Think of it ths way.  You are just smoking and thinking you are enjoying it and suddenly, something happens and a team of doctors are saying..You can't do this...YOU WLL DIE. What do they know?  Well some know nothing and some know plenty but YOU know..YOU really know, it is inevitable and you will quit sooner or later.  Go ahead do it, quit makng excuses about how much enjoyment it is.  I have been there  RECENTLY...I know the story.  Oh I just took a relazing bath or had a nice glass of wine or I am so tense, or everyone is driving me crazy, or hey  am not going to let people tell me how to run my life.  Well no one wants to.  But we weren't running our life.  Big Tobacco and the people who love big money was sure breaking the bank and the health and then charge big premiums or no coverage for you to just wheeze and struggle.
  No..now it is personal and I never really got it because see, I thought that never applied to me.   I couldn't quit.  I wouldn't even try.  It was my lot in life after I became an adult to walk around and be ndependent with a cig, act kewl, be grown up, talk up, lose weight  (ha ha)  myth to a degree) and tug on poison and keep my hands busy at work or home or in the bed because it had become who I was and no matter who pleaded or begged or asked or talked..I knew more and dismssed such a notion.  My standard answer was, Well we don't know what we are breathing anyway.  Well stupid answer..We did know about ths finally.  I also used to say, Well something has to take you outta here, I want to enjoy my cigarettes.  Well one mornng when you wake up coughng up blood and breathing OK but bleeding like you just got shot in the face and you run down to the ER, who has your back then?  Not Marlboro Man, or Virgnia slims or Msty, or Kool.
When a small child looks from the top of the starway and sees your bloody face and your choking and says, Mama I told you it was bad, now you wll trust me.....then you see you has your back and then you see....YOU WERE WRONG.  Then you look at that child and see her in 20 years puffing and gasping and bleeding.  WAKE UP.
If my experience can help just one person, then let's share it.  Whatever your reasons for laying those thngs down and yes we may succeed the first time but we will continue until we put Big tobacco under.  Between them and BP, they need to fall and quit making money off the backs of sick folk.  

NOW THE PARTY !!!!!!

When you were a kid, teenager, or even not so long ago but we will call it BS..Before smoking....What was some of your fun Friday nights?  I am in the 60's and even though smoking was kewl I didn't do it back then but OMG the music had some real funny things happening.
What is the worst song you ever heard and what is your favorite song?

I think Drop Kicking Jesus through the Gold Post of Life is right down there with Yummmy Yummy YUmmy....
I am a musician and singer and my husband is as well and we have written some songs but I must say, we have never  never written junk like that.  Tonight we will be having Pie.  We will be serving up Tea and sparkling water, a little wine, fresh cut roses and other arrangements have been brought in for your enjoyment.  There will be bands n the house tonight and funny stories so kick back , pull out your dance card and let us slip back into time with memories and good times.  It's Friday night here at the KOS with GUS and let us start.  Let us do a Friday night Oldie party.

We can talk about terrible music later, let's spin some tunes starring Mr. Evans better known as Chubby Checker.
I actually got to do the twist with him in the 70's and his son and me worked on the Obama campaign together.  Let's rock !

Another Generation of music...

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. We avoid discussion of political issues. If you are quitting or even thinking about quitting, please -- join us! 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.

The Super-Fun GUS Buddy List:

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, 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, sowsearsoup, SpecialKinFlag, spmozart, spotDawa, SpotTheCat, Statusquomustgo, sunbro, 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, vgranucci, waytac, webranding, weelzup, Wes Opinion, willy be frantic, willy mugobeer, Wood Dragon, wolfie1818, Wordsinthewind, Wreck Smurfy, x, yet another liberal, Zotz

Had some experience with the effects of smoking?

Has your life been affected by smoking or smokers in your life?

Feel like providing a supportive place for quitters and would-be quitters to hang out?

If so, we would love to have you write a GUS diary or host an open thread! Please sign up in the Butt Can (Tip Jar), and name the day and time that works for you (AM, PM, late-night, early-bird...) Regular diary slots are indicated by **asterisks** but you don't have to commit to that...a random, whenever-you-can-find-the-time diary would be just fine by us, and much appreciated
                Fri AM: **Flumptytail**
                Fri PM: Vetwife
                Sat AM: Open
                Sat PM: **FrugalGranny**
                Sun AM: Open (or bgblklab1, if he's free!)
                Sun PM: **Safina** is back!      
                Mon AM: Open
                 Mon PM: **Vacationland**
                Tue AM: Open    
                Tue PM: **aoeu**  
                Wed AM: Open
                Wed PM: Open
                Thu AM: Open
                Thu PM: **ChocolateChris**  
As you can see, lots of room on the schedule...one of them is surely calling your name! One of the Wednesday slots, maybe? Not sure where to start? Go here to find out how to write a GUS diary the easy way!