George is gonna quit smoking

Day 120

2006-02-01T14:07:00.000Z

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

2005-11-14T21:45:00.000Z

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

2005-11-03T10:11:00.000Z

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

2005-11-02T13:26:00.000Z

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

2005-10-29T09:17:00.000+01:00

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

2005-10-27T14:06:00.000+01:00

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

2005-10-25T12:57:00.000+01:00

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.

Day 21

2005-10-23T09:20:00.000+01:00

Well it's Day 21 and I still haven't touched a cigarette, well not a lit one anyway!

I'm still having trouble sleeping though and in the last few days I haven't been craving more like doing certin things makes me feel like I should be smoking. For instance when I get into my car after work, I want to light up. When I'm lounging around the house, I want to light up, yet when I'm in work under pressure and stressed I don't! When I smell one of my co-workers on there way back from a cigggie, I don't.

I mention this as it seems to me that all the things I thought would be the most difficult are turning out to be easy!

Day 16

2005-10-18T13:12:00.000+01:00

it's lunchtime and i'm writing this in a bar that less than a week ago would have been practicaly empty at this time of day. Today it's jammed I had to wait to get a table for a pub lunch! The reason for this sudden upswing in business there most direct competitor in the business park announced they had closed down yesterday morning.

Yes, the nice little café I have mentioned previously has had to close it's doors for good, for reasons beyond there control.

What's a bit concerning is the current rumour, that it's due to a health & safety violation! That is only rumour but all of a sudden i'm left wondering if there might be some truth in it and if so, what sort of violation???

As for the cigarettes, I have to say the patches are wonderful I haven't had a craving in days! But this is only the first part of ten week course so I have a way to go yet.

Day 14

2005-10-16T10:54:00.000+01:00

Ok so I haven't been blogging lately, I'm on holidays and its been great, Myself and ellybabes got to relax and spend lots of time together. We had a few days away with at the nortern end of this Island visited her mum and toured the north coast a little what a fantastically relaxing week, and not a craving to be seen well almost.

So for this Blog post, I thought I would share some of the odder thing's we have seen during our holidays!

For instance is this the Iron Giants Walking Stick?

We also visited The Giants Causeway.
Bet your wondering what's going on out there? We were too so Ellybabes skipped off across the causeway to investigate. These guys were taking part in an Extreme Sport, namely Extreme Ironing. After some discussion with Thomas, Alex & Iain and a donation to there very worthy charity Children in need, Ellybabes got to have her first Extreme Ironing Experience.

(Must resist urge to make smart ass comments for fear of having to Iron my own shirts :))

I'd like to take this oppurtunity to thank Ellybabes mum for acting as our tour guide and helping to make this a very memorable trip.

So as I finish this post and wander off into the sunset of our holidays, I'm left to ponder "is this still a blog about stopping smoking?"

Day 8

2005-10-10T18:28:00.000+01:00

OK, so I missed a few days, but at least I haven't had a ciggie. It's strange but I have been having stronger cravings for the last few days. Also, I haven't been sleeping to well, strange dreams and I'm restless in the evenings.

I thought a couple of days off would make this easier, unfortunately that's not been the case, if anything it's been more difficult!

On the upside, the headache's seem to have passed, but I have started to substitute food for cigarettes. This is what happened the last time I tried to quit.

After 2 month's of not smoking I discovered I had added 2 stone weight to myself that combined with a night's boozin' I faltered. The rest is history.

This time is different, it's no longer legal to smoke in bars or for that matter indoors in public. Ireland is one of those countries that the government has decided it's people don't have the ability to make a decision themselves. The law was passed on the pretext of saving money in the health service and as being a public health issue.

At the time this law was passed the governments own figures stated that almost 40% of all hospital admissions were a direct result of alcohol, be that peoples direct use or people being mowed down by drunk drivers etc. Yet the government decides to ban smoking and not alcohol.

The hypocrisy is only to be expected though, after all we have a chronically obese minister for health these days, yet over eating has not been outlawed... yet

When the ban was first proposed a lot of non smokers I mentioned my reservations about this being a precedent to and effectively opening the doors to a nanny state questioned my sanity. Maybe they were right to. There is now a growing movement towards a fast food tax, and a complete ban on smoking may not be far away.

Do people want the freedom to chose there own destiny or do all people at some level just desire to be ruled?

