sgt.barney

That's how it starts. Now ... Two more ... EZPZ

Toe Jam. EZPZ

From The Latin, roughly meaning "Do as I say, not as I do." Ask Jess ... Easy Peasy

Salute. EZPZ

Uhhh ... Fac, ut ego dico, non ut faciam tibi. EZPZ

BBB Bigger Better Boners ;) EZPZ

Periodontal Disease all but disappeared within 18 months of quitting. Sarge had the "deep cleaning root planing" thing and was headed for the surgery where they cut your gums to expose the roots at the jawbone in order to clean 'em out. There is now ZERO indication of active disease ... although there is permanent bone loss in the x-ray record and visibly receded gumline. Other than that they're pink, perfect, and no active disease. Been that way almost 5 years. Doc told Sarge the best thing he could do is quit. He was right. EZPZ

Nope. Sarge still drinks waaaay too much Irish Whiskey. EZPZ

Sarge & Mrs. Sarge continue to fund (every year) 40 to 60 days in various mountain ranges, cliffs, crags, and other high places to Climb, Rappel, Hike, Camp, get drunk, have tent-sex, make S'mores, cook on an open fire, get devoured by mosquitos, watch the stars, sleep under The Big Sky ... each and every year. As well as Entry Fee and lodging for 2 or 3 Marathons ( although Sarge confesses to dropping back to Half Marathons in his old age these days). Same as it ever was. 6 years running now. EZPZ

Sarge sees that you have correctly self diagnosed your problem. Namely this: You need to stop all the attempting and get on with the quitting. There is never, and can never be "another" quit, for once one is quit, one is done forever. There can always be "another" attempt ... but "attempt" does not equal "quit". EZPZ

If you put your floaties on, you won't sink. You can borrow Sarge's for a while. EZPZ

The bitch of it all is there is no "void". You worry over something that won't exist. Over nothing at all. EZPZ

Geauga Lake ? EZPZ

Just. Say. No. EZPZ

> preparation was faulty at the very least There is no "preparation". You just do it. Preparation is merely delay-tactic and excuse. > felt really good to have quit smoking. But how would you know? You didn't, in fact, quit. > am looking for things that my junky brain can easily do when a craving occurs so I can get through the craving. Measure a 2-mile route in your local neighborhood. Buy a new pair of running shoes. When the urge hits, lace 'em up and head out the door. *Guaranteed* crave-killer AND you won't even think about wanting one for another 2 to 4 hours. The though of smoking after 15 to 20 minutes of consistently sucking wind and gasping for air will, literally, make you sick. Double-plus bonus: you'll be coughing all that shit outta the bottom of your lungs when you stop. >think my biggest problem is thinking about what lies ahead of me. Then go ahead and think really hard on lung cancer, other smoking related cancers (mouth, esophageal, kidney and all the other highly correlated neoplasms) ... emphasema, COPD, heart disease ... E Z P Z

It happens when you're not looking. E Z P Z

> very skeptical about whether this community can help me. You are absolutely correct. We can't help you. At.All. No one can. Only YOU ... can help you. Are you up to the task? E Z P Z

Sarge was told all about what a Dick he is ... ... and yet you've disappeared for over a month now. Hmmmm .... E Z P Z

Sarge's Pop used to say it was insane to pay $2 bucks a pack. "Back when I was your age, they were a quarter ..." Of course, he's still buyin' 'em at nearly $6 bucks a day here locally. Price doesn't matter to addicts. E Z P Z

Sarge has a Page in every Chapter of The Great Big Book Of Stupid dedicated to just him. He doesn't mind so much ... except when it costs him money. The Stupid Tax is a tough bill to pay. Easy Peasy

Why stop? Just switch to something benign and zero calorie. Sarge chewed on those plastic coffee stirrer straws for months. Go to gas station. Buy 1 coffee. Hork 50 stirrer straws. They make a pretty good fidgeting instrument to keep the hands busy, now that there's no cigarette to occupy them. Easy Peasy

Ohio River Valley here.We've got *odd* number days this month. Duh!? It's the 27th. It's odd. That's 3 cubed. 3 is odd. Cubed is odd. Sarge is odd. Easy Peasy. BTW - Sarge never says "NOPE". Sarge *does* NOPE.

$20 bucks a day ! 'Cause when you stop for 2 each $5.00 packs o'smokes, you grab a coffee, the newspsper, a pack of gum, a magazine, and any number of random "impulse buy" crap at the gas station counter. It's now ZERO DOLLARS a day. Diddley-squat Squat. Easy Peasy

It is as hard ... or as easy ... as you make it out to be. You are in complete control. Easy Peasy

Old? As Sarge was rounding the corner to the last 200 yard stretch of his first marathon (back in 2008) he heard coming over the P.A. : "... and here comes Edna Sparks - the oldest runner on the Full Marathon Course today at 83 years young ..." Ayup. Sarge got passed in the last 200 yard sprint, and beat, by an 83-year old Grandma. Sarge barely beat 6 hours that first time. (5:48). As he's gotten almost 10 years older he now runs it in 3:30, give or take. Age. Means. Nothing. It's all about consistent, long term, accumulation of training miles ... at any age. Easy Peasy