For the past few months, I've promised myself that I was going to quit smoking cigarettes. But seeing as how I was going to be spending 8 days in France (the unofficial home of smokers worldwide), I thought it would be best to hold off on quitting until I got back home to NYC.
Well, I'm home now and today is officially my 2nd day as a non-smoker. No patch. No gum. No medication. Just cold fucking turkey, man!
Now, personally, the main problem with my quitting cigarettes is that I don't really want to quit. I LOVE smoking cigarettes. They relax the hell out of me and they go great with coffee and scotch. Besides, I happen to look very cool smoking. (I know. Totally superficial. But I'm only half kidding. If you ever saw me smoke, you'd want to start smoking too. I'm really good at it.)
Even more unfortunately, I've got a freakishly abnormal cardiovascular system so smoking has never really affected my wind. Sometimes, I'd sit in a cafe, smoke half a pack, go to the gym, play ball for a few hours, and then come out and smoke the other half pack. Back in the day, I sometimes even carried cigarettes with me when I went out for a 5-mile run.
Now before anyone gets all holier-than-thou on me, let me just interject here and state that I've never smoked a cigarette anywhere near my little daughter. Not even outside. Not anyplace where she could even see me smoking. For me, there's nothing more despicable than seeing a mother pushing a stroller with a cigarette dangling out of her mouth. Absolutely disgusting and completely immoral.
But it's ironic because I'm quitting smoking basically for two reasons and both involve my daughter. The first reason is because I love spending time with her and I want to ensure that I live as long as possible so that we can continue to hang out together for many years. Even though I still think I'm immortal, I figure it's best to play the safe odds.
The second reason I'm quitting is because I need to get life insurance. Now, as any man can attest, there's nothing quite like getting life insurance to make you feel as if your youth is behind you. Sure, marriage, joint checking accounts, sore knees, a VP promotion, fatherhood and 529 planning all make a guy feel older. But getting life insurance? That's like getting bitch slapped by middle age. It's more than a little disarming. But duty and responsibility dictate that I plan for any worst-case scenario to ensure that the Peanut is not fiscally affected by my death. It comes part and parcel with my job as the Peanut's protector.
So back to my smoking. It's Day 2, how am I doing? Really, it's hard to tell. I'm too busy shoving food in my mouth. Seriously. My appetite has multiplied exponentially. It's like I've got a parasite inside me (and I think his name is Phillip Morris.) When I'm not hungry, I go through periods where I want to take someone's head off. Or bang my head against a wall.
Someone suggested I try carrots but I can't figure out how to light the damn fuckers. Oh well. Anyone else got any other words of advice, encouragement or abuse?
Good for you MetroDad! I have always had the ability to stop smoking for years at a time. And then we move to a new place and I start back up. And even though it's only a cigarette a day to calm my nerves, I still need to give it up for good. I just wish I didn't LIKE it so much. FYI--my friend is on Wellbutrin and has lost 45lbs and is down to smoking maybe 2 cigarettes a day instead of 2 packs.
Posted by: misfithausfrau | October 14, 2005 at 02:07 PM
Congrats on quitting! I smoked for 12 years and loved every minute of it. It took me three serious tries to quit, and I HAD to use the gum, but I got there. I cheated a few years ago and had one, and it just made me nauseous. Now I never even crave them. Come to think of it, this month marks 10 years for me- Wow, I'm old. Best of luck!
Posted by: Kris | October 14, 2005 at 02:32 PM
For future reference smoking in foreign countries doesn't count. Good luck...I've been there.
Posted by: Chris | October 14, 2005 at 02:37 PM
Good luck to you!
Posted by: Kristie | October 15, 2005 at 11:23 PM
How about this happy thought (motivation to quit)...The smoke and stuff that lingers on your clothes, while you smoke no where near your daughter, will likely help make her allergic to cigarettes and give her asthma. Moreover, as she gets older she'll associate the smoker smell with daddy and see you smoke and be more likely to smoke herself.
Posted by: andy | October 16, 2005 at 12:17 AM
i quit cold turkey too and ate a few turkeys as a result. it ain't easy, but i'm sure peanut is stoked. keep up the good work MD.
Posted by: advertisingwithoutpity | October 16, 2005 at 09:56 PM
Sorry that it's taken me awhile to get my ass over here to congratulate you, but you KNOW how happy this makes me.
When Tony wouldn't/couldn't quit, I forced him to take out life insurance even though I knew it would be expensive. It was also required in our separation agreement that we both have life insurance, in the other parent's name in trust for Lucas, in the event of our demise.
As you know, Tony's demise came as a result of smoking 2 years ago. HOWEVER, he missed one tiny detail in that separation agreement:
He made Lucas the beneficiary on the policy. Therefore, I cannot touch the money, cannot use it (as it was intended) to help me raise Lucas as an only parent. I have been fighting the courts for two years over this...
Don't make that mistake! I know that Tony didn't do it maliciously...he kept telling me I'd be fine, financially. He was just clueless and I didn't know enough to ask the question.
SO... I know you will stay smoke free. I just do. I want you to also be smart about your life insurance, even though you're going to live to be 100. ;)
Posted by: panthergirl | October 18, 2005 at 03:57 PM
But it's ironic because I'm quitting smoking basically for two reasons and both involve my daughter.
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