R4VI's Blog

No Smoking. These signs are everywhere. I dont know of an office building that allows smoking inside. Perhaps the offices of Altria allow smoking and even then Im not sure. Also, the outdoor areas where smoking is allowed are shrinking. No more stepping just outside the door to grab a quick smoke, these areas increasingly have the no smoking signs posted. Airports have only small designated areas and restaurants that used to have a smoking section are becoming completely smoke free environments. Im wondering how many missed flights have happened due to the need for a quick smoke that turned into the hunt for a smoking area in an airport maze, because everyone knows there will be no smoking during the flight. More and more restaurants which used to at least have an smoking section are no completely smoke free. There is a solution for those who still enjoy the action, taste and nicotine of a cigarette. Metro E-Cigs look and taste like a tobacco cigarette, but because of the lack of tobacco in the e-cig, they are not subject to the no smoking bans. Not everyone who currently enjoys smoking can work for Altria, but they can switch today to electronic cigarettes, which are allowed most anywhere.

In my dad’s store, the toy department was in the basement of a steel building. There was a big lighted sign inside the front door that said”TOYLAND DOWNSTAIRS” with a big arrow. You would be amazed at how many people wandered to the back and asked,”Where are the toys?” Years ago, toys weren’t so popular year-around. Christmas was the big time, and the occasional birthday. I got to specialize in working in the Toy Department because I was out of school over Christmas. It was great fun, but my feet never hurt so badly than after twelve hours on a concrete floor with only tile as a cushion. Dad and I had wrapping contests to see who could tear the paper off the big roll closest to the size needed but not coming out short. Dad almost always won. He had the eye of a carpenter. Everyone was in a holiday mood. In those days before credit cards were common, you could see the results of the day’s work in the till; it was very tangible. That felt good when I was in a liberal arts college, studying some esoteric subjects, wondering if I was doing the right thing. Working for a couple weeks in that metal buildings that housed our livelihood made me feel valuable and like I had earned a place in the family. We were very ready for a break when Christmas Day came.