100 days dip free and counting – that is the important thing to remember. And counting.
100 days ago, the only thing I was expecting, was how hard it was going to be to stay off of the dip. There was one thing different though. This time, I was the one who said, “That’s it, I’m done.”
Then, I found this place. QS.org. Found may not be the right word. Stumbled across may be a better description. What a bonus it turned out to be! People from all over, grouped together in one battle – getting rid of the Nic Demon. I heard angels singing and trumpets blowing.
I must have been mistaken though. The trumpets blowing must have been some imps blowing raspberries at me. The singing must have been their laughter, as I naively entered what was to be the May 06 Quit Group! The Free Mason Drama Queens Who Can Only Agree to Disagree May 2006 HOF Quit Group, AKA The Drama Queens.
What more need be said? Oh, it is not that easy. There is plenty to be saidÂ…
When I first joined QS, I did not participate very much. I hardly posted roll call for the first 2 weeks. Then I started posting sporadically. I posted when I hurt. I posted when I felt good. Could my quit brothers and sister really help me through this ordeal, or would they drive me back to the can? In-fighting. Wars of words. Battles galore. Other groups noticed uniqueness in the May 06 Hall of Fame group. They began to witness something possibly never before seen, in Quitsmokeless.org. DISFUNCTION CAN FUNCTION!
Oh, there were plenty of naysayers and disbelievers. Our group was chastised by “outsiders” on a frequent basis. Like the brothers we were and were becoming, we learned to “read” each other. We stuck together. We learned that being told where to go wasn’t necessarily a bad thing. We witnessed solidarity, perversion, stubbornness, helpfulness, loss, and much, much more. I can feel the genuine sincerity in the congratulations from my brothers (and others) on reaching the HOF. There is a sense of relief in reaching 100 days. There is also the knowledge that the fight goes on, albeit easier. We must remain vigilant though. The nic demon lurks. But it won’t win. It can’t win.
To my beautiful wife – thank you for being there for me, at every turn. Thank you for instinctively knowing what to say, do, or not do, in helping me achieve this quit. Thank you for not nagging. Thank you for our two wonderful children, who have cheered me every day of this journey.
To my quit brothers and sisters. I would not be here, quit of dip today, without you.
Special thanks to those brothers who called me out when I hit a really dark time. Thank you for not letting me go off never to be seen or heard from again. Thank you Danoj, QuittinTime, snoborder. Thank you to DFloyd, Pelon, who led us into the HOF, fishforsale, Warbird, DoneinATL, smkrlw, Redspringer, Elric, TZA, bootsolo, Lannes (the quiet one), oakslicer, Bacmallard (Bac, good things are going to happen to you), Gaius Petronius, 4myfamily, QuittinGrizz (you had better be having computer problems), and last (in this group), but definitely not least – the one of a kind Paveitblack.
Each of you, in your own way helped propel me through this quit, and I thank you very much for that.
I canÂ’t stop before I thank some others first.
Aquaman43 – I appreciate your input into my quit. I thank you for being a friend. I thank you for your taste in women. If you ever get up to God’s country, look me up.
Laurensdad – Thank you for your support and insight. Thank you for your encouraging words.
Wange, Sioux, frostbite20, Chewbacky and Janhawk – Thank you for allowing me to post with you on occasion . Thank you for your supportive words. Thank you for letting me get your 33,000th post!!!(still convinced I got it!)
SportDad – Thank you for this - "CLOSE THE DOOR. In my opinion, it’s the single most important step in your final quit. There is one moment, THE moment, when you finally let go and surrender to the quit. When you finally commit to never using again, starting today (no matter how many days are under your belt). When you quietly, firmly and genuinely forfeit your right to kill yourself by using tobacco. After that moment, no temptation will be great enough, no lie persuasive enough to make you commit suicide by using tobacco." I realized that this was exactly what I had come to. I used your words to inspire myself with, every day of my quit.
John23, Banyanaman, whodey, MizzouRah, Doosh, Simdog and you others reaching for the HOF. Stay strong, stay quit, and ask for help when you need itÂ….DonÂ’t go away. It is too easy to cave. I hope to be of some help to all of you, for as long as I can. If I canÂ’t help, I will try to encourage.
Matt Van Wyk – Thank you for giving me a tool to help me fight for my life. There is a special place for you in all of our hearts.
Remember, We donÂ’t do that shit anymore!
In real life, I am basically a quiet person. I am conservative in most aspects of my life and beliefs. NEVER, in all of my life, have I ever been called a DRAMA QUEEN. Today, I proudly go into the Quit Smokeless (Both 1 and 2) Hall of Fames, as a MAY DRAMA QUEEN.
