Quitting smoking (almost) 1 year in.

[Ed Lada]

I quit a few times, the longest was for 6 years.  

I find it easier to smoke.  I enjoy it for the most part.

The next time I quit smoking is when I draw my last breath.  Life is to short to worry all of the time about not smoking.

In addition, some of the most self righteous people I have ever met are non-smokers.  They are worse than Jesus freaks in my opinion.  I don't want to be that guy.

 

[Gissie]

exactly that

But he has the attention span of a teenager. Ignore for 30 secs and he goes away until the next trigger comes along. Give him the time of day and you will be grabbing your wallet and heading for the shops.

He gets longer between visits until he rarely shows up. Mine now talks about how good it is to no longer smoke as my brother puffs away next to me.

 

[ShortForBob]

But he has the attention span of a teenager. Ignore for 30 secs and he goes away until the next trigger comes along. Give him the time of day and you will be grabbing your wallet and heading for the shops.

He gets longer between visits until he rarely shows up. Mine now talks about how good it is to no longer smoke as my brother puffs away next to me.

Thanks Gissie. What I don't get is how this time I quit so easy, just ripped em up and that was that for nearly three months. I've been cool around smokers, totally fine with my coffee, even ok when a bit stressed. The little shit turns up when I'm most relaxed and cheerful. Go figure.

Over confidence?

 

[ShortForBob]

I quit a few times, the longest was for 6 years.  

I find it easier to smoke.  I enjoy it for the most part.

The next time I quit smoking is when I draw my last breath.  Life is to short to worry all of the time about not smoking.

In addition, some of the most self righteous people I have ever met are non-smokers.  They are worse than Jesus freaks in my opinion.  I don't want to be that guy.

That's an option. I decided I'm going to be healthy, fit, sing in the choir, go hiking,traveling and maybe even sailing ...until I'm 75.

then I'm going to start smoking a packet a day, drink a bottle or 5 of good red a week, Live on camembert and double cheese and butter toasties, tan without sunblock and  buy a sports car. 

 

[Ed Lada]

That's an option. I decided I'm going to be healthy, fit, sing in the choir, go hiking and maybe even sailing ...until I'm 75.

then I'm going to start smoking a packet a day, drink a bottle of gin a week, Live on camembert and double cheese and butter toasties, tan without sunblock and  buy a sports car. 

I guess you can dream.  

I hate this saying, but it's pretty much true.  "Life is what happens when you are busy making other plans."

 

[ShortForBob]

I guess you can dream.  

I hate this saying, but it's pretty much true.  "Life is what happens when you are busy making other plans."

miserable git.

 

[Ed Lada]

miserable git.

I prefer pragmatic or realistic, but I can accept miserable git.

A long time ago I realized that most of the shit that keeps us up at night, all those things we spend do much time and anxiety trying to prevent rarely happen.  Most of the things we worry about either solve themselves, or are often resolved with a simple solution.  Afterward it's like damn, why was I so worked up about that, it wasn't great but I survived it OK. 

It's the shit that you never thought about, the thing that was furthest from your mind, that sneaks up behind you with a 3' length of iron pipe and whacks you a good one on the back of your head.  As you are falling down, seeing stars, your last conscious thought is, "Damn, I never saw that coming."

I don't always succeed, after all I'm only human, but I have for the most part stopped worrying about shit.  Then I can save my strength for the unforeseen events.  It has made my life much easier and nicer.

YMMV of course.

 

[Toecutter's Ghost]

Just rolling around 10 years for me. I brought an old shit box car to fix up when I quit, restoration budget per week equal to the cost of what I was spending on fags. Took me 14 months to get that sucker on the road and by that time I was well and truly over the smokes. I'm still driving that old girl today. It's due for another makeover though so I might have to give up sniffing glue this time.

 

[mikewof]

Just rolling around 10 years for me. I brought an old shit box car to fix up when I quit, restoration budget per week equal to the cost of what I was spending on fags. Took me 14 months to get that sucker on the road and by that time I was well and truly over the smokes. I'm still driving that old girl today. It's due for another makeover though so I might have to give up sniffing glue this time.

Good idea. Photo of the restored car?

 

[SloopJonB]

In addition, some of the most self righteous people I have ever met are non-smokers.  They are worse than Jesus freaks in my opinion.  I don't want to be that guy.

