Hmmm.
I went to a convention this weekend in Burlington, VT for the self-help program I attend for my other addictions, and conventions usually have a theme. Well, this one was very appropriate to bring home to GUS. The theme was "Stepping Out of the Old, and In to the New". As smokers, we continued to do what we knew - smoke when waking up, in the car, on break, after meals, when we were happy, sad, it was Tuesday... that is the old, the comfortable. In our journey to stop smoking, we made a decision to step in to the new - putting down the pack, throwing out the ashtrays, breathing through the triggers, fumigating the house, praying to get through one more hour without a smoke... and suddenly, many of us found ourselves there. We had stepped from the old, the comfortable in to a brand new world of smells, and tastes and whiter teeth. The new is scary and uncomfortable, and sometimes it seems easier to run back to the old, but HANG ON. In my area, we have a saying:
. I don't smoke, no matter what. I walked a gauntlet of smokers to get in the hotel - the greeting to the convention. I used to be one of those smokers, boldly proclaiming my right to smoke wherever the hell I wanted to, even at the inconvenience of non-smokers. Don't get me wrong, not everyone does that, but I was an asshole smoker. I could not comprehend why on Earth I should have to move. It was my right, and you could go screw. Obviously, I'm on the other side of that. So as I was walking through a crowd if non-moving smokers, I just held my breath and politely asked them to move. I'm grateful I developed some manners in this process of stepping in to the new. So, it was a lovely weekend, I am rejuvenated by being with like-minded thinkers, and I found another door to exit the building from. And, I have another day smoke free :)
Current members of the GUS team:
1BQ, 3rdGenFeminist, Abra Crabcakeya, addisnana, AfroPonix, aishmael, Alpha99, A Man Called Gloom,ambeeeant, American in Kathmandu, amk for obama, andsarahtoo, Anne933, anodnhajo, aoeu, aquarius2001, arcadesproject, Archie2227, Arthur Wolf (in memoriam), assyrian64, awkawk, b4uknowit, bamablue, BARAKABETH, barnowl, bdizz, beatpanda, BFSkinner, bgblcklab1, Bike Crash, BirderWitch, bleeding heart, blingbling65, blue husky, Blue Intrigue, BlueJessamine, bluestatedem84, BoiseBlue, Brahman Colorado, breedlovinit, BrenP, BrowniesAreGood, bsmechanic, burrow owl, CathodeRay, cee4, Cen Den, ChocolateChris, ChurchofBruce, citizenx, Cleante, Code Monkey, Colorado is the Shiznit, coloradomomma, Common Sense Mainer, congenitalefty, coppercelt, dadanation, dangoch, Dauphin, demkat620, Dexter, Diana in NoVa, Dickie, DiegoUK, Dingodude, distraught, djMikulec, dolfin66, donnamarie, Donna O, dotsright, DRo, droogie6655321, duckhunter, Eclectablog, EdgedInBlue, effervescent, El barragas, el vasco, ericlewis0, Everest42, Ex Con, fhamme, Fineena, fiona2, fishhawk, Flea, FlipperWaves, flumptytail, FrugalGranny, Garrett, Gator, gchaucer2, Geiiga, Georgianna Darcy, GN1927, gooderservice, gooners, gravlax, greylox, grndrush, GrumpyWarriorPoet, Haole in Hawaii, henlesloop, HeyMikey, hideinplainsight, High Tide, hiliner68, hold tight, hulibow, I love OCD, Im a frayed knot, imisa, Indexer, indubitably, indyada, Interceptor7, inventor, I said GOOD DAY sir, itsbenj, Jahiz, JamesEB, janl1776, JayinPortland, jayjaybear, jbou, Jeffersonian Democrat, jmadlc55, Joe's Steven aka Steven, john07801, johngoes, jsfox, JVolvo's Mom, jwinIL14, kai99, kailuacaton, Kelly of PA, kestrel9000, khloemi, Khun David, Kitsap River, Kodiak54, Ksholl, labwitchy, Lady Kestrel, ladypockt, Lahdee, langerdang, LarsThorwald, last starfighter, Laurie Gator, Lipstick Liberal, litoralis, lmdonovan, lockewasright, longislandny, luvsathoroughbred, maggiemay, magicsister, mango, Marc in KS, marknspokane, maryabein, Matt Esler, mdemploi, Micburke, michael1104, Mikeguyver, MillieNeon, Minerva1157, MinervainNH, Missys Brother, mjbleo, MnRaindog, Morague, Mr Bojangles, mrsgoo, mskitty, msmacgyver, MsWings, nannyboz, ncsuLAN, Nick Zouroudis, notgivingup, NY brit expat, one pissed off democrat, operculum, OrangeMike, Ordvefa, OverTheEdge, paige, PaintyKat, paradox, parryander, Pennsylvanian, phrogge prince, Positronicus, post rational, Proud Mom and Grandma, psycho liberal, ptolemynm, Purple Priestess, PvtJarHead, randallt, real world chick, red mittens, Reepicheep, regis, relentless, revelwoodie, revsue, Rex Manning, rexymeteorite, RiaD, rickeagle, ridemybike, rightiswrong, rincewind, rkex, roadlion, Roger Fox, Rosebuddear, roses, Rudini, Safina, SallyCat, Sark Svemes, sboucher, scooter in brooklyn, Scrapyard Ape, seenaymah, sfbob, sgary, Shahryar, sheddhead, Shifty18, shmuelman, shopkeeper, slowbutsure, smartcookienyc, smeesq, snoopydawg, snorwich, SnyperKitty, SoCalHobbit, sofia, soonergrunt, sostos, sowsearsoup, SpecialKinFlag, spmozart, spotDawa, SpotTheCat, Statusquomustgo, Super Grover, tallmom, Tay, ThAnswr, theatre goon, The Eyewitness Muse, TheStoopingRabbit, TigerMom, tiredofcrap, tonyahky, Toyotabob7, Treefrog, triciawyse, trs, trueblueliberal, ttanner, Tulsonian, Turn VABlue, Turtle Bay, Tyto Alba, uc booker, Unduna, Unforgiven, ursoklevar, Vacationland, valadon, Vayle, Vetwife, waytac, webranding, weelzup, Wes Opinion, willy be frantic, willy mugobeer, Wood Dragon, wolfie1818, Wordsinthewind, Wreck Smurfy, x, yet another liberal, Zotz