Runfree

Good idea, really bad timing (thx OPEC, you bunch of a-holes).... Check into hiring on with a security company in the ND or AK oilfields. Ridiculous amount of money earned, 2 week on/2 week off schedule, travel on your time off, not much crime or big events in AK but LOTS of bs, I think ND may be diff but idk how they operate. And you get to drive a shuttle bus for a while too; window lickers galore. For the most part, the security folks are all former military/law enforcement folks.

I didn't get into the Twilight stuff either. I know....what a dud, huh?

A friend of mine just posted a lengthy RANT on Facebook about 50 Shades, it being porn, Christians must unite, etc. Maybe it is, idk. I do find it interesting how there's her reaction and the next post I see is a group of women organizing to see the Magic Mike movie.

I didn't read the books, I thought all the hoopla was weird but i think I'll catch the movie...a matinee.

Sweet Potato Chili Ingredients 2 c. fresh red peppers or frozen stir-fry pepper blend 1 t. minced garlic 1-2 t. ginger root 1 t. cumin seeds 1-2 T. oil 3 c peeled, cubed sweet potatoes (1/2 inch thick) 1 can (14 ½ oz) reduced sodium diced tomatoes, undrained 2 cans (15 oz) black beans, rinsed and drained 1-2 chipotle chilies in adobo sauce, chopped 1 c water or vegetable broth 2-3 t chili powder ½-1 t ground cumin Salt to taste Saute peppers, garlic, ginger and cumin seeds in oil in a large saucepan until tender, about 5 mins. Add remaining ingredients, except salt and heat to boiling. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, until potatoes are tender, about 15 mins. Season to taste with salt. Makes 6 servings (about 1 cup each) ** Chipotle chilies are dried, smoked jalapeno chilies. They are often canned in adobo sauce, which is made with ground chilies and spices. They add a distinctive smoky flavor to this robust chili; taste before adding a second chili, as they can vary in heat.

Happy Anniversary and Congratulations! I hope you do something wonderful for yourself today. Thank you for bringing so much to this forum. Your story and encouragement saved my quit more than once. You're an amazing woman.

NOPE! Happy Birthday Evelyn!!

My brother quit being a cop a year ago. Now he drives round and round grain fields in fancy air conditioned tractors with GPS controls. And he does "other duties as assigned". He is one happy bird. We have NEVER seen him this content. Country music optional but not required.

Sometimes we need to sleep and sometimes we need to push ourselves out the door. No matter what, focusing on the bright side of this change in your life will make a HUGE difference. Even if those positive thoughts happen in your pj's. And remember that EVERYTHING is temporary...so tomorrow may be like yesterday. 9 days. You're doing great.

Magic Mike? Nah 50 Shades? Oh yes

NOPE

Our local government just approved a $3 per pack tax increase. That means a carton of the cigs I used to smoke will cost $127. Strolling with foils and a fag, unreal.

See you in the NOPE thread bright and early! <maybe next time things start getting stacked up like that, take a break from it all...just walk away....nothing is as important as your quit>

It seems to be the natural progression around here... quit, gain, get fit. Kudos to you!

Morning Tyme2B Just checkin in to see how you're doing. Something that was essential in my very early days, and still helps me, was to post everyday in the daily NOPE commitment thread and to add a QT Ticker to my signature line. Two things happened....1) I made the promise to myself that I wouldn't smoke and 2) I was able to see that ticker and be encouraged by the days I had under my belt, the $$ I was saving and how many cigs I'd avoided. They may seem a bit silly to do but they are surprisingly powerful tools to have in place.

NOPE

Welcome Tyme2B. I'm glad you found this place, the support and encouragement is wonderful. I'm pretty new in my quit and agree with what others have said. Read constantly (the Quit Smoking Discussions is a good place to start) and watch the videos. I can promise that once you have the information, education and insight, your desire to be a non-smoker will increase and your cravings, etc. will be managed with less battle because they are better understood. There are many people here who had smoked for decades and they are now nicotine free non-smokers. You can do it too. It helped me to recognize when the junkie in me was throwing a tantrum and trying to rob me from a future that I really wanted. During those rough moments, I tightly held onto why I wanted to quit. I came here to post or read. And I cried when I needed, slept when I needed, took baths, etc. Whatever it took to get through those 72 hours of my body receiving zero nicotine. Cravings - yes Fatigue - yes Depression - yes Insomnia - yes And like you said, you made up your mind and are sticking with your decision to quit and that trumps everything. Stay close to the forum, SOS if you need, read as much as you can and know you're doing the best thing for yourself. Kudos.

This was really good for me to read today. Thank you for posting it. Congratulations (and have fun on your trip).

This is so inspirational Marti. How amazing it must feel to be calm. And confident. I am sincerely pleased for you.

Cold. Sunny, beautiful and cold.

8

10

Not enough (used up my quota in my 20s) Hockey or X-Country Skiing

Big milestone! Congratulations and you deserve that smile you're wearing today.

You've got this Jackie. Nothing trumps being a non-smoker.