Smoke Pit

I have been spending an incredible amount of time at the smoke pit this week. It's only a short distance away from my building (pretty much just on the other side of the parking lot. ) And it's obviously a prime place for people to hang out - especially if there is extra time after chow before the next muster time. (If we're lucky and eat fast, we can get as much as 45 minutes to an hour of 'free time' before we have to muster. Then again, sometimes we barely even have time to eat. )

So, anyway. I've never really understood why people smoke. Obviously once you get started it's hard to stop, but what the hell is so appealing about smoking that makes you decided to start in the first place? I can't really answer that question in words, but I feel as if I understand now. What once to me looked like a bunch of people sitting/standing around doing nothing, I can now totally relate to. Really, smoking is not that much different than knitting, (although I'm guessing knitting is probably less deadly.) both are habits that are addictive, attractive to bored and ADD prone personalities, and extremely relaxing. Even though I don't smoke, sitting at the smoke pit and chatting with the people there has definitely been a relaxing and enjoyable experience.

I do get restless, however, and today - because I desperately needed something to do with my hands - I pulled out my deck of cards and started shuffling them. It's a nervous habit that I used to do at AACC; I'd shuffle cards while waiting for class to start, or while sitting in the parking lot waiting to be driven home somewhere. I haven't really needed it recently with all my knitting stuff, but I pulled the cards out today without even thinking about it. As if I'd never stopped doing it. My smoke-pit buddy, Lyon, immediately recognized the entertainment opportunity and promptly taught me how to do the bridge thingy with the cards. I've never been able to do that before but it took me all of ten minutes to learn. Yay!

You'll probably be surprised to learn that it's 6PM on a Saturday and not only am I JUST NOW getting ready to start my first episode on netflix, but that I also haven't been in my room ALL DAY. Instead, I've been wandering around town with the guys - mostly near the fisherman's warf/Cannery row area climbing around on the rocky 'beach' there.