Ladies!

Yay Us!!! 
Yeah, the 4th was a drag for me this year so I tried to turn it into something meaningful for myself, and it worked a bit. Whatever floats our boats and keeps our eyes on the prize is valid, yes?

So the jewelry thing is helpful for me too. I have a few rings, trade them out. They are good figits. I’m glad you got a new one Eve! And I loved Marvin! Haven’t seen him in years. “I wish I was an Alien, at home behind the sun...”  That is only loosely related...is from one my FAVORITE songs by Pearl Jam called “Wishlist”. Man...I love Vedder’s guitar and Ament’s steady bass in that song. Just has a great and grounding rhythm and the lyrics are just beautiful. I can turn that on and completely forget about smoking.... and lots of other stuff too. Just wish it went on for a few hours.  Give it a go...it might help the blah day!! Grunge has a special place in my heart since living in Seattle in the late 80s through 90s. 

Peggy, I have to say...I love the “redneck ice cubes”! That is very clever and so funny. I wouldn’t have thought about it. Wouldn’t have thought either about the pool maybe getting too warm, but it makes sense! I also found the noise way louder last night. Must be because all public displays were cancelled. Some folks around here must have spent a fortune on fireworks! Had all the huge stuff going on that I for sure would have been scared to light. My poor critters too.  . Now we are on to mid summer heat and that beautiful Buck Moon tonight! Woo hoo! Hope you are gonna go out and soak it up and renew from the funky day. Read about the headaches...bummer. I take Feverfew for them and it works good. 
Just got home from work and have work to finish then I am going on a huge and rejuvenating walk. My soul is aching and needs some time to wander. 
One of you mentioned tattoos...well, I am going for a meet up tomorrow with my Tat Artist that I haven’t seen in over a year. We are gonna sit in the park at a respectable 6 feet, drink some lovely Kombucha and talk about an idea I have. I’m pretty excited about it. Back a few months ago some of us were talking about what we were going to do with our “saved” cigarette money and I am going to have her add something on for me and use that unspent money for it. Yay! I haven’t had any work done in about 5 years or so and don’t have much arm room left but this is gonna be good. Will also be the first time having her work on me without taking smoke breaks too! 
Ok...work to do, an Agave to go see, a moon to blow kisses to...such a full and glorious night awaits! 
Stay well Ladies. Things are getting rough out there... not an end in sight either, so keep doing what helps which is not smoke!

 Lore

P.S. Forgot to say...Peggy...wear that jewelry for YOU! You don’t have to go anywhere at all! 

Hi there, im a serial quitter i always keep trying. I know i kinda enjoy those days when i smoke like 6-8 cigs w friends but then its just so hard to quit again.

I think that socializing even if it involves a  a cig, is way better than being on the internet all day, there have been many studies on it, so taking a break from these social media sites may help as well, we need to connect with real people. 

I didnt smoke all day and got a lot done today, which im grateful for. 

I hope everyone is having a good day. 

Hey Overdoz!

I could not agree more. So far I’ve been able to socialize even around smokers without smoking, though the opportunities to socialize have been really limited. My slips were all on just me by myself.  But yes...real people is always better. I’ve been fortunate in that I have not been off work all this time so actually get sick of being with people at times. Don’t mean that as harsh as it sounds, but, hopefully you know what I mean...I’ve never had a social media experience other than here. One of the things bothering me most with our new way of life is the disconnected feeling I get out and about because of masks. It just seems to add to an already declining social structure in ways. I get it, and support it, but still...really miss seeing smiles in passing... I had this conversation with someone who told me they thought I struggle with it more because I’m not used to dealing with people in a removed way such as FB, etc. I don’t know, but I do know I’m struggling with it! Hence, all the natter I write! Lol!

Glad to see you hanging on! 

hanging on by an atom.. I take it a day at a time, very thankful when i dont smoke for extended periods, but then again i dont beat myself up when i do if that makes sense. 

Are you quit? Or are you smoking? 

I’m quit but slipped twice since February 23rd. Once early March with just part of one. The second time was early June, the 8th or 9th, and smoked 8!! Actually said I was gonna smoke the whole pack, but didn’t. So, yeah...just keep doing it and those extended periods still count as smoke free days. I really believe the most important thing is just don’t stop quitting. One of these days, that addict will shatter and you will be sick and tired of being sick and tired of it and just won’t anymore. You are also letting go of alcohol too, right? So, just keep doing it and count your successes as they all have value. You still running?

Mmmm. Just got back. The moon is just incredible tonight. It is a calm and sweet night all around. 
So...there you have it friend. A new day on its way to you. Hope it is full of peace and calmness.

I cannot believe that Agave....Still. 

Hey Peggy and Lor,

I usually don’t wear jewelry either, but do like rings. Wear 2, one in an Irish Claddagh ring, and the other is now my non smoking ring. Oh and a watch. But I do like your tattoo idea? Maybe save up your cigarette money and use for a tattoo!

I only have one tattoo, and got that one in my early 30s , may have to ponder that one! 
 

Ugh I think those weird/angry dreams may put us in our “funks”! When you said you dreamt about your mom, I remembered I had dream about mine too, maybe that’s why I was in my blah day. Didn’t even remember til you said it! Will have to remember next time to ponder WHY I’m in my funk. 
 

So did you go to the Party? Or your friend just told you loud?

Lol on the RedNeck ice cubes! 
 

Everyday that we stay smoke free even during our “funk” days is a win......and people say we will be happier!

Hugs

Good morning Saint Eve!

