Introduction Time

[Mthomas3824]

I have this hanging on my wall in my office.

"So live your life that the fear of death can never enter your heart. Trouble no one about their religion; respect others in their view, and demand that they respect yours. Love your life, perfect your life, beautify all things in your life. Seek to make your life long and its purpose in the service of your people. Prepare a noble death song for the day when you go over the great divide.

Always give a word or a sign of salute when meeting or passing a friend, even a stranger, when in a lonely place. Show respect to all people and grovel to none.
When you arise in the morning give thanks for the food and for the joy of living. If you see no reason for giving thanks, the fault lies only in yourself. Abuse no one and no thing, for abuse turns the wise ones to fools and robs the spirit of its vision.

When it comes your time to die, be not like those whose hearts are filled with the fear of death, so that when their time comes they weep and pray for a little more time to live their lives over again in a different way. Sing your death song and die like a hero going home."

Wow that is good. Where did you get it? I think I would like to put that in my office as well.

[Greg5280]

I have this hanging on my wall in my office.

"So live your life that the fear of death can never enter your heart. Trouble no one about their religion; respect others in their view, and demand that they respect yours. Love your life, perfect your life, beautify all things in your life. Seek to make your life long and its purpose in the service of your people. Prepare a noble death song for the day when you go over the great divide.

Always give a word or a sign of salute when meeting or passing a friend, even a stranger, when in a lonely place. Show respect to all people and grovel to none.
When you arise in the morning give thanks for the food and for the joy of living. If you see no reason for giving thanks, the fault lies only in yourself. Abuse no one and no thing, for abuse turns the wise ones to fools and robs the spirit of its vision.

When it comes your time to die, be not like those whose hearts are filled with the fear of death, so that when their time comes they weep and pray for a little more time to live their lives over again in a different way. Sing your death song and die like a hero going home."

[Mthomas3824]

the best part is when you get really wasted and kill yourself or someone else!!!

True that!

My uncle flipped a truck on my dad's head and killed him instantly. He scraped his elbow but crushed my dads head open. When the cops came to the accident, he was so distraught that he was trying to give him CPR. (that was no accident...that was a crime scene!!!)

Getting wasted and being an addict is so cool! Especially when you are still accountable to your choices and actions. Never forget that when you think you are, "off the record" you are still on the record.

We all make choices and live with the consequences. Some choices bare fruits of success. Like making a promise and posting roll. Other choices bare fruits of failure like drinking yourself to not care about your promise. Next thing you know, you are dipping! You still own that choice.

So sick of addicts blaming their failure on things like, "I drank too much". Own your addiction and control it by being accountable to protect your quit.

Getting wasted on alcohol, prescription drugs etc is another form of addiction. Wake up!

Get addicted to winning and tasting success. Do good, be honorable and live a life that you don't have to make excuses for. Live a life that you can hold your head up with confidence and peace.

If you find peace and happiness with yourself, getting shitfaced and wasted....There just isn't any point to it. You wont need an escape because you like yourself.

Start liking yourself by working and being who you know you can and want to be. I highly doubt any of us as kids ever dreamed about growing up to be addicted to nicotine or alcohol. Yet some of us live for the weekend to solely get our drink on???

We got side tracked, now it is time to got to work and get back on course...no matter what our age.

Maybe I am raging here but my hell. All of this may be hard to do, but the concept is simple and the burden to abstain is so much lighter than the consequences of damning addictions!

[Greg5280]

bump

100 and the HOF Congrats!

now stick with it long term....commit to 200.....1 day at a time...

posting your daily promise works, do not fade away as so many others have done before you!

now is not the time for complacency!

:)

Excellent advice. Post EVERY day.. why quit what has worked so far?

[Scowick65]

bump

100 and the HOF Congrats!

now stick with it long term....commit to 200.....1 day at a time...

posting your daily promise works, do not fade away as so many others have done before you!

now is not the time for complacency!

:)

[D2maine]

bump

100 and the HOF Congrats!

now stick with it long term....commit to 200.....1 day at a time...

posting your daily promise works, do not fade away as so many others have done before you!

now is not the time for complacency!

[tony]

So I figured I'd post an update to this. I'm on day 24 now, and I've been following through with the updates to my quit plan. The main component of that plan was a "change in lifestyle" by not going to the parties. I've kept to that. I haven't gone to a single one since my fuckup, 24 days ago. I have had one, or two beers on occasion, but in my apartment, and not out with the crowd of party friends I used to hang out with. I've distanced myself from that group, and have instead focused my time further more into school and finding employment-which payed off. Last week I was called and hired for a IT position-one I didn't think I'd be able to attain until after I had completed my education, and gotten some certifications.

