Craven and Bi-Polar Bear have inspired OCCOM BILL to finally

Edit - duplicate post - sorry

I'm very proud of eveybody who has kicked nicotine addiction including me. And if you have kicked dependency on other drugs, including alcohol, along with the cigs, you are twice the hero in my book and I don't care if you do shy away from accolades. And our Bill has now survived four hurricanes without a smoke? Four times a hero!

Maybe there is a rare person out there who just stops with no aftershocks. The rest of you know it is damn hard to do. There's nothing wrong with being a little proud of yourselves. Guatam, every one of us came to a point and decision that made it possible. If you're contemplating quitting, you'll come to that point too. Until then, there is no need for guilt. I quit dozens of times before it finally took.

Gold stars for all!

Well, that's really a great sucess for everyone who did such.

However, I'm against a 'missionary' way in trying to convince others of their 'foolishness'.

And personally, I'm not proud at all: I really had no other choice (alcohol) besides to stop (or otherwise to arrange my funeral). And stopping (reducing) cigaretztes wasn't done 'voluntarily' either :wink:

Sorry Walter. There are thousands upon thousands of men and women, who are slowly killing themselves with cigarettes, alcohol, or worse despite dictates from their families, their employers, their doctors, and/or the courts. The fact that you were smart enough and/or of sufficient character to quit for whatever reason in no way diminishes the difficulty of doing it.

And of course the missionary zealots are annoying and there are few more annoying that some recently reformed smokers.

Nevertheless, I insist on you being my hero and there is absolutely nothing you can do about it.

Well, thanks all, for the support. It is nice to be a non-smoker. 1 more month smoke-free and I will reward myself with something I buy with the money I've saved on cigarettes.

I am rather disgruntled with my husband on this matter right now, although I know I have no right to be....he told me he was quitting with me and is still smoking. He claims to have cut down to "a few a day". So, after a month of grumbling and nagging, I've decided that if he wants to continue being an ass thinking only a few cigs a day are ok, then there is nothing I can do about that. Gotta remember that I can only control what I do, not what others do.
It is gross to be around him though. I can't be a happy non-smoker with a smoker. It is stinky and repulsive (I can't believe I did it and liked it!!). I don't think it is very nice to think your husband is repulsive when he climbs into bed at night but he stinks!

Remebered this nice piece of forgotten old English litterature:

King James I.: A Counter-Blaste to Tobacco

Re: Craven and Bi-Polar Bear have inspired OCCOM BILL to fin


I actually agree with both of you completely. I got a bit carried away in my zeal on account of doing more cardio work in the last couple days than I have in a decade. I realized in retrospect how much stronger my heart and lungs have become in just a few short months. I also realized that I hadn't felt the "Jones" effect at all throughout the storm or clean up… and I got a bit too excited. I was hoping to shock someone into realizing how a relatively simple change can have such a profound effect on a person's health. I forgot to consider that that's probably how all born-agains feel. I apologize if I offended anyone.

It does feel funky Jer!

And, Gautam there is certainly no reason for shame. I talked about quitting for the better part of a decade before I actually did… and there's no way to be certain I'll stay quit. Although running my mouth will probably help.

Foxy is right too, of course… and those like her on this thread that quit before me were very instrumental in my success. Being reminded that others climbed the hill before you makes it easier to climb it yourself… and harder to give up instead of trying.

BBB, as bad as it seems Florida got beat up this year (so far), you have to remember that it's never happened before (this bad). I wasn't born when the last major hurricane hit the treasure coast. I don't know California… but I do know most people here, who used live there, miss it terribly. Outside of weather (most of time), Florida doesn't have anything that CA doesn't. California has a great deal that Florida doesn't. You might want to look at the Tampa Tribune online to see damages. You indicated it was a "new" Tampa area? New areas are built to the new codes and have held up extraordinarily well in the face of these storms. Also, most "new" developments are burying the power lines so they're less likely to suffer from power outages.

You should probably ask Phoenix for a more Tampa specific info. I sure hope she's okay… anyone heard from her?

Rock on Non-smokers… and again; I'm sorry if I offended anyone with my preaching.

You poor dear. I think spouses get use to that after a while... they must.

I've never smoked, but my husband used to. He'd always smoke outside. And he always brushed his teeth and used breath freshener before he came to bed. Didn't erase the smell totally, but it made it much easier to ignore.

OB
OB, thanks so much for the Florida info. I passed it along to my son.

