One recalls the aphorism of St. Augustine: "To some, total abstinence is easier than perfect moderation."

Way to go fellas. No kidding, I do find that not being able to smoke in bars goes a long way toward keeping the desire away.

Did you see the Johnny Carson retrospective last night? They ran the reel of his interview with Bryant Gumbel, and you could see the smoke wafting up from beside Johnny. . .this was 1983. No surprise that complications of Emphysema did him in?

"Abstinence is easy, as temperance is difficult". Amen.

Oh, it's a long joke and I tell it with a lot of ... animation, so I'll save it for face-to-face encounters.

I knew I'd try it again; and as I've said I don't think I'll never, ever have any cigarette again ever, but as far as day-to-day part of my life, they're out.

JP

Okemos company fires 4 employees for refusing smoking test

Monday, January 24, 2005

ASSOCIATED PRESS

LANSING -- Four employees of Okemos-based health benefits administrator Weyco Inc. have been fired for refusing to take a test that would determine whether they smoke cigarettes.

The company instituted a policy on Jan. 1 that makes it a firing offense to smoke -- even if done after business hours or at home, the Lansing State Journal reported Monday.

Weyco founder Howard Weyers said previously that he instituted the tough anti-smoking rule to shield his company from high health care costs.

"I don't want to pay for the results of smoking," he said.

The anti-smoking rule led one employee to quit work before the policy went into place. Since Jan. 1, four more people were shown the door when they balked at the anti-smoking test.

"They were terminated at that point," said Chief Financial Officer Gary Climes.

Even so, Weyco said, the policy has been successful. Climes estimated that about 18 to 20 of the company's 200 employers were smokers when the policy was announced in 2003.

Of those, as many as 14 quit smoking before the policy went into place. Weyco offered them smoking cessation help, Climes said.

"That is absolutely a victory," Climes said.

Climes is an Assh0le.

Wife just lit up in the other room. I heard the lighter.
She's an assh0le.

Dog's are barking at something.
Assh0les.

My dad quit smoking around this time last year. He told me today that he has put the money he used to use on cigs into an account. He is now going to buy himself a flat screen plasma wall tv with the extra cake.

lendaddy - you can buy my early sport seats with the money$ that you $ave

I just found this post, and want you all to know it gets easier. I quit chewing tobacco after 20 years in October (age 9-29). I just got tired of shelling out over $100 a month on the crap, and what it was doing to my teeth, along with I lost a friend and a relative to cancer this last year.

I used the gum for a few weeks, then just switched to Trident sugarless gum. I'm at about a pack a day, but it's much better for you than the alternative.

The things I experienced were mood swings, irritability, insomnia, and snacking. I've probably gained five pounds, but I'll loose that this Spring. They've all gone away pretty much now.

Keep up the good work!

Quit smoking or lose your job...

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=573&e=20&u=/nm/life_smoking_dc

Oops, repost. =)

I was watching the Simpsons the other night, heard this quote and thought of you guys...

"Going cold turkey isn't as delicious as it sounds." -Homer Simpson

City of Columbus Bullsheet smoking ban starts at mid-night, but that's another thread entirely. Another law to protect us from ourselves. We just need on law - take responsibility for ourselves - then they can get rid of the rest.

I actually think it's getting harder lately. I want one bad! It ain't gonna happen, but the desire is strong. Maybe it's the stress? Oh well, still powering along here.

Len:

What is your exercise strategy? Now that your lungs have begun to recover it's time to put them to work. Do you run? Weights?

It doesn't take much. . . start out twice a week, then move up to three times a day for as little as 20 minutes and you'll forget you ever heard of cigarettes.

I need one bad! I use to be extremely active! I raced MX, played every sport, etc... Now I do nothing:(. I have gained 20+ pounds since quitting already!

Well, first of all, you should see your primary care physician for a physical before starting any exercise program. He will check you out and make sure you don't have any latent conditions that could be problematic- given your history of sports, probably not an issue, but all it costs you is a little time. Think of it as a PPI for yourself.

Then, I would start off by walking. Yes, walking. Go outside in the bitter Michigan cold (I spent 11 years so I KNOW) and walk 10 minutes out, 10 minutes back, at a brisk pace. After a couple weeks of this, allow yourself to walk 5 minutes, run 5, then walk 10 . . . you get the picture. . . the goal is to EASE back into it with LOW goals and expectations. . . remember, half of life is just showing up.

It's going to be hard at first. . .you will be hacking up bloody marlboro butts and old pull-tabs. . . but persevere you must.

