The DU Lounge

Behind the Aegis

(56,043 posts)

82. I still smoke. BUT....

Wed Nov 20, 2013, 01:40 AM

Nov 2013

I am in the process of quitting. I am doing it my way. I started by using a vapor cigarette. I have gone from 2.5 packs a day to just a little over 1 pack. The change has been enough to cause my dentist to ask if I had quit because my gums have already returned to a healthy coral pink, and my teeth are lightening. I have worked on my triggers (driving, talking on the phone, taking the dogs out, etc.) and have broken a few (driving is still an issue and the phone can be bad). I am on to phase two, Nicorette lozenges. The goal is to be off totally by New Year's or at least under a half a pack. I am taking my time and not sweating the set-backs.

Click here to purchase valentine hearts!

Edit history

Please sign in to view edit histories.

Recommendations

0 members have recommended this reply (displayed in chronological order):

132 replies

= new reply since forum marked as read

Highlight:

What's the worst "life choice" you ever made? [View all] Locut0s Nov 2013 OP

Failing to use my GI Bill education money until it was too late. Aristus Nov 2013 #1

You got some life experience out of those years though I'm sure... Locut0s Nov 2013 #2

I live in metro DC...I think that one is self-explanatory. Chan790 Nov 2013 #3

Worked there for a while discntnt_irny_srcsm Nov 2013 #5

'At's amore! Got it. trof Nov 2013 #10

lol been there, luckily i escaped to the country. loli phabay Nov 2013 #6

Not too crazy about it myself LiberalEsto Nov 2013 #11

So you went back to Rockville and wasted another year? (with apologies to R.E.M.) nomorenomore08 Nov 2013 #17

Been in Rockville area for 23 years LiberalEsto Nov 2013 #58

Yeah, I was just quoting a song lyric. nomorenomore08 Nov 2013 #78

Why do you hate DC? kwassa Nov 2013 #32

Well... Chan790 Nov 2013 #60

Dang... Xyzse Nov 2013 #70

I absolutely loved living in the district grasswire Nov 2013 #97

I lived in northwest DC Carolina Nov 2013 #115

Falling for a handsome charming man. Liberal Veteran Nov 2013 #4

! PassingFair Nov 2013 #26

. Fearless Nov 2013 #53

Deciding to move back home Coolest Ranger Nov 2013 #7

Eloping at 16 and not finishing high school. RebelOne Nov 2013 #8

Undoubtedly the first marriage LiberalEsto Nov 2013 #9

Working dead end jobs in college tabbycat31 Nov 2013 #12

I've made a lot of bad decisions. Thinking of the worst requires some reflection. Tobin S. Nov 2013 #13

I've always wondered how someone consumes that much *liquid* never mind the alcohol. nomorenomore08 Nov 2013 #19

It's consumed over a period of hours throughout the day Tobin S. Nov 2013 #20

Gotcha. I think my 24-hour record was something like 17 or 18 drinks (beer/hard liquor combined). nomorenomore08 Nov 2013 #22

I've been there... it is pretty much a pee break every fifteen minutes at the end of the night Taitertots Nov 2013 #27

I guess ultimately, my system doesn't work fast enough to allow for that. nomorenomore08 Nov 2013 #28

The human body is surprising effective at removing excess water Taitertots Nov 2013 #35

My first and only marriage. pink-o Nov 2013 #14

Not going to college right out of high school and becoming what I wanted to be-a teacher. Boomerproud Nov 2013 #15

Interesting. Chan790 Nov 2013 #18

I could write your post too tabbycat31 Nov 2013 #64

a lot of teachers end up quitting pretty soon Enrique Nov 2013 #57

I have no doubt that my life would have been very different if In_The_Wind Nov 2013 #16

Getting married….. Grey Nov 2013 #21

Getting into "hard drugs" when I should've stuck to beer and weed all along... nomorenomore08 Nov 2013 #23

I took this job alarimer Nov 2013 #24

Going to a safe, easy to get into, cheap college. IrishEyes Nov 2013 #25

Not starting writing sooner and not chasing it with all I had. nolabear Nov 2013 #29

I made many bad decisions in my 20s. Vashta Nerada Nov 2013 #30

Where to begin? Art_from_Ark Nov 2013 #31

Joining the Army at age 19 back in the '80s. Bill Lermer Nov 2013 #33

Waking up in the morning. nt rrneck Nov 2013 #34

I don't necessarily assign value judgments to the choices I've made in my life Blue_In_AK Nov 2013 #36

That's how I feel... Phentex Nov 2013 #59

I no longer classify my decisions as good or bad - the choices I made csziggy Nov 2013 #37

Quitting my job the week before the Global Financial Collapse in 2008. wickerwoman Nov 2013 #38

I squandered over a hundred thousand dollars... Demo_Chris Nov 2013 #39

Please forgive yourself chris... Locut0s Nov 2013 #41

Thanks. Actually he WOULD have wanted me to feel guilty, but I get the point... Demo_Chris Nov 2013 #44

You know, it is fricking expensive just to get by ... Arugula Latte Nov 2013 #61

See my post below--I bitterly regretted leaving a full-time job to go into contract work. raccoon Nov 2013 #66

It's so easy to spend money and lose track of it. mnhtnbb Nov 2013 #113

Another reason I cite my first marriage AAO Nov 2013 #125

I did almost nothing during high school. I'm not sure how I graduated Taitertots Nov 2013 #40

My personal experience is that education wise HS means almost nothing... Locut0s Nov 2013 #42

