Up in Smoke!

If I sound grouchy to some, I probably am, although I'm also very happy. It has now been 6 days since I quit smoking, not an easy thing to do when you smoked 3 packs per day. Now you might be wondering what I've been using to help me stop, and the answer may surprise you: the common cold. Also staying home during these days has helped keep me away from temptation. Only yesterday did I dare to venture outdoors for the first time, . . . and I did not have any urge to smoke.

There is no better time to quit smoking than when you have a bad cold. The memories of your shortness of breath are still fresh, and this helps you fight the urge to smoke. Also, I keep thinking of the money I'm saving by not smoking, and how I can better spend it, which is just another incentive to quit.

Yes, every so often the thought of lighting up comes to mind, but so far everything is under control. As the days go by, it just becomes more and more difficult to imagine a worse habit than smoking, or to imagine ever going back to it. So, if I sound a bit cranky to you, at least you know why.

Oh, and did I mention that I'm doing this at the same time I am on a diet, . . . and taking a medication whose side effects make you hungry?