Ah by the way Tresa. You have something special because you can let us newbies know how great it is to be smokefree and not crave so much. What it is like to not have the drug control everything you do. Loads and loads of positives. The shining light with cool headgear! :) So many positives. Think of the list of benefits of you no longer smoking. I bet that list is really long. Btw, I found it always a good exercise to do no matter how far into the quit you are (a kev advice for newbies). Just don't copy your old list. Think of those benefits all over again. Then compare lists from previous. Eek, I am giving advice again! That could be hypocritical from me given that I don't think I will make it one day to the next smokefree (a no man's land condition). However, I do know many reasons why it is great to be smokefree. Just some would be : I don't smell like an ashtray 24/7. My teeth are whiter than before. I've saved bucketloads of cash. I thought of those in under 20 seconds which shows how clear they are in my mind and how strong I feel about them. Btw Tresa, is it ok to say 'Hi' if I see you on SSC IM? I always should ask. Its one of many rules I either got taught or taught myself that if a girl talks to a boy then that is fine but if a boy talks to a girl then it could be seen as predatorial. Same as me looking directly at the pavement if someone is coming at me (avoid eye contact) in the other direction. Another one of the rules I obey in life that may have something to do with why I smoked. To do with if you're outside alon in the cold, you don't have to worry about where you look. I'm delving into smoking and self confidence without knowing it. Ah well, what another big insight into me. I think you already knew I was a complex bundle! :) Maybe this is why I like Joyful Spirit and Lady so much. Part of them reminds me of a female version of me. Just in case either of them read this I would just like to say that is good thing, you have passion and sensitivity. It's probably not great in a bloke mind you. They probably won't read this but my mum will in 20 odd days when she gets round to this thread. So I get the opportunity to explain that yes one of the reasons I go outside at events is because I am tired of staring at the carpet! Also when I am at home it is to avoid any dodgy conversations (especially when smoking comes on tv). But I love you dearly and I hope you are having a great day when you read this. Right, this is the last post from me today I promise. I seem to have been having an emotionally flowing week (yes I feel so much better afterwards). I hope to start thread 21 tomorrow as it will be a new week and make my promises starting from then (I covered promises to Wednesday). Last thing before I go. Kelly, I should have said, in the pumpkin patch searching for pumpkins. :) I've never been to a pumpkin patch. We get one already cropped in the supermarkets. I could be missing out on something! :) Remind me about the SSC Facebook project if I forget, my memory is terrible today. OK, thats it, I really am stopping writing for now. Hope everyone has a great day! Love from Kev (HUGS) [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B]7/12/2007 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 104 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 2,600 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] �436.80 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 13 [B]Hrs:[/B] 0 [B]Mins:[/B] 57 [B]Seconds:[/B] 8

Morning All, Kelly, ooh sounds cool. Let me see if I can get it sorted at the weekend. Never been on facebook. Sounds exciting! Especially the playlist stuff. I see doors to a whole new world of excitement here Kelly! Knackered = tired. old, worn out. aka my arm was tired from hollowing out the pumpkin. Not sure where the word comes from. But there is something called a knackers yard. Don't mention it in front of Mister Ed. Its where old horses go to become something else, like glue etc. There is bound to be a wordsmith who can give me the origins of the word. Danielle, thanks! Sometimes an analogy just flows from me so easily. Some are duff, some are good. Nice to see loads of new faces here too. Aloha, Yes I think that opening up here has been very good. At least one of my parents will now know what I am going through properly. I've been explaining what HALT, NOPE, ODAAT mean :) She's up to general thread, which is the last one before I started naming them JDK Thread #x. One thread a day, which means she will be up to my current state of mind in about 3 weeks. :) My mum knows about the importance of 120 days now. And I was explaining why I intend to continue to hold on for dear life to that. In reality of course my real aim is 150 days as by then I should have been out of no man's land and thinking straighter than I have been. I'm allowing for 'kev lag' :) Which leads me nicely onto... I would love to go to a record store or concerts again. That would be great! To be able to live a normal life as I used to. I am however petrified that as soon as I go past a shop unsupervised I will be buying a packet of cigarettes before you can say 'NO KEV DON'T'. Even with supervision it turns out I am a complete nightmare as my tests have shown previously. Its the fear of screwing it up very quickly that drives me to stay at home and only go for walks that avoid shops for 104 days. If it wasn't for the music and your great company here I would go stir crazy. I am pretty sure my pub aquaintences think I have suddenly dies or moved country! I haven't been in my local since July 6th. It is part of my 'whatever it takes' way to stay smokefree. I wish I didn't have to do it but I do not trust myself one bit...actually maybe a tiny bit because I get dreams sometimes that I make it past the shop without buying the packet of smokes. Hopes and dreams of a nicotine-ic. Hopefully this phase will pass and I will feel more confident that I can go out and pass shops without buying cigarettes. I'm clinging on to that one. Being a hermit for the rest of my life fills me with dread. On the positive side I have some funky rewards arriving in the post sometime this week, and that is something to look forward to. There is always a positive side to everything. p.p.s. I've just got word that the first package has already arrived. Yippee!! [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B]7/12/2007 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 104 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 2,600 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] �436.80 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 13 [B]Hrs:[/B] 0 [B]Mins:[/B] 47 [B]Seconds:[/B] 4

