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That’s right, less than 46 hours to go before Britt and I and the rest of the Quitterati stop smoking. Am I freaking out about it? Hell no! I’m resolute - standing firm - excited as hell. OK, maybe that’s bullshit.
The truth is I enjoy smoking. Even though it doesn’t REALLY relieve stress, I FEEL like it does. And when Friday comes to town - and just to be clear, the quit time is midnight as Thursday rolls into Friday - I’ll likely be battening down the hatches and locking myself in the house for weeks days. I’ve quit smoking before and this works for me.
See, driving? That’s one of the big smoke triggers. So there won’t be any driving for at least 72 hours. And there are MANY triggers, believe me. Eating. There’s nothing like a smoke after a meal. Waking up. There’s nothing like a smoke first thing in the morning. Coffee. There’s nothing like a smoke with your morning coffee. Drinking. There’s nothing like a smoke while you’re drinking. Blinking. There’s nothing like a smoke when you’re blinking. I could go on and on, but you get the idea.
This is going to be a bitch, I don’t deny it. But I’ve done it before and I’ll do it again I know this is the time. I need to do this for my health, before I have any of the inevitable ailments that come from smoking. I just hope I haven’t done irreparable damage to my body already.
In the meantime, I’m a chainsmoking fool. My mom will inherit whatever cigarettes I have left come Friday.
If you’re quitting with me, I hope you’ll leave a comment here to let me know. There are quite a few of you that said you’d quit with me. And it doesn’t matter where you live, whatever the time zone, your last puff comes at midnight August 15.
Tomorrow night, in fact, two hours before I quit, you can join me for SecondHand Radio. It’ll be my first night in the new timeslot, AND my first show on Talkshoe. If you haven’t already registered at Talkshoe do it now. Well, do it after you finish reading this. It’s fast and simple and will let you join in on the chatroom during the show Thursday night at 10pm Eastern time. You can also follow the show after you’ve registered, log it as a favorite so you can always be in tune with the next episodes. Oh, and follow Jester’s show, too, because he rocks. Oh, and Britt’s and Adam’s show.
My guest for the inaugural episode on Talkshoe is none other than my bestest buddy, Hilary! I can think of no other person I’d rather have on as my first guest. She has a big blogiversary coming up on Sunday, so we’ll be talking about that. And my blogiversary comes up on the 25th of this month, too. We’ll talk anything and everything and you’ll want to be there.
Thanks to Jester for his guest post yesterday. I owe him a guest post and will try to get that out in the next few days…once I finish putting out fires. I’m fixing (I hope) a friend’s computer and it’s a real pain in the ass. Don’t get me wrong, the PC is dead after this. I’m only praying I can salvage the data off the hard drive. But hey, five years for a computer is like 80 in dog years or something.
Tomorrow, it’ll be Monty from The Daily Bitch. Can’t wait. For those of you that are new around here, I do a little thing every year called the Summer of Love, which is full of guest bloggers. So you’ll see fresh faces here on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays through the end of this month. Just in time to ramp up for my Birthday Spectacular, where I plan to bring back my Big Birthday Dares.
Now I thought I’d wrap up with a little list that seems apropos.
Top Ten Reasons Why It’s Good That I’m Quitting Smoking
- I won’t stink. As much. My breath, my hair, my fingers…they’ll all smell much better.
- My car won’t stink, either. As much. Course, there’s the small matter to deal with that is my rear passenger window. It doesn’t stay up all the way, so it sometimes rains into my car, creating a swamp like environment. I like to think of it as my own little biosphere. Frogs and crickets are welcome.
- I’ll save lots of money! Who knows, maybe I can get my car windows fixed. Yeah, windows. My driver’s side window doesn’t roll down. Freaking power windows.
- I won’t be telling friends and family, “Be back in a few. I’m gonna make out.”
- Making out will once again mean REALLY making out. As in kissing. Not that I’ve had any opportunities for that of late. I’m pretty much a born-again virgin at this point. But still.
- I suppose I should mention my health in here somewhere since that’s technically the reason I’m quitting. You know, before anything major happens with my body. I watched my stepfather die over four years ago from lung cancer. Wasn’t fun. I don’t want that to be me. I’d like to be around for my daughters’ graduations and weddings and - God help me - children. Not that that better happen any time soon.
- More time for exercise! Or to start exercising. I’ll have to find SOME way to work through all of the stress from not smoking. And to work off the extra weight gain. And the weight I have BEFORE the weight gain.
- More time for masturbating!
- More time for catching up on my Tivo. Because, yeah, I really need to watch MORE TV.