I have chosen to stop smoking, in the future I may choose to start again. I am not insane, I have free will and that is one of the things I will do everything in my power to keep.

Day 4

2005-10-06T21:23:00.000+01:00

So, according to "urban legend" the first 3 days have the toughest cravings. well I'd like to state that from my point of view, today was a walk in the park compared to the first few days at least till I got home, and wasn't feeling the work pressure and busy, busy, busy. I have to time to think about it and it makes it a bit harder to deal, but I'm happy to say that I'm feeling the benefits, So I don't want to go the other way again.

Last night I did have difficulty sleeping and I can't really blame Ellybabes this time I just couldn't sleep. There was one rather strange incident that I recall.

I was woken by the sound, yes, the sound of the blinking LED on my nice shiny new PDA Phone. The strange bit is I'm not sure if I dreamt the sound and then woke up or whether this actually happened. :)

People mentioned that I would become very moody while I was doing this and that is an understatement! Today I was borderline bi-polar with the mood swings, strange that when I wasn't feeling the cravings.

Day 3

2005-10-05T20:42:00.000+01:00

Boy am I knackered! This is prolly gonna be a short one tonight. I'm only in from work and I had one of those days where everywhere I turned there was a problem, Thank Christ for that if I hadn't been under the hammer all day I would have faltered today! I had a bad start to my work day and after that I had a few minutes of peace and quiet and the only thing I wanted was a cigarette and If someone had handed me a beer... (George goes to get a beer from the fridge) Thankfully as I was about to go 'bum a smoke' from one of the other smokers in the job The crap started to fly and it didn't stop till the end of the day. Not that I enjoyed it but I didn't have a chance to think about the cravings and the patch took the edge off just enough.

I get home grab a bite and all of a sudden I wanna ciggy!!! So I'm typing...

I'm thinking philosophically about this process at the moment and well at the end of day 3, I'm starting to feel really good about myself. Today was tuff even if I had been smoking, real goddamn tuff. I've made it through though and I'm feeling really chuffed with me. I can't tell you why, it's not like I found the silver bullet that will solve all the problems in the world but I achieved a personnel goal today. That mightn't mean a lot to anyone other than me but it matters to me and that's reason enough to mention it here.

AS you may have guessed I was a bit annoyed and dare I say strung out when I posted about the spammers last night but that's passed, with the craving...

I want to thank the people who have added comments, I know you both IRL and hell I'm marrying one of you and well Steve your a funny guy and a great friend. I really do appreciate the support. I also would like to thank the quiet ones some of you know me and have e-mailed me support and well anyone who takes the time to read the stuff I come out with deserves to be thanked, I do genuinely believe in a collective human consciousness and even people just thinking "sheez, what a boring blog but hey at least he's trying to take a positive step in his life" I feel helps me, so thank you.

Day 2 Part 2

2005-10-04T22:49:00.000+01:00

Ok, I was going to sit back, relax and post a bit on how I'm feeling about this process but instead I'm gonna have a rant! Why? Well to put it simply I have had to make it a teencey bit more difficult for my friends and family to post comments. Why? I hear you ask, well some spammers have found my blog and have decided to use it to advertise there wares.

Now before I get to into this, I want to give my readers a little background on me I'm a professional sales person, it's what I do for a living. It's an honorable trade and I don't have any issues with what I do. I talk to people who have needs and I recommend a product or range of products to suit there needs, if they want to purchase from me great if they don't well it can be disappointing after putting time and effort into coming up with something to meet there requirements, but you can't win 'em all and if you did where's the fun in that.

I have on occasion sent information to existing clients but by an large I don't have to do it to often as I get plenty of requests for the products I sell. I want to be very clear on this next point I have never nor will I ever, mass mail people I have not dealt with before or that have requested that I not sent them information. I simply believe that this is not a good way to gain customers, in fact I believe it can have a very negative impact. People don't like to be sold things they like to buy them, a subtle but important difference.

Now these spammers, there usually selling products that are at best shoddy and in some cases just downright Cr*p, in other cases there fraudsters trying to rip people off. Lets put all that aside and think about this mister spammer, the internet is a big place, space to advertise and sell your wares is not expensive and can allow you to target your specific market. By posting comments in peoples blogs to advertise your wares you are breeching the terms and conditions of this site so you obviously have no respect for right and wrong, you are morally bankrupt and I will never purchase a product from you on that principle alone not only that but I will make it my personal quest to ensure that as many people as possible will know of your company and the repulsive business practices you take part in.

