Giving up smoking

[Bernard]

Encouragement to you.

[jebreject]

Katie, me too. When we left the Mountain Goats show the other night and walked out into the thick cloud of smoke, I about gagged.

[davy]

Reading this thread makes me happy.

[diesel_powered]

Katie, me too. When we left the Mountain Goats show the other night and walked out into the thick cloud of smoke, I about gagged.

Thirded. I pretty much never go out because of the smoke. This is primarily why I'm all over smoking bans.

[kadiekatRN]

There's a bar around the corner that is non-smoking.  It almost makes the overly expensive beer worth it.

I love going out in Minneapolis for that reason--smoke free everywhere.  It almost makes the possibility of getting 3.2 beer worth it.  Seriously my sister and I drank like 2 pitchers of 3.2 beer while bowling and stayed sober.

[donblood]

Katie, me too. When we left the Mountain Goats show the other night and walked out into the thick cloud of smoke, I about gagged.

I gotta say I think it's really hilarious when people complain about smoking outside.

[jebreject]

I'm not saying they shouldn't be smoking there, just that I never used to realize how fucking nasty smelling it is.

[milesofsparks]

interesting All Things Considered story today about willpower:
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=102728123

they're just cotton puffs!

[G.C.R]

Arnold Lobel's "Cookies" is the best story about willpower.



Really i just want to rep for Arnold Lobel every single opportunity I can get.

[Nick Ink]

So, 6 months is up this week. Ironically, it's been a period of non-stop health problems. Pituitary-related stuff, hip stuff, and lately (no doubt smoking related) dental stuff, just an exhausting pile-up of appointments, referrals, time off work, medications, injections, stress and discomfort really. But still, I'm hoping the non-smoking will see me right in the longer term. How's everyone else getting on?

[donblood]

If all the data ever produced is any indication, the not-smoking will do you right in the long run.

[Bernard]

Katie, me too. When we left the Mountain Goats show the other night and walked out into the thick cloud of smoke, I about gagged.

I gotta say I think it's really hilarious when people complain about smoking outside.

Why is it hilarious? It's not like 'outside' is some kind of high-powered wind tunnel. If people want to smoke inside sealed tubes where I am not forced to take their smoke into my lungs, they can have a little sauna going in there for all I care. Go hog wild, mix in some asbestos and coal mine dust for extra flavor, that's totally cool.

If I can smell it, I'm breathing it in. I already have no choice about breathing in car fumes, Old Spice, and farts, why should I be thrilled about adding another layer on top of that?

[milly balgeary]

i hate outdoorsy smokers too. as a former smoker, i know that 80% of the time, those cigarettes you are smoking outside are going on the ground. mother earth does not like.

[The_Tourist]

people throwing their cigarette butts on the ground is a huge pet peeve of mine.  i don't understand why people who wouldn't throw any other piece of trash on the ground somehow think cigarettes are an exception.

[milly balgeary]

it's horrid. those cigarette tossin' peeps should be stuffed into a giant spider-filled mime. inside the silence of the stifling white balloon-like fabric, wolf spiders will take chunks out of them.



and then bernard will lecture you! i kid!! har har...no i do agree with her! i'm just focking around. where's the exit door?

[milly balgeary]

[Andrew_TSKS]

people throwing their cigarette butts on the ground is a huge pet peeve of mine.  i don't understand why people who wouldn't throw any other piece of trash on the ground somehow think cigarettes are an exception.

Though I've never been a smoker, I had lots of smoker friends when I was in my early 20s, and I made a rule at my first apartment that if you were smoking on the porch and tossed the cigarette into the yard instead of putting it out in the ashtray and I saw you do it, you had to go pick up every cigarette butt you could find in the yard. People would violate the rule at least once a week, without fail. And they always found at least a dozen other butts in the yard. So yeah, I have first hand experience with just how many people act that way about cigarette butts. It's weird.

[jebreject]

It's 'cause flicking your cigarette butt is so much fun

[Nick Ink]

It's 'cause flicking your cigarette butt is so much fun

qft - a direct hit into the drain can set you up for the whole day.

[diesel_powered]

So, 6 months is up this week. Ironically, it's been a period of non-stop health problems. Pituitary-related stuff, hip stuff, and lately (no doubt smoking related) dental stuff, just an exhausting pile-up of appointments, referrals, time off work, medications, injections, stress and discomfort really. But still, I'm hoping the non-smoking will see me right in the longer term. How's everyone else getting on?

That's definitely normal, in my experience. I was sick for about a month after I quit with big time lung irritation and hacking up a rainbow of fluids. Most people I know just talk about how amazing their lives are after quitting, but nobody talks about the time it takes for your body to recover after you quit.

[YojimboMonkey]

Day 1 and I've already managed to be a prick to my wife this morning.  *pats self on back* 




ugh

[donblood]

If my experience is any indication, you will be doing a lot of apologizing over the next few weeks.  Make sure everyone knows you're being an asshole for a reason.

[elpollodiablo]

I've definitely been experiencing some pretty wild mood swings over the past two months. I'm hoping things will cool down eventually once my mind grapes get used to it.

You'll be fine, Jim! You doin the gum or the patch or anything?

[YojimboMonkey]

I didn't want to tell anyone 'cause I wanted to not create an expectation in case I failed


I am going cold turkey

[elpollodiablo]

Well if it comes down to the wire, I think you should pick up some gum. You should pick up some regular gum anyway, just for the manic energy, but if you feel like you're gonna fall off, def. get some Nicorette. At least try it.

I also didn't say anything about quitting for a little while, cuz I didn't want to set myself up for a fall. I'm definitely past the initial elation/pride in having quit, and am now trying to adjust to the doldrums of daily existence.