Horrible Weekend

I can not believe the grip these dried up leaves have on me. I went all weekend without the Xbox since my daughter grounded me. Yes I know that is funny, picture a 33 year old man sitting at the kitchen table getting a lecture about how I have disappointed this poor 11 year old girl. I hung my head low and said, "I am sorry I will try better."
Friday night went pretty smooth I was able to continue on with my thrill of being able to play Madden 2008 if I didn't smoke the whole night. My daughter had a friend spend the night so I was able to go the whole night without smoking and she allowed me to play Tony Hawk with them to see if I can help them unlock some more area's in the game. We all got up on Saturday and had breakfast, I stayed away from the coffee and had some Soda instead since I have realized drinking coffee and having a cigarette go hand in hand with each other. Then we went to the Mall. Going though the mall with two girls almost in their teens and a 3 year old is always fun. I am lucky that my kids are used to hearing, "I can't buy that right now I need to wait until payday." They are to the point that they barley ask for anything anymore.
After lunch we decided to go into a movie, this is always safe because if I am going to pay that much money to go to a movie there is no way I am going to miss some of it so I can smoke. So by Dinner time I was feeling pretty proud of myself for not smoking at all. After dinner we went to my daughters friends house where neither of her parents smoke anymore so it was pretty easy to go without there also. Then the girls came up with this great plan, they were going to spend the night there Saturday night so they could get up in the morning and go to church together. So me and my youngest daughter packed our things and went home. We were home long enough to get our PJ's on and make some popcorn so we could sit down and watch a movie, when my girlfriend came over with her daughter. So we made a little camping environment turned the movie on and ate popcorn. About half way though the movie my neighbor came over, he was bored so he decided it was time to bring a beer over and hang out. The kids were watching the movie so the 3 adults sat at the kitchen table playing cards and the other two were drinking their beer. My neighbor decided to go for a smoke, That ended it. All day again and here we are, my oldest isn't around to see me. My girlfriend and neighbor got their jackets on and said, "We are going to go Smoke." My youngest daughter looked at me and said, "Daddy, you can have one"
I couldn't believe it... So I had one, then 2...
Needless to say I failed miserably again on Saturday...
Sunday was actually a very good day, nothing exciting happened after church so we all went home and hung out without any smoking.
Monday was okay, I ended up having 2 during the day at work, my smoking buddy at work was getting lonely so he begged me to go with him.
So far today I am doing really good, I haven't had one yet but I have eaten a lot of Pretzel's today.

Thank You To Our Readers For Support And Advice

It has been a great experience starting this blog. I have met some really nice people through this experience.

A reader took the time to send me an email. He offered support and encouragement. In fact, he has just quit smoking himself and had some great advice to offer. He agreed to let me show his message here on the blog. Here it is:

"Hi, Kelly, first off I am 60 now and have smoked for 45 years and for over a week now I haven't had one single cigarette, and believe me to have smoked as long as I have that is pretty amazing. I am not saying I won't fall off the wagon at some point but I intend to not smoke ever again, and the thing is, I always enjoyed smoking and smoked over two packs a day, I know it has taken a toll on my health but when I was smoking I just ignored that. Now, no longer than I have not smoked, if I am around smokers, it really stinks , I had no idea it was so bad and I can actually breath better..

Well , that isn't much to do with how I stopped smoking, the thing that happened was I was sick a while back and I had to go get a smoke before I could even go to the bathroom, I got to thinking how much of a slave I had let myself become to cigarettes and when I went back to bed I made up my mind I could do without them, I don't know why it seemed to be easy but you know when you first get up, the first thing you want is a smoke? well I got that feeling alright but I just fought off the feeling for the need and in a very short time that urge passed and was fine for a while , then after I ate, I though I needed one, and after a shower.. all the things that always triggered the need for a smoke I had to fight off. And I still have urges to smoke but it is now easier to fight off those feelings. I had though also about being hypnotized but never did try it although I know of folks that did it and it worked but you still have to fight off the urges later as I understand it, those will come back but it isn't as difficult to fight off those urges.

I know I really haven't done a lot to help you in your fight to stop smoking but I will say , if you really set your mind to it and stick with it no matter how you think you just can't stand it, those feelings will pass , but of course they will come back so it is a never ending battle but after a while you will not find it hard at all to just tell yourself that cigarettes are not allowed by you and you will whip the habit.

You are still very young and I am sure not much damage has been done to your health as of yet so if you can manage to beat this smoking addiction you will live a much fuller life.

Well that is my two cents worth,, the main thing is, you are wanting to do something about you smoking..

Bye now.

Vernon"