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

That's okay Eva. You can keep the gold star as a reward for making me feel better. Thanks and ((((hugs)))).

Hugs right backatcha....and hang in there!

Cruised passed the one year barrier on Saturday, June 11th 2005!

Good thing too, because I now climb a thousand stairs a day (literally? ). Sorry I haven't kept up here much lately... I've been kind of busyhere.
Hope you're all well!

Hey Bill. Good to see ya, man.

I use to run up the stairs of the Empire State Building for exercise.

Got caught by building security....who told me they had been trying to catch me for months.

This was back in the 70's. I doubt I could get away with it for any period of time these days.

And here's Bills Gold Star. Oughta be a medal!!! Way to go!

A YEAR already?! Fantastic, O'Bill.

Great, O'Bill!

Bill
Bill, congratulations. I've been wondering how you were doing re the cigs with all the pressure you've been under with the new restaurant. You've proven my impression of you. In this case, your stubborness would help you succeed, both in not smoking, but in creating the best restaurant in Wisconsin.

BBB

Congrats, O'Bill.

Good to see you Frank! And everyone else for that matter... and thank you all. Not smoking sucks... but not nearly as bad as smoking. I always promised I'd never be one of those hypocritical ex-smokers who overreacts to it... but damn... only restraint has stopped me from completely loosing my cool the couple times people have lit up in the restaurant. Personally, I think it smells awesome and I love to be near the smoker... but professionally I have the only non-smoking bar in all of Cedarburg (at least, to my knowledge, that is.)

Interesting poll result (( )) from the UK

Source

WARNING: Bump!

For the record, I quit smoking on the 27th of December, 2005, and I've been able to stay away so far. I'm now totally clean.

It's been a while since people last posted in this thread. Is everyone doing all right with the whole no smoking thing?

Good for you smog!

I made it well over a year... and then I bought a restaurant...

Best of luck Smog!

Haven't smoked since August of 2004.

Damn! Almost two years!

No worries, Bill, I'm sure you'll kick it again soon enough. Try the gum! It works!

And yay, Lash!

Good idea and thanks for bumping this thread, smog

It's amazing how many ex-smokers there are here. Very good resource.

Yeaaa!

Bill....stay with me to the end here......

Congrats to those who are prevailing and always be aware that we are never safe. Quitting is easy. I've done it dozens of times. As Bill testifies, however, staying quit is tough. Our addiction is only suspended. It isn't really gone. We can keep it suspended indefinitely however.

Years ago I was a 3-pack a day smoker. Didn't smoke that many but burned up that many when working, sewing, doing various projects etc. It didn't feel right if one (or more) wasn't going in the ashtray and the ritual of tapping one out of the pack, lighting up, taking that first drag was calming and bought me time in tense or uncertain situations.

But finally I quit cold turkey and it seemed to take. After a couple of years, in my capacity as executive director of a large YWCA, I was personally moderating stop smoking clinics for the American Cancer society. I was a great hit. Everybody wanted to be in my classes. I received awards and commendations. Still another year went by.

Then, for other reasons, I went to a high pressure management training seminar in Colorado, assigned as roommate to another exec I hadn't met. She wasn't in the room when I checked in but she had left a pack of cigaretts on the table. I can't tell you why but I opened the pack, took a cig, left her a dime. (Cigarettes were much cheaper then.) And then I bought a pack out of the vending machine. . . .

In no time I was back up to 3 packs a day.

There have been other 'quits' with various time frames of success and subsequent relapses.

This time I've not smoked for more than 15 years and hope I won't ever succumb to temptation to take that first cigarette because I know what will happen if I do.

This little essay is for you Bill. Don't beat yourself up because you slipped. And when you're ready you'll quit again. Making up your mind to quit is harder the next time because you know what it feels like. The actual quitting is easier, however, because you mentally know what to expect re withdrawal and you know it is only temporary.

Thanks Foxy. I'm beating myself up, not at all. Re-starting was a conscious desision after minor slippage.:wink:

Here's what happened. After a few months of the new restaurant; I made the mistake of sitting in the "smoker's circle" behind the restaurant (you know; where all the world's problems get solved) once too often and decided to have just one. Yes, I knew precisely how idiotic it was, even while I did it. I didn't immediately yearn to buy a pack, the way I thought I would in such a circumstance, but thoroughly enjoyed the smoke.

Next: I convinced myself I could "moonlight" or only smoke while drinking or relaxing... and not being a weakling... it turned out I could! Then, a couple of weeks later, my girls kind of gathered in a group to tell me "you're being a real A$$hole lately" (I'm open enough with my employees they can say such things without fear or repercussion)... and upon some thought; realized they were telling the truth. I only complained about things I normally would, so it was tough to detect... but upon some serious thought I knew for sure I was over-reacting to run-of-the-mill type failures.

The simple truth was: I was feeding the beast at night, but starving him during the day (about a 16 hour day at that point). It wasn't a ton of fun calling a meeting to call attention to the fact that I had recently acted like a jerk, new it, and would be correcting it; but it was work that needed to be done.

Anyway; at that moment in time I had already smoked enough that I knew re-quitting would be re-suffrage since I was clearly re-addicted. I also knew that I was still in my "honeymoon" period of picking the habit back up. Each hit seemed to be crazy-calming, and for the first time in about 20 years; I was actually enjoying my cigarettes as opposed to just smoking to "feel normal" (as us drug addicts do).

So I decided to enjoy it while it lasted, figuring I'd immediately re-quit the moment I realized I was no longer really enjoying the cigarettes. Ah, the best laid plans...

Anyway; my current excuse for not re-quitting is my target date of May 8th for the opening date of our second restaurant. Weak, as all excuses are, I know. Perhaps one day soon I'll revisit the logic that keeps me smoking. Knowing full well that the arguments suck; it shouldn't be too long (I hope).

Thanks again to all who helped me quit. I'll let you know when round two begins. Best of luck to all the other quitters!

Please keep at it. You know it's hardest the first three days and gradually gets easier. I quit 30 years ago, also cold turkey. I can't remember the last time I had the urge to light one up. However, I used to meet with a group of old friends once a month for lunch. They smoked so we had to sit in the smoking section. I remember thinking I was glad no one smoked my favorite brand because if I had asked for one, I'm sure they would have given it to me.