Lori

It's exciting that you get to be in Hawaii. I have never been. I love to travel and have probably been to at least 1/2 of the states in the USA. Much of my travel was for business and would stay over weekends to explore the sights and stuff. I enjoyed the flights, ordering 2 bottles of scotch and smoking several cigarettes, reading the NY Times. I thought I was hot s**t. 

Unfortunately, today I do little traveling, I miss it. I must admit I also miss my cigarettes too. Waking up this morning I think of my time out on the porch drinking my first cup of coffee, huffing down one after the other. I guess that was pleasure.

No more. "I just don't smoke anymore" PERIOD! My mantra that I repeat each time I have a craving. What were your triggers? Everyone has them. Boredom is another one that hits me throughout the day. That is why I keep as busy as possible. 

Life is much better without my compulsion to smoke, Health, money, self-esteem and a slew of other things that I get due to my decision to eliminate cigs. 

Getting ready to embark on my daily walk. I try to go further each day. My iphone keeps track of how many miles I go. It's cool.

Wishing you a wonderful day. Send me some pictures if you get a chance. 

Your friend,

Andrew

Good morning, Lore:  I replied to your post above the day you wrote it but for whatever reason I could not find a copy of my post the next day.  Maybe it didn’t go through.  

I listened to Cash’s rendition of My Life.  Yep, he sang it soulfully.  

Yesterday we had our annual Jazz and Oysters Festival here on the Peninsula.  It was held at Nachotta Bay.  The music was super good.  Mel Brown, a black Jazz musician who is a Portland legend, brought his trio here.  He is totally top shelf.  The crown was roaring and dancing.  We were thrilled to have him come visit us.  

How nice to experience such a fun day without smoking cigarettes.  I was noticing only a few smokers in the crown, who had to go to the end of the field to stand near the dumpsters for their smoke.  I used to hang out there when I was a smoker.  Now no longer.  

I hope you have a good week.  And I wish all the forum members continued success with their Quit.  

We are off to Seattle mid week for the opera.  Wife and I are opera fans and Seattle always puts off an exceptional production.  

Best to you and to all forum members.  

Yes! Your neck of the woods is definitely on my bucket list Anthony! There is a ton of Australia I would love to explore. 
Hope all is well!

Anthony,

Good to hear from you and know you are still smoke free and doing well! This is the first response I’ve seen since I wrote so am glad. I was a tiny bit worried you didn’t write because you had been smoking. Only a tiny bit! Anyway, glad that is t the case.

Yes I am on (in?) Oahu now. Arrived yesterday midday. I am staying basically at the base of Diamond Head. Walked down into Waikiki and all around for several hours and now can say I did that. I’ve spent the morning mapping out some drives for the next several days. Now it is 11am and I’m feeling a bit late to start, lol. May have to go for a swim close and nap and start out with an actual plan at the crack of dawn. The birds here are beautiful! And interesting sounding too. It feels hotter than I expected. Everyone has always told me it doesn’t seem that hot due to the breeze, which is very nice, but midday is still quite warm. I went into a store to get some sunscreen first thing yesterday and happened to notice that cigarettes are about $16 a pack!!! Wowza. So glad I won’t be buying any of those!

Seattle Opera sounds lovely! Will you stay the night there? Such a fun city really, with so many unique nooks and crannies. A walk around my alma mater, UW is always beautiful too. One of the prettiest West Coast campuses in my opinion. 
Yes! I know Mel Brown! Fantastic you got to see him. That sounds like a fun festival. And absolutely yes, how nice not to go hang with the smokers. It’s a relief really isn’t it?

Have a safe trip to Seattle! 
Wish me luck finding my way around here. It’s only so big, so I can only get so lost, lol. 

Excellent thanks Lore 

Hey Dog-

It's been a while since we conversed. How is your smoking going? 

I seem to remember that you are early in this process. I have 12 weeks and 3 days smoke-free. It has been tougher this past 2 weeks than when I initially quit. I guess I am still not totally comfortable with the whole thing. Have you had any uncomfortable cravings? I'm sure you have as we all do. What do you do to fight them?

I find getting out and about and walk or find something else to keep me occupied. I hang out in the house too much but as hot as it is here in Central Florida (today 95 at 3pm) I stay in my air-conditioned environment.