They're as bad as reformed drunks.

 

[Gissie]

Just rolling around 10 years for me. I brought an old shit box car to fix up when I quit, restoration budget per week equal to the cost of what I was spending on fags. Took me 14 months to get that sucker on the road and by that time I was well and truly over the smokes. I'm still driving that old girl today. It's due for another makeover though so I might have to give up sniffing glue this time.

I was living in China when I stopped. Would have given me a weekly budget of less than $5. Maybe could have restored an old bike.

 

[Gissie]

Thanks Gissie. What I don't get is how this time I quit so easy, just ripped em up and that was that for nearly three months. I've been cool around smokers, totally fine with my coffee, even ok when a bit stressed. The little shit turns up when I'm most relaxed and cheerful. Go figure.

Over confidence?

If you have really decided to give up it is easy. But it is a big if.

Apart from the little voice every now and again.

 

[Ed Lada]

They're as bad as reformed drunks.

Worse in my opinion.  Some people who stopped drinking are embarrassed to admit they had a problem.  Some former smokers not so much.

"Hi, you say your name is Ed?  Glad to meet you Ed.  Say, do you know I stopped smoking five years ago?  Yep, it was bad the first month but I hardly think about it now.  Oh your a smoker aren't you?  I can smell it on you. Yeah, since I quit five years ago, I can smell everything.  Hey, maybe you can quit too, you know, I did.  Yeah, five years ago..."

 

[Trovão]

I quit a few times, the longest was for 6 years.  

I find it easier to smoke.  I enjoy it for the most part.

The next time I quit smoking is when I draw my last breath.  Life is to short to worry all of the time about not smoking.

In addition, some of the most self righteous people I have ever met are non- ex-smokers.  They are worse than Jesus freaks in my opinion.  I don't want to be that guy.

there, FIFY 

 

[Ed Lada]

there, FIFY 

Shitski.  I meant to write ex-smokers.  

Sometimes my brain thinks one thing and my fingers type something else.

 

[ShortForBob]

The self righteousness of some ex smokers is sort of understandable. Constantly having to re affirm their commitment, like any junkie/ addict/alcoholic they'll use whatever tool is available." If you're struggling convince yourself anymore, you preach to someone else" or something like that. I just wish they'd have a little subtlety.

I started smoking as a deliberate defiant act. I remember the time and place. So snarky comments from Ex smokers really don't help.

 

[ShortForBob]

Don't seem so defiant now.... 

Yeah, some of us grow up.

 

[Ed Lada]

The self righteousness of some ex smokers is sort of understandable. Constantly having to re affirm their commitment, like any junkie/ addict/alcoholic they'll use whatever tool is available." If you're struggling convince yourself anymore, you preach to someone else" or something like that. I just wish they'd have a little subtlety.

I started smoking as a deliberate defiant act. I remember the time and place. So snarky comments from Ex smokers really don't help.

I disagree with you completely but you can think what you like, of course.

If a quitter needs that kind of support and affirmation, then they should go see a counselor.  

I and others that don't care if they quit smoking, and we are not 'available tools'.  Quitters should go preach to a willing tool.

 

[Toecutter's Ghost]

Good idea. Photo of the restored car?

Before...



After...

 

[Toecutter's Ghost]

The self righteousness of some ex smokers is sort of understandable. Constantly having to re affirm their commitment, like any junkie/ addict/alcoholic they'll use whatever tool is available." If you're struggling convince yourself anymore, you preach to someone else" or something like that. I just wish they'd have a little subtlety.

I started smoking as a deliberate defiant act. I remember the time and place. So snarky comments from Ex smokers really don't help.

My grandfather was the most anti-smoking "ex-smoker" there ever was. He'd carry on like  a pork chop if anyone lit up around him. The thing is, he never ever really gave up smoking and used to smoke in secret so I'm guessing it was the cravings kicking in that drove him to the edge!

Anyhoo, I used his behavior as a role model and vowed never to be one of those guys that did it for years then preach to those still doing it after quitting. Easy enough to do, especially in this day and age of $$$ smoke prices. I just look at someone with a fag in their mouth and think to myself "what an idiot" which is more me chewing out myself for smoking for all those years then any reflection on the smoker themselves. One point that all smokers trying to stay off the wagon should consider though is how much a smoker stinks to a non-smoker. I'm almost embarrassed I used to smell like that!