For those looking around for an event to attend on the fourth this year, here’s a reminder of an annual celebration that always brings out a huge crowd. It’s officially called the “Faith, Family & Freedom Independence Day Celebration” but East Texans know it as an event put on by “Living Alternatives” and “Fatherheart” single mother’s home. For about ten years (maybe more), the local charity and missions organization has put on the celebration as both a fund raiser and a means of raising its community profile.

Each year the event seems to grow. It features a swimming pool, bounce houses, inflatable water slides, a fishing tournament, live music, a door prize, (or raffle of some sort) and of course a great fireworks display. Local venders from area restaurants are all over the grounds so the food is sure to be great. The event officially begins at 4:00 pm, and goes until 9:00 pm. Admission is free strictly speaking, but donations are appreciated at about fifteen dollars a car load. Even at that price it’s a steal considering all the events. Of course proceeds go to support the unwed mother’s home, and adoption counseling services. For more info on the organization itself visit their website at http://LivingAlternatives.org . The event will be held at Fatherheart Maternity Home 17141 Hwy 110 N Lindale.

The McDonalds play room in Tyler can be something of a crapshoot, (forgive me if that sounds crass). Like most parents I both like and hate it at the same time. On one hand it affords a place for the kids to play while I’m working (like I am now in fact). But when half the parents in Tyler get the same brilliant idea: to drop by with their overstimulated little darlings for a not so happy meal of empty calories followed by a climb on the indoor jungle gym, it can turn into lord of the flies in a hurry. Now I’m not one of the anti-McDonalds food Nazis you see on the news every night. When I eat at the fast food chain it’s with the full knowledge of the culinary sin I’m committing. My bigger concerns are with the cleanliness and concentration in the children’s area. So why patronize the joint? Two reasons: I have work to do, and McDonalds, (at least the one on 69 south), allows me to type while I supervise my son (albeit from a distance sometimes). It also offers customer wifi. Now I add this somewhat off hand, but this happens to be the main reason I would choose McDonalds over Chic-Fil-A which is located directly across the street. Well that and the dollar menu, which is just what the budget of a single parent / private school teacher, requires.

In almost every respect Chic-Fil-A is the better choice. The food is many times superior to that of their neighbor but the store’s environment is far less conducive to my productivity, (which is really the main point). The store recently underwent some remodeling I’m told, but when I checked it out it didn’t seem that much different to me. The kid’s playroom area is pretty small, and the restaurant is so flipping busy 24/7, it makes eating in a hassle for me. Seriously I’ve had shorter waiting times at Six Flags! Ok, I’m exaggerating a bit. And strangely when they did the remodel they failed to add customer wifi. Now I should state that I applaud the financial success of the franchise but the 69 south location of Chic-Fil-A is simply a no go for me unless I’m going to hit the drive through, which by the way is always wrapped around the building.

So at the end of the day does either one of these stops furnish an ideal place for the kids to play while I work? Not really. On rare occasions I can get real work accomplished. Normally I’m pretty fortunate to put in a solid hour, which by the way, was about the result of today’s experiment… maybe. But when I have to choose between McDonald’s and Chic-Fil-A, I am generally forced to pick the former. Sorry Chic-Fil-A. I’d rather eat your food but I get tired of waiting for it.

There is a controversy boiling up in East Texas right not, and based on the current mood and movement of local politics I think it’s only a matter of time before our illustrious local bureaucrats wade into the issue. Of course the issue in question is e-cigs, and this has got to be the absolute biggest much ado about nothing story to come down the pike since… what? Maybe ever!?

Ok so here’s how I see it. Local politicians hear that the city of New York has banned smoking in restaurants and public places. Tylerites (of which I am proudly one mind you), who desperately desire to be seen as big city sophisticates, say “hey that’s a good idea we should do that too.” And officially ban a form of “sin” in and around Tyler eateries. “Oh at last, I can go into a restaurant and not have to smell all the smoke or witness others having more fun than me! Thank you government for taking away their liberties!” Now before all the supporters of the ban jump down my throat, I realize I’m being sarcastic and over simplistic and I don’t plan on spending the entire article rehashing the old issue nor by the way, do I smoke anything more the very occasional cigar. I’m just trying to set the stage.

Enter an entirely new product designed to help smokers kick the habit that so annoys their fellow citizens. That product is of course the e-cigarette. Of course the e-cig substitutes smoke for water vapor, which doesn’t smell, burn the eyes or in any documentable way harm the people surrounding the user. With one exception, it looks like their smoking! And hence the problem, anti-smoking zealots see e-cig users as people who have found a way around the stigma they’ve successfully created and imposed and are managing to enjoy themselves without permission.

Now of course, to be sure that the image of the smoker remains stigmatized, all kinds of questions must be answered. “We don’t know what the long term health risks are!” Well so far studies are showing that there is really no grave risk. And even so, when do we apply this kind of prohibitive thinking to anything else in life. “I better not invent the automobile because someone might die in thirty years.” Or “I’d better not buy that motorcycle…” Or “I’d better not get that pool…” Come on people we’re Texans. We’re friendly, we don’t interfere with other people, and we’re willing to embrace a few risks in order to enjoy life.

I should say by the way, that I understand banning the use of e-cigs in courtrooms and in places where legal proceedings are held, but I don’t use my phone there either. It’s not a question of safety but decorum. But when people start calling for wider bans, I can only see their calls as an emotional response to an image in their minds. And we don’t take away people’s liberty to make unobtrusive choices simply because someone else is uncomfortable.