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Nothing profound to say. It actually seems mundane. For anyone still struggling - it doesn't just get better, it gets boring!

Perhaps I'm overly sensitive in this regard - it was clearly a spam account, but I find that a bit unsettling. In fact, it was an incident of having my posts altered without my consent that caused me to leave "that other board" (which wouldn't allow me to refer to this other board). Actually that was my last post there. Under what other circumstances might I expect to have my posts deleted without notice?

It was about sarcasm. Me, Pippa and a spambot? Am I imagining things?

You two have both impressed and surprised me. Just sayin.

Nope, never done it. Don't buy it. But, that doesn't mean there's *nothing* to it. Certainly language and self-talk is important, and mindfulness is always helpful. So I agree with you there. I did notice the liking -but I'm very likable, so that just shows how perceptive you are. :) Long one last weekend out to a nearby town to get fresh fish. Rained so hard on the way home I looked like I rode thru the ocean. Good fish though.

I remember going on vacation in Cuba and discovering that, among the many things that economic isolation had deprived these lovely people of, there was a near complete absence of lighters. As in, you cannot buy one anywhere! Some guys actually made money by having a streetcart-style butane wagon for refills, but you had to have one to start with. So there's me, hunched over in the grass in the blazing sun with a magnifying glass and a cigarette. I was actually proud of my McGyvering when it sparked.

I don't buy into NLP, but I was recently thinking about how many times I said, either out loud or in my head, "I need a cigarette!" :blink:

There's more "likes" here than an '80's teenage book report. Now if only I wasn't so grumpy...

Even though I'm scandalously late, I can't let this pass without comment. Chrys, I really enjoy you and your smart brain. Congratulations on a huge milestone!

I speak a bit of junkie lizard, allow me to translate: K, so first of all I am SO NOT mocking you!! Or if I am, it's the way you mock a guy who is doing one of the hardest things you ever did, at half your age (or so). And honestly, great to see you posting again, and for posting this - even if it is riddled with junkie billshut, the real you that is quit knew enough to wave the flag. Besides, we have ALL been there, and had the same fight. I remember when I quit, I had just days earlier acquired a gorgeous Jack Daniels zippo lighter - I have an extensive JD paraphernalia collection. But I quit before I got to use it to light a cigarette, and I agonized over that on and off for the first few weeks!!! Alas, my JD lighter remains a nicotine virgin. And when I think about it now, it's clearly laughable... And even then, I could see it was ridiculous. Can you, reading back, see it in your own words? Do you really not like non-smoking you, and like "the old you" better? I mean, do swimmers miss their old drowning selves? Maybe you'd like yourself more if you took up cutting, or put bleach in your eye? Look, I really do get it. Kidding aside, quitting sucks! But it won't keep sucking forever. You just have to get from here to there. I wrote you something before, and I really meant it. I still mean it. Please go read it again, and think about what it means for you. You need to remember.

It is actually pretty offensive.

Don't worry about being good with the computer, it's hard to make a mistake here. In fact, there is only one, and you already quit that. Welcome, and try and read as much as you can - education is the key.

Well, clearly I am a duck. That is also a bee. I rarely understand why I do the things I do. Apparently there's been a lot of confusion about who is or is not a duck - I'd like to take this opportunity to draw attention to my avatar, as it is subtle and easy to miss. So far my only nickname is "bubmble butt" or somesuch. I probably don't need to tell you who came up with that hamfisted moniker.

Hey Tyme, sorry to be along late, but I did have a very similar experience, right around month 3 or so I think. So, the bad news first - it was really awful, and it didn't clear up immediately. In fact it was so intense that it made me realize that these weren't MY emotions - they were't "real". I quickly thought of those crushing depressive episodes as "synthetic", the by-product of a junkie brain renormalizing and finding dopamine equilibrium. That seemed to help me depersonalize the experience, and sort of watch myself from a distance. The good news is, a month or two later, all of a sudden it just lifted! It's never been back, and my new normal is much better than the old one. Remember, you don't need to spend every moment of your quit in a state of grace - it's ok to stay in bed sometimes, or eat ice cream, or yell at inanimate objects. Trust that if you just keep going, the rest will take care of itself. And FWIW I'm extremely glad to hear you're not considering going back on NRT. I do favour cold turkey, but I'm not ideological about it, and whatever it takes to start your quit is fine by me. BUT once you're off, that stuff is poison, and I think it would quickly undo all your great work. Anyway, keep it up!

Yes, it really ought not be confusing. Although, in my mind, I sometimes refer to you as a "fumb duck". Then I curse my dyslexia. :)

You should change your name to Bab.

I can meet you halfway.

It's rabbitt season! Daffy is what our child would look like if you were my prison wife.

Evelyn, I meant what I said before - your progress has been remarkable! And you know what? It's awesome to see you reacting to a trigger this way, coming here and summoning the reinforcement you deserve. I swear to you, this is very temporary, and you've already won, and when you come back in the morning it will almost seem surreal that you were even tempted. Try and get some sleep. You're doing great!

I'm not really a celebration kinda guy, too sunshiney, so I haven't started one of these before. But I'm pretty sure Mike's at least a week today, and maybe a day more, depending how you read the quit date. Mike, you are awesome! I remember how hard week #1 was, and you've just nailed it, and I don't even remember you complaining. And let's not even talk about the surgery. I can't put my finger on it, but it feels like you just "flipped a switch", and it's great to see. Congratulations!

Bakon is a bum and a reprobate. And while I'm here, Evelyn, I was watching when you were deep in your struggle, and it really is remarkable how far you've come. Good for you!

Backatcha!

I love that joke! Maybe it's a Canadian thing.

When I first quit, I kept a pack of Popeye's in the console of my car for long drives. No kidding, it worked. I still have some!