently, ergo I have to mention them. Do you ever read the social diary section in your paper, the culture, arts, review, and entertainment sections? They are all credited. Maybe the papers you read don’t carry such things, or maybe you only get your information from online forums? If my blogs are not of interest to you I suggest you stop reading my posts, I’m not a fan of detective fiction so you know I don’t buy PD James books – it’s simple! Oh and by the way Anubis has been reading my blogs for a year and a half and while we don’t always agree he knows full well I don’t write anything for a commercial reason.
.

7. I used to be so excited to see a comment on my blog, now my heart sinks every time a new one appears as I contend with not just my subject matter being dissected but my looks, personality and intentions as well. I used to like the debate and conversation that some posts received but it seems to be a competition at the moment to see who can bring the bloggers lowest.
.
Best, RH

Self Inflicted....