JB 883

Does that mean like if you spent the night camping outdoors and the camp fire is still going, ready to heat up breakfast?

I know the first thing everyone thought of was masturbation. But no, that is not it. And in light of this board, everyone's second thought was smoking. Well yeah but that isn't the one I am talking about here. Living on one's cell phone? Mostly the millenials. Anything to keep them out of our hair. So anyways, this hoooooorrrrible addiction out there is - Pepsi. Yes. It IS an addiction. through some independent scientific research, I figured it out. My first experiment was going to involve giving my dog pepsi to drink but it seems animals are not so interested in acidic fluids. So, I had to try it for myself. I used to go through three to six cans of pepsi each day. Well, about the time I got sick the week of Thanksgiving, everything started tasting different, many things were gross, including sodas. So, much like how I gave up smoking (when I was sick the first week of october) I figured this would be a golden opportunity to stop drinking sodas. BUT, sure as shit stinks, about the time the third week hit, I was craving my Pepsi like hell. So I bought some, figuring an 8 pack of 12 oz bottles should last at least a week. It lasted three days. But that is OK. I have more in the car that i am too lazy to bring in the house. I tell ya, I was able to beat smoking but my addiction to Pepsi is so much stronger. I had the same thoughts and feelings about wanting a pepsi as i did a cigarette. BUT, I didn't and won't give in to the smoking crave. One cause it is not as strong and also cause I would regret it instantly. Yeah, soda really is addictive. But at least it won't kill us as fast. Besides it is like screw it, I ain't giving up ALL my demons just to live a little longer. My lungs are clearing, what more does my body want? So by now, I imagine some of the sticks are still thinking about masturbation. That is OK, I am not going to duck out without giving you something to go on. Something sexy to look at. You might be thinking, "I could not do that because it would be so good that I would have a smoking relapse after!" Well, anyways, here is a picture for you to enjoy. Honey boo boos mom.

First week has to be the toughest. Keep at it and it gets easier. Good job on on the first week smoke free.

I think at this point the very worst part is over. There is the nervousness beforehand about "can I really even quit?" Of course the seemingly constant impulses to smoke for those first few days. Cravings will come and go even after several weeks. Little over 10 weeks in and I sometimes have days where I am dying for one. Even by day four though we know we don't NEED to smoke to get through the day. Just try not to forget that if we take even a hit, we will soon end up back at square one. Oh yes, there ARE thoughts of "Just one hit ain't gonna hurt" or "I can just quit again" but then we have to go through those first few days of suckfest which you have already made it through.

Indiana - We have some chilly overnights but so far very little snow. I think the lowest it has gotten is 15 degrees. So, hard to really call it "winter" just yet. Now when you mention drinking hot chocolate, are we talking Swiss Miss with marshmallows? Milk or water? I prefer milk. I know home made hot chocolate is better but for packaged, Swiss Miss is best. Just think though, in some cities like Miami, right now the weather is 78 and partly cloudy. Those poor souls have to drink COLD chocolate as they strip down by the air conditioner. Meanwhile for many of us, December means temps about as cold as a vampire's "lady parts".

I don;t know if fighting with Bakon would be a good idea. This short clip shows what he might be like in action...

So you do not want to hear me bitch about the positive 30 degrees we are having? Meanwhile in Miami, the highs this week are going to be high 70's low 80's. Though tonight it is going to dip clear down to 55.

So Bakon, I am guessing based on the shirt and another post you made in a thread that you are law enforcement? so let me ask about something - We know in any job, the workers never do things good enough, never fast enough. We hear, "How come it isn't perfect? Why is it taking so long?" So in police work, do the bosses do the same thing? Nothing is ever fast nor good enough?

I am glad I am not the only one who thought that also.

The cigarettes are randomly thrown in there making it look like more than what it is. Not that smoking is healthy by any means. But it does show one compelling reason to not smoke - If you keep doing it, you will eventually end up having a hunchback kid. OR maybe that is showing how many cigarettes that little girl smokes in a year? Man, she is going to have lung cancer before her age hits double digits.

