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Thanks Doreen, Actually today is our 43rd Anniversary. Below is the Hunka, Hunka burning love I married. He was pretty hip in those days. Look at that long hair, hairy chest and definitely those platforms on the day we married. We both may be weathered with a few more wrinkles and pounds but he is still my hunk of burning love

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Gday NOPE starts my day C

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Congratulations @Linda Thomas for being smoke free for 9 months. Well done Linda. How quickly have those months gone? Thank you so much for all your contributions to the boards and the wonderful support you give to everyone. Your quit is one of my favourites to share and you are an inspiration to others. So do something special to treat yourself, and not just a coffee by the lake, you are officially two thirds of the way through your first year quit!

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Hi! I've been gone for a month or so. Living life. Loathing life. Loving life. All that jazz. During these months of living life and all that jazz, I lost my job - or rather - it lost me? Reduction in force. Workforce reduction. Position no longer needed. Blah blah yadda yadda. I have several months of severance and no job. In a haze, I ventured out to the pharmacy to get some headache remedy and some other sundries. The check out cashier was pleasant and engaging. We talked about the weather. Not the government (note the R.E.M. reference). I swiped my card. It was accepted. I still have funds. Yay! I looked past my new friend. I noticed all the packs of cigarettes. I saw my enemy; the yellow ones. Then, I felt the reality sink in. After hearing the news my job no longer existed...I did not think about smoking. I did not think about smoking. I did not think about NOT smoking. I did not think about anything having to do with smoking until I saw the packs. Then, I thought...good thing I don't smoke anymore, that crap is crazy expensive. And it is one less thing to worry about. Then, I thought...holy shit! I just lost my job and the thought of smoking never crossed my mind until I saw packs of cigs. Then, I thought...holy shit! I was not even tempted to buy any! No internal struggle, nothing, other than relief to not have to worry about it. Then, I thought...my Lust4Life took a hit but is still shining. So is yours.

Congratulations @abbynormal for being 4 months smoke free. Well done Abby, that's 1/3 done of the first year. We are all so lucky to have you here sharing your journey. Make sure you do something (not a 3 mile run..lol) to celebrate.

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NOPE for May 1st!!

Getting the bags packed... tying up some loose ends ... (trying to get the wife healthy), and plotting a course for the East Coast.. leaving Friday afternoon...

Congrats, Linda! Nine months already? Good for you...you will be dancing on the Lido deck in the blink of an eye! Celebrate and KTQ!

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Ok... I have a big failed quit in my past...and I'm talking more than half a decade... so listen up kidlets...1 smoke was all it took..just 1... And then for well over a decade I smoked like a chimney... Sure at the time, in the back of my head, I thought I'd have a couple here and there and quit again easy peasy, I mean I'd already done the quit think for nearly 7 years...NOPE...just as hard, if not harder this time around, and that's on me, because in the back of my mind all the time is the thought that I'm Gunna blow it again and my quit is just on borrowed time. Don't give yourself that whispering voice of self doubt. Don't get me wrong, this quit is it, not smoking ever again but just remember, however easy your quit feels you need to protect it because one smoke really can switch all those nicotine receptors back on in one moment. Just because you have a failed quit doesn't mean you can't have a successful one. QUIT in Aus tells us that the average is 6 serious quit attempts before you have your forever quit. That is the average, some only need the 1 attempt, some need 20.....whatever your number is you do have one so never give up giving up. In the same vein don't belittle a failure by calling it a slip, just as you own your successes you need to account for your failures. You smoked, you reset your quit... There are only three questions to answer when you fail: 1. When will I quit again? 2. What were the triggers? 3. What did I learn?

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NOPE - I don't smoke anymore.

Woohoo and well done on being able to quit the NRT gum too....it got you to that 4 month mark but now you are ready to do this all on your own. Be proud!

Congratulations @Jeff for being 4 months smoke free. Well done on making it a third of the way to you first year of freedom. Welcome also. Make sure you do something special as a celebration and reward for yourself.

It's not just a case of ..!!!!Oh well I'll try again.!!!!..... I've seen people with good quits ,smoke one or two ...and just carnt get back to quitting for good ,and go back to smoking full blown . It can take years before ,they get in the right frame of mind to try again ...and still fail..... The only reason a quit fails is because ,folks still believes the cigarette offers you something...you still believes the lies...... This means you still haven't read and understood the nature of this killer addiction ... If you carry on smoking ,your more than likely will contract a smoking related illness....some are irreversible...... If your here ...you have a quit .....all you need to do now ,is keep hold of it with everything you have .... I live with someone who ,if they could would turn back the clock ,and do exactly this ...emphysema is something you don't want ....

Sorry about the job loss, L4L...At least you have several months severance...will allow for some breathing space while you start the hunt! One door closes....another one opens...and may it lead to an even better job for you!

@jillar you know it! Job loss has some perks...this is the first time I've perused QT on an actual computer vs phone/tablet. What a difference! So fancy!

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Thanks for the support. I am at the start again but now know more and where I went wrong before. I thought I could run before I could walk!. Slow and easy. It's a marathon not a Sprint. I'm looking forward to the benefits I felt giving up before. This time I've read more including Allen carr and on this forum and I'm excited!! In 2 weeks I've got a weeks holiday and I'm going camping to remote Dartmoor walking which will.be a pleasure without the worry of having.enough smokes.

Thank you all! I plan to spend much of the day resting to recover from yesterday's heart procedure, but tomorrow I'm celebrating by seeing Avengers: Endgame!

If JB wants to think of this as a slip or a little relapse that’s her prerogative. On the flip side, people here are entitled to express their belief that you can never have just one. Those holding that opinion are not personally attacking you - they just feel strongly about how best to defeat this deadly addiction. Best wishes moving forward JB.

Love the pics Linda, what a good looking couple you two are Happy 43rd anniversary!

Thanks everyone .Another quit journey begins !!!!

I won't be far behind you Joe ....a much needed break ....hope your good lady will be much better ...

Yaaaa ..well done Linda ....9 months ...3/4 of the way there ... This deserves a treat ....

As addicts we are all 1 puff away from a pack a day! Once you have put in the hard work to establish your quit it becomes an easy matter of daily maintenance. Complacency and your addiction whispering however softly in your ear are our enemies. Forever vigilant folks.

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G’day NOPE to start the day

According to this , An average smoker inhales 1 to 2 milligrams of of nicotine per cigarette A nicotine gum is a 4mg gum . So that mean's eating a nicotine gum is equivalent to 2 cigarettes ? I don't want to ingest 2 cigarette worth of nicotine gums every time i have an uncomfortable craving , even though i have been using it only once a week . I didn't know that eating 1 gum was equivalent to 2 cigarettes . So i am planning to throw away all the gums i have right now .

It's a defining moment when you realise you didn't go to the old and outdated "I'm stressed I need to smoke like a chimney" method of 'coping' with stress. I hope you find a great job soon!

I am getting ready for my trip, too...off to the airport now to purchase my resident 2 year parking permit...as my current one expired yesterday!

Wow Linda, nine months quit is huge! Super happy for you, congratulations!

Road trip...don't forget to pack ya Esky!

Hey @Steveo1 how's everything going?

Nope ...not now , not ever !!!!

Wine and stealing the kids easter egg chocolate! Living my best life