Yes Chatty, I still need you. Facts and all. I am more worried about the inside effects more than wrinkles. That was a long time smoking for me. I just hope I can get away with it by quitting. No guarantees only that I won't be 'puffing and blowing' again!

Bug, (that's my nickname for my daughter, short for Twitterbug) If I send a photo of me in a bustier, I really would be Victoria's "Secret"! Baahhh haaa haaa.

Norma, glad to see you posted. And you know...we are only as old as we feel. Uh huh, that's what they say.

Last night I celebrated with a candy bar, TGIF mozza sticks, A rice Krispie square and 1/2 brownie all washed down with, you guessed it...Diet Pepsi. My next treat is Christmas Eve. No wine for me this year, it may trigger me.

TVC, come and say hi.

chick

Congrats to all of you working on quitting! What a huge thing!

woooo hoooooo!

hugs, hugs, and more hugs!

Danita

Keep going Chickadee!

How about drinking sparkling grapejuice instead of wine? It almost tastes like the alcohlic version but without the alcohol.

Have a toast because you deserve it. How about getting a cake specially made with a picture of a cigarette in a circle with the diagonal line slash through it?

Make it a celebration at the one month marker.

Ladies, please check out today's Dear Abby column it talks about smoking and quitting cold trurkey.

What do you think about the lady smoker?

It is a well published medical fact that quiting smoking at any age can remedy years of the abuse of smoking....apparently it is never too late.

Hi Chick!
Do you you drink coffee? I know that would be a trigger for me. In fact it has tripped me up many times already when I thought I would try to quit.
Wine would be also.
I'm really proud of you, you are doing so great!

Thank you Danita for your encouraging words and generous hugs.We can use em here.

Ladybug, it is grapejuice for sure. Maybe a cupcake, but no cake because I will eat it all.

Chatty, all your tidbits are really helping. Keep em coming for the me and the girls. The good, bad and the ugly...Give it to us.

TVC, thank you. Remember our Resolutions last year? Well it ONLY took me 11 months to get it right, ha ha. Yes I am a coffee drinker - morning only. It triggered me every day right up until my Thanksgiving quit date. I still have it every morning. I had quit smoking in my car, remember. Then I stopped smoking while on the computer, which is where I have my morning coffee(and lunch, some days) .I know we can all relate to that one. I dis-associated my computer and smoking enough to not crave it when I quit cold turkey.
TVC, I have an answer to why it was so easy for this diehard smoker, who loved a cigarette more than anything in the world, to quit.
I cut back, a little at a time, most of the time.
By the time I came here, I had the process in motion for about a few weeks. When Norma asked a Question about how others Quit, and this topic came on board by Ladybug (did I say Thank You) for us, everyday I posted my setbacks and successes and didn't feel ashamed to say I screwed up. It was my tool to use. And I used it! I got some great words of wisdom, advice, why I shoulds, what it's doing to me and all the while it was support. I really need to go back and find out who said, "If you crave after you quit, it is because you are not really ready to quit. Somehow, those words among others, made me think, "I am ready, so I shouldn't crave right? Absolutely right! I haven't had any bad cravings at all. No lingering ones, anyway. Loss of the habit of having something in my hand? I just did something, anything...I got this house in half decent shape in less than a week. That meant everything and anything from dusting the dust bunnies to spraying and glistening the spidey webs. Hey, I'm nature friendly...Today when I get off here, I am going to tackle and freshen 2 spare bedrooms.
TVC, You and Norma need to come here EVERY day, report your goods and not so goods.I f it takes a year, come here and post. This is for you and Norma and any who are smoking, reading and not posting.. So far it's one down and two to go, that we know of.
I am out of the woods. I am no longer a smoker, I am part of your support system because I've been there and...I know how extremely difficult it is to FINALLY Quit.
Set your quit date to any day at all. Today, your birthday, Easter...any time. It helps to have one.
I prayed, as hard as I knew how that Thanksgiving morning, to My God and asked him to help me if I help myself, to be there during my weak times and lead me not into temptation. He heard my prayer and is guiding me all the way.
Norma and TVC, I am here for you, PM me...do whatever it takes. Even if your not ready yet?...Post it here anyway. Sending prayers your way.
The big question for me is, "Will I smoke again?" I really don't think so. I am where I want to be...smokefree.(Never say never they say)

chick

I forgot to add...I went to the Salvation Army yesterday to visit my former manager and co-workers. They all smoke and I went outside with them and it didn't bother me...at all!

[ December 04, 2005, 11:06 AM: Message edited by: chickadee ]

Thank you Chick,
You are my inspiration!

Chickadee, so there was the test. They were smoking and you could be among them and it didn't bother you. I truly am convinced you have quit and are on the road to healing all the damage years of smoking can do.

Actually I started the question about Quitting Smoking, Tell us How? The other person who said you'll quit only when you are ready was JawJaw. She got the words of wisdom from her father who said them to her.

It doesn't really matter who said what, it's that whoever said these words gave you the incentive to finally quit. Keeping yourself busy around the house surely helps. With your new job that should also help take your mind off of smoking.

We will continue to be here and keep this "shop open for 24 hours seven days a week" to be your one stop shopping for encouragement to quit.

knock, knock...Is the shop open? My first real cravings came this morning and won't leave. Out of no where for no reason! Yikes, I am going to go finish those bedrooms now. I need prayers for strength. I will not smoke, I assure you. I just have to get through today. The devil won't make me do it. I will not give in to the enemy that wants to capture and own me. See you back here tonight.
(sigh)
Gee, I feel the craving getting lighter already. Thank God for the shop!
chick