Perhaps that’s overstating it, but Pres. Obama signed an anti-smoking bill into law today, and talked about his own struggles to quit the nasty habit.
Which brings us to our Daily Reflective Moment (that I just made up but it’s my blog so there):
What’s the hardest thing you’ve ever had to quit?
I’ll go first (see “it’s my blog,” etc.):
I had a boyfriend in my early college years who wasn’t a bad boyfriend, but he certainly wasn’t a good one. He enjoyed being the boss, and I believe that for his future wife, he would have been happy with a fairly submissive woman.
Not me, in other words, yet I was sure that — say it with me now – if I just stayed with him (and no, his name wasn’t Jesus, this is a different boyfriend), he’d Change and Become My Perfect Boyfriend, and we’d marry (in the church, of course) and raise up our children in the way that they should go and when they were old, they would not depart from me.
You know the drill.
But within the confines (yes, I use that word freely) of the relationship, I started compromising more and more. My bad boyfriend was not effusive, but he gave me just enough attention so that I, like a stray cat, kept coming back. I Made It Work.
Looking back, he was dismissive and not terribly kind. Again, it could have been much worse, but the relationship felt like it was shrinking — and me along with it — and one night when he started talking about the ranch he would one day own, I sat there half-listening because I realized I had no desire to live on a ranch. None. None whatsoever, not even a little bit.
Nor did I want a vanload of kids. Or a van. And I didn’t much want to attend church, either, and that would have been a problem as his father was an elder in our church and thus needed to pretty much have all his familial ducks in a row and our butts in a pew in order to keep his position.
Even with that realization, it was harder than pulling my own teeth with rusty pliers getting out of the relationship because in my head, we were long-term. In my head, I was going to Make This Work.
So I left, came back, left, came back and thus earned the title of Crazy Girlfriend ’80 and ’81.
I probably stopped thinking about him a few years after that and if I saw him on the street today, I doubt I’d recognize him. I stopped wishing for him a boring life a few years after that. I’m small like that. Now, I don’t wish him anything. No, that’s not true. I hope he’s had a nice life. I think age does that to you.
And that, DJers, is how I quit whatzisname. Your turn.
I hate to sound trite but I’d have to agree with the Pres on the nicotine. I started smoking late compared to others, I was 21. I tried to quit off and on from the time I was in my 30s. I’d succeed for only hours. I was totally hooked. Then one day I coughing from bronchitis and trying to take my antibiotics at the kitchen sink. I was coughing so hard I was wetting my undies and vomiting in the sink and I realized I had a cigarette in my hand. I thought, “How stupid are you?” I crumbled the last of the pack I had and then soaked it to avoid any chance of getting to it. I was then an insufferable bitch for about a week. That was over 20 years ago. I frequently wanted a cigarette for several years after that. Thank the Goddess that I no longer do.
It’s scary to thing how physically and mentally addicted I was. I still haven’t beaten the chocolate habit, but then I really have never tried!!
I never smoked but I understand it almost goes beyond a physical craving. And I’ve not tried to give up chocolate, either. I’m just right now pulling a batch of Fudge Ecstasy cookies outta the oven.
Fudge Ecstasy? Do go on . . .
They’re super-chocolatey, and they’re found on page 107 (I think it is) in my Betty Crocker cookbook. I generally eat ‘em before they cool off.
I’m actually glad that Obama smokes, everyone needs a vice. I don’t trust a man without a vice.
I guess on the scale of human events, it’s not the worst thing he could do.
No I suppose it’s not, but it sure doesn’t set a good example for kids, especially the ones who look up to him so.
I smoked for a nano-second in my late teens and am grateful that it wasn’t enough to addict me. I can’t imagine. Chocolate and carbs and diet coke are bad enough.
I keep telling myself that we used to use Coke to eat off the crud that forms around car batteries. And I drink it by the gallon.
I’ve put down some serious substances in my time. Nicotine and caffeine are the worst. I’ll never lose the caffeine. (No espresso? Makes me have to pee just thinking about it.) And it looks like the nicotine is going to last a little longer as well. (Caffeine without nicotine is just so…..colonial after all.)
