Well. Almost 7 months.

No it's not what you think!

I haven't smoked a cigarette since April 30th.

And yesterday, November 28, was the first day I haven't wanted to smoke a butt.

It was really hard. I'd asked around. How long would it be before I'd go more than 20 minutes without wanting to smoke a butt? It's an awful habit. I never did get a good answer. It was mostly..um..oh..um...

I guess it's different for everyone.

For me, it was just under 7 months before an entire day would pass and I wouldn't think about smoking a butt.

And it's not like I couldn't if I wanted to. I haven't dumped my stash yet. I have two packs in the car. If I smash the car up I'm gonna smoke a butt. I have a pack right on the table here. It even had some dust on it!

I was the last person in the world I thought would quit. I was the last person my friends would thought would quit. Really. I *like* to smoke. And the more the world at large made it harder to smoke the more determined I was to smoke. Cigarettes.

I'm not a crusader about this. But really. I'm convinced. If I can do it, anyone can do it.

Vacation wine

Some people have wine like this every day.

Not me. Actually, I think "not I" is grammatically correct. Whatever. This is special. This is ..."vacation wine".

I can't believe it's Labor Day. Where did the summer go?

I lost almost 80 pounds...to improve my riding. I gave up cigarettes. Just because I didn't want to do it (smoke cigarettes..) anymore. But the one thing I wanted to do for my good health was acquire a taste for red wine.

I'd been chugging white wine for years but I never really liked red wine.

Then..maybe 4 years ago, my friend and colleague Rui, gave me a bottle of red wine for Christmas. It was something from Abruzzi if I recall correctly. I had it with some marinara and pasta and...it was..*delicious*. The wine made the marinara taste better. The marinara made the wine taste better. I *really* enjoyed them together. The little things that people do that have a huge impact on one's life. Soon afterwards I tried some chianti. I remember chianti from Italian dinners when I was younger. Hasn't everyone had a nice Italian dinner with that chianti in a basket?

Well it turns out I just love chianti. I say... when in doubt? Try some chianti. Goes with just about everything.

Hey that's cheating!

Maybe so...
Some weeks ago I was thinking "compromise" and I thought oh, maybe on Friday night I'd smoke a cigar. For "dessert". I've only smoked cigars a couple of times. Had a Cuban cigar once. I dunno. Not too fond of cigars.

Then I remembered that years ago I had smoked a pipe. Of course I knew exactly where my pipes were and I even had some tobacco that was years old. Nothing a humidifier can't fix. Smoking a pipe was at least vaguely familiar and had some "comfort" quality to it.

So one Friday night I smoked a pipe and I enjoyed it. And I don't feel like I have to smoke another when I'm done. I can smoke on Friday night and I'm fine on Saturday night, Sunday night, Monday night, well, you get the idea.

The pipe pictured is a nice Stanwell from Denmark. I can puff on that one for about 40 minutes. I have 4 pipes that survived the years.

So ok I cheat one night a week. Kind of. In the interests of compromise.

Another dessert favorite:

I admit it. I fell for the packaging. It's an elegant package that stands out from the rest because it's understated. That made me pick it up. The contents felt good so I decided I'd try it. I just *love* these prunes! I fell for the packaging and I'll go back for the prunes. Prunes are good for you!

No thanks, I don't smoke

I like to smoke. Cigarettes. I smoked two packs a day for 42 years. Maybe 43.

I'd tried to quit several times. It's very hard.

I finally just decided I didn't want to do it anymore. It's not the cost. Cigarettes don't cost as much as you think. It's not in the interests of good health. C'mon, cigarettes have been called "cancer sticks" since before I was born. You really think I don't know they're not good for you? Show me all the pictures of icky smoker's lungs you want, people that don't smoke, and never did, don't understand the addict's mentality. My dad died of lung cancer. It's not pretty. And watching him go didn't make me quit either.

Oh I've been harassed by loved ones. Given the "look" by colleagues. You forget the spirit of rebellion help get me started? The more society at large wants me to stop the more I want to do it.

And you forget too that back in the day we smoked everywhere. Even high school. When I was in high school we smoked in school. I don't mean in the bathrooms. I mean in the hallways and courtyards. So it really isn't just big tobacco. It was society allowed me to become an addict, but that's an essay in itself. But there's a line of logic that says it's your fault too. And you can look at me like I'm poisoning you every time I light up. Truth is I don't care.

And it's hard to let go of what.. I think anyway, is the last remnant of my reckless youth.

But it's an awful habit and the best way to not do it is to not start.

A week ago yesterday, Sunday, July the 11th, was a milestone of sorts. It was the first day I didn't know, right off the top of my head, how long it had been since I smoked my last cigarette. I had to stop and think about it.

For the record, I smoked my last cigarette 80 days ago today.

And I stopped because I just didn't want to do it any more.

And interestingly enough, I would love to smoke a butt. And if I thought I could smoke a butt and just put them down for another 80 days I'd do it. And at the same time I don't want to do it. There's nothing rational about it.

I know if I have just one puff, I'm going to sit down and I'm going to smoke a pack. I'm going to sit there and light one right off the other until they're gone. And then I'll go get some more.

So I'm not gonna do it. No sir.