That is what I tell my family and they think I'm nuts sammytko Nov 2013 #98

Started smoking at 16. Behind the Aegis Nov 2013 #43

Do you still smoke? Or have you been able to quit? Arugula Latte Nov 2013 #63

I still smoke. BUT.... Behind the Aegis Nov 2013 #82

Very cool! Arugula Latte Nov 2013 #83

Thanks! Behind the Aegis Nov 2013 #84

Too many to list davidpdx Nov 2013 #45

Those don't sound like bad decisions to me... Locut0s Nov 2013 #46

Those aren't the worst ones davidpdx Nov 2013 #50

I hear ya there... AAO Nov 2013 #128

Second husband. alphafemale Nov 2013 #47

If I ever get my life in order I wonder what type of husband I will make financially... Locut0s Nov 2013 #48

He would withdraw cash out of the ATM without telling me. alphafemale Nov 2013 #77

Getting an MBA. tblue Nov 2013 #49

Actually...(This got a bit longer than I planned on.) Chan790 Nov 2013 #69

Starting smoking at the age of 40 at the peak of my physical fitness. Monk06 Nov 2013 #51

Not continuing to walk out of a serious relationship Fearless Nov 2013 #52

I had the opportunity in 1987 to buy a fishing resort in B Calm Nov 2013 #54

...and probably paid capital gains taxes...and closing costs... ZRT2209 Nov 2013 #106

Not going to the college of my choice. AngryOldDem Nov 2013 #55

I started smoking at the tender age of 14. I still marvel at the life altering decision I made when myrna minx Nov 2013 #56

Not taking advantage of opportunities in high school annonymous Nov 2013 #62

Leaving a permanent job for contract work. Took me a LONG time to straighten out raccoon Nov 2013 #65

I've made a few, but I can honestly say I wouldn't do anything differently. sir pball Nov 2013 #67

Started drinking TrogL Nov 2013 #68

Having a baby. Myrina Nov 2013 #71

Never, ever MountainMama Nov 2013 #72

This message was self-deleted by its author Boom Sound 416 Nov 2013 #73

Not crawling buck up into the womb graywarrior Nov 2013 #74

It's never too late. Orrex Nov 2013 #118

It's a rare morning I wake up and don't make a bad "life choice." hunter Nov 2013 #75

Clicking on GD. KamaAina Nov 2013 #76

*snort* pinboy3niner Nov 2013 #81

Where do I start? RFKHumphreyObama Nov 2013 #79

Not taking the four opportunities I had to move overseas Lydia Leftcoast Nov 2013 #80

Smoking sarge43 Nov 2013 #85

Moving to West Virginia to "semi-retire" GladRagDahl Nov 2013 #86

I moved to Raleigh, and this is an awful place to live Digit Nov 2013 #93

I know what you mean GladRagDahl Nov 2013 #94

Marrying my husband LibertyLover Nov 2013 #87

Can you get out of this marriage? Arugula Latte Nov 2013 #91

Yes, but it will cost me LibertyLover Nov 2013 #92

Being born malthaussen Nov 2013 #88

I don't know, but it's probably something I'm doing now. dawg Nov 2013 #89

Moving back to the city I'm in now Rob H. Nov 2013 #90

It's been a series. HeiressofBickworth Nov 2013 #95

marrying (at age 21) a pathological narcissist grasswire Nov 2013 #96

In 1979 jrandom421 Nov 2013 #99

Going to a 4-year college sakabatou Nov 2013 #100

Not with me. The physical assaults ended when I quit high school for college. hunter Nov 2013 #102

How ill did you get, if I may ask? sakabatou Nov 2013 #103

I was living in my broken car pushed into the far corner of a church parking lot... hunter Nov 2013 #104

Tolerating bullies Generic Brad Nov 2013 #101

well at least in GD you can give them crap right back and nobody gets hurt! Gato Moteado Nov 2013 #129

FUCK. Being diagnosed with a 142 IQ and not going on to college? That's a start. cherokeeprogressive Nov 2013 #105

I'm so sorry about your daughter. grasswire Nov 2013 #108

Holy cow, having flashbacks to that California MGM program CrawlingChaos Nov 2013 #109

OMG sorry I didn't mean to dredge up bad memories... Locut0s Nov 2013 #110

Turning off my cell phone while at lunch with gal pals after a funeral of a classmate's daughter. No Vested Interest Nov 2013 #107

I hope you've forgiven yourself. Sheldon Cooper Nov 2013 #117

My head/brain knows that my intentions were good, but No Vested Interest Nov 2013 #120

Sorry for your loss... you know you had his life time of your love and attention.. Tikki Nov 2013 #123

Marrying at age 18 Granny M Nov 2013 #111

To live with an abusive man raptor_rider Nov 2013 #112

Marrying an abusive alcoholic life long demo Nov 2013 #114

ditto. PeaceNikki Nov 2013 #116

Saying "yes" to Sallie Mae. Orrex Nov 2013 #119

Wrong grad school and advisor. GoCubsGo Nov 2013 #121

Not standing up to my crazy parent when I was a teen... Tikki Nov 2013 #122

Getting married (the first time). Keep you posted on the second! AAO Nov 2013 #124

My first year of college liberal N proud Nov 2013 #126

Not listening to the voice in my head whispering "no" to me NewJeffCT Nov 2013 #127

Getting married at age 17 instead of going to college. nt LWolf Nov 2013 #130

So, do you have an hour? hamsterjill Nov 2013 #131

I've been thinking about this for several days. mnhtnbb Nov 2013 #132