I love your poem and what you had to say it was very touching! Thank you for sharing that with us. [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 1/25/2007 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 10 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 227 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $25 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 1 [B]Hrs:[/B] 2 [B]Mins:[/B] 15 [B]Seconds:[/B] 54

Dutch: ok you are on the IM...Wow you mean to say I am now 3 people...Harkens back to the Three Faces of Eve...Yikes very scary...Perhaps I need to change my name... nonic

Debbie: Thank you for replying...your words are very kind indeed. I can see that you are doing beautifully on this quit. 101 days is amazing to me. You did not get this far without developing some very creative ways of dealing with the emotions that cigs used to kill (or perhaps make more tolerable). I am so glad that you have chosen to create new ways. If you are anything like me, it takes a great deal of effort to alter your perceptions. I almost have to say ok "this is what I am feeling"...now normally, or should I say abnormally, I would light a smoke and banish the thing. Easy fix...exceept for the devestating health consequences, financial expenditure and the fact that some people in this world have gotten used to having me around... At that point I adapt some new thought that chases that old devil away...It is very time consuming and stressful, but I get better at it day by day...Apparently you have also...So hurry on down to quittown I'll see you along the way... nonic

Praxin: Thank you for your kind words. I have found it useful for my quit to keep a journal about the experience. Writing has always been a thing that I have dearly loved. It is one more weapon for me to use in this fight. In writing about what goes on with me I periodically come upon images that I think are universal in the quitting and coping process. It is my hope that people will find an image or two that they can put in their pockets for use in the hard times. Great going on your 10 days...Only you know the true difficulty of that feat, but I have a sense that it took a lot of guts to get this far...Walk a little farther down the road, breathe a little better and maybe smell a flower or two for the very first time in a long long time... nonic [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 12/25/2006 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 41 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 992 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $287 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 7 [B]Hrs:[/B] 16 [B]Mins:[/B] 21 [B]Seconds:[/B] 15

Thanks 2tone, looks like you and are right on schedule here...Just need to keep on catching that bus down to quittown... nonic [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 12/25/2006 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 41 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 992 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $287 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 7 [B]Hrs:[/B] 16 [B]Mins:[/B] 21 [B]Seconds:[/B] 53

Dutch Thank you for your reply...I meant to ask you, did you say that you got a grant to begin a smoking cessation program? I thought I read that, but I could have it wrong...Let me know will you? Nonic

Hello Friends: For to many years I have been emotionally attached to the world by an umbilical chord of thin blue smoke. This journey has caused me to take a look at why I allowed myself to develop such a sad relationship with the world. This has actually been useful to me in stopping, because I need to understand the whole of it in order to change the pieces around. Smoking has been a part of me for a long long time. And make no mistake; I have been its willing companion. An amazing magician is this substance. When I was hurt it told me everything would be alright as long as I didn't actually feel the pain. And I believed it. And I never learned to grieve. When I got angry it told me everything would be alright as long as I didn't defend myself. And I believed it. And I never learned to communicate. When I was afraid, it told me everything would be alright as long as I never tasted the fear. And I believed it. And I never learned to cope. When I was happy, it convinced me it was my friend as long as I took it to the party. And I believed it. And I never felt total joy. So here we are now or should I say here I am, the smoke is becoming a distant memory. However, it has left me with a great deal of learning to do. Each day is a challenge, as I am finally learning how to deal with the fire of my emotions without first dulling them on nicotine�s anvil. I feel very self conscious, hoping that my verbiage is not taken as an attack, praying that I can be accepting of others ways without the perception of rejection, remaining within myself without causing others pain or embarrassment. I am having to watch myself very closely. Perhaps in the end this is what this journey is all about. I know I am meeting myself for the first time in a long time and it is a bit akward. I really do like who I am; I just need to be sure that the world is ready for the new/old me. I hope you are all well this evening. My heart goes out to each and every one of you as you go through this. It truly is worth the walk. I would like to meet each and every one of you in the land of the ex-smoker one of these fine days. Nonic [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 12/25/2006 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 40 [B]Cigarettes Not Smok

Hi Faith Thank you for your reply, I know that each quit is unique, but I have found that there is a commonality here that is rather startling. Its a tough road, but it looks like you are doing just fine at 118 days...That is a great accomplishment, I am sure that you have learned a great deal about yourself and are all the better for it... Stay well nonic

Healer: Thank you for your kind words...You are certainly one of my role models in this...Knowing that someone understands and in one way or another feels the words is a great blessing...Thank you again and I will most certainly do my best in this old world... Keep strong nonic [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 12/25/2006 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 40 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 980 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $280 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 7 [B]Hrs:[/B] 14 [B]Mins:[/B] 5 [B]Seconds:[/B] 23

imallclear I understand totally, your wanting to take this slowly...Yes for some this is much more than merely putting a match to a weed. For some it has become the place we go when we don't want to feel that which we can not bear. Or for one reason or another have told ourselves we cannot bear...I am thinking we might not be as fragile as we think...Remember the old Purdue Chicken slogan..."It takes a tough man to make a tender chicken"...In this case I think it might be appropriate to say "It takes a tender man to make a tough quit"... Be kind to yourself, and don't be frightened, this is really about losing a killer that we have invited into our lives... Hurry on down to Quittin Town nonic I don't know how this is going to go for me, but I am going on and meeting myself day by day...It is difficult...I really do have to check what I am feeling, do a bit of processing and then respond to the situation...So far so good, in fact with some of the people I deal with I have said "listen, I have to take a medication that may cause me to say or do some things that appear out of character...Please don't pay me any mind...If I offend you, I apologize in advance...These folks kind of know me and I think this will be alright...We will see how it goes...