Boo

Congratulations on five-months of freedom Sunshine.

Confession: I have an old, outdated, cellphone. I'm not bothered by the fact that the phone is outdated. It performs the few basic functions I need in a phone just fine. The only reason I mention it is that some chucklenut I don't even know saw me using my phone earlier and wouldn't shut up about how I need to upgrade. Confession: I have a hypothetical list of people who will be exiled to asshole island on the off-chance I ever become king. That phone guy from earlier is definitely going on the boat.

Chuck Yeager is celebrating his 97th birthday today. Living legend. American icon. And quite possibly the coolest dude to ever live. Happy Birthday Chuck.

Hopefully, she makes like a boomerang and comes back soon. I've expanded my repertoire to include international dad jokes.

Good call. I paced a lot during the early days of my quit. A good walk-around is like hitting the reset button when you get all wound up. Congratulations on keeping your quit Tony.

Est-ce que tu parles Francais?

Congratulations on three-years of freedom Rozuki.

Good job Old Man.

I never liked that fence anyway. Ripped my pants climbing over it one night when I was sneaking in. Perhaps I've said too much. Seriously though, happy to hear that you're safe.

Take care Saz. As they like to say down your way, laissez le bon temps rouler!

Monday, temperatures reached the mid-seventies here. Then it rained for three days straight. And it snowed this morning. With a pregnant wife at home, it's a rarity when she doesn't describe the temperature in the house as either "too hot" or "too cold." This weather is not helping my cause. Do they make a thermostat that flips back and forth from meat locker to sauna?

This post piqued my curiosity. Checked out the website for the company that produces the little poison sticks. They call themselves, get this...Smart Toothpicks. Here is a line from the "about us" section of their site: Customers report that our products not only improve lives, but allow new freedoms as well. Our products are specifically developed to perform as a catalyst to promote a healthier way of life...in a flavorful way! Careful boys, you're redlining...

The consequences of smoking are always off in the distant future...until they're not. The lies we told ourselves and the mental gymnastics performed denying the consequences of smoking become null and void when the cold, hard truth comes calling.

I've breathed in both fresh mountain air and the noxious smoke of the cigarette. The mountain air is way better. Safe travels and good luck on your exams.

Experimenting with playing feel-good holiday music in the background while preparing my taxes. Thought it might lead to some carryover good vibes from the halcyon days of December; offset the inherent irritability that comes with tax work. So far...I can't say that it's working.

Good job Catlover. Congratulations on two years of freedom.

There were moments early in my quit when I wasn't sure whether I should fart or go blind. There was one morning when I was getting ready for work and forgot to put my pants on. I spent my first smoke-free Friday night pacing around the house cussing under my breath and doing push-ups to exhaustion. Those first couple of weeks were a helluva ride. These are distant memories now and I have no regrets. The way you learn to live without smoking is a matter of time and repetition. There is no quick fix. You honor the commitment you have made to yourself, take smoking off the table, and repeat the process daily. In time you will adjust. Buckle up, knuckle down, and drive on.

Congratulations Rec. You built a rock-solid quit for yourself and helped so many others along the way...Top shelf. Hope to see you back soon. You will always have a reserved seat on this Train.

Bingo! The moment I decided to quit fighting my addiction was the same moment I no longer had any need to fight. Funny how life works out.

Welcome aboard SamDy. You made the right call when you decided to give up the smokes. You can. It's a simple process: don't put things in your mouth and light them on fire. One step and you're good to go. Commit to the process and you will be rewarded many times over.