Boo

A really nice song. Got a bit emotional thinking about my "little ray of sunshine."

Welcome aboard the Quit Train Betty. Congratulations on reclaiming your freedom. When you take smoking off the table and refuse to cater to addiction's every whim, the voice of addiction quickly fades from a roar to a whimper.

I'm feelin' easy on a Sunday morning...take it away fellas.

I'm here. In fact, this month marks four years that I've been here. That's enough time to get a college degree or serve one-term as President of the United States. I've certainly gotten an education being here and I think my approval ratings are better than any American politician. Vote for Boo 2020!

Listening to Cash, my black lab, bark. When we got home this afternoon, spotted three wild turkeys in the backyard (two hens and a jake). This set Cash off in a frenzy of running in circles and barking. The sun has set and the turkeys left, but Cash is still out back barking. He's a good dog but he won't listen to reason.

Welcome aboard Britt. Hold on to that line of thinking. Hold on tightly if needed. There is only one incontrovertible rule in this process: DON'T SMOKE! If you adhere to the rule, you're good to go. My personality didn't change much after I quit. My lifestyle changed dramatically. The process of quitting led to me facing some uncomfortable truths and shedding some comfortable delusions in my life. This in turn provided the swift kick in the ass I needed to get myself out of the rut I had settled into. Quitting smoking impacted every facet of my life and I am forever grateful to the process. Strength begets strength. Confidence begets confidence.

If you're stuck in a hole, the first thing you do is stop digging. If your addiction to cigarettes is diminishing the quality of your life, stop smoking cigarettes. The slavery of nicotine addiction is self-imposed. You can walk away from it with a commitment to never smoke again. The choice is yours. Always has been, always will be.

I will keep it brief... If you are looking to lose weight, nutrition must be your primary focus. Exercise is a part of the equation, but there is no way to exercise enough to overcome a bad nutrition plan with the goal of losing weight. Track the food you eat. It is boring and tedious. It is also necessary. Everyone thinks they know roughly how many calories they consume on an average day. Most people underestimate how many calories they actually consume. Incorporate strength training into your exercise routine. Strength training is far more effective at positively affecting body composition than hours of mindlessly trudging away on a treadmill. Exercise is not just something you do at the gym for a few hours per week. Find ways to be more active throughout the day. We're not going for intensity here. We're simply going for consistency of movement. Don't obsess about numbers on a scale. Focus on making lifestyle changes instead.

Behold the wonders of technology.

Congratulations Sammy. Celebrate and enjoy, you earned it.

Congratulations on the new position Saz. If called upon to be Barney Fife to your Andy Taylor...I will answer the call.

If I can ever figure out how to post personal photos directly from my PC to this site or via e-mail, I will. I tried to upload some photos after the wedding. The computer said I needed to change the photos to a "jpeg" format, so I did. Then the computer told me it didn't recognize the files. I was told I could load my photos to a third-party site that would manage the pictures for me, but I don't really trust any of these tech companies.

Congratulations Jordan. High Five!

Congratulations on keeping your quit Beachmom. You faced down the urge to smoke and stayed true to the commitment you made to yourself. Those are the moments where rock-solid quits are built. Good job.

Finished the changing table for the nursery this afternoon. The build itself was relatively easy, but it took a while to get the finish to match up to that of the crib and bookshelf. Right now, we have hardwood floors in the nursery. I've gone back-and-forth between putting down carpet in the room or just refinishing the hardwood and putting down area rugs. I'm leaning towards the rug route. It will give us more options to change things up as she gets older. And, you can always take a rug out and clean it or replace it if need be. This is not a statement on Miss Maddie personally, but babies do have a reputation for being messy. Before I do anything to the floor, we're going to paint the walls. This is the part of the makeover where Sugar Britches takes charge. She has a far better eye for colors and decor than I do.

Congratulations on seven months of freedom HKB.

Taking the cigarette out of the equation does not render anything enjoyable less enjoyable. There is no truth in the idea of smoking adding to our quality of life. It is a lie we agreed to accept to justify our addiction. Everybody here believes you can quit. We know for a fact that anybody can quit. Leave the past in the past. Great success stories are often built on a foundation of earlier failures. But do you want to go back to being a smoker? You decided to break that cycle for a reason. Think about why you smoked, why you knew you needed to quit, and be 100% honest with yourself. Making long-term decisions based on short-term feelings rarely ends well.

What's long, hard, and full of seamen? A submarine...you pervert!

Sitting around feeling bloated. Started the day off with healthy activities: climbing and hiking. Ended the day with less than healthy activities. We stopped at a little greasy spoon type joint where I proceeded to eat a cheeseburger the size of my head and a double serving of potato salad. Gluttony always seems like a good bit of fun until the gas and heartburn kick in.

You're among friends here. We all took the same ride you're on now. What sounds crazy to some is just a trip down memory lane for us.

Don't forget the senior discounts. My dad milks those for all they're worth. He flashes his AARP card around like it's some kind of badge.

Pissing on command is tough. Any time I have to take a physical, I drink a bunch of water beforehand. Go in on a full tank. "Yes sir, just fill out these forms and the doctor will be with you soon." "Can I go ahead and get one of those cups? I'm ready to go!"