GUS (Gave Up Smoking) is a community support diary for Kossacks in the midst of quitting smoking. Any supportive comments, suggestions or positive distractions are appreciated. If you are quitting or thinking of quitting, please -- join us!
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I signed up for this slot the other day and promptly fell off the schedule, so... wow, I hope some people come to visit lonely old me here in a little-announced GUS diary.
On Monday, I spent the school holiday at home with no kids. I read, I napped, I watched TV—and I was able to have a relaxing day at home in my jimmies without cigarettes. By the time the kids got home (wound for sound, I might add) at seven o’clock, I was definitely feeling the effects of a lazy day doing nothing... and it should be noted that I never thought that I might feel more relaxed if I had spent the day smoking. Relaxation does not come from nicotine or from the ritual of smoking. It can come from occasionally having a day wherein one doesn’t have to watch "Dora the Explorer" twice before lunch.
On Tuesday, it rained. I live in New England, and an October storm is less than idyllic. It can be poetic in a Robert Frost kind of way, if you’re into that kind of thing, I guess. But for the most part, it’s windy, and rainy, and freezing cold, and there’s three pantloads of wet leaves blowing around just waiting for an opportunity to smack you in the face. Romantic? Maybe. Pretty? Sometimes. Fun to smoke outside in? Uh, no, not actually. As I watched my boyfriend slink off to stand in the deck doorway, huddled over his cupped lighter, I found that one can be a nature fan while observing said nature from a safe, warm, cozy distance. I was grateful that I had kicked the habit.
On Wednesday, I had a brief meeting with my beloved delinquent’s first grade teacher and a PTA meeting first thing in the morning. I was grateful to smell like my better perfume instead of cigarettes, because I always felt vaguely like a Bad Example or a Derelict of Mom Duty walking into the elementary school reeking of butts. Should I find myself able to make friends with any of the PTA ladies, or with their kids on behalf of my kids, I will not have to worry that they won’t want to come over because I smell like smoke and therefore my house might as well. I will not have to worry about bailing on Pampered Chef parties because I need a smoke. I have to worry about them not wanting to come over because my younger son sports a mohawk and I wear a rainbow snow hat with kitty ears. I have to worry about chewing my arm off at their parties because I hate the Pampered Chef with the heat of a nova. I have enough to worry about without smoking.
On Thursday, I was suckered into taking over my son’s Tiger Scout den. (The committee chairman writes a pretty fabulous guilt email. It would have to be, because what I know about Scouting could be inscribed on the head of a pin in all the UN languages.) I went over in the evening to meet with him, and was grateful while doing so that I would be able to conduct these exercises in frustration—er, meetings—without that driving need for a cigarette one might well anticipate when dealing with six first grade boys. After my meeting, I went shopping and had enough extra money to procure myself a couple of comfy shirts. It’s money I wouldn’t have had if I had been smoking. It’s good to note that I should have saved said money, as Christmas is coming, but People Who Get Tense If They Have More Than Fifteen Bucks At The End Of The Week has not yet asked me to participate in their diary series.
On Friday, I spent seven long hours volunteering for a PTA event. I went in to blow up balloons from 2 to 4, and then I went back at 5 to help set up and run the food table. To my own surprise, I didn’t have a bad time. There were a few moments when I thought I should have stayed home and watched Pay Per View—when the bundt pan ice rings proved to be just a touch wider than the openings in the punch bowls, for instance, or when I had to spend 45 minutes untangling balloon strings because I picked up several bunches at once hoping to save time. But it was OK—I met a nice lady who runs a gym with child care I think I might actually use, and I think I bonded a little with some of the PTA moms. I’m new to this community, and as much as I loooove all of you, it would be nice to have some friends who don’t live inside the computer. Thanks to having quit smoking, I was able to devote five straight hours to helping with this event, chatting with people, making myself useful, and not once did I think I might have to rip off someone’s leg and beat her to death therewith if I did not get a cigarette in short order. That is the kid of thing that might give me a bad rep—almost to the same extent as my rainbow kitty ears snow hat.
All things considered, it was a busy, crazy, partial win and partial fail kind of week... and I did it without smoking, and I’m so glad I did.
Today is touchy because I have to write all day, and I associate writing with smoking on a very deep level. So we’ll see how I do.
How is everybody doing today?
Here's the GUS quitters & buddy list as of October 16!
1BQ, 3rdGenFeminist, Abra Crabcakeya, addisnana, AfroPonix, alstradamus, amk for obama, andsarahtoo, Anne933, aoeu, arcadesproject, Archie2227, ArthurWolf (in memoriam), awkawk, bamablue, barnowl, bgblcklab1, Bike Crash, BirderWitch, bleeding heart, blue husky, Blue Intrigue, bluestatedem84, BoiseBlue, Brahman Colorado, breedlovinit, BrowniesAreGood, bsmechanic, burrow owl, Cen Den, Chocolate Chris, ChurchofBruce, coppercelt, dadanation, dangoch, demkat620, Dexter, DiegoUK, Dingodude, donnamarie, DRo, droogie6655321, duckhunter, EdgedInBlue, Everest42, fhamme, Fineena, Flea, flumptytail, FrugalGranny, Garrett, gooners, greylox, gchaucer2, Geiiga, grndrush, High Tide, Im a frayed knot, Indexer, indyada, Interceptor7, inventor, itsbenj, Jahiz, JamesEB, Jeffersonian Democrat, john07801, jmadlc55, johngoes, Jyrix, jvolvo's Mom, jwinIL14, kai99, kailuacaton, Kelly of PA, kestrel9000, khloemi, Khun David, Ksholl, labwitchy, Lady Kestrel, ladypockt, langerdang, LarsThorwald, Last Starfighter, Laurie Gator, Lipstick Liberal, litoralis, lmdonovan, luvsathoroughbred, maggiemay, magicsister, marknspokane, mdemploi, michael1104, Mikeguyver, Minerva1157, MinervainNH, mskitty, nannyboz, ncsuLAN, Nick Zouroudis, one pissed off democrat, Ordvefa, OverTheEdge, paige, PaintyKat, Pennsylvanian, phrogge prince, Positronicus, post rational, psycho liberal, PvtJarHead, red mittens, revelwoodie, rkex, roadlion, rosebuddear, SallyCat, Sark Svemes, seenaymah, Scrapyard Ape, sgary, sheddhead, smartcookienyc, spmozart, SpotTheCat, Tay, theatre goon, triciawyse, trueblueliberal, Turn VABlue, Turtle Bay, uc booker, Unduna, Unforgiven, Vacationland, webranding, weelzup, Wes Opinion, willy mugobeer, Wood Dragon, x
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