Good and Bad

Today is a good day. And it's a bad day in other ways.

First the bad. Does anyone else wish we could just skip from September 10 to September 12? We need to remember and never forget the tragedy that occurred 7 years ago today. But I get a pit in my stomach and can't shake the sadness that surrounds everything 9-11 related. I don't want to remember where I was when I heard that a plane struck the WTC or the feeling I had when I heard a second one hit and I knew, beyond a shadow of a doubt, there was no way it was accidental. I don't want to recall hearing the 911 calls coming in from Flight 93 and wondering how those people felt or how their families handled receiving those final phone calls. I don't want to remember watching the news, the disgusting news that we somehow could not tear ourselves away from all night, seeing people leaping to their deaths. I don't want to think too much about the widows and children of the 343 fallen firefighters and how their lives were shattered that day or about Father Mychal Judge, a hero in so many ways.

But I have to. We all have to. For the rest of our lives we have to remember. And we have to make sure our children learn and know so that they can remember for us when we are gone. We can never forget. As bad as it feels to remember, we can never let ourselves forget.

Now, on an entirely different note... the good.

It's about time! It's not without its faults, but Pennsylvania's statewide smoking ban went into effect at midnight. Hallelujah!

Can it be? Is it true? Will we be able to patronize the Cranberry King's Family Restaurant without walking through a cloud of thick smoke from the old men sitting at the counter in the front of the restaurant?

Finally! A choice! We can choose to stick to places that aren't flat-out bars. Since a business with gross revenues of more than 20% from food is effected by this ban, we would seriously have to go to a straight up bar to be surrounded by cigarette smoke. With two little ones and our nights of clubbing at Jimmy D's on the South Side far behind us, it's very unlikely we will be barhopping anytime soon. Still we should be able to sit at the bar at our favorite restaurants while waiting for a table without choking to death from the Marlboro Red that Smokey Joe on the next stool is "enjoying."

Aaaaaaaaah! That was me, breathing a breath of fresh air!

Now, when will PA make it illegal to smoke on the sidewalk? Or in your car? Oh, I know, I know, smokers have rights! Yeah, whatever! I can't wait to sit in traffic or walk down the street without a chance of catching that whiff. It will likely never happen without tobacco becoming illegal (and with Big Tobacco's hands in the pot in so many places these days shyeah like that will happen!), but one can dream!