johnny5

NOPE!!

Congratulations Wantsit! 10 months smoke free is great!

Thank God you didn't smoke, Kdad. You know that is off limits by now. That is a good reminder that we are all addicts and that addiction is still capable of showing up out of nowhere. Just remember that smoking is never an option. Congratulations on a great quit. Looking forward to seeing you hit that one year mark.

Not sure if I've posted this before. Johnny Cash and Joe Strummer (The Clash) covering Bob Marley.

Great job, Juan. Do whatever you have to do to not take another puff. NOPE is the way to go.

My parents have a place at the beach on one of the islands slightly north of Wilmington, NC. Their neighbor is a hilarious good ole boy whose antics would probably fit in the "Redneck or Genius" thread. He never leaves for a hurricane, even last year's Hurricane Florence (which was a direct hit on that island and did some damage to my parents' place). The current projected path of this storm takes it just a few miles off the coast of their place. Doesn't matter, that neighbor is currently stocking up on beer and will be riding this one out too.

I had made multiple attempts to quit before and once again failed during the summer of 2014. I was upset over that and I was going to turn 39 that October. It occurred to me that 40 was right around the corner. I had said that I was going to quit when....I graduated college, I turned 25, I turned 30, etc....and here I was still a smoker in my late 30's and I knew I had to quit soon. If I hadn't already done irreversible damage to my body, it wasn't going to be long. (I already had a horrible smokers cough, was always tired, depressed, etc.) Instead of jumping into another quit attempt, I decided to educate myself by looking for resources on the internet. I stumbled across QSMB (another quit site that no longer exists but many of us are from there), joined, and the support and knowledge I got there helped me quit and stay quit for good. I think support and knowledge is what helped a lot of us which is why many long term quitters are still here. So, I quit cold turkey with the help of online support and knowledge (not to mention Allen Carr's book which I would recommend to anyone trying to quit).

I had a number of short quits lasting from a few days to a few weeks. After my first failed quit, I think I had an idea of what to expect early on. I was usually able to make it through the first few days (when it is said that nicotine leaves the body) but I had trouble remaining focused and vigilant long term. After a few weeks and starting to feel a bit better, I fell into the old trap of thinking that one cigarette wouldn't hurt (which is a horrible trap to fall into). I guess what I'm saying is that it was easy for me to quit but it was hard to stay quit. Remaining focused and accepting that smoking was not an option, regardless of what life threw at me, is what kept me quit long term...it just took effort and a change of mindset.

NOPE - I don't smoke anymore.

@reciprocity Did you mean 3555? Your picture is 3536.

I don't think that phase ever ends, unfortunately. They still appear frequently for me, just don't let them threaten your quit.

180 mph sustained wins as of the 11:00 advisory. The strongest hurricane on record in the Bahamas area according to TWC.

Great job, mightyboosh. Smoking is not an option. Keep up the great work.

Congratulations @abbynormal on 8 months smoke free. You are doing great! I hope you do something to celebrate today!

NOPE - I don't smoke anymore.

I agree with both posts completely. I think Kris Bryant is a very talented player but definitely overrated. His first two years were excellent (1st year - rookie of the year, 2nd year - MVP) but has been above average at best since. Being a Scott Boras client, though, he is very vocal about how badly he feels he's been treated and will probably want to be the highest paid player in MLB once he becomes a free agent two years from now. It is annoying. Castellanos does not have the natural talent that Bryant has, in my opinion, but he seems to make the best of it. His overall attitude and passion for the game is very refreshing. I'd love to see the Cubs sign Castellanos to a new contract and see what they can get for Bryant in the offseason.

It is looking more like North Carolina will be impacted, although it is looking more possible Dorian may stay off the coast. https://www.wral.com/much-of-nc-potentially-in-path-of-hurricane-dorian/18603272/ I'm from the Raleigh area so I'm definitely watching this closely.

Congratulations mightyboosh. 1 week isn't a mini milestone, it is a huge milestone. That first week is the toughest. Keep up the great work.

NOPE - never again.

I got the day off from work so I'm watching the Cubs face the Brewers. Jose Quintana has been pitching awesomely as of late, although I'm afraid to say that while he is still in the game. Nick Castellanos has been a terrific late season pickup and has had two more home runs in today's game. I wonder if the Cubs will try to re-sign Castellanos who is a free agent at the end of this season. There are rumors that Kris Bryant may be on the trade block this offseason - the validity of those rumors remains to be seen. Still, the Cubs are a game and a half behind the Cardinals for the division lead. Should be fun to follow down the stretch.

I made quite a few attempts to quit and I can tell you that the quitting and relapsing cycle is pure hell. You know life is better as a non-smoker, Juan. Its time to break out of this cycle and quit and stay quit for good. You will be glad you did.