Boo

Aced it.

Babies and dogs really make stretching look enjoyable. I have one of each at home and when they stretch out, they really stretch out.

Same here. It wasn't until after I quit that I realized I had reeked of smoke my entire adult life. Never really paid attention to the odor when I was smoking. Now I'm like a bloodhound when it comes to the smell of cigarettes. It's good to be free...and not stinking is a nice bonus.

No magic tricks required. Quitting smoking is a simple process. Commit to the process. Trust the process.

The Swedes enjoyed their first trip to The Waffle House. They were a bit overwhelmed by their choices in hash brown toppings: smothered, covered, peppered, chunked, diced, topped...lots of choices and Waffle House waitresses can get a bit impatient. We also had a lost in translation moment when one of the Swedes asked me about the "jookbux." After he pointed, I realized he was talking about the jukebox. "Yeah man, fire it up if you want", I said. After all these years, I'm only now beginning to understand that the Waffle House is a cultural institution.

I can see your ticker on my computer. "15 days, 32 minutes since last smoke...$120.18 saved and 300 cigarettes avoided." Good job Judi.

I've finished up my international cultural enrichment program for the day. We're doing some work on a job with a group of contractors from Sweden. I was driving to the job site when one of the Swedes excitedly asked: "Is that the Waffle House?" "It's a Waffle House", I replied. Over lunch the subject of guns came up. They want me to take them to the range to shoot this weekend. Greasy food and guns...Welcome to America gentlemen.

Welcome aboard the Train Dogbelly. Most of us had to back up and take another run at quitting before we really stuck the landing. That was my primary reason for quitting. I still had blinders on concerning the health risks, but I was tired of living from one fix to the next. It's good to be free.

Jump in and tell us what's on your mind. It don't cost nothing.

I grilled New York strips, but other cuts can be used. Marinated the meat(olive oil, balsamic vinegar, garlic, and oregano). Right before removing the steaks from the grill, I put a bit of mozzarella and a seasoned tomato slice on until the cheese started to melt. It looked something like this(without the basil on top because we didn't have any at the house)...

I suspect it's a bit of product placement by the tobacco companies to cling on to some semblance of relevance in American culture. The messaging is increasingly falling on deaf ears as more people view smoking realistically. Unfortunately, the merchants of death are going to continue trying to sell their poison via any medium available. Here is an overview of a report on smoking in movies that the CDC did in 2019... https://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/data_statistics/fact_sheets/youth_data/movies/index.htm#:~:text=6 of every 10 PG,2019 [n%3D34].

Basking in the glorious glow of my self-proclaimed king of all things grilling title. Grilled up caprese steaks this evening. I had never even eaten a caprese steak before much less prepared one. They turned out good...damn fine eating.

There's an apartment complex near my work. They leave a lot of furniture out by the road for pick up. I don't know what goes on in there, but they're hard on furniture. If I see anything that looks promising, I'll grab it and go. Frame looks good. Three cushions and a bit of upholstery work and this thing's good to go...

Good job IQ. Each cigarette not smoked is a win. Multiply that by 3,000 and we're talking some serious success.

Welcome aboard the Quit Train Prichy. The rules are the same as they were when you quit ten years-ago. Rule #1: DON'T SMOKE! Rule #2: If you have any further questions refer back to Rule #1. Quitting smoking is simple. Challenging but simple.

Optimism and motivation are good, but they are too fickle to be counted on. This is why making a commitment is so important. Even when you feel unmotivated and pessimistic, you keep trudging forward. Not because you feel like it, but because you're on a mission. Some days you grab the quit by the balls and swing it around. Other days, you just punch the clock and do the work.

I got so caught up in posting Christmas songs that I forgot to post this one in honor of Chuck Yeager. Godspeed to an American icon and hero...

Great job Mac.

Congratulations on three-years of freedom Martian. Enjoy the party.

Welcome aboard the Quit Train Deb. Grab a seat and stay awhile. Don't ever forget that. You control your own destiny. Congratulations on making a great decision for yourself.