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Talked for a little while with a guy who started out as a professional acquaintance but has become a friend. He is a mechanic and shop owner. We send any company trucks that need repaired to him. He's a good mechanic and a great guy. He's also a smoker, a heavy smoker. Every time he would take a drag off of his cigarette, he would cough and clear his throat. Then he had a terrible coughing fit that went on for a while. He was out of breath. His face turned red. His eyes watered-up from coughing so hard. I have noticed a change in his demeanor lately. He seems tired all the time. He doesn't laugh as much as he used to and when he does laugh it sets off a coughing spell. The cigarettes are beginning to take a toll on him. He has asked me about quitting before and I was more than happy to tell him about my experience. Unfortunately, it never really took with him. His "quits" would start in the morning and be over before noon. It's a damn shame. He could quit right now, but I seriously doubt he ever will. He is beginning to feel the heavy burden of smoking and that load only gets heavier going forward. I quit four years-ago. Smoking is a distant memory and I am a bit complacent about my quit most days. However, today was a reminder of how grateful I am to have quit smoking.

G’day NOPE .....Not One Puff Ever.... (replace Ever with Min Hour Day as required

NOPE...

Nope

NOPE!

Nope!!!!!

NOPE!!!

NOPE!

NOPE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

NOPE!!!!!!

I was still working as a raft guide on the Ocoee and Nantahala Rivers when that movie came out. All of us in the business agreed that we needed a Hollywood movie that depicted whitewater trips in a better light. We had "Deliverance" and "The River Wild." Not only did I never have a client get seriously injured during my guiding days there were also no kidnappings. I also never observed anyone with a "pretty mouth" being forced to "squeal like a pig." Didn't happen on my watch and what folks did once they left the outpost was none of my business.

Making sock snowmen lol

The "regular" TV cable service we have at home is bull sh*t!!!! Nothing but bachelor, bachelorette, and all sorts of other garbage "reality" shows. I've never seen anything further from reality actually! The only way I can watch a movie is netflix, dvd or pay per view. I don't even get decent news channels. I have to figure out what's going on from the internet. The wife says the news is too depressing. She doesn't wanna know. OK, got it. You'd rather watch some tart whoring around with multiple guys then? Lovely!

This thread makes me laugh every month ........just sayin !!!!

Reci....Canada is on my bucket list ...i love your pic,s.... I would like to share my favourite place ,I have seen ...it's a small Pacific Island called Vanuatu....One year when we visited Nicky ...we took a holiday there ...I would go back in a heartbeat ...

NOPE...

NOPE!

G’day NOPE .....Not One Puff Ever.... (replace Ever with Min Hour Day as required

There is no reason to hide. Other folks will make their decisions, you have no control over that. You have made your decision, you have full control over that. Be relentless with your commitment. Do that and you can stay the course regardless of what happens in the periphery. Is having a few drinks now worth throwing away your quit? Priorities.

NOPE!!!!!!

Hey,

Howdy! I’m not always present but I’m here...

NOPE

Mines was a belter ^ I'm still laughing But a sponge- this is a goodie Paint your shed with it !!!!

10 fill it up with juice and pretend you didn't drink it A sponge

NOPE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Your friend sounds like my sister with the coughing fits that turn her face beet red. I too don't think she'll ever quit but it doesn't stop me from mentioning quit train to her every chance I get in hopes that one day she'll give it a shot and see how doable quitting is.

NOPE & NODE for @Up In Smoke's monthaversary! Congratulations up in smoke, you're doing awesome!

I hear you @reciprocity, we have tons of reality shows here too. And it's not that people WANT to watch them its that there's absolutely nothing else on if you don't want to watch reruns! grrrrr

5. Drink the wine that came in it

Mirror both posts above .... Your quit is the most precious thing your life right now ...because it is your life at stake... You have to give yourself the best chance you can ... Being around drinkers and smokers will be a huge test for any Newbie .... I've seen no end of quits ruined this way ....

