Day 120

Just thought I'd better post an update seein as how it's been a while. Strangely I felt that it must be done today and after a quick calculation to see exactly how long it's been since my last ciggie I discover it's been 120 days!



I'm happy to report that it in those 120 days I have not smoked a single cigarette, I feel much better about myself as I know now that I can do anything I truly focus my attention on. So, I have decided to use this focus to become the first human to fly, unaided my machine :D LOL I crack me up :D

Day 43

Well today was the day. I halved my nicotine intake and I don't really think I have had any ill effects apart from possibly a slightly lower tolerance for stupidity and incompetence than normal.

Definitely no cravings which is good. so who knows maybe I'm just using these patches as a crutch something to lean on until I'm truly ready to admit to the world and myself that I'm an "ex-smoker"

What is so bad about being an ex-smoker?

I think to a lot of smokers (myself included not so long ago) there is a fear of being treated differently, Like all of a sudden you've changed, well here's the truth from my perspective.

I am different to what I was 43 days ago, I get more done in a day, I am now sleeping better & more often than I have done for a very long time. I'm more focused in everything I do and I don't find myself abandoning things half done so that I can have a ciggie and then not bothering to complete them.

I don't wanna burst anyone's bubble out there Smoking is an addiction, but this particular type of an addiction is not an illness, it's an addiction born out of habit and routine, it does take strenght of character and person to make the choice to stop but please smokers stop trying to make this out to be more than it is, it's a choice you either do it or you don't.

This the 21st century people, there's "medication" to help you with your "sickness" so it's no longer about the addiction.

I have at various times since I quit, taken to the web in the moments of weakness (for the want of a beter word) to help strenghten my resolve to see this through and there are a lot of sites out there that will tell you the benefits of quitting. A quick search on google reveals this little gem and a horde of others with almost Identical text. Now see if you can find a single site that lists disadvantages of quitting. The thing that scared me is that I couldn't find a single site that listed the disadvantages or even side effects of quitting.

The only thing I could come across was this let me know if you can find a single site listing the disadvantages of quitting smoking.

Day 32

Oh Sweet Jeebus, I forgot to change my patch this morning...

I have a feeling I may be adding to this today!!!

feels like I'm here already! :(


I Wanna Ciggy!

Oh dear (insert deity of preference) I WANNA FREAKIN CIGGY

OK, I made it through today, so I guess the previous post stands...

For now.

Day 31

Nothing really new to report on my lack of cigarettes, although I am
finding more and more time in the day. Strange, when I never used to
think of cigarettes taking that much time out of my day, but there you
go.

So, why ain't I been blogging? You ask. I refer you to the first sentence
of this post! :) so my friends, family and readers this may well be the
last post until I drop my nicotine intake in a few weeks time. Then
again I might get struck with some bizzarre new insight into how to
quit, if I do rest assurred I will be posting again sooner than that.

For now I think I've said enough on this subject. I may start another
blog on a different, broader subject, I'll let you know here first if I
do.

Day 27

Discrimination, when does it stop being discrimination and start to become publicly and socially acceptable?

I'm talking about the Irish smoking ban, you're not allowed under this ban to smoke in anyone's workplace. Great idea in principle, it reduces the risks associated with passive smoking to others, fantastic! or is it?

It has led to smokers being pushed outdoors to partake in their "filthy habit" It has also lead to serious discussions (in places) over docking shiftworkers who smoke half an hour or an hour of their shift work pay! I find this very offensive.

I understand why an employer would want to do this and their justifications for it, over the course of an 8 hour shift, a smoker will take a few cigarette breaks and thus reduce their productivity. So yes, Docking that workers pay makes sense this is something that the smoker chose to do. Is this smoker then entitled to disability pay to compensate? The vast majority of people would say no as it is a choice they made. This is the discrimination I mentioned above

So tell me reader does the employee who hurts their back and can't work for 6 weeks because they Choose to lift something incorrectly or who has a heart attack and can't work for months because they choose not to exercise regularly and eat healthily deserve their disability pay? Under the justification outlined in the last paragraph they do not.

I want to hear people's comments on this. Please put your name on record if you feel that I am being ridiculous, let time be the Judge. Maybe in 5 or 10 years from now, everybody's attitudes will have changed in the same way that over time attitudes towards racism, ageism and homosexuality have changed.

Day 25

I've been reading back over my more recent posts and I noticed there a bit brief and throw away, so I have decided to post a little less frequently but hopefully with a bit more substance.

I think the best place to start this new process is to get back to basics, what is this blog about?

Well, it's about my desire to quit smoking. And I'm happy to say I have accomplished that. I'm still addicted to nicotine (thanks to my patches) but I'm dealing with that one on a day by day basis.

Why did I just make that distinction?

That's easy! Smoking is a habit and like any habit it can be broken by simply deciding that you don't want to do it anymore. At this point I don't find myself going back into the office to pickup the pack I left behind or reaching for a pack when I sit into my car. That's a habit broken.

The reason I had that habit is because I was addicted to nicotine, unfortunately I am still addicted. On the upside though, I have reduced my daily intake without to many mood swings or loosing my temper. I fully intent to keep reducing my daily intake until it's non existent.

I am a little more than 2 weeks away from my next major reduction in nicotine intake that is according to the patch manufacturer! I'm already getting nervous about it as I will over night half my nicotine intake! I remember when I was smoking trying to reduce the number of cigarettes I smoked in a day. It usually ended up in me smoking far more!

This is my next major milestone and I'm looking forward to passing it, in one direction only.

Day 23

Lunchtime again, being able to taste food properly is such a blessing, although I'm starting to enjoy my food a little to much me thinks :( the last time I attempted to quit I put up a considerable amount of weight on in a fairly short period so I am very aware that I have the potentialto go Andre the giant if I'm not careful.

So, I'm thinking I better start to get more exercise. The problem with that is I am a couch potatoe, I have always been a couch potatoe and I fear despite my best intension I will remain a couch potatoe... Mmmmmmmpotatoes :)

should I join a gym, just start walking when I get home from work or give in to the inevitable onset of middle age? Why fight the progress oftime? Why do anything? To many questions and not enough answers!

Ah well best get back to work.