Top Gear: ’murkin edishun

I’ve been meaning to watch (read: stream) the BBC version, but I haven’t gotten around to it. The problem with US Top Gear is that it’s in the same time slot as The Walking Dead. I think there are only three TWD episodes left for this season, but never underestimate the allure of zombies.

I love the BBC show.

Based on the past history, the answer is probably no.

I recently watched a very entertaining movie called Pour Elle, a very well done intelligent thriller. The US America remake to be released on Turkey Day stars Russell Crowe and is called The Next Three Days… sad to say but even the trailer was stupid and I will not be seeing that even though it is supposed to be a scene by scene remake.

@Dodgerblue: Welcome home!

@JNOV: Thanks. It’s even worth going through the shithole of LAX to be back in Santa Monica where the air won’t kill you and people aren’t smoking cigarettes everywhere.

@Dodgerblue: Yeah. I don’t know when or where I learned about US tobacco companies’ overseas advertising campaigns, but they’re been hitting a lot of places hard as smoking has tapered off in the US. Unfortunately, it hasn’t tapered off for me. But, yeah, Marlboro Lights Golds are extremely inexpensive in Cairo…

… then you probably know a “car guy“.

You talkin’ to me?

I am torn here. I suppose I will TIVO the new one, but I have convinced myself that it can’t compete with Clarkson, May, and Hammond.

This Merkin Edition thing sounds interesting. Basic cable?

@ManchuCandidate: Absolute WORST Americano Frame by Frame Ripoff Sleaze Ever: The remake of La Femme Nikita with Brigit Fonda.

People said the USA! USA! remake of Let the Right One In was pretty good (and shot in New Mexico), but I still have not seen either one. I hate scary movies.

Upcoming from the Great State of New Mexico: Paul, Thor, Cowboys and Aliens. In theaters: Due Date.

@redmanlaw:
And I liked Bridget Fonda, too.

The TV show (made in Canada City) was worse. It was basically a bunch of skinny models trying to strike “SERIOUS”, “GLAMOROUS” or “FIERCE” poses with MP-5s. Gaaah.

@JNOV:
Joe Camel became Hu Camel. This is why the US America Tobacco companies are making bank and didn’t cry when US America kicked the crap out of them. The Pacific Rim doesn’t give two craps about lung cancer and considering the pollution… smoking is probably less toxic than breathing. My dad used to smoke two packs a day before coming to North America. Then he quit after sis was born so I, cough, hack, had, cough, breathe it, cough, in, for a , cough, couple of, hack, years as a, cough, kid. His family gave him a hard time about that when he visited because he was the only one who didn’t smoke.

@redmanlaw: Just TIVOd it – oddly enough it’s on the History Channel.

@ManchuCandidate: Yeah, my mom and her boyfriend and my stepdad smoked in the apartment. I was always sick with bronchitis and ear infections and all sorts of crud. I’m glad your father eventually quit. Maybe there’s hope for me.

@JNOV: Try switching to Merit Ultralights. After a couple of weeks you’ll be tapered down to practically no nicotine and they’re so flavorless, you’ll forget why you were smoking in the first instance.

@ManchuCandidate: East Asian business culture makes it practically impossible not to smoke. Everyone in the room is handing you a cigarette. The Koreans even have all these mutual aid cigarette lighting ceremonies you have to learn. Between that and the carbonated rice wine it’s a wonder anything gets done on business meetings.

Chalmers Johnson has left it for the rest of us to sort out.

@FlyingChainSaw: Haha! I started on my roommate’s Merits. They were in a yellow package, so I don’t know if they were regulars, lights, whatevers. How many people will I punch if I switch to ultralights? IOW, how long should I remain on lockdown?

@JNOV: These come in the blue package. They are just kinda blah. Not punch-worthy blah. Just blah-level blah.

Son of RML asked me to quit smoking cigars, so I did. Not that I’ll miss it. If I had 12 in a year that was a lot.

@FlyingChainSaw: I can deal with blah.

@FlyingChainSaw: After a couple of weeks you’ll be tapered down to practically no nicotine and they’re so flavorless, you’ll forget why you were smoking in the first instance.

I tried that move with Camel Lights, figuring that since they tasted like shit, I could kick the habit in weeks.

Didn’t work. Nicotine’s a bitch.