I listen to music all day and night. I can be seen dancing with my headphones blaring when I take my daily walk or even grocery shopping. People think I am crazy (which I am) but I feel the music throughout my body (and soul). I love it, it gives me such pleasure listening to contemporary jazz, rock and roll, blues and other venues that get me energized. 

Other than that, I keep busy around the house upgrading the interior, fixing things or washing the car, whatever I can do that takes me away from the compulsive thoughts of smoking. Some days are better than others. 

I hope this post finds you well and smoke-free. Love to hear back from you sometime.

Dancin''

Andrew

Lore:  Well, if you aren’t the peripatetic one in our Forum group.  Oahu sound fun; all of Hawaii sound fun.  Lol.  I hope you brought along a good pair of binoculars so you can marvel at the exotic bird life.  (We’re taking ours with us to Japan.) Like you wrote, if it’s too hot then go for an ocean swim.  What’s not to like about that.  

Betsy and I have been avid swimmers all of our adult lives.  In Pdx it was a daily swim at our athletic club downtown, the RAC.  It closed so we used the PSU pool since we were taking classes there and had pool privileges.  Now that we are at the beach full time we are so fortunate to have a 25 yard pool just a couple of miles from our house.  We swim 4 days a week.  I do a mile each time.  Even when I smoked I never gave up on swimming or squash or biking and what not.  I think I somewhat mitigated the damages to my lungs by this consistent exercise.  

I can’t believe smokes are so ungodly expensive there:  $16.00!!!  Holy moly!! 

Leaving tomorrow for the opera. Yep, we always spend two night there.  Sometimes we stay at the Fairmont Olympic Hotel downtown.  This time we are lodging in theQueen Ann neighborhood just for variety's sake.

I can’t believe smokes are so ungodly expensive there:  $16.00!!!  Holy moly!! 

Putting the last few additions on our Japanese itinerary.  It’s going to be awesome.  Can hardly wait.  

Have a ball in Hawaii.  It is always good to hear from you, Lore.

Lastly, I am really enjoying the Why Quit book.  I agree, while Carr’s book is good, this one is better, in my opinion.  

Anthony

Good morning Andrew,

Yes, it is lovely here! The sound of the birds in the morning is amazing. Today I’m going to take the car and drive around to the North side of the island. I’m always just a tad nervous to drive in new places, not to mention in someone else’s car. I kind of figure I can only go so far in either direction and I’ll hit water, so eventually I should find my way back, lol! 
 

That’s too bad you don’t travel anymore, but nice that you’ve seen so many of the states. It is inarguably an in beautiful country we have. So much variety in terrain, climates, creatures, weather. All of it. Just a stunning place the US is. Hawaii is certainly very different from any other state I’ve been to. This trip was a bit on a whim. My friend’s husband lives between here and PDX and is in PDX until mid-September. When he found out I’ve never been here he said “condo and car are yours, go!” So I bought a ticket and here I am. Longest flight I’ve taken to go to another state and I left from PDX! Flying is one of those things that still triggers an urge to smoke for me. I remember the first time I flew (which wasn’t until I was 19!) and one could smoke on the plane still. Ugh! I was a smoker then but was so airsick I did not even have the urge to smoke. It didn’t help that I was surrounded by smoke, and I have a feeling that was a big contributor to the nausea I was experiencing. Thank goodness there is no more smoking on aircraft! 
 

I use my iPhone to track walks, runs, etc too. It’s a pretty handy little gadget. I sure didn’t imagine having such a convenience when I was a kid. Now, it is just a matter of every day life. It’s funny to know that my daughter has no idea what life was like before being able to be so “connected “. She cracks me up when she asks me about “the olden days”, . I do love to be disconnected though, and make a point to take even a short walk every day without my phone. I think it helps me stay more connected with myself. 
 

I will send some pictures later today! Am off now to explore this little slice of paradise. Have a wonderful day Andrew and don’t lament too much about the cigarettes. You e come too far to start all over again and besides that, you’re not missing a damn thing!

another good site

whyquit.com

Andrew

Another morning smoke-free.

Freedom - it feels so good to know that I don't have to smoke today

Today I am free of the need to light up another cigarette. 

I can't believe that I can really say I am a non-smoker.

It's been a long time coming and I now know that I am going to make it.

I wish all reading this post can join me in making this commitment for today.

Andrew

13 weeks 5-20-22