Mike.

Yes ... Thank you for the offering.

Hi T. I apologize for not posting more! Especially, with paying attention to you. It was my intention when I came back to this forum, to maintain a "low-key". For reasons due to my health, and the other things that need my attention more. Having said that though, I started up with you, in a number of ways, (through our time in chat and a PM or two), and postings that were not unsimilar, to how I initially greeted other newbies in the past, (my babies, I think of them). With you, the neglect is two-pronged. I had asked for help, with some things, that you are an expert with and, I didn't follow up with you as a newbie. I saw that my decision to not involve myself as before, remained the right one. So, I am addressing my issues as they need to be at home. As I should. I understand that you have tried to reach out to me but, it was a purposeful neglect on my part. It was something I should have explained to you, before doing. Please don't think that I care any less for you, your smobriety, or have not read of your initial quit struggles, you have faced. I read all your posts. I am on the boards everyday. I remain smober. Now, over one month. I read, play music and that's about it. Every once in a while, I ramble about whatever is on my mind but, with no real message to convey, other than to use the boards, as a place to ventilate ... I hope you continue to see more improvements soon, that *have* to come, as we progress in our quits. Kind regards. Addendum: I will respond to any and all PM's from you T. :friends:

O-->

I was helping my smart-assed never-smoker brother, put up a new fence, once. He noticed that I hadn't had a cigarette all day and asked. Did you quit smoking? I said, I told you I have a cold. Smart-ass, So? Me, It hurts too much to smoke. Smart-ass, You should get sick more often. You would live longer.

It became a colloquialism on these forums, from where "Gold", (one year of smobriety), was conceptualized as being on a cruise ship: http://ffn.yuku.com/topic/169/Freedoms-Original-Gold-Club#.VTAQJjeVvRY And further reinforced by Bob's post: ORIGINALLY BY OBOB-GOLD FREEDOM MEMBER-WHYQUIT.COM So, I start reminiscing a bit about the early days of my quit. I remember members popping in to post their celebration threads. Green, Bronze, Silver, Gold and beyond. It felt downright intimidating. Here was I, with my seemingly tiny little insignificant sum of 3 days, 4 days, 5 days and so on... clinging to my quit like a man clinging to a life line thrown over the side of a ship to a man overboard in a turbulent sea. More comfortable ex-smokers would roll past on their skiff, yachts and cruiseliners, each with the same advice. Keep climbing that rope. Don't let go of it. It'll get easier. We promise. To me, those people seemed like heroes. From my perspective, they were superhuman, with this gift of comfort I couldn't hardly imagine at that point. I dreamed of being like them some day, but it seemed hard to fathom that this splintery rope would really get me there. It was hard, and I was tired. But, I really wanted to be like those amazing people, and everyone of them told me the same thing… keep climbing, don't let go. Simple. A real slog, but simple. So, I took their advice, kept climbing and didn't let go. Lo and behold, it was true. It did, in fact, get easier, and easier. There was the odd bit of rope burn, and occasionally a seagull would take aim at my dome with an unwelcome gift (nobody takes a metaphor to the extremes I will), but all-in-all, it got more and more doable, less and less of a chore, and at some point, almost without noticing it, I found myself reclining on the Lido Deck with the others. That was years ago now. I've been kicking back up here for a good long time now, and I can tell you it's very nice. So, what's my point? My point is to you, the newcomer. Down there on the rope. Yeah, you. You're looking up at me (and the others who have so much time under their belts), and thinking, "man, that guy's almost surreal. Maybe he's got something I don't. How in the world did he get up there? Surely, he didn't take this blasted rope?! He must have some secret that I don't. He's gotta have supernatural powers to have such comfort." My point to you is this: Every one of us up here got here the same way. We took the rope. We climbed it. We didn't let go. And, just like we were told, it got easier. You will also get here that way. Three years ago, I was where you are. Everyone here has been there at one time. We understand what you're going through. Nobody here is a superhero. We're just addicts like you who found the rope earlier. And, we can each promise you… the rope is climbable, it does get easier, and there IS a place for you up here. There's one other way in which we're similar. Neither of us have wings. We let go the rope, or step off the side, we all plummet to the abyss the same way. One puff and it's all history. I learned that on my way up too. People who'd seemed almost unreal they were so comfortable, for no reason that I could understand, suddenly got up from their comfortable seats, walked to the side of the deck, and threw themselves off. Breaking the metaphor, so that it's perfectly clear, they took a puff and lost their freedom. Some of these were members who had been very active in supporting others, and had experienced months and even years of sustained comfort. One day, for their own reasons, they decided to chance it, and lo and behold their comfort was gone. They returned to their old levels of smoking, often more. I know this is true from email, and from the time when Freedom's policies were different and relapsed members were allowed to rejoin. All it took was one puff, and it was over. So, while it may be tempting to look at some of the longer term quitters with awe, consider that we are, and always will be subject to the same rules you are. One puff = all puffs. If I were to slip down to the pub right now, walk up to a friend, and take a drag off of his cigarette, I know full well that I would be out on my deck tomorrow night with a pack and an ash tray putting memories of Freedom and this post and everything I've given myself over the past 3 years in a deep hidden locker that my junky side would work overtime to prevent me from opening. Why is it important to point out that, with respect to nicotine addiction, you and I are the same, just separated by a bit of time? I guess because it's tempting for a new quitter to allow himself or herself to believe that all of these people dispensing education and encouragement here, couldn't possibly understand what they're going through. It may be tempting to listen to your own junky mind telling you, "You're different. These people aren't like you. They don't understand what you're experiencing. You know that you'll never be able to be like them. It's impossible for you." My long-winded, metaphorically-extreme point is to tell you that that's bunk. While you are different from me in many ways, our addiction to nicotine is the same. You will find comfort (emphasis on WILL) just as I and every other long-term member of Freedom did (by never taking another puff), and you WILL maintain that comfort the same way we all must (by never taking another puff).The factor that really shows the addiction is not how hard or how easy it is to quit. What really shows the addiction is how universally easy it is to go back. One puff and the quit can go out the window."

