I caught wind of Camel's new strategy to kill more women and I tell you truthfully, it stinks to high heaven. The New York Times editorial entitled Don't Fall for Hot Pink Camels states that...
"this new attempt to woo women smokers can only be viewed as another cynical blow to public health."
I couldn't agree more.
When is it going to happen that somebody makes the Big Tobacco industry take responsibility for killing people intentionally? If you read my posts as a guest blogger on
CiggyFree's
blog site, you're aware that I'm very much taking responsibility for the fact that my children grew up to be smokers... and that I'm doing something to at least try to reverse the damage that I did without intending to...
(More)I know that I say this just about every time I post, but wow... I can hardly believe my Quit! I am so very happy to be smoke-free, even when I get sneak attacks from my inner junkie and have a smoking thought or two. It's no problem keeping myself in my non-junkie mindset anymore. It's more of an annoyance that the other mindset ever existed really.
I'm in the south awaiting the birth of our latest grandbaby; we should get to see her make her grand entrance this week. Since she'll be ushered in special delivery (aka "C-Section") we believe we know the exact date and time. But of course, you can't fool Mother Nature. If she wants things done on a different schedule -- well, we won't argue.
I've been around more smokers here in the past week and a half than I have been in the last 3 years in SD. Sadly, all of my kids smoke. Or did. My youngest has just proclaimed her independence. Today is her D3. She's doing well, and I pray she keeps this Quit. I pray she understands how very lucky it is to have an easy Quit. She slapped a patch on and kept one on 24/7 till today. She took it off early this a.m. and seems to prefer CT.
I sincerely hope she holds on.
I'm still learning so much. I think that's one of the best gifts you give yourself during a Quit -- the gift of self-discovery. Of setting yourself on a journey and, eventually, one day, realizing you've been on a journey all this time -- it's just that now you're aware of the journey, and of the blessing of continually learning new things. It's been amazing.
One thing I believe is that I traded my addiction to sickarettes for an addiction to food. I'm doing something about it, and I hope attaining my weight goals is as pain-free and rewarding as my achievement in quitting has been. I've joined SparkPeople and I really do like that. But if you want, you can go to NutriSystem's website and use their meal planners and such, and not have to buy their food even. It's all free.
That's a price point I can live with. :-)
The point is, I knew when I was going through the early stages of my Quit that I was substituting food. I just really had hoped that it would level itself out. Now, when I'm bored I just reach for food. Not good. It's behavioral, not craving based - but it's still not good. I'll keep my progress posted here as I go through the reduced intake and increased expenditure of calories...
(More)I got this email from a friend today and I wanted to share it. The nostalgia of it resonates with me, of course, and I've long railed against the "disposable" nature our society has assumed. But this also speaks to me of our Quits...
I grew up in the 60's/70's with practical parents. A mother, God love her, who washed aluminum foil after she cooked in it, then reused it. She was the original recycle queen, before they had a Name for it... A father who was happier getting old shoes fixed than buying new ones.
Their marriage was good, their dreams focused. Their best friends lived barely a wave away. I can see them now, Dad in trousers, tee shirt and a hat and Mom in a house dress, lawn mower in one hand, and dish-towel in the other. It was the time for fixing things. A curtain rod, the kitchen radio, screen door, the oven door, the hem in a dress Things we keep.
It was a way of life, and sometimes it made me crazy. All that re-fixing, eating, renewing, I wanted just once to be wasteful. Waste meant affluence. Throwing things away meant you knew there'd always be more.
But then my mother died, and on that clear summer's night, in the warmth of the hospital room, I was struck with the pain of learning that sometimes there isn't any more.
Sometimes, what we care about most gets all used up and goes away...never to return. So... While we have it.. it's best we love it... And care for it... And fix it when it's broken.... And heal it when it's sick.
This is true... For marriage.... And old cars... And children with bad report cards..... Dogs and cats with bad hips.... And aging parents.... And grandparents. We keep them because they are worth it, because we are worth it. Some things we keep. Like a best friend that moved away or a classmate we grew up with.
There are just some things that make life important, like people we know who are special.... And so, we keep them close!
I received this from someone who thinks I am a 'keeper', so I've sent it to the people I think of in the same way... Now it's your turn to send this to those people that are "keepers" in your life.
Keep them close
Our Quits are worth Keeping -- and we are worth the effort of learning to live smoke-free. Because we are worth keeping, too.
Keep the Quit Every Buddy!
