I started smoking in late teens and kept it up steadily. So did Much Better Half. For a while, I switched to a pipe, but it involved too much time-wasting in fiddling about with it. I returned to cigarettes, and would average about ten a day.
Then came the time when I caught Elder Daughter, as a rebellious teenager, at it. I read the riot act, and she dissolved into floods of tears. A few weeks later, there was an exact repeat of this scene. The third time, though, instead of tears I received the response, ‘But, Dad, you smoke!’
‘No, I don’t,’ I replied promptly, and didn’t touch another cigarette for three years. A wasted effort, though. Ironically, I gave up; she didn’t. So eventually I shrugged, said, ‘What the heck!’ and resumed. The years passed, grown-up daughter emigrated to England, and we visited them there to find she and husband had given up smoking and wouldn’t allow it in the house. We had to go outside in cold weather to smoke, and the result was we cut down drastically. Also, that we gave up smoking inside when back home. (Younger Daughter has never been tempted to try it, by the way.)
On our return, I also resolved to stick to the reduced number, which became between three and five a day over the next number of years.
Then, a couple of weeks ago, I lit a cigarette and asked myself whether I was really enjoying it. The answer was negative, so I extinguished it. A few days later I had another few puffs with the same result. Then, after going out to dinner and a few beers (always when I particularly wanted a cigarette) I tried again. Once more, a couple of puffs was all it took to convince me that I have lost my taste for the habit. That was Sunday before last, since when I have been a smokeless zone.
I find it as surprising as anyone.
It seems my Solid Silver Siggy Server, as a gift from Much Better Half many years ago, will now have to live in a display cabinet .
A couple of visitors to one of our several self-service snack stations which I snapped in passing today.
So happy it’s a habit I’ve never been tempted to even try. My Mum makes my Grandad smoke outside lol so I know what that’s like in Winter for him but he still persists 😀
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Keep it that way — it certainly doesn’t benefit the voice unless striving for an authentic-sounding ‘Old Man River’! 🙂
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thats amazing! in my experience once a smoker always a smoker. just like a druggie who happens to be not smoking that day. so it’s quite something you honestly just worked out it wasn’t enjoyable and quit!
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It was strange, indeed. Why not years ago? Well, perhaps the answer would have been that I was enjoying it then.
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So glad for you!
I have never smoked, though my parents were sixty-a-day people (which killed them). My brothers both smoke as well. I always found it disgusting. Bad breath! Yellow fingers, teeth. Wrinkles! Ugh. And don’t get me started on the health issues and waste of money.
So yes, I’m very happy for you 🙂
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The offspring of one chain-smoker and another frequent smoker, I spent a childhood engaging in shallow breathing and with a near permanent wrinkled nose. My father died of a heart attack at the age of 51, a combination of smoking, being overweight and a lack of exercise. My mother, having ceased smoking in her late sixties and early 70s, died from the complications of a stroke presaged by TIAs after resuming the habit.
You can imagine therefore that the drop in smoking statistics we’ve witnessed in recent years is one I welcome, though I know that tobacco companies are desperately seeking alternative ways of maximising profit. I hope the gains you see from quitting will soon be evident, financially as well as health-wise; huge congratulations to you!
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Scarcely a background to create a positive attitude towards the habit.
I just hope I don’t come across an even less healthy and more expensive substitute!
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Granny stopped smoking after more than 40 years, Col. She wanted to know how life was without a cigarette and guess what…it was just the same..MOL 😀 Good Luck Pawkisses on the not-smoking thingie 🙂 ❤
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Pretty much the same but one needs something to fiddle with in place of the cigarette!
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My Dad always said “Stopping smoking is easy! I’ve done it hundreds of times!”
I stopped on and off, throughout my life (once for 10 years), but, alas always started again….until I had a hip replacement in 2014 and had severe respiratory difficulties post-op. Was diagnosed with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) or emphysema. Gave up then and haven’t looked back!
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Phrased another way, giving up is easy but not starting again is the hard part! Good for you doing what is good for you!
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Around 1983, I started playing racquetball . . . smoking was not conducive to playing 3-4 hours (running out of breath). I quit. Smoking, not racquetball.
I can’t speak for you or others, but I was better off without smoking even though I did, at the time, enjoy it. You should be better off as well, but be careful . . . food will start tasting a whole lot better and you might gain weight.
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In my case a weight gain would be another plus; I am too far underweight.
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nice.
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Thanks, Tiffany.
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My mother knew that I was having a puff on the side when I was 14, so she gave me a pack of Woodbines for my 14th birthday and told me “If you’re going to smoke; smoke openly” That was 1949.
I then continued to smoke like a chimney until September 1991. I had made a few attempts to stop without success.
My doctor, a Peter Latchford, (died young from prostate cancer), gave me a prescription for a series of patches that he said may help.
I stuck ONE on and haven’t smoked since.
I had to stop the patches as they were causing big blotches on my skin. But I never smoked again I’ve been clean since September 91.
Trouble is that these patches were so successful YOU CAN NO LONGER GET THEM.
They were taken off the market, I assume that the tobacco companies bought the patent and then destroyed it
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I take it the ones one gets now aren’t a patch on them (sorry, more than I could resist). That was certainly a quick and dramatic cure.
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I cant even beari the smell of cigarette, cigar or pipe smoke now.
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I’m already getting that way inclined.
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Good for you. Hope it lasts!
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Quite probably will, because I am taking a relaxed attitude to it by resolving that if I want another I’ll go right ahead. A sort of reverse psychology.
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When I tell people it’s been a couple of years I have to check myself and remember it has already been five years!
It passes quickly.
But as you smoked so little you should do fine.
I was on 20-30 a day.
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Wow, you don’t do things by halves, do you? Just as well you stopped, at that rate.
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