Goodbye, Old Friend

Some of you may know full well that I've been a smoker now for seven years. I had previously quit and was smoke free for four years before I picked cigarettes up again in 2000. It's been a pretty expensive habit. The first pack of Doral's that I brought cost a dollar. Now each pack is at least three bucks depending on where I was when I ran out of them.

Janine and I are getting serious about getting ourselves in better shape so we're dedicating ourselves to working out more and one of the biggest hurdles was to quit smoking altogether. After some worries about high blood pressure, we both decided to say goodbye to smoking once and for all.

Earlier this week, Janine went and got a box of those nicotine patches and I've been wearing them all week. I've made it all day today so far without putting one on (until now), but I think that I've quit smoking! I almost forgot how fun it was to breathe without choking on the air in my lungs. Janine hasn't even worn as much as a patch. I'm so proud of her. Talk about strength!

I feel so much better over all, but like most smokers, it feels like I've lost something. It feels like I said goodbye to a really good neighbor knowing that I'll never see him again. It's weird. I didn't miss smoking the last time I quit, then again I have been strung out on nicotine for seven years now. Overall though, despite missing them just a little. I know that in the long run, getting away from cigarettes was one of the best decisions I've made lately and I hope that both Janine and I can stick to it for the rest of our lives.

She's way too precious to me and I want to enjoy every year with her that I can. Thank you Janine for being my biggest motivation. And thank you all for your support. It's actually a nice feeling to sit in a non smoking section at a restaurant and feel at home again.

I'm not going to be one of those whiny pricks though. Nothing urks me more than the self righteous attitude I used to get when I was a smoker and I'll never forget how lousy they treat people who smoke. I'll never ever be that person. I will be free of another bad habit, though!