By golly, I'm a virtual paragon of healthy living

When I was in school it was relatively common practice for teachers with shoddy mastery of disciplinary fairness to punish the entire class for the misbehavior of one knucklehead. I’d like to think that no longer goes on, but I’m sure it still does.

I guess there is some merit in invoking blanket disciplinary decrees for the sake of a few miscreants, though it grates on me. Ninety percent of us would never dream of screaming through a school zone at 80 mph (273 kmh in metric, I think), but for the 10 percent of morons who would, there must be school zone laws and speed-traps. Other laws and restrictions work in the same way. Rules are in place because of society’s morons and felons. I guess we have to live with it, but it pisses me off.

A year ago I’m standing at an elevator in the Victoria apartment Wendy and I lived in part-time for a couple of years. An elderly lady is standing beside me and she is reading a notice on the wall. It is yet another restriction in block. Another restriction posted by the new and controlling building manager. The lady sniffs in indignation when she finishes reading: “I hate being scolded,” she says.

I too hate being scolded. So, as kind of a postscript to my most recent blog I have to say that I took the matter of the imposition of draconian laws governing trans-fats as a case of official scolding. I added later in my comments section that I was being tongue-in-cheek about it all. I was doing so because, let’s face it, any of us with a lick of common sense will try to live as healthfully as possible, and we don’t need some bozo in a legislative office to tell us how we ‘must’ live our lives. At least 'I' don't think we do. Probably I'm wrong.

So, you read it here first: I do eat my veggies and my fruit. We try to have fish at least once a week (though now they tell us fish isn't all that good, and here I've wasted decent meals by eating $#@% fish), and a meal without meat does not terrify me. I have good vegetarian friends at whose homes I have pleasingly dined. I don’t choose to embrace their lifestyle, but I applaud them if it works for them. Raw food diet? Forget it. I happen to 'like' food and regard it as more than just mere sustenance. That's on a par with suggesting (as some do, the idiots) that sex is just for procreation.

I also mentioned that while I get significantly irritated by self-righteous anti-smoking crusaders, I am in full approval of restrictions on the places in which one can indulge an unhealthy habit. I think smoking restrictions became such a pain in thee ass that many people chose to give up the fight and reached for the Nicoderm patches in lieu. Now if the crusaders would just shut up, then I would be happier.

Otherwise, I walk when I can avoid driving, I recycle, I drive an unthirsty car, and I think the level of public transit in North America is appallingly lacking when compared with Europe. And, I absolutely no longer use plastic shopping bags.

If such sterling behavior doesn't get me into Heaven, I have no idea what will.

But, I adamantly hold to the belief that people who try to control the behavior of others are not going to get into any Heaven I subscribe to.