I now have another reason, to add to the list of reasons for staying quit-and that is tobacco is prohibited at this new place of employment-I worked too hard getting this job to risk losing it to something as worthless as a dip. I will also be far more effective with a clear mind, and possess more patience (which is also very important for this line of work) then what a nicotine addicted individual would have. One less thing to worry about. Additionally, I'm sure I would have had a much harder time focusing at the interview or during the skills testing with my mind focusing on when I had last dipped.

I'm only on day 24, and I still feel the craves, but I am staying strong and I think have achieved a major turn around by distancing myself from people who were negative influences.

[tony]

Also, trip to northern Idaho got cancelled due to weather, so cell access isn't an issue now.

[tony]

Thanks for the advice.

Rgross-i am pissed at tobacco. I'm convinced the only reason its legal, is either because of the huge tax revenue it pulls in, or as some sort of pop control device.

Vadge I have what it takes. I just need to fully embrace the quit this time and make those life changes. Please don't discriminate my efforts at this because I'm a younger guy.

[ERDVM]

This is what I posted over in July-my introduction, and my new quit plan.  Please tell me if there are any other ways or additions I could do to improve this plan.

Ok guys, as promised, here is my more detailed introduction. I in no way meant to do an "oops" and just post into the next group. I was trying to post my day 1 as soon as possible to leave no room for slack. I did not use nicotine yesterday, and I do not have any on my person, in my apt, car, etc.

For this group-I was 41 days quit when I caved. I caved because I neglected the advice all the vets continued to post-avoid alcohol during your quit as it lowers your guard. I went to a party, had too much to drink, and wasn't "there" when I smoked-I wasn't even thinking about my quit plan, about the set of numbers I had in my phone, about how far I had made it. I do NOT mean that as an excuse, I mean that as a warning. Get too drunk, and you'll completely forget about your quit plan, and you will cave to nicotine. For me, it was a cigarrette that I vaguely recall smoking. I woke up with a headache, I smelt like nasty smoke, and I knew that I had to start completely over again. For the second time.

The first time I caved was in 2011. I was in the April 2011 quit group. Around my 40's, I decided I was "cured" and left. I stopped posting roll. I eventually caved in september-I smoked a cigar with some buddies. About 2 weeks later, I had some cigarettes. I stopped for abit. Then, in my weakened mind I thought "hey, dip used to keep me awake, right?" Soon enough, I was back to a can a day habit, shoving dip in my face, thinking it was helping me stay awake during my night shift.

I have alot of work to regain any trust here. I have put some serious work into my quit plan, and for me, its going to involve alot more changes to my lifestyle then previously. I'm in college, 23, and for me, going out to the parties and drinking and all on the weekend were a pretty big part of what I did I guess. I've decided its time I, for now, remove the drinking. Later, I can drink-responsibly. Not to blackout drunk like I did last weekend. I'm going to remove the partying as well-that will cut out a major risk of caving, for me.

My quit plan is this:
1. Post roll every day, and if that is not possible, tell the group ahead of time why. Like this week, I'm going on a backpacking trip with my dad for a week. I don't think I'll have cell access where I'm going, but if I did I will text someone that I am quit. My dad is not a tobacco user and knows about my struggle with nicotine.
Otherwise, posting roll every day, first thing in the morning in one of the most important things to do

2. Remind myself why I am quitting-cigarettes, dip, tobacco, nicotine kill. Nicotine also creates a miserable lifestyle-I don't want to be dependant on intaking nicotine every 30 minutes. If I need refreshing of this, I can look at the cancer pictures. I have written this down on a card and put it in my wallet.

3. Keep a set of alternatives around to help defeat craves-sunflower seeds, water, bubblegum, gum, fake dip

4. Get as many numbers as possible. I also have these physically written down and in my wallet-in case I didn't have my phone.

5. Stay active on the forums-this assists me in step 1, and also keeps me distracted from use. I also need to give back to this community, when I've regained trust and is acceptable for me to do so.

6. As noted above, a change in my lifestyle. I need to stop the partying, my workload in school is high enough as it is anyways, and I'm almost done. I also need to lay off the drinking this early in my quit, and later, learn to drink responsibly and avoid putting myself into a situation like last weekend.

7. Print off the contract to give up. Reword where it says "dip" and put in dipping and smoking. Fold up, and carry this with me as well.

Now like I said earlier, I have this issue this week as to how I am going to post roll-I don't think I'll have cell access. This isn't me making shit up, I'll post pictures when I get back, if you all want. I'm going to be way up in northern Idaho. It'll be good for me, being outdoors and away from distraction for a week. I'll text if I get service.

Way to come back with a reasonable plan. I'll be honest, I don't know if you have what it takes to quit or not. If I were still 23 I'm not sure I would have it either. But at 51 I have a crystal clear idea what being quit is about. You have to want it and believe it. I wish you the best in pursuing your quit. PM me if you need numbers.

Good work, Tony. Now, quit F-ing around, no more excuses. The alcohol didn't do shit, you made a conscious decision.

