I quit

I’ve been wrestling with how to end this blog. I think it needs to be done.

Making this less difficult to accept is that not many people have noticed my last post was May 7.

I haven’t posted in two weeks because I don’t have much else to say.

I realized that this morning, and I knew it was time to quit what I started in mid February.

I stumbled into an audience along the way, and for that I am grateful.

I do not in any way intend to diminish the efforts of those who quit around the same time I did, and who have faithfully followed the blog while offering steady, valuable comments.

But let me be perfectly selfish, as I have consistently been since I started polluting thestar.com with my words more than three months ago …

The blog was only ever meant to be a quitting device, a way to purge my fury and frustration as I blundered my way through the most unpleasant stages of quitting.

I never pretended to offer any serious advice to other quitters. I did not, for the most part, follow any news related to smoking. I had not put much thought into how long I would blog about quitting, but I knew there was no way anyone would be remotely interested in day 188 or 245 of my quit ...

    Hi everyone. It’s me, remember? The guy who quit smoking last year? Yeah, well, I am still quit, and fatter than ever. I hate running clubs. I love peanut butter … still. I know, right? What’s with peanut butter? It’s soooo good. Anyway, just checking in with you, my fans, on this glorious smoke-free day.

I have not relapsed. I am still quit. And I plan on staying that way.

But I have run out of anger. I am now just tired of the energy it takes to quit, and want to obsess about other things.

I was ready to go nuts over the Blue Jays but watching those guys play makes me want to smoke three packs a day.

Maybe I could start a new blog about what it’s like to work in a struggling industry and watch your co-workers get down-sized. But odds are I would be preaching to the converted.

Barack Obama I am totally obsessed with, but the world needs another Obama pundit like I need more beer and peanut butter.

Any suggestions for a new blog topic?

I don’t know if the people who run thestar.com will continue to link to the blog homepage. I hope so. You should feel free to send in comments and thoughts and ravings and criticism.

I will read them, if you want me to.

I may even add a blog post sometime down the road, but I promise to do so only if there is something newsworthy to report, like if I relapse, become morbidly obese, or take up murdering raccoons.

 

 

Comments

[jjt]

I'm very proud of you. As a 20 year quitter I'll leave you with this to carry into the future. Quitting is easy, stay quit is hard. Namaste.

[Rick]

Glad to see you will remain a non smoker. I have followed your blog since you started and I wasn' sure you would make it. You will always be a smoker, much like a alcoholic is always a alcoholic, but you seem to have beaten the habit. I am sure there will be times that you stop, take a break and reach for a smoke, I know I did. That habit will also pass.

Enjoy your smoke free life and no matter what please don't go back.

[brown-eyed-girl]

Congratulations on quitting (smoking, not your blog). I’ll miss your writing; you’re pretty funny for a (less)angry new-non-smoker. I quit over a year ago for different reasons than you did, and I still crave a smoke once in a while, but not often, and I’m pretty sure my husband didn’t find me very funny at the time (although I still think I’m pretty hilarious).

Anyways, good luck, and hope you don’t gain too much more weight (try veggies instead of peanut butter). Maybe you can write about what beer goes with what peanut butter (lager and chunky? Or pilsner and extra creamy?). Just a thought.

[Ron]

If you've lasted this long, you've problably got it licked. Me, it's been 17 years. Good luck with your new routine, whatever it is. Just don't look back...

[5 months of freedom]

I just passed my 5-month milestone. Your blog came along just when I needed it most so I just wanted to say THANKS! The thing I enjoy the most about my new circumstance is that I don't have to interrupt whatever it is I'm doing at the time so I can rush outside to have a smoke.

[Grant van der Slagt]

Yaaaay, finally. It's about time that you stopped feeling sorry for yourself and spending all of our tax dollars on your health. Take care of yourself like a grown adult already.

[Kathleen M.]

I'm not a huge blog reader, but yours was one I always checked for every week (and yeah, I wondered what was up! No post for awhile). I enjoyed it very much, especially the post about the "rage" withdrawal symptom. Congratulations on your being smoke-free and thanks for sharing your stories of quitting.

[Darleen]

Congratulations on quitting smoking - now you need to work on becoming a NON SMOKER. I quit Nov 8, 2006 and started again August 2007 - not good. I am now working back up to quitting again.

Every day that you do not smoke you create new habits in your life - doing things while not smoking, such as the Blue Jays.
You MUST truly change your beliefs to the believing the advantages of not smoking are more important than the benefits of smoking.