John, I appreciate your caution but I am fine with more than that. I'm releatively young yet at 31 and have been to a DR. recently. No heart problems etc..

What I meant was in the winter I do nothing, not even skiing anymore:( I'm just too heavy now to do this stuff with any level of comfort.

This summer I was playing tennis a couple times a week and golf. That was about it but it kept me between 240-260. :eek:

I am currently 6' 2" and weighing in at a chart topping 290:eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek:

It really sucks, but when I quit smoking all I wanted to do was work, eat, and sleep. I am ready to get back on track. For anyone that has never been grossly over weight, let me tell you it sucks. It is currently uncomfortible to exist if that makes sense????

FWIW when I was in my 20's I was racing MX weekly, playing basketball tournies, tennis, flag football, you name it. I was energy man! I still weighed 240 or so! It really blows. I got down to 205 once using the protein diet and exorcise but I just can't stay with it. I need a realistic approach.

For conversation purposes, in high school I was 5'4" and 130lbs:)

Hey LenDaddy,

I think you must be at a month now as I am about to hit my month of "No Chew" anniversity!! I know what you mean in terms of cravings, as I still have VERY strong ones but as of yet, have not had a chew. For weight gain, I have started to work out again, mostly running and biking for now. I did the Ironman in 1989 and 1990 and am starting to plan to do another--this time with no chew!!!!!!!!!!!!! By the way CONGRADULATIONS for a month and mine is about 4 days away. The most interesting thing about quitting is that I now some the confidence to tackle some other negelected issues in my life.

I've made it one month. Congrats to everyone else who's made it this far. I do still have the cravings and my food and beer intake have gone way up. Fortunately, at 37 I can still eat almost anything I want without gaining a pound.

*^^%&^*^%$^ IN THE *&^(^%)&^%%^%( MOTHER ^%^%$(

Just kidding:)


Sorta.

One month down for me as well. I haven't noticed any weight gain, but then again I don't own a scale. My pants still fit, though, which is important. Like 125shifter, I'm still able to eat what I want and not gain weight (sorry lendaddy :)).

Man, I sure miss having a smoke while I'm out drinking though. I went downtown to see a band over the weekend - first time since quitting - and it seemed totally unnatural not to have a cig with each Guinness. I snuck a couple of puffs from my friend's cigarrette, which reminded me of the good ol' days...but I'm still leaving them behind. I'm not going to go out as much for awhile to avoid the cravings, which'll have some side benefits as well (more $$$ for the newly resurrected 951).

I've had one on two nights -- while out at the liquor stands w/ the boys. Yesterday, I'm cleaning the apt. -- a real Augean Stables, Stalinesque purge clean, and I find 1/2 pack of Marlboro Lights under the couch. I didn't even think about it -- just tossed them out. And I trusted myself enough not to run them under the spigot before throwing them out.

Even if I have the one smoke at night, I wake up the next day w/ major sinus effects.

JP

Many years past, I was a counselor in a crisis center. One of my co-counselors was simultaneously going thru a divorce, battling obesity, and trying to quit smoking. She was a mess. Her psych suggested that, for her sanity, she choose to either continue eating as per usual or continue to smoke. She chose to continue smoking. Within a year or so she had her divorce, lost mucho lbs., and then she stopped smoking. I held tremendous admiration for her...she was my God-ette.
.
I can't not say this. Same admiration here. I check out this thread a few times/week for inspiration. When I read these posts I get goose bumps on my forearms. You gents are truly heroes. Thank you so much for sharing your stories of struggle 'n courage. IMO, one has to have been under the influence of addiction to fully appreciate the depth of the "inside job" that this is. Personal confrontation, to the max.
.
On that note, I attended an event once where Dr. Phillip Kavanaugh, founder of The Los Gatos Therapy Center, addict and author of "Magnificent Addiction", spoke. I recall him saying that, at some level, recovering addicts often can be more spiritually whole than the average person because of the depth of understanding of one's interiority/core that the recovery process can render.
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Again, thanks gents.
.
ps 'Heard this somewhere: "A man is on fire so he jumps into a lake to put out the fire. He drowns."
.

I haven't had one since the Steeler-Jets game. I too have put on a few pounds. I had an appointment with a trainer in training (intern @ work) today for a fitness test. I failed. High resting heart rate, a little bit high BP, etc. he is working on a plan for me. 30 minutes of weights and yoga 5 days a week and 35 minutes of cardio 3 times a week. Basically, a good starting point. You'd never know that I ran in and completed a marathon in '99. I quit smoking to train and started back up about an hour after finishing the run over some beverages. Stupid huh ?? Just remember - today is the first day of the rest of your life. Go ahead and start today, not tomorrow. Back to painting the dinning room.

