the things you notice

Have you had this experience. You purchase something, a car, a shirt, a phone that you rarely if ever noticed before you bought? And then, as if by magic, after you make the purchase they are suddenly every direction you look?

I've noticed this now with two things. One I noticed before with the damn food advertisements. But  I'm noticing them more and more. I swear I've seen the same damn Subway advertisement 100 times in the last two hours. It seems to get played every turn. Then we've got the Jack in the box advertisements. Again and again and again.

It's no wonder this country is so fat. Everywhere you look it's food, crappy food, fast food and junk food. Greasy food, gross food. Everywhere you look. Makes it hard to be good. Especially on a busy day.

The other thing I've suddenly started noticing is smokers. And the smell. I can't believe how much I can smell it now. We can be driving down the road and I can smell it coming from other cars. I smell it in parking lots and stop lights. And it no longer smells good as it once did.

Not long ago the smell of a cigarette created instant cravings. It was like smelling donuts or fresh pie. It brought to ming visions of satisfaction, of calm. Now it just kind of stinks, mostly. I can even smell when my neighbors smoke. It's amazing that I smelled like that for 20 years and didn't notice.

And how I felt. I never thought it affected me that much, until now. Until I notice how much better I breath. How different things taste, how I can smell more. But mostly how much better I can breath. I think I am officially an ex smoker and I like it. I have zero interest in starting again. I still want one some times, but I know it's just a mental habit.