Sazerac

You're welcome, Boater. I try to send things out that might be useful. Your red flags certainly caught my attention, and I may have misread but, I trust, you will take what you need and leave the rest. As a smoker, I thought a lot about smoking (like every twenty minutes or so for forty+ years). Then, thinking about NOT smoking when I quit, took up far too much of my time. I had to consciously, fiercely re-program my brain, that was the most intense part of quitting for me. I have been gratefully quit for five years in October and I can't remember being seriously tempted to smoke for many years. Still, I remain vigilant because the mental slavery of addiction is insidiously horrible, not to mention the rest... Your 12 days of quitting are important, congratulations. Are you afloat yet ?

Hey, Jules ! I hope you are having big fun celebrating your 5 months of freedom. Congratulations.

Congratulations KT, I hope you celebrate your fine achievement, it really is a great accomplishment.

The first days and quits in general, can be wildly different for everybody and wildly different hour to hour, day to day...etc. Gather strength from good days and more strength by powering through difficult days. Understand that unexpected craves may surprise you for a nanosecond but, never win you over. You are a non smoker. Congratulations. Reward yourself !!!

Welcome N, in sunny beautiful London ! You are making such positive adjustments in your life, congratulations ! Quitting smoking will add fuel to your inner power, your confidence. Please don't feel like you are cheating using a NRT, THERE IS NO WRONG WAY TO QUIT SMOKING. Breathe deep and enjoy your new adventure !

Darlin' Jo, Thank you so much for herding all us crazy Cats and Kitties, making it look like nothing untoward happened. You've done a splendid job, and with slappy cheeks, too ! I remain chagrined over the 'kidnappers' (ahem) low-balling the ransom, surely pig is priceless ? Possibly, I am befuddled over the true story line, as you know, I am easily lost in the vapors. Ta from The QTardis (our existential alternative to the Lido), S

One day done, your first of many days, nicotine free ! Congratulations and thank you for writing about your experience, you never know who you will touch and help along their own journey.

Keeping you in my thoughts, there will be some wild celebrating upon your return.

Congratulations, Grund ! I am so glad you and your cohorts made the migration and kept your quits .

Hey, remember to reward yourself. Make a specific point of rewarding yourself, it helps to kick start your brain receptors functioning for you and your pleasure instead of serving nicotine and the addicts relief.

I am really glad you are able to sleep. Sleep makes everything better. Extra bonus your tinnitus is gone, you must be having some joy to be rid of that. Smokey thoughts may come and go but, thoughts are not demands and I'm glad you are not being shadowed by thoughts. Freedom is so great. To be free of smoking /not smoking thoughts is one of the major things I appreciate about being clean. Congratulations on your choice and your eleventh/twelfth day.

How are you feeling today, you're eleventh day ?

Your addict will think of a zillion reasons why you shouldn't quit today, they are all bullshit. The only reason not to quit today is because you don't want to quit today. Once you make the decision to never take another puff , you will be able to harvest strength from yourself. The power to quit is yours. Romancing 'that last one for old times sake' is ridiculous.... 'let me have one more chance to commit a slow and painful suicide' is more accurate. You have a great support system here, use it to your advantage. and educate yourself more even if you think you 'know'. Go get some supplies, oranges or satsumas, good juice, and special treats, stick close to the board and rant your lil heart out, play some games to pass some craves. You are beginning another great adventure.

Gently emerging from a night of continuing dreams, a fun group of formerly alive people and beautiful neglected antiques. Hi Fluffy One.

You have a fine and sturdy quit going, jo, and a support group that adores you (count me in). Rail, flail, rant and rave on. I am relieved to hear you are 'back to confident', where we all can be.

While women are not as gifted as Hyenas, the benefits of quitting smoking are abundant.

Dragonfly, Are you with us ? Don't beat yourself up over failed quits, this is a new day. A day that you can honor yourself by quitting. Let us know how you are.

Boater, Boater, Boater, You send up so many red flags that expose an ignorance of addiction or, a denial of your own addiction. Learning and absorbing the facts of addiction really cements a quit and I hope you will take the time to educate yourself. We are on your side. S

Congratulations justanotherme ! 10 months into a really solid quit, reward yourself and truly celebrate.

Congratulations, PeaceTrain ! Eleven months is a solid amount of freedom on your side. Thank you for all your contributions.

Spoken like a true addict. Of course, it controls your life ! You can't be around smokers, you can't drink around smokers. You adjust your life around it as every addict does. Once you honestly look at your addiction, I am sure you will find lots of other examples. Study up, Boater, knowledge is your ally. Addiction manifests itself in very individual ways to each individual. You are not more addicted or less addicted than anyone. You are an addict. We are addicts.

Three months is a milestone. You may be getting to know yourself better and able to trust yourself better. You made a great decision and are living it. Congratulations.

You can make the decision to never smoke again that is rock solid in your world. Other people smoking is not about you, it has nothing to do with you. The only thing that matters is your choice to never take another puff and deal successfully with your addiction. Learn more about addiction, the fantasy and the romance, you will learn, is ridiculous. It makes me happy that you are on your way because freedom is friggin delicious, man.

Lots of artists dead that I miss, not many more than Marvin Gaye. I think I miss him the most deeply, especially now. His voice, his import is eternal. for me

thinking here...(oh, there you go thinking again) possibly metaphysical...what was pig ? a figment of group imagination ? Ask me later, in an appropriate time zone, all I know is, pig 'aint here now and the ransom notes are bogus, Tits are not reliable, they'll talk to anyone. S