Fortunately, at 46 I can still eat anything I want.

Keep going guys!!!

"I recall him saying that, at some level, recovering addicts often can be more spiritually whole than the average person because of the depth of understanding of one's interiority/core that the recovery process can render. "

Don,
This is an amazing quote and so true. My REAL battle with addictions occured about 2 - 3 years ago. Through that experience, I had a real changed out look on humanity and myself. I got a lot of help and support at work and I vow to pay that back to them or some else in need it possible. Won't go into details but the addiction was not drugs, alcohol, or any other ingested stuff. I do have to remind myself ever morning that I have 3 additions I need to watch out for each day.

WOOOOOOPS - should be addictions not additions - Also I noticed that a LOT more people are looking at this thread than repling to it. That means to me that there are folks out there thinking about jumping in.

Further to Hugh's comment -- if you're out there and want to quit, c'mon in, there's plenty of room and a lot of support. Most of my fellow quitters had a week's head start on me when I signed up, so don't feel like you're late to the game if you start now.

FWIW, I don't keep track of the "it's been X days since..." stuff. This may be rationalization, but that means that if I have a smoke at some time, I've broken that streak, or let myself down ... something that makes me likelier to say "well, might as well start up again..."

I gauge it by whether I *want* to smoke, which is different from craving a cigarette (I haven't had a sober craving in a couple of weeks). When I stumbled across that pack of smokes under the couch the other day, home all alone, I had a moment's panic, waiting to see if I was going to try to justify one to myself. The most convincing feeling of having quit was not wanting one, and just throwing them away with the other debris that had accumulated under the couch.

JP

Is this ANOTHER pack of smokes or the same pack? I'm confused.

I actually prefer to say, "I haven't smoked a cigarette since June 26, 2003." It's more difficult to break a long streak than a short one.

Anyway, good on you for continuing to be clean.

One pack, found under the couch on Sunday while cleaning.

Actually what made it that much easier was having to clean the patina of cigarette smoke off of everything in the apt -- every piece of electronic equipment, every tchochke, everything. I went through about half a gallon of Windex. Yuck. Wish I could get one of SNL's "lung brushes" to get that crap out of my body.

I understand where you're coming from, and you have every right to be proud of having quit smoking. However, I don't want a "streak" to mean anything to me, so if I have a smoke after not having had one in 6 months, it's not a disappointment; there's no shame.

I'm more concerned with wanting not to fire up than wanting to "say" X+1 more days in the streak. I want not to smoke out of respect for myself than out of respect for a streak.

I respect that you haven't had a smoke in such a long time; no doubt. My point is, and has been, that I've stopped smoking and broken a pattern of addiction; but I haven't "quit" in the idiomatic sense of never ever ever having a smoke again. I expect that I will have a cigarette now and again, so to me a streak is not a relevant metric.

The best thing for me, to guarantee that I will not slip back into a pattern or practice of smoking, is to get on the bike and start the very long road back to some level of cardio/respiratory fitness. It's so difficult for me to build any "lungs" that, once I do, I don't want to sacrifice what I've worked so freaking hard to achieve just for a smoke.

JP

Ok, thank your for clearing that up.

I can imagine what a chore it was to clean the muck off that collection of Staffordshire dogs.

I'm pickin up what you puttin down about the whole streak thang. Whatever works, works.

I'm giving up coffee for Lent. Wish me luck wi dat.

How are you guys doing? Is everyone OK? I've been thinking about all of you and hope you've been able to stay away from the cancer sticks...

Only 2 cigs in a month+ of conciously trying not to smoke. Yay.

Philip,

Great! Keep it going!!

Well, I crashed and burned last Friday. My radiator went out on my 944 and I was replacing it on the cold driveway as I do not have a garage. I just couldn't quite get through that without chewing. Went through a can in 4 days and now I am back on the bandwagon. Live and learn!!!!

Back on which wagon? Chewing or not? This will be your true test Luke, you must fight the dark side of the force!

The NOT CHEW bandwagon - and yes the pull of the dark is strong!!!!!!!!!!!! By the way, do I get Princess Lei (SP?) if I succeed and defeat the Dark Side? I would prefer the original one with the white robe!!!!!!!!

lendaddy,

How are you holding up? I've been praying for you guys, I know that sounds corny, but it's the only way I can help!

Doing fine here, though I am under more stress than at any other time in my life right now. I figure if I can do it during this I can't miss when life stabilizes. Thanks for the prayers, I can always use em:)