Maybe, not the stereotypical celebratory song. I wanted to play one of Sir Elton John's. I know you are younger than me but, here is a song, that touches my heart, that I think you will appreciate hearing again. His Marriage partner is from Saskatoon. He plays concerts regularly here, still. Small world, eh? Edit: To use the well-deserved and appropriate title of, "Sir Elton John". Enjoy!

I like the song but, celebrating Lucifer, is a little more than I should do here, (I did that enough with "All Along the Watchtower", already) ... How about White Rabbit?

Well buddy, I figured I caused enough grief here, before quitting.

My celebratory song, for one month:

She looks mean! :P

Thanks, everyone!

^^^ Ya. Jimmy Page, one of the greats! Looks good here, too. Robert Plant still looks like the dummy he is with "no" talent. Sorry, we saw a concert of his years back, while standing in the eight row. Confirmation for me, that he is still without any talent and a fool. Supposedly, sometimes Page would join him for the odd concert on that tour but, much to my wife's chagrin who insisted we go, that wasn't the case. She loves Page. A waste of a night. One of our son-in-laws and friends slept outside in a tent in front of the stadium, to get their front row seats. (Got us 8th row ones, lol). Stairway to Heaven. Some of Page's best work! hmm ... Here's "American Woman" by the Western Canadian band, that wrote it, (Randy Bachman of The Guess Who). And one of theirs (reported to never be recorded, just copied from a concert ), that is still played on the radio here.

Nice thread. Thank you, for letting me talk about myself again. lol I want to see the Queen Charlotte Islands. There is vegetation and animal life there, that is not seen anywhere else in the world. It survived the last ice-age unscathed, and continued on ... I have looked into working there and have made overtures too but, it is a little too remote for me now. And ... her has had enough with my wanderings. hint ... her doesn't factor into my plans any more.

I will not smoke today.

^^^ sure remember that one. Never seen "Sloopy" before. She was an inspiration I'm sure. My first 45. About that same time. Edit: Maybe not my first, but I loved it, and drove my mom nuts playing it and a few others. I had this one too! I don't know what's up with the pics on the video though.

^^^ Nice catch!

Here's a clip of an interview where, Clapton speaks of "Layla" (Pattie Boyd), and the beginning of his sobriety:

0-->

I haven't seen Janis Joplin here yet?

Nevermind ... you don't need to know all that. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EqIpkMDRjYw

That guy was "quick" to catch it.

o-->

I think she was Harrison's wife.The song, was about Layla, after Clapton, had tried to offer her "consolation", and fell in love with her, too! WTH! I couldn't resist posting the original version again. NOPE! I like this later "live" version better!

I had some extra time after my work-out at the track and gym today, before my Brain-Zaps. I decided I would have a bowl of "friendly lady's restaurant" home made soup, in the basement of doc's building, in the high-rent section of town. I parked my car on the street that I always park on, that has 2 hours of parking allowed. Took out 4 dollars of change, fed the meter for the two hours. All that registered on the clock was 90 minutes. Thinking that I must have fed the change too quickly, I gave it another dollar's worth of change. It remained at 90 minutes. I was angry then, and smacked the meter. I had a closer look at the meter then. The meter on the pole for the person parked behind me, said in small letters, "2 hours maximum" but mine stated "90 minutes maximum". I looked up at the sign on the street by the front of my car, Yep, it said 2 hour parking. I looked at the curb, to see if there was anything special painted on it where I had parked, but it was just bare concrete. I smacked the meter a second time when I realized, I was again the victim, of yet another "dummy"! (two meters on a pole with one for 2 hours, and mine for 90 minutes). I had my soup, fed the meter some more, and went up for the "Zaps". I was sitting strapped in the reclining like-dental chair, when doc walked in and said from outside my vantage point: "What happened here? He tapped my right hand. I brought it to where I could see it, and saw that I now have 3 big bruises on the back of hand and knuckles, (I bruise easily, now). I said, "Dummies Doc ... Dummies. They're Everywhere!". Doc said, "Are you fighting with them?" I relayed an abridged story to him. He never said anything else. So, not being able to see him, to see what his expression might be that could tell me what he was thinking, I tried for humor and said, "You know doc. "I've", never made a mistake in my whole life!" I heard doc chuckle as he patted me on the shoulder. As doc walked out of the office, he said, "We'll see you next week, Mike". I don't know if that is going to impact my evaluation on Monday, negatively or positively. I guess I will find out. Dummies ...