Sazerac

Second week is here and DANDY !

Progress steady on all counts.

If only my leg/hoof had more stamina

(broke both 13 weeks ago)

But, NO whine here. 

Grateful to be smoke free with wet brushes

and y'all for support and accountability. 

Love,

S

Wow.  Great news, Chrysalis.  

Very good the Two Sisters kept their distance and kept Mother FIRST.

You must be exhausted.  Make sure you eat something decent and try to get a good nights sleep.

Hooray for your Mom...she sounds like she is a powerhouse.

Keep your NOPE on, baby.

Love,

S

You are so great Natalie. You GO girl.

Your fear was just like a lot of our own fears when we quit.

Now, you are a powerhouse.  

I am so glad you found the Train and trusted in yourself.

It was a wonderful transformation to witness.

Love,

S

Excellent news.

Yesterday was OK, no wasted paint but, no big progress

EXCEPT just the 'doing' was easier.

Y'all are so right....just slog through the week.

Will do. Today more paint less computer.

Thank you, Beautiful Creatures. 

Love you so much, 

S

Well, it won't be hard associating smoking with Evil

with your Evil Sister puffing about. 

Burning candles for Mother.  

Keep us posted and NOPE it hard.

I commiserate.  Sweet dreams, Sandar.

It gets even better and your house gets cleaner just like your lungs !

Happy NOPE day to you too, Sammie. It is a pleasure to watch your quit.

You know Marti, when I go for a wallow (as we all do sometimes),

I make mine a doozy...

Lots of mud and blood and plenty of pig calling,  SOOOOO  WEEEEEE !  HOY HOY HOY !

All my worst case scenarios are thrown in the swill.

Fears Doubts all the yuck in the muck.

Rolling around in it, for days, weeks...I don't care...until in the midst of good wallow hollering, 

I start laughing.  A little snicker at first and soon  the hysteria of full on belly laughs

and It feels so good all of a sudden, all clean again. Nice cool mud.

Love ya baby,

S 

For a while, I really missed stepping outside for some deep breaths, albeit nicotine-y breaths.

Stepping outside for a break,

or a look/see,  

for what to do next,

for a Think.  

Then,  I said, 'go outside, you big goof'.  

Go outside and take some good clean breaths...AND have a think.

It is taking me a while to separate a break from a 'smoking break'.

but, the ceremony of a break remains.

It is an important time, stepping away and now it is smoke free.

Smoking was also handy when I needed to get away from a group of people, a party or ?.

A small private time to gather my wits and often rewarded with a beautiful sky.

Now, I  won't smoke but, I will still excuse myself for those moments.

This is in no way romanticizing the smoke.  Smoking has nothing to do with it anymore.

Now, about creative pursuits.

Chrysalis said,

" For anyone involved in a creative pursuit where you have to

reach down inside yourself and express your emotions for the world to see..."

I don't think I do much of the  'reach down inside' part.

It is simpler for me.  

I just want to be a 'painterly' painter, proficient in the craft

and I also want to look at pretty things.

I don't dig deep emotionally to paint.

At least I don't think so.

Ideally, I get in a sort of Zen space with not much thought or feeling at all.

Now, real life is a factor, of course, and if I am full of emotions they are bound to leak out

but, it is never a conscious thing.

I was avoiding painting because I was afraid I couldn't get in that zone without smokes.

Fear is paralyzing as usual, no surprise there.

Chrysalis said,

"You probably will have to push your way through it, force yourself to work when you are not feeling "comfortable" or "normal".

Eventually you will get used to your new normal and you will be able to work easily again"

And Paul said

"You are free, maybe you will see what your new better normal is on canvas"

That, right there is the ticket. Yep yep yep.

Forge ahead....

Oh ! Easy For Leonardo !!!

Thank you so much for helping me through this.

I love smart kind people.

Thank you.

S 

Hope today went well.

Breathe deep.

S

Trust yourself, you beautiful Smoke Free Woman.

First we will make the Roux and then we make the most delicious Gumbo to feed our Free Souls.

All in the QTrain Caboose.

Power to You, Girleen !

Love,

S

Wet brushes and faced old smoking habits with big deep and clean breaths,

your inspiration was central.

Paul, I'm learning my new groove today.

Action, a powerhouse watching my back and sending strength,

and our spiritual adviser, Marti.

I lit incense at my pretty Buddha for my talisman today.

Thank y'all.

Maybe something to show in a few days.

Painting a Sunflower that I grew (Just like Paul !)

and a summer storm sky.

Laissez Les Bons Temps Rouler.

Another day in the pocket,  Sammie.

I fought triggers today by remembering NOPE, and breathing clean and deep.

NOPE-ly yours,

S

I like I like.  

when I hit the like button this pops up "an error occurred (in orange) there was a problem storing your reputation vote"

my reputation is shot to hell anyway, tee hee hee.

But, back to the good biz at hand....so inspired watching your journey, Sammie.  Very, very cool.

It feels SO good to have you on my side, my new friends and the whole QTrain too.

Look !  My trio of Muses,

Paul, Action and Marti.

Thank you for taking the time to talk to me.

I am not so scared/crazy/alone after listening to your wise words.

Wet brushes, big clean beautiful deep breaths here and a lotta love for y'all.

Updates to follow.

. 

Still good Sammie ?  Have sweet dreams tonight, you are a powerful MF'er.

It will be great not having to 'jones' All The Time and stress looking for smoking places near Hospital. 

Great to be there for your stalwart Mother.  Burning the Good candles and prayers to St Roch, I think

There is NOTHING boring going on here, Sammie,

everybody is so happy about you quitting smoking !

Post lots.  Today is another day of Freedom, aint nuthin better than that.

Tomorrow is Lucky Three Day for You.

Free Free Free.

Very Groovy.

S

Sending all Good thoughts for you and your Mom, it is going to be tough no doubt.  Don't forget to Breathe..

Take Out Some Insurance On Me Baby, Jimmy Reed

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nkqGgCCWjus

nope, Sharkey.

You are doing Good.