@JNOV: “How many people will I punch if I switch to ultralights?” I assume you’re talking about the effects of nicotine withdrawal. I spent years, no, decades quitting smoking and then resuming, quitting and resuming some weeks or months later, and finally quitting and not resuming until three years later, and finally, finally, quitting in August of 1989 and blissfully never yet resuming so that I am still cigarette-free 21 years later (just had my 68th birthday in October). The absolute worst aspect of quitting was how very savage it made me. I eventually learned to shut myself away from other people as much as possible for the first five days of no nicotine since I feared what I might say or do to them. I know quite a few people who have had excellent results in tapering off and out of the addiction with nicotine gum or patches or some other withdrawal-in-stages by slow reduction of daily intake. I never tried that myself. Smoking herbal cigarettes (mint bidis) instead of tobacco didn’t work out well although I did quit for short periods a few times that way.

Good luck! “Not Smoking” is now very high on my gratitude list, coming always in the first two or three after “Alive” (its position depends on whether “Sober” is in second place, which it always is if I am, and next comes “Not Sick,” if I’m not).

@nojo: Indeed.

@lynnlightfoot: Yep, I’m talking about nicotine withdrawal, and congratulations on getting off these horrific things! Yes, being alive is damned good as are sober and not sick. That’s some great work you’ve done.

The longest I’ve been off cigarettes is 16 months. I’ve tried the patch, the gum (I just end up chewing nicotine gum 24/7, which I guess is better than smoking as long as I don’t wake up with a wad of it in my hair), cold turkey, Chantix (that’s some bad juju there, but the dreams were awesome), those smokeless cigarette puffer things — I’m sure there’s more. My problem is I get off for a while, and DAMN if I don’t start smoking again for some reason.

I watched an interview with Steven Tyler, and he was talking about how even reading the word “heroin” reminds him of the highs and makes him kind of wistful, I guess. That’s sort of how it is with smoking and me. I can’t just have one. And that first one after I’ve quit for a few months or whatever is stinky and foul and disgusting, but something inside me says, “Ahhhhhhh.” And then I’m hooked. Again.

I’m cranky enough as it is. I think I’ll wait until after Turkey Day to be a twitching bitch. I’m going to cold turkey it again — if I make it three days, I’m golden unless I screw up some time in the future. Plus, my kid has endured enough of my attempts; he doesn’t need to experience another one. I’ve always warned him ahead of time. I think I’d like to tell him, “Guess what — I quit a month ago” rather than “Keep your head down, son.”

@nojo: They might be nicotine rich still. Try the blue Merits. Blue as in blah.

Sport TJ/How’ bout that 50 yard running play by the Eagles on 4th and 1? Whoooo!

@redmanlaw:
yes how bout it. i was forced to watch it against my will as the best TV in the house resides in the room with me in my flu bed. whoo.
keep thinking about you telling me how you got sick after your flu shot.
me too…

smoking.
i am disgusted with myself. i quit for 8 years. 8 years! and i’m back to a pack a day. my will to quit is weak, as you must quit every day! for the rest of time! why is it so hard? because they’re delicious, that’s why. because i have a history of dangerous self destruction, smoking being the least of everything else i’ve given up in the name of self preservation.
because i need to be with outcasts. if everyone smoked, i’d have more incentive to quit. i’ll kill myself in the name of rebellion. because i enjoy smoking in airport bathrooms and coming out of my stall and yelling, “who’s smoking in here!!” my daughter says i stinque.
i’ve been too sick to write, but have kept up with my reading. i love you guys she said, with a gravelly voice. now staggering back to bed with my toddy and a fresh pack.

@lynnlightfoot:
you give me hope. though quitting is not on my to do list, i may put it back on. but i need a sponsor. maybe you could coach me and JNOV.
so JNOV? wanna quit together? yes yes, after turkey day, which i’m hosting. can’t quit now or 10 minutes after the bird is sliced, i’ll be flicking the lights on and off and screaming, “you don’t have to go home, you just can’t stay here, GET OUT!!!”

@baked: Haha! Let’s set a date for next week.

@JNOV:
ok darling, let’s.
one thing my dad can take off his list that starts with:
“for such a smart girl, why in the world do you…..(fill in self destructive behavior of your choice)”
the crop is in. i once tried quitting by substituting the funnyweed for cigs.
that did not work. but it was the most fun i ever had trying. i never use the word try. my personal guru, yoda, advises, “there is no TRY, there is DO or DO NOT”
today i DO smoke…let’s see what tomorrow brings.