So here it is folks..............my six month shambolic ramble as threatened....already several people have groaned and Iran has promised to stop building nasty thermonuclear devices if I promise to not tell any jokes.
Unless you have been living in a sealed box, it can't have escaped your attention that a film has recently made the news and upset a lot of people in the process. The Da Vinci Code, love it or hate it has landed. Personally, I just think it is a good story but there you go.
To remind you, or to inform you if you are one of the two people on the planet that has not read the book or seen the film, the story revolves around a code sealed in a tube that is supposed to reveal the location of the grail. Our heroes brave all sorts of nasty attempts to do away with them whilst trying to solve the puzzle. Most of these seemed to involve an albino pervert with a whipping fetish and some barbed wire down his trousers (the next US president maybe!).
What has this got to do with me not smoking for six months?
My quit has been a journey that started many years ago and has contained several failed attempts to stop. Each time I failed, resigned myself to the fact that on that occasion, I did not manage to solve the puzzle of how to stop. I was too stressed, I "enjoyed" it too much, my friends smoked, it would never happen to me (disease that is). I never managed to get the tube open without the paper inside being soaked in vinegar and destroyed..............
Until this time......
when I finally discovered the unique combination that cracked open the problem and that enabled me to not smoke 233 five packs of cigars to date.
Firstly knowledge............and there is no finer source of it than from people like Golferman on this site. Understanding what you are dealing with in terms of the addiction seems to make it much easier, or at least it did for me.
Secondly, support. You need look no further than this community for sympathy, support and the odd kick up the rear when required. There are many, many dedicated people who provide encouragement without expecting anything in return (a personal thanks to Lady, Golferman and Duffis in particular but to many others too numerous to mention here).
Finally, and most importantly................