Oh Kev! I'm so excited! You HAVE to sign up for facebook if you haven't already and join Friends of SSC. There's an option for swapping playlists! Fun, fun, fun! Are you coming??? :) [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B]8/25/2007 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 60 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 1,800 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $351.00 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 5 [B]Hrs:[/B] 8 [B]Mins:[/B] 31 [B]Seconds:[/B] 10

Wow! You Brits are an odd bunch, eh? Kidding!!! But...I have no idea what knackered means...never been pumpkin patch hunting...and the visual I'm getting on the Penny for the Guy and mom's pantyhose is troubling me. lol. Funny stuff, though! [IMG]http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc221/jstforkel/28.gif[/IMG] [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B]8/25/2007 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 60 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 1,800 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $351.00 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 5 [B]Hrs:[/B] 8 [B]Mins:[/B] 26 [B]Seconds:[/B] 27

I would help you with your quit, but i dont really have any secrets, i have just done it ones step at a time like everyone else, i just started before most here :) You keep doing the Good Job, you are getting it done :) Keep it up Lil Live Wire :) Tresa [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B]8/8/2002 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 1902 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 38,040 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $6,657.00 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 268 [B]Hrs:[/B] 5 [B]Mins:[/B] 22 [B]Seconds:[/B] 58

Glad to hear you're having a good week, kev. Also glad that you are opening up to your parents about your experiences. What a great way to learn to deal with your emotions and communications without smoking! Wow, when you add up all you used to spend on a weekend and compare it with the measly 50 you spend on music, it definitely seems like you are being downright frugal! Do you have used music stores there? I understand that much of your music is downloaded, but I was thinking that might be a place to meet and talk with other people who share your passion for music? What about concerts? Are they all in clubs? Or are there different venues? I'm always wanting you to get out and mingle more ;) No matter what, you're doing great, kev! Just keep not lighting up [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B]3/22/2007 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 215 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 8,600 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $1,462.00 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 30 [B]Hrs:[/B] 0 [B]Mins:[/B] 47 [B]Seconds:[/B] 42

Great analogy Kev and thanks for the info. We had a thread about it when it first came out. Danielle, Bilingual Support Specialist

Thats one funky emoticon you've got there Kelly! Hows today treating you? Good I hope! Time for some pumpkin patch hunting? This year I have battery light up ones after spending 2 hours and several bent spoons (and knackered arms) hollowing out a pumpkin, only to find that the candle I put in goes out every minute! Over here soon we have 'Penny for the Guy' in which young kids raid their moms tights/pantyhose draw, fill it with screwed up newspaper and sit on a street shouting 'Penny for the Guy mister?'. Of course they're disappointed if you give them a penny. What they mean is 50p for the guy mister. The rate of inflation you see :) In my local quiet area there are quite a few that place themselves so they catch you on the way back from the shops, knowing that you have some change. They seem to start earlier every year in order to rake in the most money. Enterprising lot these kids! I just hope not all the money goes on cigarettes and booze. I am in writing form while I have chance today. :) It might also have something to do with nobody in the office and therefore no virtual smoke breaks. [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B]7/12/2007 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 103 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 2,575 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] �432.60 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 12 [B]Hrs:[/B] 22 [B]Mins:[/B] 19 [B]Seconds:[/B] 38

[IMG]http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc221/jstforkel/cool.gif[/IMG] [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B]8/25/2007 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 59 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 1,770 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $345.15 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 5 [B]Hrs:[/B] 7 [B]Mins:[/B] 8 [B]Seconds:[/B] 10

Unhooked A reward budget is a great idea! I wonder how much I should budget. I try to think about my normal weekly (pre quit) lifestyle. For the weekend (total approx) : Smokes (shop) : 5 x �4.20 = �21 Smokes (pub machine) : 5 x �28 JD & Cokes : 30 x �2.40 = �72 Fruit Machine : 60 x �1 = �60 Jukebox : 30 x �1 = �30 Total per weekend = �211 I guess �50 on music vouchers a week isn't too bad. The reason why I get hassles over it is because nobody in my family (maybe except my mum) knows how addicted I was before hand. It would be enough to cause my dad a heart attack. Truth be told, I don't miss the fruit machine one bit. So that isn't an addiction. That is just stupidity that takes place after you've had a couple of drinks or through boredom. I don't miss the JD & Cokes either. I'd be happy if they served tea. I do miss the smoking a lot and anyone who reads these threads knows that I am doing my best to hold on to a smokefree life. That IS an addiction and a very strong one at that. The jukebox, well I miss sharing my music taste with others and learning other peoples music tastes. It is a slight addiction. If I pass one, I would not fight someone for the ability to play on it...maybe. One thing I do miss is the social aspect. I miss it a lot. It is just one of the downsides that I am prepared to take for the time being in order to protect my quit. I am glad I live with my family as it would a very lonely existance indeed and I don't think I could handle that. How do I get on to these long stories to answer a simple question hey?! Actually there wasn't even a question. :) Ah well maybe I am having a soppy day. That'll be a break from my hard macho man image then :) I am actually having a very good day today btw. I'd like it be known that I am not always bugged by junkie thought. I feel a spot of lunch is called for in a bit, so i shall sign off now. Hope everyone is good. And to those in california where the fires are I pray for no wind and lots of rain. [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B]7/12/2007 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 103 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 2,575 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] �432.60 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 12 [B]Hrs:[/B] 21 [B]Mins:[/B] 57 [B]Seconds:[/B] 4