me too, Pat, I know better, butt.......

lcj, another thing you might try is accupuncture. two friends of mine quit that way. they say it was easy.

RB, thanks for the Zoloft tip (and my coworkers will probably thank you too).

lcj, Half the battle is wanting to quit. If you're committed to quitting (rather than caving in to nagging), you're well on the way. I'm working myself back into that frame of mind--especially since it definitely loses it's appeal when you have to stand out in the cold, wind, snow, etc., just to feed a habit.

To paraphrase Cea, bitch away anytime you need to. No judgments. Good luck.

Yeah, well. If and when I want to give up smoking, I'm sure I'll find it quite possible to do so. Wanting to definitely being the operative word. I won't encourage anyone else to smoke, or discourage them from doing so. It's their life, their choice to make. I have all I can handle making the choices that come up in my own life.

I have yet to meet anyone who had no personal habits that weren't annoying to somebody, or that don't become annoying to nearly everyone if carried to extremes. I've never met anyone who has never been inconsiderate at some time, in some way, towards others. And I have yet to encounter the one who doesn't come closer to their own death with each passing minute, regardless of how they while away their time waiting to meet it. For that matter, I've never run into anyone who doesn't carry out actions which have some degree of risk attached to them, both to the individual and to the lives of those around him or her.

I guess what I'm saying in my usual somewhat disjointed, round-about, and long-winded fashion is, I don't think I take the smoking vs not-smoking as seriously as some of the people here do. Relative to a lot of stuff in my world, it's a bit of a non-issue. For me it falls into the "general cliche" category of "There's a time and a place for everything, but to each his own." I do realize it's very much of an issue to some people, and try to treat what's important to others with as much respect and consideration as I would like to receive from them, for those things that are important to me.

I understand not liking to have certain behavior enouraged in one's home -- certainly not on an everyday basis. (Preferably at a remove from the kids, if in evidence at all.) I feel that way about verbal, emotional, and physical abusiveness; victimization; overbearing and aggressive behavior. Fights go outside in my home. Temper tantrums and acting out go anywhere, as long as that person will be alone with themselves until they're over it.

Not that I've given the subject much thought; or have strong feelings about it, or anything. <img src="http://www.arlo.net/ubb/smilies/wink.gif" width=15 height=15>

<center><FONT COLOR="#000080">--- Edited 1 times, lastly by muffy on Jan 04, 2002 ---</FONT></center>

Thank you, Muffy, as usual, you speak for me better than I speak for myself. I'd like permission to quote you on this.

I just do applaud lcj for trying. I wish I could follow suit, but frankly, I enjoy smoking too much and I have too many stressors right now to worry about that. It will happen, but not now.

Frankly, I am feeling relieved to find that there are other smokers on arlo.net. I figured I would be the only one, and was stressed about that. Non-smokers may not understand this, but you will: it gives me hope that I'm not a total asshole and that we'll someday make it together; but in the meantime, I won't be the only one going out behind the building in freezing weather....<img src="http://www.arlo.net/ubb/smilies/smile.gif" width=15 height=15>

By all means qoute away, Cea. I'm flattered that you find something I said to be worth quoting. Imagine that.
I'll be honored to hang out in the cold and rain with ya's, any old day at all. Maybe someday we'll get a smoker's lounge.

And I certainly applaud you as well, lcj -- but still have to admit that it's got a lot less to do with the fact of quitting smoking per se, than with the act of taking stock of one's self, standing up for one's self, and sincerely attempting to bring about a real and positive change in one's own life -- regardelss of any forseeable difficulties in doing so.
Hey: Guts is guts, and making progress towards the good (the best way one knows how) is the right direction to go. It strengthens us all a bit more, every time someone does that.

<center><FONT COLOR="#000080">--- Edited 1 times, lastly by muffy on Jan 05, 2002 ---</FONT></center>

now that I think of it, I think it was my Dr. that got me to actually quit. (as my wife) He explained that quitting smoking is easy to do. People have done it a 1000 times. Sooner or later, you'll get it right. And at $5.00 a pack, that't a step!!!

John Corbert (Northern Exposure fame) in on Kilborn , not to mention the 'Butthole Surfers'...Don't get any better than that!!!<img src="http://www.arlo.net/ubb/smilies/smile.gif" width=15 height=15>

Just wanted to add (besides my spelling) is that this is John's first interview since 1996.....Cool aye....<img src="http://www.arlo.net/ubb/smilies/cool.gif" width=15 height=15>

Thank you guys/gals SO much for your support, I'm suffering through the weekend now which is my favorite time to smoke. i'll let you know soon how I'm doing. I don't feel much like talking about it right at the moment, but I really do appreciate haaving you all here to rap with about it.
Missing my beloved Camel.....

9 out 0f every 10 men who try Camels, sooner or later return to women.

Hey, whatever's right for you -- and right in your own life. There are things that are just as important to me in my own life, even if they aren't necessarily going to be the same as what's important to you in yours.

Oh yeah -- and something I said before might benefit from some slight rephrasing. I said "overbearing and aggressive," but suspect my meaning is more accurately represented by "aggressively overbearing."
I don't like getting pushed around, IOW, or to have that going on in my home.

Well, I made it through my first weekend, which is huge since I'm primarily a weekend smoker. That's right, for the last several years, I don't smoke Mon-Thurs. I would smoke Fri night, Sat, and sometimes Sun. Basically, I smoked when I partied, or was out with friends. So getting through Fri night was quite nasty (I went to bed at 9 just to get the day over with), and Sat night was touch and go as I knocked back a few beers. Its amazing how your mind will try to trick you. I'm sitting there Sat night having this mental war, one side enjoying not smoking, the other side trying to convince me I should just have one, like "cmon man, you worked hard all week, fuck quitting, just a couple aint gonna hurt, etc etc...." It was like the little devil/angel on each shoulder thing.

Thanks again for all of your words. And don't worry, I have no intention of becoming the stereotypical asshole non-smoker, or ex-smoker. Even if not smoking, I certainly respect others rights.

Congrats Icj!!! Quitting tobacco was hard for me. I quit 100 times and finally had that 'last' cigarette!! It's been over 3 yrs. I figure I've earned bragging rights. You'll start to notice the good things about quitting in the long term. It wasn't the money for me, but the fact my wife and I quit around the same time. It wasn't long I had a gallon wine jug full of quarters. I'm not one to keep track of things, but the money alone is outragous....I used to borrow money at the end of the month for gas for my car (to keep me at work, to make money for tobacco)...Now, I go on road trips, with all the extra gas money.....ral

Continued success to you. You'll be glad you quit, and more importantly, so will your loved ones!!!

Sincerely/rb

Happy for you, lcj! Big hurdle you just got over. Best wishes for continued succes!!!

Congrats & good luck! My late Uncle Mt used candy to get over smoking. Uncle Arlo used pipes to get over smoking... <img src="http://www.arlo.net/ubb/smilies/smile.gif" width=15 height=15>