Serenity Now!

The last several days have been enough to make any respectable Torontonian take up smoking and a quitting smoker consider violence.

I didn't breathe for the entirety of Jeffrey Buttle's long program, which probably did more damage to my brain than 16 years of smoking.

The Jays cut perhaps their gutsiest player in Reed Johnson.

The Jays lost their new third baseman for weeks after he got hurt during routine fielding drills. Are you kidding me?

Hillary Clinton's campaign seems intent on turning Barack Obama's former pastor into Osama bin Laden. So very depressing yet predictable. I bet Barack is smoking again.

TTC employees may strike next week. Philip Morris should set up vendors along major transit routes.

Today was perhaps the ugliest, most depressing day in the history of Toronto weather.

As I am writing this, on the TV news, "a police officer has shot a man ..." in an apparent attempted bank hold-up.

The weatherman cheerfully talks about an Alberta clipper. I think I should find this guy and beat the sleet out of him.

And, starting in just a few minutes, the Leafs continue on their sadistic journey ... and I will watch it with gritted teeth and dreams of Dunhill Special Reserves.

Comments

[Kate]

Still with ya David! I've made it 6 weeks, and do not think about smoking all the time anymore. I'm viewing that as progress. In fact, large portions of the day can go by without me thinking about smoking. It's pretty miraculous.

[Snuffy]

After smoking for 46 years, I've tried to quit twice since the New Year. First on Feb. 6th, then again on March 3rd, with two packs of Players and two packs of Colts in between. Nothing since the last quit. Don't know exactly why I wanted to quit - my health doesn't seem to be compromised that much, and I can still work hard at a steady pace without getting winded. I guess I just object to paying $10 every day. There have been days when I was sure I'd cave in, but reading your blog has helped me along the way. Good luck (to all of us quitting).

[Dorothy]

I quit smoking in 1988, and apparently have stayed quit. As a life-long smoker it was hard, and I sympathize. You cannot ever rest - I pretend that I am wearing an invisible medicalert bracelet that says: "warning, addict - do not provide nicotine".
What also helped me quit was the realization that the vast majority of funds paid for a pack of cigarettes was tax money - going to the government. And was being paid by me voluntarily. And I got angry. Angry helps.
Do not let the actions of others push you back into addiction - Get angry. And I wish you all the best.

[Dave Paskar]

Great work, congrats! Keep it up!