The big 30

cincere, [b][COLOR=red][SIZE=4]CONGRATULATIONS ON ONE (1) MONTH QUIT!!![/SIZE][/COLOR][/b] [b][COLOR=blue][SIZE=3]GREAT JOB!!!![/SIZE][/COLOR][/b] I'm a sweets junkie so I'd celebrate with some special ice cream or pastry! :p [b][color=Purple]Be Strong. Be Smart. Be Quit[/color] [color=black]Joe[/color] [size=3][color=Blue]Knowledge Replaces Fear[/color][/size] [size=2][color=black]Illegitimus non carborundum est[/color][/size][/b] [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 5/15/2005 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 264 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 6,622 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $646.8 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 46 [B]Hrs:[/B] 8 [B]Mins:[/B] 30 [B]Seconds:[/B] 17

1 year (plus a few days) SMOKE FREE!

Oaklandbro, [b][COLOR=red][SIZE=4]CONGRATULATIONS ON ONE (1) YEAR QUIT!!![/SIZE][/COLOR][/b] [b][COLOR=blue][SIZE=3]Awesome Job!!!!![/SIZE][/COLOR][/b] [img]http://www.loumill.com/misc/woohoo.gif[/img] [b][color=Purple]Be Strong. Be Smart. Be Quit[/color] [color=black]Joe[/color] [size=3][color=Blue]Knowledge Replaces Fear[/color][/size] [size=2][color=black]Illegitimus non carborundum est[/color][/size][/b] [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 5/15/2005 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 264 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 6,622 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $646.8 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 46 [B]Hrs:[/B] 8 [B]Mins:[/B] 30 [B]Seconds:[/B] 35

The Freedom Stage

rswfire, Your melancholy view of your quit is very indicative of self-doubt and lack of confidence not only in the quit process, but in your life in general. I am not qualified to say that you may have depression, but you are certainly providing indicators that would point in that direction. I would suggest that you seek professional advice on whatever may be troubling you in your life and see if that can't have a positive effect on your approach to quitting. Best wishes. [b][color=Purple]Be Strong. Be Smart. Be Quit[/color] [color=black]Joe[/color] [size=3][color=Blue]Knowledge Replaces Fear[/color][/size] [size=2][color=black]Illegitimus non carborundum est[/color][/size][/b] [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 5/15/2005 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 264 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 6,613 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $646.8 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 46 [B]Hrs:[/B] 7 [B]Mins:[/B] 2 [B]Seconds:[/B] 17

Mind Games

Sally, Good job for not giving in. You have been down this road before so you know where all the potholes are. Here is a favorite quote of mine that really applies here... [b][color=blue]If I have �just one� I will be back where I started. Where I started was desperately wishing I could be where I am today.[/color][/b] [b][color=Purple]Be Strong. Be Smart. Be Quit[/color] [color=black]Joe[/color] [size=3][color=Blue]Knowledge Replaces Fear[/color][/size] [size=2][color=black]Illegitimus non carborundum est[/color][/size][/b] [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 5/15/2005 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 264 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 6,613 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $646.8 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 46 [B]Hrs:[/B] 7 [B]Mins:[/B] 2 [B]Seconds:[/B] 53

Too much energy?

kitty, Changes in our sleep patterns is a very common side effect of quitting. When I first quit I could not stay awake. Now, almost 9 months later, I rarely sleep though the night without waking up a couple of times. There is no doubt in my mind that the nicotine in my body, and now the lack of it, has altered my sleep patterns and it may yet be a while before it really gets straightened out. I had also read that when you quit smoking caffine has a much greater effect on you. Best wishessszzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz zzzzzzzzzz :p [b][color=Purple]Be Strong. Be Smart. Be Quit[/color] [color=black]Joe[/color] [size=3][color=Blue]Knowledge Replaces Fear[/color][/size] [size=2][color=black]Illegitimus non carborundum est[/color][/size][/b] [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 5/15/2005 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 264 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 6,613 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $646.8 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 46 [B]Hrs:[/B] 7 [B]Mins:[/B] 3 [B]Seconds:[/B] 46

Still crying!!