Here’s what I always wondered: Is there any other way to look cool other than to smoke a cigarette and drink a cup of coffee at the same time? That always — despite the physical damage — seemed to incredible grown-up to me.
Apologies leftover, but imho, it’s quite easy to appear cool sans cigarette. In fact, if I see someone smoking, I’m more likely to think what a selfish douchebag s/he is. But, as an asthmatic, I’m biased. (You know a while back it was raining at the bus stop and some inconsiderate douche decided to smoke inside the little shelter? I was there first, so I had to get up, walk way far off, and stand in the pouring rain–and then I still felt like I was about to have an attack. Oh, and THEN, apparently the woman thought I was rude or something for doing that, so she decided to come stand close to me with her cigarette. I think this is called justifiable homicide . . .)
Subliminal persuasion from images of a bygone era. The Rock Hudson ad from earlier….Sinatra…Deano…Betty Davis…all the old superstars smoked.
Cigarette smokers in my state aren’t allowed inside 20 feet from a door to a public building. We don’t look very cool huddled around a butt can trying to figure out wether you want to snipe this one for later or just suck it down now.
All the cool kids walk around with latte straws to their lips and a cell phone stuck to their ear. I yell at them from the butt can,
“At least I’m not irradiating my brain!”
Cool is as cool does, I guess.
Mostly, I’m looking forward to throwing rocks at neighborhood kids. I figure if I hang on long enough, I have that to look forward to.
no apologies necessary….
Smoking’s not cool. Not anymore anyway. And people. smokers, who don’t respect the rights of others need to be shouted down. Forever, non-smokers were in the minority and had to put up with us, so I don’t feel persecuted at all. It’s healthier that way. The new anti-smoking climate has reduced my intake significantly. And the new taxes, which doubled the price in my state, will do the same. But in the morning, with coffee, if there’s no nicotine, all I do is cruise the ‘net and troll bait. I’ve actually had friends, non-smokers, who have offered me cigarettes rather than deal with my smokeless disposition.
I bet there are all kinds of studies that say why the lack of a cigarette affects the mood like that.
…it’s a psychoactive drug…no question.
…so is caffeine…..
Physical withdrawal is difficult to explain to the uninitiated. The brain can be devious when looking for a little synaptic lubricant….like now…
excuse me… I need a smoke…
(I may smell bad, but I’m sober.)
That would make a marvelous t-shirt: I may smell bad, but I’m sober. Tell me that’s original with you.
…it is…
I’m making a T-shirt….
on the front will be “I think with a limp” …
on the back will be “I may smell bad, but I’m sober”
(…wait a minute…those sound like book titles…..)
You are welcome to “I think with a limp,” because to my knowledge, I made that up and didn’t steal it. Or you can use it for that book we want you to write, one.
Nictotine is indeed psychoactive. Withdrawal was miserable and I freely shared my misery with those around me. I couldn’t focus on tasks, sleep, or act in a humane way with anyone.
I can’t believe that so many people used to smoke every where; Airplanes, restaurants, offices. We never thought about others. When I quit I banned smoking from my house and suffered the snarky looks of my mother-in-law as she stood outside my back door to smoke. My father-in-law died of lung cancer that year (yes a motivating factor for me) and she died of lung cancer 5 years later.
I’m now going to look up the cookie recipe in my Betty Crocker cook book!!
I may have the page wrong, but it’s definitely “Fudge Ecstasies.” Why does “ecstasies” look wrong to me? Perhaps because I gorged on ‘em?
I got lucky. I was unexpectedly pregnant so I knew I had to quit. Then I got DOG SICK for 12 weeks. I couldn’t eat anything, eventually needed IV fluids because I couldn’t hold down anything at all. It’s a weird feeling to puke up water while it’s still cold.
Anyway, I was too sick to notice the withdrawal.
But the first time I tried to quit, my husband (bf at the time) took an elbow to the stomach when he tried to take my cigarettes. It was weird how crazy I got.
That is a powerful addiction there. And the image of puking up water while it’s still cold will stay with me forever.
Hee hee, sorry for the image :) or should I say :0
Perfect!!!!!
Hey! He (Obama) says he’s “95% cured!” (today’s press conference) and doesn’t smoke around his family.
Wonder what that means, 95 percent cured?
He smokes every so often, is the impression I got.