It’s been about 18 hours since I had the surgery. They placed 7 implants in my upper jaw. I have no swelling. I’m not on any pain medications. The teeth don’t hurt at all. It’s almost creepy. But having this done, I’d highly recommend it to anyone in my situation. I’ll have more to say on this in the coming days, as I get used to the new teeth.

On that note, I’m going to have to quit smoking on Monday, in preparation for the surgery. It’s necessary, probably good for me, and all that, but it doesn’t mean it’ll be easy or that I won’t miss it. I love to smoke, and I always have. Some people say that I only believe that because I’m addicted, and they might very well be right, but that doesn’t mitigate the fact that I enjoy smoking tremendously.

It’ll be a big adaptation; you get used to doing something one way for so many years, and suddenly everything you do is different. Taking breaks from work won’t be the same, heading out on a Friday night won’t be the same either. But in today’s environment, where we are hostile towards personal rights so long as it appeases the masses, it’s become harder and harder to be a smoker anyhow. Restaurants and bars are forced to be non-smoking against their will; taxes on tobacco are oppressively high. I am accosted on a regular basis for being a smoker both by people I know and strangers. My only compensation is that they will have one less thing to feel superior about.

But what does that bring? I can only imagine that once they’ve “conquered” smoking that it’ll be something new and different.

And while I’m on my soap box, let me say something else that seems somewhat related to me. I am ashamed that my country still notices the color of skin. Every time I hear “first black president” I am apalled. This shouldn’t even be noteworthy. Why do we feel the need to point out the pointless? And whether he succeeds or fails, I fear that it’ll be the same thing: “It took a black man to save America,” or “We elect a black man and look at how much worse things got.” Be wary if you’re within striking distance and you utter some silliness; you may not like the consequences.