The Cost of Comfort

So I'm on an unusually empty train home last night after an hour at the gym. Everyone has a seat, aside from two guys and a woman (that'd be me) who likely chose to stand. For space. Elbow room. I'm in London, London is a crowded cess pool and space is at a premium. But space = comfort, so it costs. A LOT. The train suddenly dies in the tunnel. An announcement, the power's cut out, problem with the train, yadda yadda. We do the stop/start thing for another ten minutes, trudging down the track to go out of service on an already crowded platform and I'm evacuated into a very uncomfortable situation, polar opposite to the quasi-paradise I was in just minutes earlier. The guy over there is in the midst of a mob with a Marlboro hanging from his lip. Ah. He's switched off the discomfort by touching fire to disease. He's slouching, he's got some room. He's killing himself. But he's comfortable. The gal to his left, engulfed in his blue cloud, chomping on a chocolate bar. She's above the national average I'm sure, as far as weight is concerned. Should really lay off the chocs. And the cheeseburgers, chips and cookies. But it tastes good, she's not thinking about the mob. She tips the scales over much farther and she's looking in the eye of the Reaper years before she should. But she's comfortable. I look around and count about 6 more. Smoking, eating. Self-medicating. All I can smell is cigarette smoke. The next train is ten minutes out. I should get out of here, take the bus, walk home, anything. But I'm only one stop away. I don't smoke anymore, I'm not eating anything, I want to get home quickly - I want to be comfortable. This gets me thinking about what it costs on this planet to feel comfort. Thinking about the fact that money spent on a two bedroom flat in this city would buy me a few acres in the suburbs near my last US location. About how the only place I can find any personal space at present is in a park, which is full of other people desperate for the same thing. The house I live in belongs to my in-laws, the house I live in has a revolving door. Their guests = my guests. I don't like company this often. Please go now. I want to be comfortable, not keep my hair tied back and my bra on because I'm expect

I took off my patch!

Tutti, I'm giggling here, thinking of that line from the Exorcist! Keep the faith DJ, we're rooting for you! [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 1/1/2007 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 58 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 1,347 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] �319 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 4 [B]Hrs:[/B] 22 [B]Mins:[/B] 20 [B]Seconds:[/B] 16

Not proud

Congratulations on changing your ways for your health and the health of your little-un! If and when it gets tough it may help to take the short goal of staying quit the next three months of your pregnancy. By the time you get there, you'll be ten days away from Century Beach and just too darned busy to smoke! Wish you the best & welcome. Todash x [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 1/1/2007 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 58 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 1,346 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] �319 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 4 [B]Hrs:[/B] 22 [B]Mins:[/B] 15 [B]Seconds:[/B] 20

I took off my patch!

DJ, I'm two months in and haven't commented on this yet anywhere, so now's a good a time as any... If by any chance you can go cold turkey, DO IT! I used the patch for six weeks, went through 'step down madness' thrice and then a final stellar bamboozling when I stopped entirely. It felt like I quit and felt withdrawal four times. Not pretty. Quite painful really. What's getting me through the Grumpies version 4 is a wonderful herbal remedy called Kalms. Try it if you're feeling bonkers and like that sort of thing, I highly recommend it! Anyroo, get through it without an NRT if you can, do what you must, stay strong and read/post as often as you need to! Todash x [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 1/1/2007 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 58 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 1,346 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] �319 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 4 [B]Hrs:[/B] 22 [B]Mins:[/B] 15 [B]Seconds:[/B] 49

Cruise Ship Departing for the Century Beach # 2

But a thong would make the perma-gas issue a bit easier to deal with, no? ;) Sorry I'm late, I was out shopping for the blow up water wings. Here they are, I'm just off on vacation tomorrow for a week but promise to paddle my raft up to the ship when I get back. Don't want to miss the big day with you all! I'll meet you in the pool. Garcon! One Pina Colada please, with a mini umbrella in the glass if ya don't mind... T x [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 1/1/2007 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 67 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 1,559 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] �368.5 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 5 [B]Hrs:[/B] 16 [B]Mins:[/B] 55 [B]Seconds:[/B] 44

...and then reality kicked in.

I'm with you jaz been feeling that way a while now myself: [url=http://www.stopsmokingcenter.net/support/viewmessages.aspx?forum=10&topic=36570]http://www.stopsmokingcenter.net/support/viewmessages.aspx?forum=10&topic=36570[/url] The problems will intensify, old Satan will sharpen the prongs and you'll get through it all without the cigs. It's hard, it sucks, you feel a bit like an overboiled ham most of the time but when you do just take a deep breath and notice the lack of tickle. Log in here and count your days. Talk to us, we feel your pain. But mostly, we feel your joy and celebrate with you. Todash x [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 1/1/2007 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 67 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 1,559 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] �368.5 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 5 [B]Hrs:[/B] 16 [B]Mins:[/B] 55 [B]Seconds:[/B] 2

writer quitting smoking

Hi Pio, another writer here both for a living and for fun. My head felt like a jelly donut for a month and concentrating was absolute hell. I worried I'd never get it back and nothing like a blank sheet of paper to scare the crap out of you and let old Nic whisper in your ear. Have faith, it does come back and like many have said here, clearer, better than ever before - it's like the oxygen in your brain is feeding the creative flow, very strange but when it finally does happen you'll want to run down the street screaming with glee. Sure I have days I can't write my name and it's just a matter of lost focus. I tend to use an herbal remedy called Kalms which takes the 'thought rainbows' away (no better way to describe the streaming confusion, to be honest) and gets me focused again. Keep the faith, leave the fags to the smokers (of which you're not) and give it time, it'll come back to you. Welcome to the SSC btw. Todash x [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 1/1/2007 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 67 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 1,559 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] �368.5 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 5 [B]Hrs:[/B] 16 [B]Mins:[/B] 54 [B]Seconds:[/B] 21

How far have you come ?

Let's see...I'm about 5-1/2 feet from the top of the Gherkin, London's most utterly bizarre building: [url=http://www.emporis.com/en/wm/bu/?id=30stmaryaxe-london-unitedkingdom]http://www.emporis.com/en/wm/bu/?id=30stmaryaxe-london-unitedkingdom[/url] [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 1/1/2007 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 67 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 1,559 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] �368.5 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 5 [B]Hrs:[/B] 16 [B]Mins:[/B] 56 [B]Seconds:[/B] 47

100 Days for Mercy

Way to go Mercy, enjoy the beach! x T [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 1/1/2007 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 121 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 2,797 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] �665.5 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 10 [B]Hrs:[/B] 5 [B]Mins:[/B] 35 [B]Seconds:[/B] 12

PHIL HAS 9 MONTHS!!

Way to go, Phil glad your craves are deceased :) Your humour has kept us going, and everyone but everyone wishes you the very best. x T [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 1/1/2007 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 128 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 2,958 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] �704 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 10 [B]Hrs:[/B] 19 [B]Mins:[/B] 45 [B]Seconds:[/B] 11