Hiya RD Man! By the way, there is a town near where I grew up in Georgia called Riverdale. Did you get your name from that or somewhere else? Anyways, I just wanted to toss this out there for you: You want to talk about something that is just crazy amazing and worth jumping up and down over?? Look at your stats - You have not needed almost 1 and 1/2 *THOUSAND* cigarettes!! Holy Hole-In-A-Doughnut Batman!! That is a BOATLOAD of cigarettes man!! I feel like I'm doing okay and I'm proud of what I've done so far but cripes! 1,500 cigarettes. Stop and think about that for a while! B [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 4/23/2006 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 9 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 188 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $27 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 1 [B]Hrs:[/B] 8 [B]Mins:[/B] 19 [B]Seconds:[/B] 7

Oh, and I went ahead and ran some calculations for you. Heh. Those 1,500 cigarettes you've not smoked? If you layed them end to end, you could run them from the nose to the tail of a 747-400 jet. AND BACK TO THE NOSE AGAIN. How about that for something to celebrate?!! B [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 4/23/2006 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 9 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 188 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $27 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 1 [B]Hrs:[/B] 8 [B]Mins:[/B] 19 [B]Seconds:[/B] 20

Hi RD Man! As a fellow mid-Feb quitter I always read your correspondence with interest. Like you, I feel that the initial excitement of quitting has worn off; there can also be a tendency for friends and family to stop being as supportive, believing that you have 'cracked it'. That's why we're were - the SSC; there are so many people on this board who share your experiences. Post as much as you need to - we are your non-smoking family! I too have 'a hard time celebrating', but keep strong in the knowledge that each day is one more day nearer total freedom from cravings and addiction. Look forward to your 3 month smoke free deadline and CELEBRATE it! Mr Ed :) :) [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 2/13/2006 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 78 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 2,348 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] �585 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 13 [B]Hrs:[/B] 1 [B]Mins:[/B] 7 [B]Seconds:[/B] 59

... and when I said deadline, I meant milestone. Probably typed this as I have too many deadlines at work! Mr Ed :blush:

Riverdale Man, Good Morning, have you kept a journal at all during your quit? If you did it would be great for you to review the start of your quit and everything that you have overcome to arrive where you're at. It may be less exciting to you now, but you can appreciate your quit like nobody else can. You have earned your quit and deserve to be proud and reward yourself more. Treats are incentive, feel good things we must do in order to push forward sometimes. Everybody gets in a rut whether they are smoking or not. At this point, I blame all of my feelings on my quit. It's your time to shine - and it always will be, because the effects of not smoking will carry you through the rest of your life as healthier, more confident and happy that you made the right decision and made it happen! You're stats are fabulous....... and there is still time to start a journal to remind you of your great accomplishments along the way. Take care Hangin in Not Givin In, CobenFan (Christine M) [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 3/25/2006 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 38 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 650 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $133 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 3 [B]Hrs:[/B] 13 [B]Mins:[/B] 0 [B]Seconds:[/B] 42

Hi Phillip, I sure do love all of your posts. It was very lonely while you were out!LOL I think the party is a great idea!! I too loved gatherings, especially being the host(ess). I really do miss those!! Unfortunately, majority of my friends/family smoke. I am not in the mood to deal with them yet. Especially the stink they will carry around in my house!! Keep on posting. You are a very important person in my quit. p.s. - Sushi sounds GREAT!!!!!!! ;p [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 3/5/2006 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 58 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 1,755 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $189.66 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 4 [B]Hrs:[/B] 16 [B]Mins:[/B] 59 [B]Seconds:[/B] 12

Thanks all for your replies. I am very glad to be back here. Noticing today. I want to BLAME everything that I feel on the quit. I guess there is so much that is covered with the constant dose of nicotine and all the other drugs that are puffed into the system, my system. The drugs never really let me feel. As much as I thought that I felt before I had no idea really of the constant fluctuation in my mood and emeotional demenour. And yes I would like to blame this all on not having the smoke . There is a part of me that is very celebratory of this new information because it is simply information. Coben that brings me back constantly to my reasons, purpose intent in quitting. I actually like that I am more there, more emotional more of everything, including blahs. They are simply a part of me and there is that whole new person waiting in the wings. Who would have ever thought of all the new stuff that comes up and in with quitting smoking. Glad it is there and more understanding of why it is so darned difficult to quit. [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 2/17/2006 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 74 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 1,495 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $555 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 12 [B]Hrs:[/B] 4 [B]Mins:[/B] 28 [B]Seconds:[/B] 20

