Today marks one week until December 15. This is both the 6-month anniversary of GUS, and the next big quit of GUS 1.5.
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 even thinking about quitting, please -- join us!
The GUS Library at dKosopedia is organically evolving, and stocked with free-range information: quit-smoking links, helpful GUS diary writing tips, and the GUS Buddy List.
For some reason, I didn't smoke today.
My steely resolve goes exponential when the temptation happens. Smoke again? And blow almost six months of freedom from carcinogen cartridges? Screw that.
It would have been fine, had it ended there. It's not the first time I've wanted a cigarette. But the past two hours pushed my level of tolerance. I may or may not elaborate, because I'm late posting this diary, for chrissakes. My stress over the past two hours has very much to do with snow, sleet, traffic, highway conditions, barely visible lane markers in need of some fresh white paint.
And a rearview mirror that literally fell off the windshield into my hand, when I tried to tilt the glare of imbalanced headlights out of my line of vision. At this point, survival mode kicked in. Stop somewhere for cigarettes? Not that I was going to, but with my driving vision severely impaired, my main mission got really simplified: get home safely.
So that's why I'm late, and though the dog didn't eat my homework, the pilot to my furnace went out at some point today, so I spent another half hour trying to figure out how to relight the thing. Hard to remember how to do it when the pilot has gone out only three times in the past 16 years at my current residence.
Deep breaths. Relaxing. The apartment is heating, and I am finally cooling off. Nicotine loses again, and that's great. I'm not sure how well I would have done were I not involved with GUS, and further committed to a diary tonight.
::
GUS 1.5, the next scheduled group quit date, is December 15, just... one week away? Smoke 'em while you got 'em, and join these brave souls below:
coloradomomma
hulibow
indyada
MillieNeon
Sark Svemes
This is a great start, and there is room for many more! If you are thinking of quitting, this is your chance. Get prepared, get studied up and make a real go of it! You are of course invited to check in with your fellow GUSsacks and maybe even do a diary or two.
December 15th is the six-month anniversary of the start of GUS and falls on a Tuesday. If you feel better quitting on a weekend, you can move your quit date forward or put it off until the next weekend. You cannot give yourself and your family a better holiday present than to quit the smokes once and for all!
::
Current members of the GUS team! Please post a comment in the butt can if you would like your name added to the GUS Buddy List:
1BQ, 3rdGenFeminist, Abra Crabcakeya, addisnana, AfroPonix, ambeeeant, amk for obama, American in Kathmandu, andsarahtoo, Anne933, aoeu, arcadesproject, Archie2227, ArthurWolf (in memoriam), assyrian64, awkawk, bamablue, barnowl, bgblcklab1, Bike Crash, BirderWitch, bleeding heart, blue husky, Blue Intrigue, bluestatedem84, BoiseBlue, Brahman Colorado, breedlovinit, BrowniesAreGood, bsmechanic, burrow owl, Celtic Merlin, Cen Den, Chocolate Chris, ChurchofBruce, Colorado is the Shiznit, coppercelt, dadanation, dangoch, demkat620, Dexter, DiegoUK, Dingodude, donnamarie, DRo, droogie6655321, duckhunter, EdgedInBlue, ericlewis0, Everest42, Fhamme, Fineena, fishhawk, Flea, flumptytail, FrugalGranny, Garrett, gooners, greylox, gchaucer2, Geiiga, grndrush, hideinplainsight, High Tide, Im a frayed knot,Indexer, indyada, Interceptor7, inventor, itsbenj, Jahiz, JamesEB, jbou, Jeffersonian Democrat, john07801, jmadlc55, johngoes, Jyrix, jvolvo's Mom, jwinIL14, kai99, kailuacaton, Kelly of PA, kestrel9000, khloemi, Khun David, Kitsap River, Ksholl, labwitchy, Lady Kestrel, ladypockt, langerdang, LarsThorwald, last starfighter, Laurie Gator, Lipstick Liberal, litoralis, lmdonovan, luvsathoroughbred, maggiemay, magicsister, marknspokane, mdemploi, michael1104, Mikeguyver, MillieNeon, Minerva1157, MinervainNH, Missys Brother, mskitty, nannyboz, ncsuLAN, Nick Zouroudis, notgivingup, one pissed off democrat, Ordvefa, OverTheEdge, paige, PaintyKat, paradox, parryander, Pennsylvanian, phrogge prince, Positronicus, post rational, psycho liberal, PvtJarHead, red mittens, revelwoodie, Rex Manning, rkex, roadlion, rosebuddear, Rudini, Safina, SallyCat, Sark Svemes, Scrapyard Ape, seenaymah, sfbob, sgary, Shahryar, sheddhead, shmuelman, slowbutsure, smartcookienyc, smeesq, snoopydawg, snorwich, sofia, soonergrunt, spmozart, SpotTheCat, Tay, theatre goon, triciawyse, trueblueliberal, Turn VABlue, Turtle Bay, uc booker, Unduna, Unforgiven, Vacationland, webranding, weelzup, Wes Opinion, willy mugobeer, Wood Dragon, wolfie1818, x
::
So you've had some experience with the effects of smoking, and want to write a GUS diary or host an open thread? Please sign up in the Butt Can (Tip Jar), and be sure to say what day and time works for you (AM, PM, late-night, early-bird...)--------->
Our lovely and talented diarists appear below, in bold. As you can see, there are plenty of open diary spots for the taking. So go for it, and sign up!
Wed AM:
Wed PM:
Thu AM:
Thu PM:
Fri AM:
Fri PM:
Sat AM:
Sat PM:
Sun AM:
Sun PM:
Mon AM:
Mon PM: ChocolateChris (MNF Open Thread)