Boo

Why do you want to quit smoking? Really think about your answer. For some, it was health reasons. For others, it was social pressures. For me, it was the loss of independence. Smoking controlled my life and was beginning to limit the places I would go. If I couldn't smoke there, I didn't want to go there. Every single successful quitter had a clear reason for quitting. Once you are clear about why, you'll figure out how.

Happy Birthday Jackson! Three months-old today. The little man is a real charmer. His smile lights up the room. If you make eye contact and talk to Jackson you will be met with a big smile and an attempt at conversation. He's a friendly little fella and cute as can be. Jackson has taught me a valuable lesson in his three months here. I worried about splitting time between two children when Maddie was the only child for almost two years. No worries. What the two of them have taught me is: I have an infinite reserve of love for Jackson and Maddie. It's not a matter of dividing the love, there is simply more love to go around. Enjoy your big day little man.

What's done is done Linda. You can't unsmoke a cigarette. What you can do is make a decision right now to not smoke anymore. The most memorable lessons are often the ones that hurt a bit. Hard lessons can set us straight and be a constant reminder of what not to do. Those same hard lessons can be an albatross around our neck if we allow it to be. Mistakes were made. Lessons were learned. Time to get back on track and move forward.

Smoking is only a life-sentence if you allow it to be. I resigned myself to a lifetime of smoking on many occasions. Even rationalized it with the old "I'd rather die young and happy than old and miserable" line of thinking. The addiction was in complete control right up until the moment I decided to take back control of my life. It was a challenge at times, but I've never once regretted quitting. The Quitter's Paradox: I don't want to be a smoker but I sure would like a cigarette. Every single quitter has had to deal with these contradictory thoughts. To successfully quit, you have to get comfortable with being uncomfortable. It won't last forever. Quitting gets easier with time and eventually becomes an afterthought. There is no way around the early challenges; you simply get through them. There are no superheroes here. None of us posses otherworldly powers. If any of us put on a cape and jump off the roof, we will simply fall to earth and probably require medical attention. What differentiates us is that one day we all decided that we wanted to quit more than we wanted to smoke...That's it! Everybody here knows you can quit, we have no doubt. I sincerely hope you join us in believing in your ability to quit.

Strippers in particular. Many a young lady shook their biscuits to "Pour Some Sugar On Me" back in the day. It's not important how I know this! Here's another strip club song. And the band is from Australia, so it's kind of in keeping with Jo's theme of Aussie artists...

Cupid has had just about enough of this guy's shit...

Welcome aboard the Quit Train 11better11. Good call on giving up the smokes. You're amongst friends here. Grab a seat and stay awhile.

Good job Amy. Congratulations.

Time to fire up the grilling memes... Here's one for Doreen. I know she's a big Queen fan...

Little Debbie used to be right in my backyard. Before I moved, I lived in Collegedale, TN. Lived close to one of the McKee Foods plants that makes Little Debbie products. When the wind blew just right, the air smelled of baked goods and chocolate. Nice!

Mister Jackson went in for a check-up this morning. The boy is fit as a fiddle. He measures just a touch over 25 inches and weighs in at 14 pounds 10 ounces...little, big boy. The doctor was impressed by how well he holds his head up and moves to follow sounds. Jackson always tries to track Maddie's voice when she's talking, so the little dude gets plenty of practice. Saturday night, Sugar Britches was feeding Jackson. I touched his face and spoke to him. He took his little arm and pushed me away. Can't say I blame him...never interrupt a man when he has a boob in his mouth. He was right, I was clearly in the wrong.

List too long. No one would read. I'm not offended by much of anything anymore, but I'm irritated by damn near everything.

We had Nutty Buddy ice cream cones. Little Debbie also made a Nutty Buddy chocolate-wafer treat. It was all just so confusing...

Good work Denali. Congratulations.

But I'm all better now!

Top-shelf quit. First Class lady. Congratulations Nancy. If I remember correctly, I dedicated a little sing-along of "Rocky Top" to you last year. I'll go with another one of our official state songs this year. Sending this one out to Nancy...

Push-Ups done to exhaustion got me through the heaviest bouts in the early days of my quit. Any kind of physical activity is good for alleviating stress and resetting the mind and body. It may be intense exercise or something as simple as a quick walk-around. Other times, I would simply put on headphones and listen to music I like. You can never have too many tools in your toolbox.

I've caught a lot of fish over the years. Trout, Bass, Stripers, etc., etc.. Caught a big tarpon on a fly rod down in Florida one time. However, my new favorite fishing memory involves Miss Maddie catching a small bluegill in a farm pond. Having kids changes a man.

Reflecting on my time on the Quit Train. I was notified when I signed in that my new rank is "Veteran." I think back on the numbers game battles. We took a few losses along the way, but the victories were sweet. Hanging out in Sonic's Man Cave polishing our trophies while attractive young women poured drink after drink...the spoils of victory! There was the battle for "Babe of the Day." The chicks no longer content to keep the battle within the confines of the numbers game made an incursion into our most sacred thread. Started posting beefcake pics in grounds reserved for Babes...It was a day that will live in infamy. I was here when the SPAM army launched a blitzkrieg on our little corner of the internet. No threads were safe from "Free MILF porn" and boner pill ads. The moderators took the lead in that battle, but we all remember where we were when the shelling started. In a minor skirmish, a vaping advocate called me an "asshole." I vanquished that silly person and farted in her general direction. I'm not one to call myself a hero, but I would understand if you wanted to call me one.

Still hanging around.

Miss Maddie is quite the little angler. Caught her first fish over the weekend. A bluegill on one of the ponds at mom and dad's farm. She had a bit of assistance from da-da and paw-paw. However, she did choose the bait used: a chartreuse plastic grub with sparkles. Let a two year-old girl pick a bait and you better hope that the brightest and most sparkly bait in the tackle box works. Fortunately, it rained early in the day so the water conditions were just right for Maddie's bright baits. The little gal kept a close eye on the bobber and when she got a bite, she informed us that she had a "FISH!" My dad helped set the hook, but Maddie did all of the reeling. She was quite proud of herself. Maddie also took in her first fireworks show. In spite of the show running well past her bedtime, she stayed alert and clapped at every big firework that went off. Jackson, on the other hand, slept right through the show...that boy could sleep through a tornado. We also got in some pool time and went to the lake. Maddie got to ride around on a WaveRunner, she really enjoys that. It was a busy but fun weekend for the Boo Crew.

Condolences to you and your family Angeleek. May your brother live on in spirit through you and all the others that loved him.