One of my favourite sayings....It's ok to wobble ...just make sure you don't fall over ...!!!!

Hey Jswiss, I agree as well. I think that having a never or non smoker to lean on is solid advice. I would also suggest maybe not drinking because that may make you more likely to relapse. At least until you feel confident in your quit.

That might be a good idea @Jswiss if you don't trust yourself to not cave. I stuck close to home for pretty much my whole first month and only ventured out when I had a never smoker with me. Others here just chose to face them head on as they came. Is your fiance a smoker? If not then lean on her to help you through these "firsts". And you also have us available to help talk you off the ledge.

@reciprocity, just regular ole tv. Nothing fancy like Netflix here lol!

@DoreensfreeReminds me a lot of the trip we took to Tahiti a few years back. The south pacific is a magical place for a holiday. So beautiful I'll have to look up where that island is specifically.

Lol..... No....it just looks like a sunk in abyss....defo a inner ...never to be seen again .. Some doctors take the gallbladder from under the boob.....so I suppose I should be thankful... Thank you Jillar for inquiring about my poor belly button ...

20!!!

Watching The River Wild, good movie I've seen probably three or four times now...

Still here!

I have been thinking about her too, jillar. Hope she is busy with happiness!

Thinking about our @Rozuki and hoping everything is going well and smoothly for her.

Where's the option for "BOTH" ?!?? It ain't 50/50, neither. It ain't half this, half that. Full on *both*. Sarge has had an Umbilical Hernia (tear in the abdominals underneath the belly-button) since he was a toddler. He can switch from inny to outy on demand. It's a fun Party Skill and Conversation Starter ! EZPZ

Sarge went through a whole series of major life-style change at quit time near a decade ago because of health issues. Lost 64 pounds. Quit eatin' like shit - changed to a mostly plant-based grow-your-own diet. Started running full marathons. Quit a high stress job. Quit smoking. Started sleeping regularly instead of stayin' up all night ... All in an effort to get AllTheThings™ back to some semblance of Normal again. High Cholesterol - went away in the first year. Bad cholesterol down into range, Good cholesterol up into normal range. Pre-Diabetes - gone. Fasting Glucose back in proper limits within the first year. Acid Reflux - Gone. Daily consumption of Tums/Rolaids is now ... maybe 3 times a year. Fatty Liver - Gone. Full function and normal ranges on all liver numbers. Periodontal disease - up and disappeared. No sign of active disease in near a decade (although permanent bone-loss and receeded gum line will never go away) The blood pressure, though. God. Damn. The Blood Pressure. The Mother F'ing Blood Pressure! It took 7+ years after all the above life-changes for the BP to get back down into normal range and come off the meds. Give it time. It's not gonna happen over night. It might not happen at all. The Sarge is under no illusions here. Most of that shit will be back ... but it'll be back when he's 70 and not when he's 40. Age related deterioration is normal. All that shit at 40 was not.

Yep to NOPE!!

1 ....go away...!!!

Maybe its the beer talking but I just realized you said they removed your whole gallbladder through your bellybutton?! My god woman, did you ever get your bellybutton back!?

Not sure on the timing for lowering blood pressure Linda but I do know you're still in early days of your quit so keep at it. People tend to start getting wear of the constant battles with cravings and just always being on their toes 24/7 but trust me, it's worth the effort! It won't be long until things really start easing up and you'll get a little more breathing room. Do focus on benefits you are starting to see - that helps lift your spirits. Money saved, taste and smell improvements and I'm sure there's more. Remember the reasons you quit for. They're still important. Keep moving forward Linda!

Thank you all. Last couple of days have been much better thanks. That's a nice feeling! Hoping it was just a 3 month wobble and relatively plain sailng for a bit now. Peace and respect!

I told you I was slow I was googling North Carolina plus five days, and I'm the one who put it on the calendar lmao!