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 of quitting, please -- join us!
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The latest meta-craze at Daily Kos is TV Series Top Ten lists. I love this. Has anyone listed their favorite episodes of Star Trek? If not, I hope to tackle that one, before these lists jump the shark (not one of my 10 favorite Happy Days episodes, I found Fonzie's 16-barrel attempt to contain much more drama).
By way of text and photos, I offer my three favorite activities that are both enjoyable, and hard to do while balancing a cigarette. Only three? Yeah. To me, having ten activities is a laudable goal. But for right now, let's start with three.
By "activities," I am looking for you to offer three of your favorite things that keep you occupied for a half-hour or so, and thus take your mind off a cigarette.
Gussacks, let's get our own List-o-mania on!
bsmechanic's top three smokeless activities (with photo haiku, inspired by magicsister's diary):
1. Bicycling
This is by far my favorite physical activity. Weather permitting, hopping on my bicycle is something that can be done on a moment's notice, that will keep a recovering smoker occupied while burning off all that newfound excess energy.
Bicycling can be done solo, or with friends. In the case of last night, a buddy and I took a ride with about a thousand other people.
The last Friday of
every month, we meet in front
of a Picasso
The ride begins. It
starts off slow, but that's O.K.
Look at this turnout!
Another tall shot
taken, then a guard shouted
"get down off that wall!"
A trumpeter and
conga player make music
on a street corner.
2. Reading
Reading is another activity that I cannot do comfortably while smoking. Don't ask me why I would find walking while chewing gum and juggling bowling pins at the same time easier... one of them foibles, I guess.
At nearly two weeks off the smog, my Windows Quit Time says I've saved nearly $100. Much of this will be spent on books!
I took this photo
last night, while bicycling by
my favorite book store
Sleeping on the couch
is the Myopic Books cat
his name is Leonard
3. Going to the movies
This scene is from the
film, "In Bruges." It sums up how
I see my smoking.
Going out to see a film is different than renting a DVD or watching a movie on TV, both activities where "I get to smoke." I have yet to treat myself to a matinee over the last two weeks. But when I do, I know that as a non-smoker, I will be able to better enjoy the film (or throw popcorn at the screen in disgust) while being free from the obsession of that post-film smoke, and the uncomfortability I feel during hour two of your average film (hours two and three, if you're talking Peter Jackson).
***** ***** ***** *****
What are your three favorite smokeless activities? Let's hear 'em! And if you have it in you, give up ten of 'em.
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UPDATE (X1) Top suggestions from comments:
From bluestatedem84:water balloon fight.
From smartcookienyc: city walking (or any walking!... and no, I don't know how this option missed the poll-ed.)
From jbou : I will let the comment speak for itself. If you laughed out loud at this one as I did, then I recommend you check out jbou's diary from two months ago; an impassioned rant from the depths of nicotine withdrawal, entitled F***K The Kids!!!!
Current members of the GUS team! Please post a comment if you would like to join, or if your name is here in error:
1BQ
amk for obama
Anne933
bgblcklab1
BirderWitch
blue husky
bluestatedem84
bsmechanic
Chocolate Chris
coppercelt
Fineena
flumptytail
gchaucer2
Im a frayed knot
interceptor7
khloemi
langerdang
LarsThorwald
lmdonovan
luvsathoroughbred
maggiemay
magicsister
MinervainNH
nannyboz
ncsuLAN
Nick Zouroudis
Pennsylvanian
SallyCat
seenaymah
smartcookienyc
Turn VABlue
uc booker
Vacationland
Wood Dragon
Anyone (on or off the buddy list) is welcome to write a diary for GUS. If you are interested, please leave a comment in the Butt Can (tip jar).
Sun AM: seenaymah
Sun PM: SallyCat
Mon AM: sberel
Mon PM: Magicsister
Tue AM: aimeeinkc
Tue PM: (?)
Wed AM: (?)
.....