I think you said it was your sister who is the primary care giver? Ok so - for you and your sister, is your mom paying your bills or giving you a place to stay? What i am getting at is - What would you two have to lose by just chucking her in a nursing home? It sounds like she is more of a problem than smoking cigarettes (or not). Remember this - one should not complain about that which they need not subject themselves. So if arranging to have your mom put in a nursing home is an option, you can either do that or just deal with her BS. If you two HAVE to deal with her, then yes, complaining (venting) is alright. And abusive? Just what is some 80 year old woman going to do? Spank or beat you and your sis? That may have happened when you were kids but today, it is not likely a threat. Even if but verbal abuse, you have GOT to stop putting up with it. Maybe it is just me who feels that way. I have always been told (in different manners) that it is best to get rid of toxic people in one's life, especially if they are not doing you any favors. I think it is easy to tell someone "Just do not smoke no matter what" and it sounds good but if there are huge stressors getting in the way of quitting, those must be dealt with. Smoking is but a peanut in a bigger turd when it comes to life problems. Think of this, they say smoking will not solve problems. However, to stop smoking is not going to get rid of external problems. Get rid of the external problems (like getting difficult relatives or acquaintances out of your hair) THEN watch as quitting smoking becomes easier, your happiness increases.

How did they diagnose this? Were you sick or having other unexplained symptoms and they found that? Without getting too long into it, I think doctors will tell people about anything just to get them on meds. Isn't like the good ol days when if you didn't smoke, drink, drugs, ate healthy, and exercised, they would give you a clean bill of health. No, today they WILL find something just to upsell meds. Perhaps a second opinion is in order?

Yeah, I think exercise sub-forums are often quiet. My job is physical, moving stuff a lot and walking around a lot. Dodging the boss helps with reflexes. If it were not for my job, I would be in no shape to exercise. After i quit smoking my sense of smell and taste changed a bit and then again when I got sick because of a skin infection. Soda didn't taste the same so I pretty much dropped those. Milk started tasting good again. Candy bars started tasting super gross all the sudden so I dropped those and replaced it with apples and oranges. Yeah I know those have a lot of sugar but screw it. What the hell am I suppose to eat? Raw broccoli? For Tracey - Any sort of exercise you do is going to help. Especially walking dogs. They are constantly pulling faster than one cares to walk or run, plus having to jerk them away when they attempt to sniff someone's crotch, etc. You are no slouch

Some of those are side effects of quitting smoking. What you describe though sounds extreme. You are probably going to have to see a doctor about this though. Five years seems a while to be sick. Has your illness hurt worse since quitting? About the first three days quit - supposedly those are the hardest but I imagine that is wishful thinking of a lot of brand new quitters. My worst days didn't come til a couple weeks into it. I understand about losing a parent or loved one. That grief can go on for months. So what you can do for now to address the smoking issue - first, do not have any smokes handy and try to get rid of other temptations like having ash trays around. Try to remember that buying them is NOT going to help your money problems. Plus, even if smoking would temporarily mask whatever pain you have, eventually you would have to "pay the piper" for smoking. There are a few here who have experienced that. Like the doctor telling them, "Quit or die".

Good job!. It sounds like you would not have time for a smoke even if you wanted to. Being busy does help with not feeding bad habits of course. You and I quit only a day apart, seems kind of hard to believe at this point. We got it licked though. You know though, the only downside of quitting is at certain time increments, we have to suffer that photo of Bakon enjoying the weekend. I bet intimacy with THAT would be so good that even the neighbors would need a cigarette after. Oh dear gyod... Anyways, keep it up

