Another column will be published Tuesday

Last week the newspaper sent out an email to the columnists, asking for a volunteer to argue against the creation of a smoking ban in Wisconsin. On the theory that I will never, ever refuse a writing job I clicked 'reply' without much thought. I didn't hear back by the stated time, but it was no real loss.

Then on Friday I took a call at work. To my suprise it was the editor ("Hi Dan, it's Mabel from The Journal . . .") who handed me the assignment. What was neat, other than an editor calling me, was that I was chosen over a number of people who asked for the assignment. Cool.

So, Milwaukee folk, get out your 75 cents; the column will run Tuesday morning.

* * * * *

Quick memory: Sunday marked the 18th anniversary of a May snowstorm that dumped six inches in the area. It was my junior year of high school, and I'll never forget standing in front of Pius, just stunned by the freak snowfall.

* * * *

Overheard: Two skinny women discussing the People magazine with Kristie Alley on the cover, 'coming clean' about her 80 pound weight gain.

Woman 1: Ugh, hellllloooo! Don't you think after twenty pounds you'd look in the mirror and realize you were fat?

Woman 2: I know! What a pig!

A . Burn in hell bit**es.

B. Kirstie was a contestant on The Match Game in 1979, well before Cheers or even her stint in the Star Trek movies.

C. I speak from experience when I say: No, you really don't notice until you're so far gone it's too late. Case in point, uh, now, when I tip the scales at the heaviest I've been in 15 years.