Pensamientos - Thoughts (49): Ahí había tanto humo, que si querías ser original no te quedaba más remedio que coger el vicio de no fumar.
The sentences I am going to post are by my one and only José Luis Alvite
, as sarcastic and ironic as usual
Instead of posting this as a killer thread, I thought I might post one sentence every other day or so.
I would like you to post the translation and your opinion about the sentence. I will correct the translation, and if you post an opinion in Spanish correct major grammar mistakes. You can post in English, but let's get a lot of opinions on these controversial sentences.
Please read this message from Alvite himself to all students.
And remember:
Alvite is sarcastic, always pessimistic, nothing is what it looks like
Here goes number 49.
Here he is talking about his first job in a newspaper, "El correo Gallego"
Don't miss this thread!I am posting the chosen answers on Facebook, on Alvite's wall!
Ahí había tanto humo, que si querías ser original no te quedaba más remedio que coger el vicio de no fumar. Supe entonces que además de una forma de ser, el periodismo era una manera de toser. Únicamente en algunas minas de carbón era más insalubre el trabajo y sólo en algunos cementerios era menor la esperanza de vida.
10 Answers
There used to be so much smoke there, that if you wanted to be original, there was not much you could do, except to get addicted to not smoking. I knew then, that journalism was not only a way to exist, but also to cough. Only in some coal mines was the job more unhealthy and only in some cemeteries, was the life expectancy lower.
Mi comentario:
A pesar del riesgo de coger un cáncer de pulmone, creo que el periodismo no deja de ser una profesión mágica. Hay algo en trabajar bajo una cortina de humo. Probablemente en un ambiente borroso, nuestra visión se aclara.
Besides the risk of getting a lungs cancer, I think that journalism doesn't stop being a magical profession. There is something in working under a smoke screen. Probably in a blurred environment, our vision clarifies.
There was so much smoke in that place that if you wanted to be original the only thing you could do was to take up the bad habit of not smoking. I knew then that, besides being a way of being, journalism was also a way of coughing. Only in some coal mines was there more unhealthy work and only in some cemeteries was there less hope for life.
Me gustó el juego de palabras con "ser" y "toser" pero se pierde en la traduccíon. También me gustó lo del "vicio de no fumar"...ya veo que el hombre no es vicioso
Ahí había tanto humo, que si querías ser original no te quedaba más remedio que coger el vicio de no fumar. Supe entonces que además de una forma de ser, el periodismo era una manera de toser. Únicamente en algunas minas de carbón era más insalubre el trabajo y sólo en algunos cementerios era menor la esperanza de vida.
There was so much smoke there that, if you wanted to be different, you had no choice but to pick up the habit of not smoking. I learned then that, other than a way of life, journalism was a way to cough. Only in some coal mine was a more unhealthy job, and only in some graveyard was a less hopeful life.
Sé lo que quiere - decir. En mi trabajo hay muchas personas que fuman. yo fumé por siete años, pero dejé de fumar hace treinte años y estoy muy contento que lo hiciera
I know what he means. In my line of work there are many people that smoke. I smoked for seven years, but I quit smoking thirty years ago and I'm very glad I did.
There was so much tso smoke there that if you wanted to be orginal you were left with no choice but take up the bad habit of not smoking. I then found that beside away of life,journalism was way of coughing Only in some coal mines was the work more unhealthy and only in some cemeteries was the less hope for life.
Creo que comparte mi aversión a fumar. I believe he shares my aversion to smoking
There was so much smoke that if you wanted to be original one had to take up the habit of not smoking. I knew then, that in addition to a way of being, journalism was a way to cough. Only in some coal mines were the working conditions less healthy and only in some cemeteries was the life expectancy lower.
Alvite describe su primera experiencia con el periodismo con - humor. Parece que fumar era el hábito de elección para los escritores. Aunque creo que sería divertido ser una periodista, nunca podría trabajar en un ambiente lleno de humo.
Alvite describes his first experience as a journalist with humor. It seems that smoking was the habit of choice for writers. Although I believe it would be fun to be a journalist, I could never work in a smoke filled environment. 
Ahí había tanto humo, que si querías ser original no te quedaba más remedio que coger el vicio de no fumar. Supe entonces que además de una forma de ser, el periodismo era una manera de toser. Únicamente en algunas minas de carbón era más insalubre el trabajo y sólo en algunos cementerios era menor la esperanza de vida.
There was so much smoke there, that if you wanted to be original your only remedy was to adopt the vice of not smoking. I knew then that in addition to being a profession (a thing to be), journalism was a way to cough. Only in carbon mines was the work more unhealthy and only in cemeteries was there less hope of life.
I cannot tell if he is seriously depressed about the cough and the unhealthy atmosphere, or if he is making a joke. I am not a pessimistic person and I found this quite funny, but I suspect he is serious.
No puedo decidir si está deprimido en serio sobre la tos y las condiciones enfermizas, o si está bromeando. No soy pesimista y esta me cayó bien chistoso, pero sospecho que lo está diciendo en serio.
Ahí había tanto humo, que si querías ser original no te quedaba más remedio que coger el vicio de no fumar. Supe entonces que además de una forma de ser, el periodismo era una manera de toser. Únicamente en algunas minas de carbón era más insalubre el trabajo y sólo en algunos cementerios era menor la esperanza de vida.
There was so much smoke there that if you wanted to be original the only thing you could do was to get in the bad habit of not smoking. I knew then that besides a way of being, journalism was a way of coughing. Only some coal mines had more unhealthy workplace and only in some cemeteries had less hope for life.
Español: Trabajaba en un bufete de abogados que permitía fumar y fue un ambiente repugnante...sobre todo porque no era -- fumadora! Fue una gran cosa cuando el estado prohibió fumar en los lugares de trabajo-, los bares, y los restaurantes. La mayoría de las personas estuvieron felices, pero los otros se quedaron furiosos.
English: I used to work for a law firm that allowed smoking and it was a disgusting atmosphere...especially because I wasn't a smoker! It was a big deal when the state banned smoking from the workplace, the bars, and restaurants. Most people were happy, but others were fuming. 
Ahí había tanto humo, que si querías ser original no te quedaba más remedio que coger el vicio de no fumar. Supe entonces que además de una forma de ser, el periodismo era una manera de toser. Únicamente en algunas minas de carbón era más insalubre el trabajo y sólo en algunos cementerios era menor la esperanza de vida.
There was so much smoke there that if you wanted to be original you were left only with the remedy of acquiring the vice of not smoking. I found out that as well as being a way of life, journalism was a life of coughing. Only in some coal mines was the work more unhealthy, and only in some cemeteries was there less hope of life.
Es más chistoso en español, ¿Verdad?
Parece que el periodismo es un trabajo bastante peligroso o por lo menos en la - redacción donde trabajaba Alvite. 
What I love about Alvite is that he thinks outside the box. I love new and fresh perspectives.
Hoy todo me gusta mucho, voy a tener que pensar
