FINALLY learned how to deal with the smoke and still play at a higher level.....

[smoooothstroke]

-quote-
- the smoking: there's literally no 'no smoking' signs, every guy smokes.
if a pool hall decides to ban smokers from their place, it'll be empty and closed down.

LOL
-Never heard of anyone banning smokers just the smoke.Good idea though,if you ban smokers from public places it might give them incentive to quit?

Geno thanks for posting,take care of yourself and try to get out of that area of the U.S. before it kills you.We need more big tourneys in Cali and in the civilized parts of the U.S like much of the East Coast,Arizona.etc.Native american casinos are good for pool tourneys when they ban smoking from the pool room,you can usually sneak in from an outside door and avoid the casino smoke.

I guess there is only 1 way to fix this huge problem.A federal law banning the burning of toxic substances in public buildings or in the close vicinity of pedestrians who may or may not prefer to breath clean air.This could apply to any health threatening substance not just cig smoke.Of course this law would be unconstitutional and even "wrong" but it would sure be nice.

 

[cardit]

Geno,

Are you coming to South Florida or just Tallahassee? I remember you saying you have family down here. If you do, I'd like a lesson.

Mike

 

[mearlin]

Why not use nasal filters, they aren't expensive and they are somewhat comfortable. There are a lot of types, I use some due to very bad allergies.

 

[genomachino]

I need to check these out.

Why not use nasal filters, they aren't expensive and they are somewhat comfortable. There are a lot of types, I use some due to very bad allergies.

I'm afraid some of you guys are exactly right.

I'm thinking I'm getting used to the smoke but it's really destroying my lungs quickly.

Last night I really couldn't sleep because my lungs kind of burned like whe you first get a chest cold. If i take 3/4 ths of a breath or more the air just wants to push right out. Can't hold the breath in.

This is not good and the body is really saying it has had enough.

I'm going to sleep tonight and see if this clears up a little. If not I really need to make some new plans in a quick hurry.

But I did figure out how to play in this crappy smoke. Just wreck your health down to a certain level so your just kind of sick all the time. get used to playing like this and it's easier to stay at that higher level.

The shock to your body from going from absolutely no smoke to extreme is just too much of a shock to anyones system.

So all the players going into the smoke to play can now say they know why they bombed out. I don't think anyone can go from no smoke, to smoke and perform.

 

[MOJOE]

Geno,

The smoke is a huge reason why I rarely play out anymore. It has really dampened my love for the game as well. Beating cancer once makes me feel lucky, I don't want to go through it again. It's just not worth it.

I'd rather be on the golf course anyways, that's a problem in the cold months though!

 

[cueandcushion]

Over the years, since the recent peak in the late 80s early 90s, the number ONE reason mentioned to me why people walk out of pool rooms is smoke. Number ONE. Especially women, it gets in their hair and clothes. If a women spends a lot having her hair styled she cannot just wash it out. If she has silk blouses she must have them dry cleaned. Its a pain to deal with. Most people will politely leave and say nothing. So it's not crazy to assume that most new customers that leave a room and never returned may have been overwhelmed by the smoke also. Smokers honestly believe that smoke should never bother anyone. It bothers MOST people and that is where the conflict is. If ONE person pees in a pool its not as bad as if 1000 people pee in it. So some places are a lot dirtier than others. In St. Louis a smoking ban went into effect in 2011. 130 places got a temporary exemption to allow smoking. Several of them have now gone under. We did not want an exemption and spent a year cleaning our room, repainting, reupholstering, every surface we could. Our business has continued to rise month after month since the ban. The number of people who smoke continue to dwindle, cities that ban smoking see an increase in sales tax income. I would be shocked if a single state in the country allowed smoking in another ten years.

 

[genomachino]

I thought Ohio was smoke free..........

Geno,

The smoke is a huge reason why I rarely play out anymore. It has really dampened my love for the game as well. Beating cancer once makes me feel lucky, I don't want to go through it again. It's just not worth it.

I'd rather be on the golf course anyways, that's a problem in the cold months though!

I'll see you when I go to Ohio. Won't be too far off.........

Good for you with your health.

Good Luck on the golf course.

 

[Pre-Flag Master]

So, it's like being old then? You can function OK in spite of all your infirmities because you're used to feeling that way all the time. Got it.:wink:

I think I need to move to a non-aging state.

Me too! Even my infirmities have become firm.

 

[Roadie]

After being in the smoke for about 40 days on almost a daily regularity I have figured out how to play well and be in the smoke.

You need to play in it all the time. This way you get used to being sick. your level of health will drop but it will become your normal.

the nose will still burn, your eyes will burn and your lungs will feel terrible but you don't notice it as much because it has become just the way it is.

For those that have quit smoking and for those that smoke. Remember the first time you took a hit from a cig. It was horrible , hurt your throat and made you kind of dizzy.

Once you smoked for a few days it didn't happen anymore. That's because you were feeling sick all the time but it was just your norm.

This is kind of what is happening with players that come from these non smoking rooms. They are really used to feeling healthy that the drop in the smoke condition is just too overwhelming.

I even kind of gag on some food now. It just tastes terrible. Now i remember how good the food tasted when I quit smoking back in 1986.

So by subjecting yourself to the second hand smoke on a regular basis you can play at the level your accustom to. Your health sucks big time but you can compete at your highest level.

Most of us in these non smoking state don't even have the benefit of being in the smoke to get conditioned for this but who would want to.

I'm going to Florida next and then to Texas to work on my video. Then to the Texas State tourny.

When I breath the breath just wants to push right out.

This sucks big time but I can play pool.

I guess it's just a matter of if I want to stay alive or not.

I recommend everyone to just not go to these smoking tournys if your in an area that is no smoking and your not used to it.

You won't be able to play at your competitive level you can to have a chance to win. So why even come.

And if you came anyway don't plan on winning.

just get ready to remember how it was to be in the smoke everywhere in the USA before the the people learned how bad it was for everyone.

Just consider yourself lucky you live in a non smoking state.

This is the secret. ..............

I was really hoping that the gas mask was the answer and looking for a picture. But yes, acclimating to an environment can certainly raise the tolerance to it.

 

[genomachino]

I was playing last night again and had trouble.....

I was really hoping that the gas mask was the answer and looking for a picture. But yes, acclimating to an environment can certainly raise the tolerance to it.

I wish i would have had the sense last night to walk outside for a 10 minute break but it was hot and humid.

I lost a hill hill set gambling and the smoke was really stale with virtually no circulation. Beautiful room but terribly unhealthy.

I could hardly breath when I left. Went accross the streeet to subway and felt pretty good within about 5 minutes. Just needed to get some air.

So when us players are feeling like we had all we can take we need to go outside and take an air break just like the players in the no smoking poolhalls take their smoke breaks all the time.

This is another way to survive at a tournament. Get out of the place every minute you can.

Not good for the poolhall. They want you there to spend some money.

Oh well. Without the smoke it becomes a perfect environment for a pool player.

I hope this helps a few fellow players deal with the smoke.