- More time for beating the fuck out of anyone that irritates me, which is bound to be everyone for a while. OK, maybe that’s not a good thing. But hey, more time for masturbating!
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Filed under 2HT Radio, Blogging, Depression, Local Goings On, Weblogs |37 Responses to “46 Hours and Counting”
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BRET QUIT!!! Swear to God. Okay, it’s only been three days, but he’s doing great! He started Chantix a week ago and on Day Eight stopped the cigarettes. Since he’s smoked for 40 years, he expected it to be HELL, but both of us have been amazed, so far. That Chantix is a miracle pill. He’s been in such a great mood, and has so much more energy. ALREADY!!!
Good luck to you and all the other quitters!
Who said quitters never win?
All of you that took this vow are going to be winners … and more kissable!
Good luck to you all.
SJ - Way to go, BRET! Woo hoo! Give him a gruff slap on the shoulder from me. You know, cuz that’s manly and shit.
Nancy - Thanks very much!
Dude… uh… you might wanna check out Britt’s blog. .. I’m just saying, you know?
When I quit smoking way back in the 1900s, I did it by seeing of I could just go another 10 minutes, then a little longer. Peppermint candy helped replace not only the oral fixation but also the warmth that I was missing. For nearly the next 10 years I ALWAYS had a pocket of peppermints.
not irreparable. my mom quit after some forty years and her lungs began rejuvenating. you know what they say; seven years to healthy lungs.
i am REALLY proud of you — ALL of you. now when i meet y’alls at Avi’s i won’t be kissin’ ashtrays!
I think it’s the healthiest thing you can do for yourself and I’m proud of you for doing it. The fact that you planned it will make you more successful. I quit a few years ago and now I can’t stand the smell of cigarettes.
Ohhhhhhh. “Making out” is about having a smoke?!?!? I thought it *was* #8!
I’m so nervous, but so excited to be doing this with you.
Even though, um, yeah - about the 15th? Well, um, 24 hours in the car dude!! So it MIGHT be Sunday night when I get home.
But still! Quitting! With you!
I’m so glad you’re doing this. You will feel much better in the long run. I’m so proud of you for taking the plunge. You and all the people who said they would join you. I smoked for a few years in my 20’s so I know all about the addiction. However, now, as an asthmatic, my lungs applaud all of you!
Good luck with the quit. I did it in 2004, and it’s no joke how great you feel. I even run marathons & shit now. It’s crazy.
[I emailed you about the interview. Did you get it? I heard gmail had some issues, and the minute I don't email someone back, they're blogging about what a cocksucker I am.]
Whoo hoo! Everyone loves a quitter! Wait…. is that right? Everyone loves a quitter? Hmmm….. oh wait…..it’s everyone loves pie, but hey congrats on the quitting smoking thing too!!!
Good luck, darlin’. If you get desperate for nicotine, may I suggest the lozenges? I used the patch to quit ages ago, but when I had to quit again after suffering from depression, I used the lozenges. They work and taste good.
Oh and Jolly Rancher Fire candy.
Good luck, babe! I’ll be pulling for you!
well, not ‘pulling’ for you since now you won’t be holding a cigarette and therefore will have two hands free for pulling…but you get my drift!
I’m quitting too Karl. I can’t wait…gum and sunflower seeds here I come!!! It’s been a while since I commented here but I’m still a faithful reader…:)
Maybe “making out” will really be “Making Out”.
I hear when you stop smoking your breath no longer smells like dirty ashtray. Somebody PLEASE tell my husband, he thinks I’m making that up. He has been talking about quitting for 2 years now.
I quit cold turkey 15 years ago, when I heard cigarettes were going up to $2 a pack.
You can do it. You sound like you are really motivated.
Besides the fact that no one likes a quitter… if you FEEL like it relieves stress… then it DOES relieve stress. Hence why so many psychiatrists prescribed smoking to their patients.
But still… I’m pulling for ya! I strongly suggest gum and toothpicks for the oral fixation cravings.
Y2K - So glad you made it through Y2K.
Yeah, I imagine I’ll be chewing a shitload of gum. Maybe some mints, too, though I’ll have to find some sugar-free stuff.
Crys - Wait, we’re gonna be kissing? Now *that’s* incentive. Grrrrrrrrrrrrrowl.
Lisa - Thanks, babe. Yeah, it’s all about setting a date. Course, now I’m wondering if I should push it till Monday since that’s when Britt is quitting. I kind of want to do it together. I’m such a wuss.
Whall - Heh, you would think that.
Winter - Thanks, hon. Yep, this’ll be the time. I can feel it! Oh wait, sorry, that’s my dick.
