Dawn Is Me

In the latest news from the world of Me …

I QUIT SMOKING!

This is a very big deal. I was a smoker for 37 years. I have tried to quit before, on several occasions, without success.

This time, we’re green and good. I’m one week without a cigarette so far.

I’m very proud of myself.

My children are happy with me.

My doctors no longer lecture me.

And it’s a lot easier to book a hotel room.

Besides all that, since Spouse quit when I did, my house is significantly less stuffy and smelly. And I’m doing this just in time for spring (sort of — this is upstate New York we’re talking about here), so I can throw doors and windows open and air the place out.

So, what made the difference between success and not this time?

It turns out that the Empire State as a smoking cessation program that will send you a free, 2-week supply of nicotine patches in return for your pledge to quit and your commitment to a specific day when said quitting will occur.

Those nicotine patches work.

They don’t stop you from wanting to have a cigarette but they do make it a lot easier to decide not to have one. The craving to smoke as a sort of comfort habit (the grown up equivalent of sucking your thumb) is one thing; the nicotine addiction is something else again.

And I’m finding out weird things about myself.

Nobody should be surprised to learn that I often still want a cigarette with my morning coffee or right after I eat. But, I discover, I also get a strong craving for a cigarette within half an hour after I finish an aerobic workout!

WTF???

Any of you lovelies out there with medical or semi-medical backgrounds who would care to take a stab at explaining that, please leave me a comment. Inquiring minds want to know.

I originally had my quittage scheduled for our 25th wedding anniversary, on the 21st of this month. On the spur of the moment, we actually quit on the 19th, which also happens to be Karen’s birthday.

(So, Karen, you can view this as my birthday present to you!)

Occasionally, when I have nothing better to write about, I’ll check in here and let you know how it’s going.

Now, if you’ll excuse me, I think I’ll go and bask in the glow of public approval.

I came across this clip by accident (new twitter follower –> her web site –> latest post with said clip; oh, and thanks for the follow, Ashley!) and, just to show you how elderly and out of touch I am, I don’t even know who these people are.

But everything they say is SEW TREW! that I absolutely had to post it here:

(Okay, having done just a tad of research, I learn that this is Louis CK [a comedian, I gather ... making him one of the new hard-hitting journalists] on Conan’s show.)

I was away on business this week. I left on Monday morning, after dropping Ricky off at school. So, the last time I saw him before today was Monday morning at 7:30 am.

This afternoon, I wasn’t here when he got home because David has an appointment 15 miles away in the next village. So, when I got back and saw him sitting at the dining room table, my joy at the reunion overcame me.

I walked over to the table and tried waving. Finding it surprisingly difficult to get his attention away from his math homework, I knocked on the table.

Turns out it was the mp3 player that was holding his attention, rather than the math.

Anyway, I said hi and he said hi and I said I was glad to see him, which is why I was making such a point of saying hi, since I hadn’t seen him since Monday. After all, I’d been away since Monday.

Ricky said: “Wow, I suck.”

Me replied: “Why?”

Ricky (reluctantly): “I’m ashamed to say this, Mom, but I didn’t even know you were gone.”

You know, nobody ever has to worry about me having an attack of megalomania, not while I have my children to remind me of the realities of my situation.

I’ll take comfort in that.

(Quick, Gina, what song is that from?)