greenette, Congratulations on your decision to quit and welcome to the SSC. Your initial feelings of loss and sadness are very common, especially for women. Women are typically emotional smokers and men are typically functional smokers. Billy Joel, in the song "Piano Man", sings about an old man "making love to his tonic and gin". Well guess what? Many of us have made love to our cigarettes and now that the affair is over, we have feelings of loss. New ex-smokers often miss smoking and the "good times" they recall from it. I'm as guilty as the rest in that regard. However, we need to learn how to move on with our lives and find happiness in that which we have, not that which we have lost. Here is a great quote that puts a quit, and life in general, in perspective... [b][color=blue]"May we never let the things we can't have, or don't have, or shouldn't have, spoil our enjoyment of the things we do have and can have. As we value our happiness, let us not forget it, for one of the greatest lessons in life is learning to be happy without the things we cannot or should not have."[/color] [color=black]Richard L. Evans[/color][/b] Don't worry about letting your emotions out at this stage of things. Be true to yourself and whatever you do.. don't smoke! Best wishes. [b][color=Purple]Be Strong. Be Smart. Be Quit[/color] [color=black]Joe[/color] [size=3][color=Blue]Knowledge Replaces Fear[/color][/size] [size=2][color=black]Illegitimus non carborundum est[/color][/size][/b] [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 5/15/2005 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 264 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 6,614 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $646.8 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 46 [B]Hrs:[/B] 7 [B]Mins:[/B] 5 [B]Seconds:[/B] 53

Weekend Promise 03/02/06

da Joester will be smoke free this weekend and forever here in Louisville, Kentucky! Yee-Haw!!! [b][color=Purple]Be Strong. Be Smart. Be Quit[/color] [color=black]Joe[/color] [size=3][color=Blue]Knowledge Replaces Fear[/color][/size] [size=2][color=black]Illegitimus non carborundum est[/color][/size][/b] [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 5/15/2005 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 264 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 6,613 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $646.8 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 46 [B]Hrs:[/B] 7 [B]Mins:[/B] 0 [B]Seconds:[/B] 38

February Hall Of Fame Recipient....

To All My SSC Friends, I am truly humbled by this recognition. The outpouring of your wonderful words of congratulation is so overwhelming that as I sat here reading all the posts I felt a true sense of family to all of you. The fact that this is a peer nominated award makes it all the more special. It is impossible to measure how important this site has been to me. The SSC has been my quit buddy from day one. The people here have been a tremendous support resource for me. Even though I don�t post in every thread, I read just about everything that everyone posts. Most of you have probably heard the term �born again� in reference to a religious experience. Well, I am a �born again� ex-smoker. That is the closest I can come to explaining my fervor in some of my posts. Life is so very precious and when you finally wake up and realize you have been killing yourself puff by puff, it�s time to take your life back. I did that and now I share my desire to see everyone smoke-free. Sometimes I get carried away... but it�s hard to contain my excitement. There are so many great posts from you in this thread that if I start to mention a few, I feel that I could accidently omit someone and unintentionally hurt someone�s feelings. So let me say to each and every one of you here, THANK YOU!!! The messages, the graphics, the thoughts, the well wishes, they are all genuinely and sincerely appreciated. I was feeling like a little kid yesterday when Josie posted the thread. (Great intro Josie!) I spent the whole day smiling and I�m still smiling. I even gave myself a little reward last night and went out to dinner and then to DQ for dessert! When you look at how many visit this site, how many post, how many quit for good, and how few are selected to the Hall of Fame, this award takes on a true level of honor and importance for a quitter. The value of this site and the other smoking cessation sites cannot be overstated. They are literally saving lives every day. How cool is that? Moderators: Josie, et al., thanks for being here and keeping things, including myself, in line. You allow us a lot of leeway at times and at other times you are quick to yank a thread. You always use good judgement and tend to err on the side of caution, which I can�

SMOKING HAZARDS

Georgie, Keep spreading the word! Great info! I'm looking forward to seeing you in 3 more days when you hit that one year mark!! [b][color=Purple]Be Strong. Be Smart. Be Quit[/color] [color=black]Joe[/color] [size=3][color=Blue]Knowledge Replaces Fear[/color][/size] [size=2][color=black]Illegitimus non carborundum est[/color][/size][/b] [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 5/15/2005 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 264 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 6,611 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $646.8 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 46 [B]Hrs:[/B] 6 [B]Mins:[/B] 47 [B]Seconds:[/B] 28

One year smoke free

Harley, [b][COLOR=red][SIZE=4]CONGRATULATIONS ON ONE (1) YEAR QUIT!!![/SIZE][/COLOR][/b] [b][COLOR=blue][SIZE=3]I'm very happy for you!!!![/SIZE][/COLOR][/b] [b][color=Purple]Be Strong. Be Smart. Be Quit[/color] [color=black]Joe[/color] [size=3][color=Blue]Knowledge Replaces Fear[/color][/size] [size=2][color=black]Illegitimus non carborundum est[/color][/size][/b] [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 5/15/2005 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 264 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 6,611 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $646.8 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 46 [B]Hrs:[/B] 6 [B]Mins:[/B] 47 [B]Seconds:[/B] 53