Todash! I am a man of few words and long posts bore me...... BUT THIS ONE???? YOU ARE A STAR!!! Everything you say is 'me' This will be bumped for ever! Thank you! Phil [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 8/8/2006 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 249 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 5,480 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] �1307.25 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 49 [B]Hrs:[/B] 19 [B]Mins:[/B] 43 [B]Seconds:[/B] 20

This is an A-1 topnothch post...slaps Todash on the back. Very well said my friend. Save me a spot on the beach ok? Pat :) [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 1/28/2007 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 76 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 3,040 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $1064 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 8 [B]Hrs:[/B] 20 [B]Mins:[/B] 54 [B]Seconds:[/B] 55

TODASH: ************* STANDING OVATION ************ Outstanding post! True, true words (and funny, to boot)! You are right on -- it's simple, this not smoking thing, isn't it? You succeed by NOT doing something and that's pretty easy if you think about it. Thanks for the wonderful food for thought. So, how do you like the beach? I thought I spotted you out there tonight digging your toes into the still-warm sand! Keep the faith [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 10/8/2006 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 187 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 7,517 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $1496 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 24 [B]Hrs:[/B] 13 [B]Mins:[/B] 53 [B]Seconds:[/B] 40

Well done! Rusty :) [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 12/13/2004 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 851 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 23,853 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $2978.5 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 118 [B]Hrs:[/B] 12 [B]Mins:[/B] 37 [B]Seconds:[/B] 40

Todash, Great Post!!! This is a keeper for my favorites alright!!! Thank you for this post. I sure am glad that shining thought clawed it's way to the front. LOL Oh man, what about starting a new job!! Or worse, starting a search for a job. Oooooh!!! Stay Strong and Keep Writing, Tutti [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 2/18/2007 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 54 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 2,469 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $193.86 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 5 [B]Hrs:[/B] 19 [B]Mins:[/B] 30 [B]Seconds:[/B] 49

Right. So I'm on the way to work this morning when I have a ridiculously clear thought (ya know, shining clarity clawing its way out from behind all the general nonsense that bangs around in my head most of the time). This is a real 'a-ha' moment. It goes about like this: It's a heck of a lot easier to continue NOT doing something than it is to START doing something new. Case in point - exercise. How many people have started a workout program or class only to get bored and give up after a while? The weight comes back. The muscles sag. I mean, come on now, it�s hard work, no need to continue to work so hard when I can lounge in front of the telly and watch yet another rerun of Friends! But I digress. You see, I've done the start/stop thing loads of times. It was brutally difficult to KEEP ON doing that something new, to change the routine. I like routine. I thrive on routine. Boring maybe but� Hmmm let me see. Is THIS where the smoking �routine� tries to piece itself in? Yes, yes, I think that just may be the case. So let�s keep going and look at �Hard things to start option 2� - dieting. Ok, fact: I hate lettuce. Fact 2: I can't live without cheese. End of. No, I�m really not going to discuss this one. :) But things to keep NOT doing? I don�t currently steal handbags off old ladies on the street so it�s really no problemo to keep on NOT stealing handbags. I don�t rob banks, dye my hair blonde, glue my fingers together� You see my point? I DON�T SMOKE. If you�re reading this you�ve either stopped or plan to stop. And yes, it is brutally hard to stop. So now we have a choice to make. Do we go the brutally hard route, conquer those demons, finally start to grow up past the day when we started down the (lousy) long and winding road into the land of clogged up lungs and yellow fingernails? Do we take control or do we let Nic keep beating us down? Do we pick up a cigarette after 5, 25, 205 days quit and spiral back into the despair? I�ve read a million times �smoking doesn�t resolve anything�� and things to that effect. This is the absolute truth, entirely beyond contestation. Be COMPLETELY realistic with yourself now. Withdrawals aside (physical - 3 days peeps, no more no less). Habit aside. To quit smokin