MinJungKim.com Braindump v 6.0 Gah. I’m still doing this?

Day 7

The brink of insanity.

Outside for some fresh air, I conversate (as J. Simpson would say) with some co-workers and former smoking buddies.

Accountability, I’ve learned is key. So is abject paranoia. My strategy is to announce my intention to quit smoking so that their encouragement/judgement of my intentions are transparent. If my personal will power cannot appropriately nudge me into quitting, then my vanity and hubris at the notion of failing in front of my peers, surely will.

To my non-smoker friends, I tell them that I need to hang with them more often while I get over this hump. I humbly request their patience for any mild or slight hyper sensitivity or irritability.

To my smoker friends I blurt out “DON’T GIVE ME A CIGARETTE OR I’LL PUNCH YOU!”

In one situation, Smokey responded with a distinctly arched eyebrow as he tapped out a cigarette from a softpack of Camel Light’s.

“I’m quitting! I’m on day seven!”

He congratulated me and immediately patted down his chest and pockets for a lighter.

“I MEAN IT. I’LL PUNCH YOU REALLY, REALLY HARD! KICK YOU TOO!”

He lights up his cigarette, smiles wanly, and inhales with smug relish.

“I AM SO FRICKING SERIOUS. DON’T DO IT!”

“Smokey” responds “So if you’re going nuts and start pummeling me and demanding me for a cigarette, am I supposed to give it to you or no?”

”NO, DEFINITELY NO!”

“You know you’re kind of nuts, right?”

“HAVE A FRICKING ORIGINAL OPINION. WHY DOES EVERY MAN WHO CROSSES MY PATH SAY THE SAME FUCKING THING?! WHY! WHY GAWD WHY!!!”

(Curious. Why is everyone backing away slowly from me?)

Keep on keeping on. Quitting smoking was the hardest thing I ever did. Two things that kept me going:

1. After two weeks the physical addiction is gone. From there it is just a battle with your mind.

2. In behavioral (sp?) psychology, after three months of doing something (or not doing something), the action become habit (or in this case, undoes a habit).

If you can make it to those two plateaus, you’ll be in the clear. It gets easier. I guarantee it. (The only danger zone after that is two years. That’s when you think you’re safe and susceptible to starting again).

-Mike
April 3, 1996
Pack and half/day

Sorry for the bad spelling.

spend your old cig-smoking money on chocolate. good godiva chocolate… or anything else totally yummy so you are so digustingly full with rich dessert that you don’t even want a cigarette! good idea, no?