Black Hockey Jesus - Thanks, man. Yeah, I got the email. Sorry, I’m slow to reply…thought I did. Oops. And me? Run a marathon? I get winded running to the bathroom.
Britt - Kinda thought that’d be a rough time since you’ll be in the car. Perhaps pushing it to midnight Monday is the way to go?
Blondefab - Thanks!
Finn - Generally, quitting cold turkey is the way to go for me.
Metalmom - Well, I had an entirely different vision when you said you’d be “pulling for” me.
Heaven’s Devil - Awesome!
Little Miss Sunshine - I’ll be glad to tell him for you. Y’know, next time we get together.
NYCWD - Ah, you squeezed in there while I was replying to the others, sneaky devil you. True enough. In fact, I’ve had numerous therapists tell me NOT to quit. How’s your quitting going?
Gah! I forgot about the diabetes. Forget the Fire candy. And much luck.
Finn - No biggie, there are plenty of sugar free candies.
Go Quitterati Go!
I’m on the other side of it and overjoyed I am not a slave to the pack of smokes any longer. Good luck!
Pocket CT - Thanks!
I sincerely hope you are successful in quitting. I’ll probably never quit (at least not until they are $40/ctn) but I am with you in spirit!
Since I don’t smoke, I thought about quitting chocolate as a sign of solidarity. But let’s be serious…
Maybe I’ll quit…sardines. How does that sound?
Good. For. You. !!!!! (And Britt. And everyone who quits along with you.) And it is more about the triggers than anything else. The nicotine is out of your system in about 72 hrs, so try not to go the nic gum/patch route (one of the points is to actually get rid of the nicotine…). Do you have a cassette player? If so, I’ll send you the hypnotherapy tape from when I quit…
Penny - Thank you. We’ve moved the date a few days to midnight Monday. But it’ll happen.
Princess - Chocolate would be madness. Sardines sounds much more reasonable. I quit Sardines around, oh, 42 years ago. Blecch!
Laurel - Thanks, yeah, I still have my old hypnosis tape. Appreciate the support. And I won’t be doing the gum/patch route. Cold turkey works best for me, though I am checking with my doctor tomorrow to see if I can get Chantix. I’ve heard miraculous things about it.
I really need to look in to that whole masturbating thing. I think I’m missing out.
I’ll join your quitterati thing. I’m going to quit watching animal porn on Thursday nights.
akaMonty - Yeah, you should try it some time.
Avitable - Cool!
[...] easy. Give them a little love if you can, please. Click HERE for Britt’s website and HERE for Karl’s [...]
[...] Britt and Karl have banded together and decided they need to quit their love affair with [...]
“one day at a time”
Or “one minute at a time” which ever one works for you.
Good luck.
~ZZ
Congrats and good luck on the quitting! It’s been 2 weeks smoke free for me, and it’s honestly been the hardest two weeks ever. I’m taking Chatix, that prescription stop smoking aide and I think it’s helped more than any of the others I’ve tried. The side effects kick my ass and I feel like hell all the time, but I think it will be worth it in the end. When I complained to my doctor about being nauseous all the time she said to me “yea, well chemo will do that to you too. Only it’ll be worse, you’ll be bald AND nauseous”.
Greeneyezz - Thanks, just days away now!
Lylalou - Thanks very much. Yeah, the Chantix was a no-go for me since I’m already on several mood pills. Doc said no way. So it’ll be patches for me come Monday. Every time I’ve quit it’s been cold turkey, anyway. Course, your doctor’s remark made me smile. Yeah, I’d rather feel nauseous than need chemo.
Also, I forgot to mention (and don’t know it it was said already above)…
You really need to change your associations with the act of smoking. Times, places, activities.
Meaning, if you typically have a cigarette in the back parking lot of your job after you eat lunch, you want to do something different. Use the Front entrance and go for a walk or something. Anything else than what you typically would do.
You have a well established pattern goin’ and the associations to your smoking needs to be broken and different (healthier) patterns established.
I quit over 14 years ago after smoking a pack a day. When I first quit, I distintively recall ‘panicing’ over what to ‘do with my time’ that that typicaly been filled with activities sourounding my ’smoking activity’….putting on my makeup in the morning, finishing breafast, lunch, dinner, on the phone, before bed…etc etc.
Change up your routine.
I hope this helps.
~ZZ
Thanks to Sarah over at achildsromance.org, you and Miss Britt, I’m finally giving in and quitting. As soon as my brand new pack runs out.
Good luck!
zz - Thanks for the tips. Appreciate the help.
Elizabeth - Aw, very cool! Good luck with the quitting.