The key to buying a home, I guess, is not to buy one built before the new building codes two years ago.

Why did it take Florida so long to wake up to the fact that hurricanes wreck electrical power and install all lines underground, like they have for many years in California? And requiring better and stronger building to resist wind damage? It's not rocket science we're talking about. Any additional construction costs would be off-set by savings in insurance rates. I understand insurance is becoming very difficult to get, which is required for all mortgages. What a mess!

BBB

Re: OB
The Florida Power and Light guy I asked said $. It is expensive to fix power lines, but apparently not as expensive as burying the entire system. There is talk about doing so over the next 10 or 15 years but it really is an extraordinary undertaking. Keep in mind; most of our land is only a few feet above the water table and that probably complicates things immensely.

Building Codes are a tough thing to agree on. How strong is strong enough? We have the technology to make every building impervious to even Cat 5 Hurricanes, but that would be too expensive for 99% of the population. Strength is expensive... and it isn't fair to insist that everyone must have a medium size fortune if they want to build here. It is equally ridiculous to expect the general public to pay for the folly of weak structures repeatedly. The State guarantees Hurricane Insurance but it is going to get extremely expensive... and rightly so. You get what you pay for and you should expect to pay for what you get.

Among the problems being experienced now is the selfishness of people thinking organizations like FEMA are there to protect their lifestyle. That is not what they are for. Shelters, food, water, medicine etc are. There was talk in my condo's office yesterday of applying for assistance because between repairs and what we are now realizing are important upgrades we will likely be spending between 1 and 3 quarters of a million dollars because of this storm. Another fellow blew his stack because we are simply not needy enough to be asking for help. I agreed completely and I think we successfully shamed the board members into never bringing it up again. People who don't need assistance need to stay out of the way of people who do. At the same time; those who can help should... of there own accord. This doesn't mean the general public of the United States should absorb all of the expenses that those of us who choose to live in higher risk areas incur.

Living in Coastal Florida communities is a bit of a luxury in and of itself. For instance; regardless of what your dwelling looks like; we have the luxury of taking a comfortable stroll along the beach 300 plus nights out of the year. Now if the substantial cost of storm damage, by way of insurance before or repairs after, means it is no longer feasible for a person to live here... or forces them to sacrifice other luxuries to do so, tough luck. That is not an emergency.

The giant buzz saw known as Hurricane Andrew removed all doubt about just how risky living in this area can be. I'm talking about financial risk here. Hurricanes don't come as surprises. We always have the option to evacuate. Those of us who choose live here know full well that we will likely be paying for wind or water damage at some point in time... Just as surely as people up north know that they will be visited occasionally by seasons like the winter of 1978. Personally, I find it ludicrous that people think they have a legitimate gripe about the high cost of Hurricane insurance in one of the few states that doesn't have income tax.

I also find it disgusting that the Congress has to debate whether, or not, relief should be a stand-alone bill, or if other things like droughts should be debated into inclusion in the Bill. Will we ever end the business as usual BS of adding pork to everything?

Yikes, I went off on a bit of rant there.

OB
OB, The problem you describe also applies to people who insist on living in homes along rivers that frequently flood. The Mississippi is only one example. Cities and towns are so desperate for property tax funds that they approve developer's proposals to build homes in areas that clearly are future trouble spots. I blame city officials even more than I do homeowners and developer greed.

Keep on ranting, I learn a lot from you.

BBB

Once you guys show the good sense to elect me absolute dictator for a year, one of my first dictates is that everything Congress does has to be in a stand alone bill--if they want pork for their state, it will have to be voted up or down on its own merits. What do you want to bet that I could balance the budget in six months flat with a policy like that?

I think I will be writing you in this year. :wink:

All right! I already have one vote.

Man...this sucks... I go to this Jewish deli (by the way, Jewish deli's have no comparison) by work for lunch a lot because everything is homemade and oh so delectable....I went in there today and found out that the owner, Mr. Hoffmann died. He was 65. He worked behind the counter and I saw him at least once a week. I am pretty sad about this. Just had to get that out and didn't want to start a new thread.

Sorry for your loss Kristie. I does suck to lose people we are used to and comfortable with even when the relationship is not close. Actually it isn't a bad thing for this thread because it is those temporary crises of life that really test our resolve when we're kicking an addiction.

That sucks Kristie. Stay strong.

Great big thanks guys

And here is to Mr. Hoffman's memory..