A Few of FR's Finest....Every Day....03-16-04....My Kingdom for a Horse (Rerun)

Billie

[FreeTheHostages]

[FreeTheHostages]

Oh thanks for rerunning this! I somehow missed completely the first time that *you* did that sketch of Ronald Reagan on a horse!! That's *wonderful*!!!

[Temple Owl]

What a great post! Thank you. I missed it the first time around. It's snowing in Southeastern Pennsylvania, but I don't think it will last. Have a very pleasant day.

[MeekOneGOP]

Good for you !

That is quite a story, thanks for sharing it. You were so much more considerate than I was.

For a long time before I quit, I had a few folks get in my face about my smoking and I grew tired of it, so I borrowed a phrase from somebody. It was my smart-alec comeback to folks nagging me to quit:

Hey, any coward can quit ! It takes a REAL man to face up to lung cancer !

Pretty awful, huh ? Well, I've tried to make up for it since by being a 'considerate' reformed smoker. The saying goes that we reformed smokers are 'the worst'. We tend to get up on our soap boxes more, and nag and harp more trying to get smokers to quit. I think I've done pretty good, but when someone else brings it up, I will put in my 2 cents worth.

When I quit, I did it cold turkey. It was the most difficult thing I've ever done in my life. A real test of the iron willpower. I could have bit nails in two. But I won't go into all the details. Just glad I did quit and made it through. I'll never fall back into that bad habit.

I'm glad you quit, too ! ;^)

[Billie]

Beautiful job Billie ! I wish I could hang out longer on monday, but I gotta work when I can..

Thanks, Rus. :) Hey, first things first! I'm happy to see you working, and hope an opportunity comes up for permanent, full-time work again.

[Billie]

Kinda hard to rope a wolf. : )

But not hard to *teach* one to rope! LOL.

[Billie]

Do you ever still *want* a smoke? Am so glad I never had the habit - have heard it's not easy to quit.

[Billie]

Good morning, Billie. Love your hat. Hope you all have a very good Tuesday.

Morning, Texagirl! Thank you - I do like pink roses. :) Have yourself a great Tuesday, too!

[Billie]

"There's no place like home"

Absolutely not! No place, no where. :)

[Billie]

Oh thanks for rerunning this! I somehow missed completely the first time that *you* did that sketch of Ronald Reagan on a horse!! That's *wonderful*!!!

Well, thank you, Freezie - and you're welcome. :)

[dutchess]

Hi Billie....FINALLY getting here. You picked a beautiful one for a "rerun".

Yesterday it felt like springtime...today we're having a huge snowstorm...(but a pretty one). School was cancelled throughout the county. Lots of happy kids and teachers here :o) Anyway, glad your back. We missed your smiling face around here.

[Billie]

What a great post! Thank you. I missed it the first time around. It's snowing in Southeastern Pennsylvania, but I don't think it will last. Have a very pleasant day.

Hi, Temple - thank you - I'm so glad it was new to you and you enjoyed it.

Snowing there today? Bet you're ready for the sunshine and warm weather! :)

[dutchess]

I'm another recovering smoker....think it's been about 12 years too. Had tried many times before but when a coworker died very quickly from lung cancer decided this was it (plus it just got so uncomfortable to smoke). I too am not an in your face to other smokers. Can empathize with what they are going through. (and yes it was one of the hardest things I ever did too!)

[TexasCowboy]

Good morning to all from the great state of Texas!

[dixie sass]

I do so Pledge.

[MeekOneGOP]

Do you ever still *want* a smoke?

No. Unlike so many that kicked the habit, I NEVER want a cigarette. I rarely am around them, but when I am, it is just an irritation (eyes, nose) to me. I realized that I was different in that respect very soon after I quit when the secretary of the UTA Housing Director asked me if being around cigarettes 'bothered' me. (I worked for the Housing Office as Apt. manager, and that summer I worked full time IN the office as well). I told her that it was slightly irritating to my nose and eyes, but it wasn't too bad I told her. She meant 'bother' to mean, did it make me WANT a cigarette. My reply, in essence, was that it slightly bothered me - wanting to get AWAY from them.

I used to have a recurring dream after I quit. Each time, the dream was in a different setting, but had a common dilemma - it was that I picked up that 'first' cigarette again and broke the quitting. Each time I would have the dream, I would wake up and realize that it was ONLY a dream and was SOOOooo relieved to know I hadn't picked them up again. Right after I quit, I had the dream very often (up to 4-5-6 times a week). As time went by, it became less frequent (monthly, every few months, etc.) until I finally quit having the dream. It was probably a couple of years, maybe 3 before the dream 'went away' for good ...

Am so glad I never had the habit - have heard it's not easy to quit.

I heard that quitting smoking (nicotine addiction) is more difficult than kicking a heroin habit. They said that while the withdrawal symptoms from kicking heroin is more severe, the time of withdrawal is shorter. Nicotine withdrawal is dragged out a lot longer time. Since I quit cold turkey, it was pretty tough for me. The first five days were really killer days for me. Beyond the first five days or so, the physical symptoms were gone/got easier, but the psychological want for a cigarette was still there for quite a while.

Sorry for the long-winded post. Didn't mean to go on for so long there.

[dixie sass]

Hi Billie, since I love horses (though know very little about them)I enjoyed the thread. I took to riding like I did to swimming, naturally. I adore the grace of the horse as it leaps through the air or prances sideways or dances or just stands there. There is nothing so beautiful, 'cept maybe a cat...

[Texagirl4W]

Hi, TexasCowboy. Is that you riding herd?

[dixie sass]

WOW!!! Congrats - I quit for three weeks and have been back smoking for three weeks, sighhhhhhhh...

[Billie]

Thank you, Sistah. :) Had fun, though always glad to be back. I should tell you about the reception! It was the most beautiful and breathtaking decor I've ever seen. The ceiling was black and the florist used 4,000 YARDS of white organza and tiny lights to give it a draped tent effect with faux columns! Silver candelabras with giant floral arrangements on every table. (I think more than 50 tables - there were 400+ guests) Felt like I was on a cruise having dinner - the buffet was absolutely awesome!