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Scugog Citizen = Tuesday, August 20, 1991 -- 7 4a VIEWPOINT/COUNTERPOINT John B. McClelland Two weeks ago, I wrote in space about want- ing 0 stop smoking, and asked readers to giye me a call and relate their expericaces (successful or. otherwise) in giving up the nasty weed. I've had a i of interest g advice over the last couple ofweek¥. Most people who quit smoking said they did it "cold turkey" without \the help of so-called stop smoking aids. And several said they were only able to .stop after two or three unsuccessful attempts. One chap, a former two pack a day puffer, told me he was able to quit only after-he made up his mind to do so. Then it was easy. His earlier efforts met with failure because, he said, "I wasn't ready to stop." I had a few unusual stories as well. One person said when he bought his house a few years ago, the only way he could carry the mortgage was to stop smoking. I told him he's lucky he's not smoking these days. He'd have to re- mortgage just to pay for the habit. He laughed then said he was serious about quitting ta help the mortgage. "It worked for me," he stated. "Another reader offered to loan me some very graphic full-colour photos of cancerous lungs. "Every time you feel like a cigarette, take a look at the picture. It works." OK, I thought to myself. Maybe I'n pin the photo§ to the fridge' todr and, lose a bit of weight at the same time. Still another caller told me she quit "wice (during pregnancies) only to start again after the birth of her children. "I really didn't want to quit (while pregnant) but I did for the sake of the children." Finally, she got around to stopping for good two years ago. And she wasn't preg- nant. She just made up her own mind to do so. Nicorettes (apparently available by prescription) helped, she said. And so did the support of her physician who didn't treat her like a "nasty person because I . smoked. He (the doctor) said 1 was a nice person with a nasty habit. That kind of attitude helped me," she said. There is a common thread running who has shared their * sagas with me. . They quit when they wanted to quit, not when somebody elsé said quit. Lt 5 stop smoking" this through the stories of just dbout everyone Gradually cutting down on the number of cigarettes proved to be only marginally successful. Also Virtually all said the urge to smoke never really leaves completely. 'One ex-smoker who kicked the butts (he said) more than 25 years ago, could start again tomorrow, It's still a struggle. Oh, yes. One final thing on this topic. Everyone who talked to me was sympa- thetic to my plight (some more than oth- ers) They understand what it's like. They've been there. Lr As far as determining just who bas the best hockey team in the world, the Canada | Cup has replaced the Olympics and the World Championships. The Canada Cup brings the best pro- fessionals players together every four years. Nothing matches the level of skill, intensity and emotion, not even the Stanley Cup final. In the 'series about to get underway, watch for the old Canada-USSR rivalry to lose its shine. In my opinion, the real fric- tion this year will be between Canada and the latest hockey, upstarts-the, Americans. Team USA has some of the finest tal- ent from the NHL led by Brett Hull and nothing would please the Yanks more than knocking the Canadians out of this tournament. The days of Team USA being a push- over are long gone. Watch for the Canadians and the: Americans to meet in the final. That will be a major coup for the NHL in getting the attention off American network television. And 'watch for | -year-old Eric Lindros to catch a"spot in the Téam Canada line-up Aside from the fact he has the talent to make the squad, the NHL would be daft not 10 show-case this guy in the supreme hockey tournament on the planet. Eric, embroiled in a contract dispute, has made noises of jumping to. the fledgling world league or to Europe. To lose the best prospect to come along since Mario would be a black eye for the NHL. Watch for Eric to see action with Team Canada, and lots of it. He'll probably even 4 get a chance to play on the same line with Wayne. It's a made-in-heaven opportunity. The NHL badly needs Lindros and he needs to prove that he really is as good as his clip- pings and worth the $3 million per year he reportedly wants to sign a pro contract. No one can ever call Scugog Township. boring. If anything, there's almost too much going on...just have a look at the Community Calendar on page two and you'll see for yourself all the stuff there is 10 do. J This weekend is one of my favorites of the entire summer. It's the Blackstock | Fair, 'where all the action happens in one day". Truer words couldn't be spoken. It's a. madhouse at the Blacksteck Fairgrounds, with people of all ages milling around, laughing and chatting up their friends and neighbours; kids with smiling lips ringed with melted cotton candy; some of the finest farm animals around, being meticulously groomed for competition; and the world's best choco- late cake auctioned off to the highest bid- der. And then there's the media milking contest, where everyone gets a laugh at the expense of hokey media types who put slow hands on fat udders and try: to make milk. Two of the entries this year are especially interesting 1d me. Sean Eyre, on-air personality with country music radio CKQM FM 105.1, . by local people. Peterborough, will be doing all he can (to coax moo; juice 'from an indignant cow. I first met Sean when | wrote a story about him, and I was struck by the enor- mous amount of charitable work he does for all sorts of people. Later, Sean was instrumentz! 'in one of my pet projects, 'Peterborough Sings!', where money was raised for the Salvation Arrlly through a cassette containing Christmas carols sung ~My husband Doug is also enamoured of 'Sunshine' Sean Eyre, Since Sean also works for Rocklands Talent, 'which coor- dinates Stompin' Tom Connors tours. It's been a while since we've seen Sean, and we're both looking forward to seeing his smiling face again at the media milk- ing contest. Doug, of course, will havéra front row seat. Joyce Kelly has promised to find my husband a spot in the contest. In fact, fair organizer Dale Van Camp says he's got a bull for Doug to milk. "No problem," sez Doug. (He doesn't have a greal deal of farm experience. But he tries.) P= UNsILvED Mystery =4 A handsome gentleman, to be sure...but who Is he? All . that's known about this unsolved mystery photo, Is that it was taken in the' 1800's by Port Perry photog- rapher W.H. Leonard. Is he a relative of yours? A great- great grandfather? A long lost uncle? Maybe a RICH long lost uncle. fimmm... "There are many, many uniden- titied photos at Scugog Shores Museum, and curator Gail Sheridan would love, some day, to have them all properly identified. To give her a hand, the 'Citizen will print a different 'unsolved mystery" each week, in the hopes some of thesé marvellous but mysterious people and places will have names once again. If you think you can solve this week's unsolved mystery, call Gail at the museum -- 985-3589. T SNAPSHOT OF THE WEEK -- Scu6os CITIZENS DOGGONE IT, THIS IS A STRANGE PHOTO! Liz Griffin of Haliburton snapped this photo of her hound dog Rusty, who guards snowmo- bile boots so faithfully, he won't even let Liz near them. Which makes for cold feet, to put things mildly. Meet Sally Kane! She's a nurse who has enjoyed life in Port Perry for three years. Her favorite hobby js singing. She's: a member of the Sweet Adelines, the Pine Ridge Chorus in Uxbridge and the bass singer in'the Music Box Co. quartet. When she's not being a baseball and hockey mom for her two boys, she enjoys cook- ing, gardening and biking. Anyone that knows her will tell you she's a pretty speeial lady! Send us your favorite snapshots -- of your family, your pets, your vacation, whatever photo you've taken and you're proud of! Citizen staffers will select their favorite snaps and run them' in this space. Then, at the end of the year, we'll have a panel of judges choose their favorite picture, and the photographer will win a brand new 35mm camera. Our address is 36 Water St., Port Perry. Bring them in! '