Now please pack up your apple cart and Fuck off your not wanted on the internet, not by the users, the ISPs, the hosting companies, nobody likes spammers you are the 21st centuries own "Billy no-mates"

Just in case anybody is in any doubt on this subject after reading that, I do not condone the use of this blog as an advertising billboard and I most certainly do not in any way endorse the products that 2 companies have advertised in the comments on this site. I would implore readers not to click the links and not to purchase products from these companies. If they see that this type of business practice does not promote sales and instead hurts there bottom line maybe they will have the intelligence and decency to stop.

unfortunately the upshot of all this is that if anyone wants to post a genuine comment you will have to enter the letters in the picture on the comments page to post.

OK rant over! Dennis Leary eat your heart out.

And back to the topic of the blog, I haven't had a cigarette today and the headache that I have had since about 3Pm has finally passed. And I'm off to bed now...

Goodnight and sleep well.

Day 2

2005-10-04T19:59:00.000+01:00

Hurrah for lunch breaks! My taste buds are starting to work again. Good food so far tastes better and the lunch i just ate was revolting.

The little cafe that I usually visit for my lunch does normally supply quite good food to take away at lunchtime, proper meals as opposed to the usual soup, sandwich and salad fair on offer in most business parks in Dublin. From time to time they have an off day (everybody is entitled to one every so often) today was one of those days! Now in the past this would not have bothered me too much and i would have eaten it anyway. Today i got a baked gammon lunch and it smelt odd it tasted odder so i didn't eat it. The onion rings were pure congeled frier fat and the only bit of my lunch i could eat were the chips.

Why do i mention this? Well, it just occured to me, how much vile disgusting food i must have eaten in the past without even knowing it. I mention this so that anyone reading and thinking of quitting be warned, everything will taste stronger and lastly because I'm very annoyed! I think I'll try the chinesey tomorrow ;)

Day 1

2005-10-04T05:00:00.000+01:00

Right then, I had my last cigarette at roughly 11pm last night and went to bed dreaming of the wonderful new life all the ex-smokers I know keep telling me about. Imagine my surprise upon waking up less than 4 hours later craving! I wasn’t about to give in though so I rolled over and tried not to think about it. Unfortunatly my beloved ellybabes decided that she would take to snoring at that moment! Surprisingly this irritated me a lot and I woke her in my attempts to stop her snoring. I'm truly sorry sweetie.

This morning I woke up to break my routine of grabbing a quick brekky and a ciggie before heading to the shower I just cut to the shower immediatly. My thinking was the sooner I get I get out of the shower the sooner I could begin my dependency on "the patches" By the time I got out of the shower I was more edgy than a strung out GI on patrol in Iraq. The Patch was hurrily applied and the urge to kill began to subside.

I’m now on my lunch break, this is the longest day of my life! I left the office to get some lunch and the first thing I did was go back for my ciggies! Catching myself halfway back up the stairs and srenghtening my resolve to continue this process.

There is one memory that keeps coming back to me. About 10 years ago I was lighting a stage for a band in a venue I used to work in here in Dublin, after the soundcheck was done I was chating with the singer as it was the first time I had met him and he had been part of a well known band in dublin in the eigties, who had split up due to his heroin addiction. As we were chatting over a cigarette I asked him why if he'd kicked heroin, why hadn’t he quit cigarettes? His response, heroin was easy. He had been trying to quit smoking for years and had still failed! I’m not sure if this is motivation to keep going with this or an excuse if I fail.

Later that day...

OK so i'm at home now, I've had my dinner and i'm typing this to avoid another craving. As any smoker will tell you the best cigarette is the one you have directly after a good meal with a nice relaxing coffee or tipple of choice. Truth be told I'm really gonna miss that it was always like a full-stop on my day.

I'm sure to all the smokers out there this all seems a little sad The truth is that I am a bit sad, I'm gonna miss my old friend, even tough he was slowly killing me! Anytime i've been feeling a bit down for the last god only knows how many years a cigarette always made me feel a bit better! I guess that's what makes the damn things so dangerous.

My "quitting smoking" diary

2005-10-04T03:00:00.000+01:00

So I’ve decided to quit smoking! It has been suggested that one way to make things easier is to keep a diary of the "experiment" which is why I’m here!