It's almost Friday. I need a cigarette. No I don't.

Jake here.

Don't know about you, but it's been a bad week.

When I was young, not so long ago... Okay, yes it was...

...I was in my tender young twenties when I became addicted to tobacco. Rather easily, I'm sorry to say. I knew when I smoked my last one that it would indeed be my last one.

Or else.

Now every time I crave a cigarette, I picture this:

Thanks to the fabulous blog at Miss Non Human for this great photo!

Ew, right!?! Where's he going with this, right?

JUMP!

I quit 12/01/94. What better evidence of addiction than the forlorn remembrance of the day I broke up with my first spouse, nicotine?

The week I quit was a REAL bad week. Worse than this one.

I'm glad to say, especially as I help Patrick taste wine, that I don't wake up in the morning needing a glass of booze. Because of my experience with Marlboro Reds (and on occasion, "Joans" (as in Joan Crawford) (Marlboro Light 100s---what FUN), I have nothing but the utmost respect for those who find they must turn away from alcohol.

OMG she's so FABULOUS! I want to BE HER... not trapped in a pretty coffin in 2012, but bossing people around in 1955 while I smoke on the lanai

I've become something of a European when it comes to wine, which is a rather self-congratulatory way of saying it's one of the five food groups, and so I can't recall the last day I didn't have any at all, and I'll admit from time to time I've uttered my almost-famous line, "I'm fine. I'm enunciating perfectly."

Which, sorry, but if you have to say it, and if you have to take a deep breath and concentrate reeeeal hard before you say it, time for Mommy to call a taxi.

Anyway, it's been a real bad week. Nevermind why. Next week could be worse. At least one of my friends, I'm sorry to say, has had an EPIC bad week, a week so rotten I almost feel guilty for complaining about mine at all.

So I am hoping to see a whole flock of beautiful friends tomorrow, and somehow learn to choose happiness, a lesson we find ourselves needing to re-learn day after day after day.

Happiness is that fine line between trying harder to control things and people beyond my control on the one hand...

...and chucking it all and seeing if I can survive in an abandoned bus in the middle of the Alaska wilderness on the other hand.

Somewhere in the middle is: Move forward, enjoy the good times, and realize that poo will be flung in my direction sometimes.


Have a wonderful Friday, and if you don't drink, get out there and be with your friends. If you do drink, don't do it alone. And do it responsibly.

And in case you thought wine was enough to take the edge off a real bad week... methinks something a skotche stronger is in order tomorrow.

Wherever you are, THANK CHER IT'S ALMOST FRIDAY!

Friday night in Afghanistan: Hang in there, brave troops!

Friday night at Rembrandt's house