Just needed to let you all know that my bad time has come around again -- weekends are the worst for me. I guess that's what you all mean by "rewards," which I never quite got. Was off today for Veterans Day (who knew??), so ran errands, cleaned the house, fixed the dog's run, did all kinds of stuff. Now it's kick-back time, which, hello, means a glass of wine and a Camel Light. Same thing happened last weekend, when I finished doing the church flowers for Sunday. Bad enough doing them smoke-free, but when they were done, it was like SO time for "one of those" breaks. It will happen again tomorrow. I'll get through it; still on the patch and Zyban, so it's not so much the craving, it's the habit. The break -- remember the old "It's Miller Time" commercial? Gotta create a new "Miller Time," and I just don't know how. OD-ing on bubble gum, energy bars, hard candies, and busy work. Trying to make the tea work at night, but I'm just not an herbal tea kind of guy. I've been a wine/beer/smoke kind of guy for almost 40 years. (Yeah -- beer/smoke guys can do flowers too. We just put tattoos on them.) Working on it, though. Also working through it, but it's nasty! (Not as nasty as a cigarette, though; I know that.) Thanks for the vent -- peteg [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 10/30/2006 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 11 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 588 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $60.5 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 2 [B]Hrs:[/B] 1 [B]Mins:[/B] 21 [B]Seconds:[/B] 16

Thanks -- you're SO right! I've been avoiding wine like it was poison, and suddenly, I poured a glass and started "wining." Clearly, I'm not ready for that step yet; thanks for the wake-up call. I'll get through tonight just fine, and then tomorrow, when the post-flowers/pre-sermon demons strike, I'll be armed with my Saturday night Kool Aid. (Actually, I've come to really like cranberry juice and tonic with a slice of lime. Really good stuff. But that's my weekday cocktail -- now I need a new weekend treat.) S-L-O-W-L-Y getting the hang of the rewards thing. Duh. For now, it's off to see a play at Spouse's school an hour away. (Nothing like the double reward of earning spouse points for going to see the play AND getting my mind off myself!) Thanks for letting me rant. peteg [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 10/30/2006 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 11 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 588 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $60.5 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 2 [B]Hrs:[/B] 1 [B]Mins:[/B] 25 [B]Seconds:[/B] 38

Good One, QM, Thanks!! The reward is the thing done well! You're also spot-on about the buzz at the end of the job -- maybe the other reward is deep breathing and finding the joys of buzzlessness? I think Danielle is right, though -- better think of something a little more concrete to get me through the evening. Thanks, everybody -- I'm sure I'll get through it just fine. I just hate weekends on the quit. peteg [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 10/30/2006 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 12 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 615 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $66 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 2 [B]Hrs:[/B] 3 [B]Mins:[/B] 38 [B]Seconds:[/B] 22

Hey pete, This is my 1st weekend and you are right, it's been tough. I went and picked up some beer a little bit ago.....kinda a mistake because The lady was stocking up the rack with, go figure, my brand of smoke. I looked longingly for a second, "anything else?" she said. That'll be all tonight, thanks. I replied. whew, close one! btw, for me having a beer or 12 (kidding) get's my mind off smokes, wierd huh? it use to be a trigger. moderation I think is key though, I am sure if I get sloppy drunk that'll create a weak moment.

Peteg, it's okay to have a whine, we understand sorry you are having a rough day thinking of you hugs of support lynnexx [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 10/24/2006 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 18 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 277 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] �72 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 2 [B]Hrs:[/B] 1 [B]Mins:[/B] 50 [B]Seconds:[/B] 5

Smogone and Pete - smoke the brussel sprouts - gives a whole new meaning to scoring some good bud. grin. QM [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 10/16/2006 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 27 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 555 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $108 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 4 [B]Hrs:[/B] 3 [B]Mins:[/B] 54 [B]Seconds:[/B] 33

It is a great question, Pete. I don't know of a reward that has quite the kick as feeding an addiciton like smoking. Not that I want to smoke but it would be nice if I could get addicted to something that was good for me! Why couldn't brussel sprouts give me a little buzz? Is that TOO MUCH TO ASK! I think maybe, to some degree, the reward needs to be just in having done the job/thing/flowers/tatoos well. The smoke was always just some sort of drug icing on the cake. QM [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 10/16/2006 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 26 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 525 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $104 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 3 [B]Hrs:[/B] 22 [B]Mins:[/B] 34 [B]Seconds:[/B] 28

Hey cc, we are all nasty and cranky (well most of us anyway) at some point in our quit. I also remember a point when I was pretty well mad at the whole world....followed by feelings of euphoria....I can hardly wait to see what my next personality is going to be! Afew days of cranky here and there are worth it - Hell week got that name for a reason! Windy [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 9/11/2006 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 61 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 1,238 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $305 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 5 [B]Hrs:[/B] 20 [B]Mins:[/B] 58 [B]Seconds:[/B] 27

I was just reading your thread again and I remember thinking that rewards were stupid because there was absolutely NOTHING that could come near to the reward of smoking. As time goes on, I realize that smoking FELT like such a HUGE reward because I was addicted and in a state of withdrawal. Nothing else could compare because nothing else contained nicotine. As time went on, things like going out to dinner, buying something special or crawling under the blankets with the remote started to feel like a reward because the cravings for nicotine were gradually dying. Hmmmmmm Windy [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 9/11/2006 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 61 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 1,235 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $305 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 5 [B]Hrs:[/B] 20 [B]Mins:[/B] 40 [B]Seconds:[/B] 9

Hey Pete - Hate to tell ya...but I'm a wine/vodka/cigarette type of girl....and I'm afraid if I touch flowers, they die. Quiet weekends have been my hardest time because I have too much time on my hands. It takes time...but eventually our daily habit can change as can our rewards. I never watched t.v. before but now I enjoy a snuggle under the blankets as a reward. If wine and beer are a trigger you need to stay away from them right now...but eventually there will be no reason why you can't enjoy a "cool one" after a hard day. The only reason that tea is good for me is because I don't associate it with smokes. What other things could you enjoy that might not be triggers. Keep up the good work...I have read lots of your posts and you are doing an amazing job...hope you find your reward! Windy [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 9/11/2006 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 60 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 1,215 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $300 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 5 [B]Hrs:[/B] 18 [B]Mins:[/B] 23 [B]Seconds:[/B] 12