Boo

-10

One more before I call it a night...

-11

-13

One more thing, as long as I'm in testifying mode...I've spent a good deal of time reading about how nicotine rewired our addicted brains. That's important knowledge to have when you are quitting. Now I am more focused on how we can rewire our brains when we quit. There is good news fellow quitters, we can change our neural pathways and rewire our brains. The process begins as soon as we quit. Here is a brief video about neuroplasticity that I think is relevant to the quitting process:

For much of the last couple of weeks, I hit a mental wall of sorts. It wasn't that I was craving a cigarette so much as I was finding it difficult to identify myself as a nonsmoker. Nagging, insecure thoughts were persistent. I began to doubt if I was really done with smoking for good. My policy to this point had been to "fight like hell." What am I fighting? The fight is with addiction of course, but do I really need to fight? My addiction is my own creation and is not an independent entity. Addiction cannot hide around corners, jumping me when I least expect it and force me to smoke against my will. Addiction can only plant a seed, it is my choice to cultivate it or not. My addiction only has the power I give it. I've ceased fighting my addiction and since then, its voice has been a whimper subjugated to the back of my mind. When I was fighting tooth-and-nail, its voice roared. I recognize its existence, but now any irrational addiction thoughts that spring to mind are quickly silenced by reason and logic. I am not becoming complacent, I simply realized the futility of building a thing up only to spend the rest of the day attempting to knock it down. There is no reason for me to fight as I have finally realized there is nothing to fear. Maintaining a successful quit is a simple matter of never making a conscious decision to place a cigarette in my mouth and light it on fire. It does not get more simple than that. I spent time in the darkness, but eventually saw the light.

-15

Yes! The "post a song" thread is getting more visitors. I'm glad to see it

-17 You're not snowed in again are you Petra?

No need to apologize Karen. Like Petra said, people get busy with life. What's new? Well, apparently, for whatever reason, I totally forgot how to spell the word "apologize." Not interesting, but it just became apparent to me a few seconds ago. Hope all's well with you.

-15

-15

NOPE!

The nose knows. I was at a restaurant yesterday that has an outdoor seating section. I was talking to a friend and a guy at the next table was smoking. I caught a whiff and thought: "Damn, what is that guy smoking!" Then I noticed his pack on the table, they were Marlboro Reds. Same brand I smoked. This time last month I was smoking 20 or more of those a-day. Now the smell is a bit overwhelming. The good news is: my olfactory system is more fine tuned than it has been in years. The bad news is: I now understand just how badly I reeked to those around me for all those years.

When you say 5 miles a-day, is that round trip? Good job on five weeks!

NOPE!

0

-2 Again...

-2

1

NOPE!