Thanks Andy, I'm doing my best this time, which is working out better than anything before going into 5th day, no major withdrawal symptoms lol.12 years and going strong for me. It was very nearly murder for me while I was quitting. I turned incredibly mean. Or at least my wife thought so. LOL
Keep going, you CAN beat it.
I Swore Blind I Wouldn't Do It... But!!!
AndyT wrote:
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neverfoundthetime
- Posts: 48
- Joined: Sat Aug 01, 2009 2:14 pm
- Status: Offline
No, not on the train but 1 millisecond off the train everyone lights up. But smoking in restaurants, bars and pubs has only recently been banned (about 2 years ago) and it is such a relief to be able to go out and not be fumigated. On my last 2 visits to Canada, I spent the whole time with out once ever smelling smoke anywhere... that is impossible here.FARQ they allow smoking on public transport amazing, you can't smoke anywhere here in NZ nowadays, they are talking about banning smoking in private cars next...
Something else which interests me on this Chas, non of my friends smoke (except, ironically, Ralf who taught me how to play guitar early on) and I've noticed that people who do smoke have friends who also smoke. Is this a great social divide never mentioned? What happens to you now. Will you have less smoking friends, make more non-smoking friends? I have never consciously looked to choose non-smokers as friends, it just happened that way as I never went near smoke. I think if most folks look around, they will find its the same for them. I wonder?
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cosmicmechanic
- Posts: 0
- Joined: Sat Apr 04, 2009 8:39 am
- Status: Offline
Of the many, many, very numerous (!) times I tried to quit, one is especially out of the ordinary.
I went to see a person who had a reputation as a "healer" ... he lived in a rural area, was elderly, still a farmer.
It was a Sunday afternoon, and there was a lineup of maybe a dozen people on the porch of his home.
When it was my turn, his wife fetched me into the kitchen, sat me down on a wooden chair, asked me what my problem was. "Smoking", I answered.
Then the healer stood behind me and rubbed his hands around on my head for maybe 10 seconds (I had a brush-cut at the time, a particular feeling).
Then he told me not to smoke anymore, and bye-bye. Oh, this was for free, he made no profit from this activity.
I was about 24 years old then, had been smoking and trying to quit for 8 years, and the next day I proved how dumb I could be.
I felt absolutely no urge to smoke. Not at all. But I felt bored, and in the afternoon, actually forced myself to light one up.
A surprising thing happened: it tasted like crap, and breathing in the smoke caused a strong burning sensation wherever the smoke made it's way.
Made me feel like I had ground pepper in my sinuses.
Amazed, I continued puffing away, observing the pain diminish slightly over the duration of the cigarette. The next cigarette wasn't so bad. Go figure.
It took me ten more years to successfully quit.
Keep the faith, Chas. You can do it !
Pierre
I went to see a person who had a reputation as a "healer" ... he lived in a rural area, was elderly, still a farmer.
It was a Sunday afternoon, and there was a lineup of maybe a dozen people on the porch of his home.
When it was my turn, his wife fetched me into the kitchen, sat me down on a wooden chair, asked me what my problem was. "Smoking", I answered.
Then the healer stood behind me and rubbed his hands around on my head for maybe 10 seconds (I had a brush-cut at the time, a particular feeling).
Then he told me not to smoke anymore, and bye-bye. Oh, this was for free, he made no profit from this activity.
I was about 24 years old then, had been smoking and trying to quit for 8 years, and the next day I proved how dumb I could be.
I felt absolutely no urge to smoke. Not at all. But I felt bored, and in the afternoon, actually forced myself to light one up.
A surprising thing happened: it tasted like crap, and breathing in the smoke caused a strong burning sensation wherever the smoke made it's way.
Made me feel like I had ground pepper in my sinuses.
Amazed, I continued puffing away, observing the pain diminish slightly over the duration of the cigarette. The next cigarette wasn't so bad. Go figure.
It took me ten more years to successfully quit.
Keep the faith, Chas. You can do it !
Pierre
haoli25 wrote:
He just needs to go shopping for new ones with all the money he's not spending on making the old ones stinkier. B)
I'm Sure Cole Clarke won't mind.
Easy!On to the next challenge for Chas. How do you remove that cigarette smoke smell from the guitars? Cleaning the outside is easy enough, but getting that smell from the inside of the guitar is still a mystery to me.
Bill
He just needs to go shopping for new ones with all the money he's not spending on making the old ones stinkier. B)
I'm Sure Cole Clarke won't mind.
michelew wrote:
You are probably right, Michele. Cleaning a stinky 'Fat Lady' can be a bit of a task! :laugh: :silly: :laugh:
haoli25 wrote:Easy!On to the next challenge for Chas. How do you remove that cigarette smoke smell from the guitars? Cleaning the outside is easy enough, but getting that smell from the inside of the guitar is still a mystery to me.
Bill
He just needs to go shopping for new ones with all the money he's not spending on making the old ones stinkier. B)
I'm Sure Cole Clarke won't mind.
You are probably right, Michele. Cleaning a stinky 'Fat Lady' can be a bit of a task! :laugh: :silly: :laugh:
So this is the reason I don't respond to many posts...my hands and brain do not sync together, and I must read closely before submitting!
I must sound like a fool to say there are "too many reasons not to quit".