Thanks for the feedback, comments! Much appreciated. BFS I am pretty good with the rewards, I never let myself feel that I am lacking. There is a place where I find the biggest rewards really are the laughter and joy in the celebration of what ever is new. Laswt big celebration was on Sunday as I learned how to do a flip turn. That was awesome and really a lot of fun. Laughter and much adulation at being able to do this very simple thing. My rewards for not smoking are not so much the lawn as the flowers in the garden, I ge tto get new ones and there is a lot of new that I planted last fall. A lot of my rewards have to do with the sense of smell and taste and as my body changes shape and I get more sholder and thigh and less gut and hip I get new clothes. One thing that I am missing that I did have at the beginning of this quit are gatherings of people in my home and perhaps that is what I will do for my 90 days. Nothing like a big old BBQ or just plain old fashioned party with food and music and lots of laughter and comaraderie. I think the fellowship is what I miss a lot. Mr ED Thanks the posting here is important and now that I am back, and not travelling and going from meeting to meeting I can come here with more regularity and will have more time to read and actually post more often. Thank You Coben, I do keep a jouranl, a kind of scrap book and a gathering of trophies and momentos of this quit. So I get to see exactly what was up with me every day. One of the main elements in my statement to myself about quiting was that I would be able to have pride in celebrating my achievement (the opposite of beating myself up and feeling down when I have failed). Thanks for making the suggestion and simply looking through and reading some of the days is a valuable experience. 1, never want to go through that again and 2, a pretty clear indication that I was celebrating more and that I was here and posting more. And Cuddles, thanks a party is a great idea. As I said above a party can be fun and I get to be a bit less strict with myself. That fist of control can be a bit of a burden even if it is a help with keeping quit. The cruise ship is also a great place to be able to laugh and have a good time with others. I am glad that I sometimes come here and

So I am over 70 days. I have just spent the most smokey weekend in the quit. I am more balanced emotionally. I don't want to smoke and the smell pretty much turns my stomach. I have not gained a chunk of weight. I feel on the whole pretty happy about what I have done. I have a hard time celebrating and that depresses me and in the down cycle I find I am more questioning, more shakey about what I am doing and more out of control. There is a huge chunk of control that I govern with an iron fist. As I have said before I am not afraid to turn round and run in the opposite direction from the temptation to smoke. I am not afraid to simply do whatever it takes to not smoke. Right now though I just feel kind of blah about the whole thing. And that blah feeling feels out of control to me. I want more strength and endurance in this quit than with anything I have ever done. I know that I totally get the post by Kiwi about giving myself one year. What I want is the excitement back that was in the first days. I am unnerved by the blah, bland feeling. I can power myself in the excitement, I can power myself in the anger that I felt in the first few weeks. I can't power myself with the blah feeling. I question myself and wonder what I can do different and I know that I need to go back to the beginning and notice and celebrate every choice, every moment every day that I get through without smoking. Perscription. You will see a lot more of me here and what I will be doing is celebrqating and cheering myself on and digging into the sense and passion that goes through this site as people here round a year, round six months. Every day for me must become a milestone and out of the celebration and the acknowledgement, the reward if you will. In celebration and self acknowledgement I will get through the blahs. Help me make it through, help me celebrate and let us celebrate together. The quit journey starts here. Everyday, every cigarette not smoked every crave, temptation resisted is a cause and a ticket for celebration, reward and absolute acknowledgement. Thanks for reading! Phillip :) [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 2/17/2006 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 73 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 1,479 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $547.5 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days

You need a party Riverdale man, [IMG]http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f190/cuddlebug230/thbehappydw.gif[/IMG] You are doing awesome. Be proud you are a Non-Smoker [IMG]http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f190/cuddlebug230/thcongrats2520stars.gif[/IMG] and heres the cake [IMG]http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f190/cuddlebug230/birthday_cake.gif[/IMG] keep that cruise ship sailing. Cuddles It's better to be a non-smoker with an occasional desire for a cig than a smoker with a constant desire to quit...... [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 4/22/2006 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 10 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 205 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $36 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 1 [B]Hrs:[/B] 1 [B]Mins:[/B] 22 [B]Seconds:[/B] 30