Chrysalis

It's a "social" thing, eh? I don't think so. If all those people in those photographs had the option of smoking inside alone at their desks or going outside to smoke and be with their smoking friends, which do you think they would choose? Forget the "socializing" aspect, people would rather smoke alone in warmth and comfort if they could.

Flatter

worship

Like Colleen, I tried snowshoes when I was a teenager. I didn't like it because it was a very slow way to get around. I also tried cross country skiing and I liked that a whole lot better. I did a lot of that when we lived up north. They are both great forms of exercise and, once you've got some practice, they can make winter a lot more fun. If you get very deep snow, then snowshoes are better. You can actually walk on top of the snow. Skis will sink in deep snow. But if you get a foot or less or if you go to places where other skiers have packed down the snow, then skis are best.

mass

fin

tails

penguin

tsar

Aine, I understand exactly how you are feeling. The phenomenon of "night eating" is the bane of existence for many, many people. We seem to do OK during the day when we're busy. But in the evening, when we're supposed to be "relaxing" we get this overpowering urge to snack on something even though we know that we are not physically hungry. Smoking helped to ease those urges somewhat but not entirely. And then when I quit smoking-- UGH!! The "night eating" got really bad! What I eventually realized is that I was suffering from both low-level chronic anxiety and boredom. Watching TV is not relaxing for me, it is boring. I had to stop watching TV in the evenings and do something more fun and creative. Going for a walk after dinner is great. Then retire to my sewing room and sew, or do some charcoal sketching, or use my computer to make photo montages. A friend of mine joined the bell choir at her church and another one started scrap booking for her grandchildren. Most nights I would lay on my bed and listen to a relaxation self-hypnosis tape (I like Emmett Miller best, but there are many others). All these things really helped to relieve both my boredom and my anxiety and I stopped compulsive night eating. Try to carve out at least an hour or two every evening to do something fun, vigorous, relaxing and/or creative. If you are really on the verge of relapsing, go to your doctor and get a prescription for antidepressants. You don't have to stay on them forever, but they are better than smoking! I know that you do NOT want to go back to smoking-- you are very clear about that. But you really do need to take some serious, consistent steps to relieve your anxiety and your boredom. That will make a big difference in your life. I promise.

loofah

I worked from home for the last several years so I didn't have to go outside to smoke. However, I do remember how much I hated being half-asleep at bedtime and dragging myself out of my nice warm house because I knew that I would run out of cigarettes in the morning. I always asked myself, "Which would you rather do, go out and get some cigarettes now or wait until you run out of cigarettes in the morning and have to get dressed to go buy some more?" Rock and a hard place.

Wendy, congratulations on pulling yourself back together and getting right back to your quit. I think that you may have pulled the fat out of the fire on this one. (But don't do it again!) Thank you so much for your sharing and your honesty describing your relapse. I have had exactly the same experience. In the past I have quit anywhere from 3 months to 1 year and then relapsed. And while I can't speak about anyone else's experience, for me I ALWAYS felt relief when I started back to smoking. Yes, the first cigarette or two made me feel a little dizzy, but I felt no other bad effects. I just felt good being "able" to smoke again. This time I'm pretty sure my quit is permanent. There are 2 major reasons for this difference. First, I have read a lot here and watched a bunch of Joel Spitzer's videos so I am much better educated about the nature of a nicotine addiction and how to overcome it. That knowledge is priceless. Second (and this may be very relevant to your story) is that this time I formed very specific and detailed pictures of how my life will be better when I don't smoke. I didn't tell myself a wishy-washy "I don't want to smoke because it is bad for my health." Instead I told myself, "I don't want to smoke because I don't want to be in a wheel chair and on oxygen by the time I'm 60." and then I would picture myself in a wheelchair and on an oxygen tank. Instead of telling myself a generic, "I don't want to smoke because I want to have more energy." I told myself, "I want to be fit enough to go mountain biking along country roads next autumn." So when I got to the point of choosing (like you say you did) instead of asking myself, "Do I want to quit more than I want to smoke?" I would say to myself, "Which do I want more-- to have a cigarette now or to be able to go mountain biking next autumn?" Or I would say, "If I go back to smoking I will probably end up in a wheel chair and on oxygen within a few years. Do I want that or can I hold off on a cigarette for just 10 more minutes?" I found that having clear, detailed mental pictures of how my life will be better (or worse) with smoking vs not smoking really helped me stay on track. That plus telling myself that I only had to keep the quit for 10 more minutes (and then 10 more and then 10 more). So I suggest that you take the time now to think of 3 really BIG reasons why you want to quit smoking. Develop those thoughts until they are very clear in your mind (what color will your wheelchair be? Mine was green.) Then write them down. Make several copies and put them in various places. And the next time you wake up just wanting a cigarette, force yourself to find and read that list and CLEARLY picture how your life will be better if you do NOT succumb to temptation and how it will be worse if you DO succumb. Good luck to you!

Hi, Beth- I know how scarey it is to "volunteer" for surgery, especially on the eyes. But I know so many people who say that the surgery and recovery are not difficult and their quality of life after is so much better. Try to be calm and optimistic. By the way, because of your post I just made an appointment for my annual retina checkup. Thanks for the reminder!

Floridians

cockle shells

feathers

sequins

Sparkly

Great story, Julie. I think you were smart to donate that coat to charity. And hey, some of that $3,252 you saved on cigarettes should absolutely go for a new Canada Goose coat. Clean, warm and patriotic all at once! :)

floss

Turn signals are one of my pet peeves in and around Atlanta. It seems as though the natives are taught from a young age to: 1. approach your turn location 2. slow down 3. slow down more and more and more 4. come ALMOST to a complete stop 5. turn 6. signal so that the car behind you knows that you made the turn. It is absolutely common around here and as a born and bred Yankee, it drives me CRAZY!!! :blink: :angry: :wacko:

Joe, I am sorry for your disappointment buy, hey, that little place in Florida looks like a slice of paradise to me. I wouldn't exactly cal that a hardship posting! Great photos, too. Good for you for making lemonade out of a lemon. (And good for you for telling them to shove it with their "rescheduling" option!) Which cruise line was that, by the way? I am sorry that you had to come home to such sad news about your uncle. With your family history, I'm doubly glad that you quit smoking!

toothpicks (SO not pc!! :P )

Blood tests every week while you get the dosage titrated is not going to be fun for either you or Bobbie! :( But hopefully, things will stabilize soon and everybody will adjust easily. You're a good cat daddy!