I don’t know...I think some days are just funk days. Maybe dreams are involved and have something to do with it when I wake up, but they are most always buried somewhere deep in my brain and I don’t often recall them. That is probably good. Can’t imagine they would be too worthwhile nowadays. 
I love those Claddagh rings. I’ve never had one, but always thought them interesting and pretty. Did you get yours when you were in Ireland? Were you smoking when you took that trip? Not sure why I was just thinking about that. Maybe thinking about flying. That is gonna be a huge trigger for me when the time comes, which, by the looks of things with all this COVID19 stuff, it isn’t going to be anytime soon! Oh well. Got nothing but time. So hopefully will be over the big hump and be able to fly without smoking first. I am hoping to go next year later Spring, so we’ll see. 
Right now I feel like I’m coming to terms with some aspects of human nature that aren’t too appealing. Addiction is one for sure, and I’m pretty happy I never got into other stuff in addition to tobacco. But, addicts are funny no matter their vice. Cigarette addicts are not much exception in the way they congregate to take part, and congregate to unhook. It’s funny too how some relate it to other aspects of their life. I have a friend who “gave up smoking for Lent” this year. I had a real hard time wrapping my mind around that one. Can’t say I can expound on why without coming off sounding judgmental so will leave it. Suffice it to say it felt really disingenuous to use one’s religion in that way. But, whatever. She went right back smoking on Good Friday! Anyway...it just seemed a very selfish use of things and a weak rationale. I guess it is easier for some to use their loose affiliation to assuage their quit. Anyway. I just got an email from her so it made me think about it and made my mind wander, which usually doesn’t take much. She thought it odd that even though I wasn’t smoking I still referred to myself as an addict. 
Me, I guess I’d rather just own it full on and take my own responsibility for it. It sucks, yes, but in the end I’d rather not have the guilt of doing it for anything other than my own reasons. 
Yeah...another funk day so far, but looking up soon as I’m going to meet my friend and Tattooist.  This is gonna be a day where I don’t bother trying to find a reason to be in a funk and just roll with it. It passes usually pretty quickly. 
Hope your day is great! 
Forgot to add...yes, Eve...time for you to get another one! Lol! 

 

Hi Lor the Magnificent!

I hope these “funk” days get fewer and far between! I think dreams have a lot to do with our moods......last night I dreamt about work, and feel I should get paid over time or at least a day off! Lol.....oh well, probably not.

We are definitely addicts or we could give this up and no big deal. I think I personally have a weird addictive personality, I tend to focus sometimes on something for a while (days or weeks) then my A.D.D. kicks in and I see a squirrel and brain shifts.....again lol. 

No I have always worn a Claddagh ring since about my 20s, it’s been changed out a couple times , for more expensive and durable ones. Wearing jewelry for my job is tough so it really has to withstand some jolting. 
 

Getting thru these “funk” days is really tough, especially if you live alone. Peanut gets a lot of sleep and loving those days. But we have read the people in front of us post, and not 1person said they regret being a non smoker, so we just have persevere and know we can get through this TOGETHER! 
 

What kind of tattoo are you getting and where? I have only the one, it’s Gossamer from Bugs Bunny. I’m a huge Looney tunes collector. So I already know what I would get, Marvin the Martian wearing an Eagles Jersey With his gun, and the flag popped out with LLII on it. Which is the Super Bowl we won. Yes I have put some thought into it, I just need to draw it. 
 

I hope you have a fantastic day! Some days you just need to stop and smell the air, and say I’m going to be happy today! 
Hiugs!

Good morning Eve,

Yeah...seems like I’m having more funk days than in the dreaded 3rd month. I suspect it has to do with more than quitting though, so don’t want that to be a deterrent to anyone. Actually...more than suspect, I know it does. Keeping an eye on it and know it will pass, so...

You are the second person here to associate my user name with “magnificent”. So, here is the story...as I’m not magnificent at all. 
My father was 110% German and I grew up in a very small German Midwest town. Actually went to a church where the entire service was in German and I didn’t understand much of it all! He was of the generation and belief that his kids needed to learn English. Period. English was his second language and he struggled as a kid with it and did not want us to have those problems. Yes, he was an immigrant back before that was a dirty word. He was brought here with his family as a young boy in the early 1920s. 
My name at birth was Heidi. It was given to me by the doctor who delivered me as he felt entitled to do that with me being the 9th one of us he delivered. Well...my dad hated that name! He was angry. So he said I would be named Rebecca. Well, the doctor then said if I were named that I “wouldn’t darken his door ever again”. So...the fight went on for 4 days, and then my wise and loving Mother stepped in and said “Enough. Her name is Lorelei”. She was not German but liked the name. And it was pronounced  Lo-ra-lie. 3 syllables. My mother and sibs always called me “Lore” which rhymes with store, or Lorelei when I was in trouble. I liked that enough.
Well, in the 70s, I hated it! STYX had come out with that song “Lorelei” and I just hated it. So I started to call myself “Lori”. That stuck and when I was older I changed it legally to “Lori”. I felt it was more “professional “. My Mom was a bit bummed, but rolled with it. 
Then...when my Stepson was about 10, he and some friends of mine were talking and decided that “Loreficent” was a good nickname for me. Mostly they had the idea because “Maleficent” was the Fairy that was so protective and yes, formidable, when it came to protecting the Moors and all the creatures that lived there. So they took Lore and combined it. I liked it cause it was one, odd, and two, had the root “Lore” which since my Mother had passed, I felt paid some homage to her. So, it is a nickname given me by my wonderful Stepson who is now 26, and some friends. They had seen me as formidable in dealing with Stepson’s dad, who was...difficult, and know how I am with creatures; very protective. 
So when I joined here, I thought, “yeah...I want to be formidable with quitting smoking”, meaning intense and capable. So I joined here with my nickname, Loreficent. But I also am liking being called “Lore” again, as it seems my Mom was wise after all. 
 

Now...on to another smoke free day! Yippee!