Some pledge "NOPE" in the morning or when a crave hits. My saying "Go back to hell and starve some more", talking to those needy nicotine receptors. I delight in their starvation. Weird thing is that it doesn't even translate to ME suffering. Like they are becoming a separate entity. So a couple days ago I told one of my co-workers that I had been quit for two months. he gave a thumbs up and said, "You got it beat now". He is also a former smoker but dropped the habit umpteen years ago. He was going to have some kind of oral surgery and the doc said, "I need you to not smoke for five days". He said his heart dropped to the floor. But ultimately he figured if he could go five days, then why not the rest of his life without smoking. Remember how I have mentioned that I wanted to quit on MY terms instead of something stupid where i was forced to quit? yeah. So last night during my ridiculously long slumber, I had a dream that I wanted to smoke. I was getting ready to go buy some. But at some point in the dream, I thought, "No, I have not smoked for this long, exactly two months, why ruin it?" For those new in quitting - even as little as two months in, well really even ONE month, the cravings and desire to smoke just are not as strong. yeah you think about it a lot but since the cravings are not screaming (like the first few days) it is easier to rethink the decision instead of at first where it is like "OK I will smoke, just quit pestering me" (talking to nicotine receptors) AND as a side effect - your sense of smell and taste do come back and things smell and taste different. Not til I quit smoking (and got sick from something unrelated to smoking) did I realize just how disgusting candy and soda really is. I think the best part is waking up with Folgers in my cup in the morning and my mouth does not taste like I ate a poop sandwich. Second best is going to bed and not having to cough several times so my lungs will quit rattling. But what about those poor nicotine receptors of us quitters? Even in dreams they are sometimes being deprived! Doesn't anyone feel bad for them? Are we just going to tell them to go back to hell and starve some more? They are wasting away! Someone quick, break out the Sarah Mclachlan songs!

My inbred neighbor got so angry the other day he said - Dad burnit gosh darnit rackin frackin JIMINEY CHRISTMAS! Well, maybe a little more PG-13

Bakon, is that you, you sexy bitch?

Steely, he screws with you and the cops show up, he may or may not listen but will be taking a ride to the local lock-up. Most men do not put up with other men harassing women. If he is so scary then he should not mind being locked up with the rest of the bad guys in town. Of course one should not use things as a reason to smoke but as far as the situation with the neighbor - I am not sure why I am the only one concerned about that.

Thank you. Kind of hard to think it has been two months. Making it a year won't be a problem, I have no plans or desire to smoke.

Remember when that movie Brokeback Mountain came out? I had a few friends who saw it in the theater but didn't even pay to go in. Instead, they sneaked in the back door.

So Boo, you seem to have quite a collection of pretty ladies on your machine. Lemme ask you this, it is a game my room mate and I play - If you could pick three of those women you posted to do whatever you liked with, but FIRST you had to do those acts with one of the grotesque fat women that "I Am Free" posted. Another catch is you would have to pretend to enjoy it. Could you do it?

Sounds like there is a bigger problem here than losing a "quit". About this neighbor... so It does not say if you are a man or woman but in each case - If you are a woman and some male (who is not a boyfriend or husband) is being abusive, there are plenty of men that would be willing to beat his ass. If the guy hits you, he goes to jail. The man always goes to jail in cases like that. If you are a man, it may be time to take some action. At the very least, stand up to the son of a bitch. You or someone needs to put their foot down like immediately or he is just going to keep acting however he does. There is often a concern about things escalating if someone stands up to an a-hole but more often than not, the bully backs down.

So you thought of smoking but didn't? So it was like "I feel like a smoke, I better post about it beforehand" then just never lit up? Kind of funny in a way. It reminds me of people who talk about doing good things but never follow through. At least in this case, you didn't follow through with a bad choice (smoking). If someone has not smoked in six years, what would even possess them to think about it? Is it like, "Shoot, life is stressful, I better light up a smoke so my problem will go away". I have a friend who had quit smoking (weed AND tobacco) but things in life got stressful. So she went back to doing BOTH. It was a sad sight being over there and here she is complaining about her problems (which she brought on herself) while smoking a joint and cigarette at the same time. Just try not to be that person who thinks a smoke or other addiction will help anything.

Steely, that does come up sometimes about health anxiety. It does seem fairly normal. When we decide to quit, one common reason is we finally decide to quit killing ourselves. At that point we may start to worry, "Just how much damage have i done so far?" Kind of like how someone with a ton of debt doesn't even pay attention to how much they owe until they decide they want to pay off that debt. THEN it is like, "OK, how bad did I mess up here exactly?" But yeah, stick with quitting because even though you may feel tired, irritable, appetite and even restroom habits do weird things, it does pass. For me, it took about a month before it was totally normal again.