What I really meant to write is there are many reasons to quit, I can not make one reason not to. I lost both parent in-laws to lung cancer, both were heavy smokers. My parents both smoked and sucessfully quit in their 50's or so, my Dad had issues from it, and was on oxygen until he passed away, my Mother is still well at 82.
For myself the health concerns hit me right in the face. Two years ago I had Bladder Cancer, most likely caused by smoking. I go back next week for a follow up. I am certain I will be asked if I quit yet. Then last fall I realized driving home in the dark that I had problems seeing out of my right eye. Finally went to the eye doctor and found that I had a blood clot behind my retina. Cause...most likely high blood pressure. I have lost and will not regain full vision in that eye, as the retina is damaged from the clot. I go to the doctor every 4 to 6 weeks for injections to keep the swelling down. I now have a cardo Dr. It also does not help my Diabeties that I learned I have 2 years ago.
For these reasons alone I should be able to go cold turkey and never look back. For whatever reason it is never that easy, it is not that I haven't tried.
I have picked my birthday in next month as the date, I have never tried picking a date that far out (and I picked it several weeks ago), so I hope that helps the process.
I will keep you posted as the time draws near, I am committed to kicking this thing.
Sorry for going on, just wanted to explain my real feelings on the subject and and not to sound so foolish to say I didn't have a reason to quit.
Pete
I must sound like a fool to say there are "too many reasons not to quit".
What I really meant to write is there are many reasons to quit, I can not make one reason not to. I lost both parent in-laws to lung cancer, both were heavy smokers. My parents both smoked and sucessfully quit in their 50's or so, my Dad had issues from it, and was on oxygen until he passed away, my Mother is still well at 82.
For myself the health concerns hit me right in the face. Two years ago I had Bladder Cancer, most likely caused by smoking. I go back next week for a follow up. I am certain I will be asked if I quit yet. Then last fall I realized driving home in the dark that I had problems seeing out of my right eye. Finally went to the eye doctor and found that I had a blood clot behind my retina. Cause...most likely high blood pressure. I have lost and will not regain full vision in that eye, as the retina is damaged from the clot. I go to the doctor every 4 to 6 weeks for injections to keep the swelling down. I now have a cardo Dr. It also does not help my Diabeties that I learned I have 2 years ago.
For these reasons alone I should be able to go cold turkey and never look back. For whatever reason it is never that easy, it is not that I haven't tried.
I have picked my birthday in next month as the date, I have never tried picking a date that far out (and I picked it several weeks ago), so I hope that helps the process.
I will keep you posted as the time draws near, I am committed to kicking this thing.
Sorry for going on, just wanted to explain my real feelings on the subject and and not to sound so foolish to say I didn't have a reason to quit.
Pete
neverfoundthetime wrote:
Very interesting point Chris, given I've recently relocated I am still making new friends, ti will be interesting to see which way it goes.No, not on the train but 1 millisecond off the train everyone lights up. But smoking in restaurants, bars and pubs has only recently been banned (about 2 years ago) and it is such a relief to be able to go out and not be fumigated. On my last 2 visits to Canada, I spent the whole time with out once ever smelling smoke anywhere... that is impossible here.FARQ they allow smoking on public transport amazing, you can't smoke anywhere here in NZ nowadays, they are talking about banning smoking in private cars next...
Something else which interests me on this Chas, non of my friends smoke (except, ironically, Ralf who taught me how to play guitar early on) and I've noticed that people who do smoke have friends who also smoke. Is this a great social divide never mentioned? What happens to you now. Will you have less smoking friends, make more non-smoking friends? I have never consciously looked to choose non-smokers as friends, it just happened that way as I never went near smoke. I think if most folks look around, they will find its the same for them. I wonder?
haoli25 wrote:
Not an issue Bill, never smoked near my guitars, didn't even smoke in the house lol!On to the next challenge for Chas. How do you remove that cigarette smoke smell from the guitars? Cleaning the outside is easy enough, but getting that smell from the inside of the guitar is still a mystery to me.
Bill
Chasplaya wrote:
Keep up the good work Chas, you know it makes sense.
Tom N.
Scotland is a smoke free zone for the last few years. You are banned from smoking in any public buildings, pubs, buses, trains, etc. A lot of people don't even smoke in their own homes, choosing to have a puff in their back gardens. It's odd when I travel abroad and it's not like this, smoke really does get up your nose.neverfoundthetime wrote:FARQ they allow smoking on public transport amazing, you can't smoke anywhere here in NZ nowadays, they are talking about banning smoking in private cars next...Look forward to 4 days becoming 4 weeks becoming 4 months becoming 4 years Chas, its a great step to take.
Travelling every day on the Swiss train network (they actually run very seriously on time!) you get exposed to clouds of second-hand smoke off the trains. On the platforms, in the hallways waiting to board walking down the tunnel any number of people light up and you have to hold your breath or just put up with it, every day, every train journey. I love the folks who take the last drag on the platform and blow the smoke out into the carriage as they board so that you can savour it for the next 5 minutes in that enclosed space. I hate having to breath in smoke especially early on a sunny clear winter morning when I was just enjoying the crisp fresh air. I know the folks blowing that deadly poison into my lungs are oblivious to it and the discomfort it causes. I really don't mind if someone smokes but I am seriously thinking of getting a badge made with ...
DO YOU MIND IF I DON'T SMOKE!
Welcome to my side of the fence :laugh:
Keep up the good work Chas, you know it makes sense.
Tom N.