To finally realize that you have gained your life back rather than lost something by quitting smoking will make you a true non smoker.

Suggestion for another blog - how about finding the right eating patterns and exercise that really work. HINT: I truly believe that exercise has very little to do with weight loss.
People are spending millions of dollars on gym memberships, diet pills, fad diet plans etc. However I notice that few work long term, and people that go to my gym appear to be getting fatter or at minimum not any thinner -- what's with that?

Thanks for delighting us with your humour along your adventure.
Wishing you a life of non smoking bliss!! :)

[Kate]

way to go David...your blog was a big reason I made it too. And you have. Made it I mean. And if you eat peanut butter off the spoon right outta the fridge it doesn't count. And red wine goes famously with popcorn. And...good luck.

[tamara]

CONGRATS! this coming from a three week non-smoker who has cheated the odd smoke. does that make me a quitter? or a loser? lol congrats to you for your success. i can personally relate to the highs and lows and wish you more good days ahead!

[tamara]

P.S. can a person quitting smoking become addicted to twizzlers? are there many calories in a whole package? know of any good dental plans? hehe suppose being addicted to twizzlers is better than nicotine! wont die from a twizzlers (unless someone wont hand it over! :-) kidding!) CONGRATS and thanks for the blog!

[T]

Congratulations! You helped yourself and others! I didn't think you would be able to quit. I had seen ads for your blog but didn't read it until today.
I wanted to tell you that you were crazy to try and quit this way! I have known many people at work who have tried to quit - only to have others constantly asking, "how is the battle going" or "so, are you still not smoking?" I knew that if I was going to quit, I couldn't tell anyone! Even my husband! The last thing I needed was someone reminding me what I was missing and craving!
It will be five years next month that I went cold-turkey (just to see how long I could go without a cigarette!) Even now,when I feel stressed - I still want my cigarette.
Just remember what it was like as a smoker - do not be the "ex-smoker" You did it for yourself! Take care and good luck, David.

[DB]

Good luck to you David. When I quit smoking, on May 4, 1985, my father gave me this simple advice that got me through some tough days...

"Just don't put a cigarette in your mouth and you'll be fine."

[wisewebwoman]

OMG!
I just remembered I was 20 years quit on May 1!!!
That's how far smoking is behind me.
Congrats David, your take on it all was highly reminiscent of my own adventures in detoxing from nicotine without crutches of patches or gum.
Madness.
But worth it.
And my facial skin is like a baby's bottom!!

[jim]

admirable.

[alicia]

What do you mean a struggling industry? i am getting into journalism :(

[Angela]

Oye! Sorry to see this come to an end! We quit smoking around the same time, and you know, misery loves company! I enjoyed your blog, and will miss it! After being quit 100 days, I caved for 6 days, and the grass ISN'T greener on the other side. I'm back on track, although I've had one or two here and there. The weekends are tough and having a husband who smokes, and parents who smoke totally SUCKS! I'm thankful that my 9-year-old and 5-year-old are non smokers (and will stay that way if I have anything to do with it). If you or anyone reading this, feel like sharing or reading about others' quit smoking journeys, please visit and or join www.quitsmokingjournals.com. A WONDERFUL place with people who truly care about each other.
Wishing you the best, and thanks!

[Sasa Jeric]

Cheers mate...there were days when I could have killed someone in this my fourth smokefree month, and your blog helped to keep me going and for that I am grateful.
All the best with future and thank you again for having the courage to invite the world into your journey.

[eddy]

I quit 1 year and 5 months ago.. I smoked 2 packs per day for just over 10 years. I had tried quitting maybe 20 times before (tried everything from cold turkey, cutting down, gum, patches, pills, even flying to Italy for some kind of acupuncture session) Here are my two cents:

- only cold turkey ended up working for me
- after 2 months, I felt the pangs were manageable, but still required effort
- after 4 months, I felt the pangs were almost gone! But still loved the smell of smoke
- after 6 months, I hated the smell and consider myself a full non-smoker

The point: it doesn't seem to be an endless battle, at least it wasn't for me. You'll be free of it! just keep going.. and by the way, one thing that helped was to gain weight on purpose (every time I got a serious pang i'd tell myself i didn't gain all this weight for no reason, very powerful deterrent), i ate everything and anything, I figured i'd rather be obese than a smoker. The weight all came off afterwards anyway!