Also, eliminate the word "cave" from your vocabulary. You can choose one of two paths:

Choose Death --or -- Stay Quit

Think of those two alternatives the next time you're confronted with that choice. And, of course, stop putting yourself into situations where that choice confronts you, dude.

One final thing: get pissed. At your age, if you can't stay angry at tobacco and what it does, you're going to have a hard time staying quit. Don't worry, if you Choose Death and waste 10-20 more years sucking down tobacco, you'll eventually get pissed like the rest of us.

Tony,

When i Pmd you the other day and said I was glad to see you back. I meant being active on the site. Not, letting your guard down, caving, and then posting in a new group. You got 3 of us old fucks fired up (yes rgross and tonyselle, you two. I don't know wowee). I don't know what lies your addict brain tells you after 6 weeks of quit, but you need to figure that out so you can avoid it this time. 2x is enough. Im not trying to pile on, I'm just worried that you don't have what it takes.

Vadge

[WoweeZowee216]

the best part is when you get really wasted and kill yourself or someone else!!!

[rgross298]

This is what I posted over in July-my introduction, and my new quit plan.  Please tell me if there are any other ways or additions I could do to improve this plan.

Ok guys, as promised, here is my more detailed introduction. I in no way meant to do an "oops" and just post into the next group. I was trying to post my day 1 as soon as possible to leave no room for slack. I did not use nicotine yesterday, and I do not have any on my person, in my apt, car, etc.

For this group-I was 41 days quit when I caved. I caved because I neglected the advice all the vets continued to post-avoid alcohol during your quit as it lowers your guard. I went to a party, had too much to drink, and wasn't "there" when I smoked-I wasn't even thinking about my quit plan, about the set of numbers I had in my phone, about how far I had made it. I do NOT mean that as an excuse, I mean that as a warning. Get too drunk, and you'll completely forget about your quit plan, and you will cave to nicotine. For me, it was a cigarrette that I vaguely recall smoking. I woke up with a headache, I smelt like nasty smoke, and I knew that I had to start completely over again. For the second time.

The first time I caved was in 2011. I was in the April 2011 quit group. Around my 40's, I decided I was "cured" and left. I stopped posting roll. I eventually caved in september-I smoked a cigar with some buddies. About 2 weeks later, I had some cigarettes. I stopped for abit. Then, in my weakened mind I thought "hey, dip used to keep me awake, right?" Soon enough, I was back to a can a day habit, shoving dip in my face, thinking it was helping me stay awake during my night shift.

I have alot of work to regain any trust here. I have put some serious work into my quit plan, and for me, its going to involve alot more changes to my lifestyle then previously. I'm in college, 23, and for me, going out to the parties and drinking and all on the weekend were a pretty big part of what I did I guess. I've decided its time I, for now, remove the drinking. Later, I can drink-responsibly. Not to blackout drunk like I did last weekend. I'm going to remove the partying as well-that will cut out a major risk of caving, for me.

My quit plan is this:
1. Post roll every day, and if that is not possible, tell the group ahead of time why. Like this week, I'm going on a backpacking trip with my dad for a week. I don't think I'll have cell access where I'm going, but if I did I will text someone that I am quit. My dad is not a tobacco user and knows about my struggle with nicotine.
Otherwise, posting roll every day, first thing in the morning in one of the most important things to do

2. Remind myself why I am quitting-cigarettes, dip, tobacco, nicotine kill. Nicotine also creates a miserable lifestyle-I don't want to be dependant on intaking nicotine every 30 minutes. If I need refreshing of this, I can look at the cancer pictures. I have written this down on a card and put it in my wallet.

3. Keep a set of alternatives around to help defeat craves-sunflower seeds, water, bubblegum, gum, fake dip

4. Get as many numbers as possible. I also have these physically written down and in my wallet-in case I didn't have my phone.

5. Stay active on the forums-this assists me in step 1, and also keeps me distracted from use. I also need to give back to this community, when I've regained trust and is acceptable for me to do so.

6. As noted above, a change in my lifestyle. I need to stop the partying, my workload in school is high enough as it is anyways, and I'm almost done. I also need to lay off the drinking this early in my quit, and later, learn to drink responsibly and avoid putting myself into a situation like last weekend.

7. Print off the contract to give up. Reword where it says "dip" and put in dipping and smoking. Fold up, and carry this with me as well.

Now like I said earlier, I have this issue this week as to how I am going to post roll-I don't think I'll have cell access. This isn't me making shit up, I'll post pictures when I get back, if you all want. I'm going to be way up in northern Idaho. It'll be good for me, being outdoors and away from distraction for a week. I'll text if I get service.

Way to come back with a reasonable plan. I'll be honest, I don't know if you have what it takes to quit or not. If I were still 23 I'm not sure I would have it either. But at 51 I have a crystal clear idea what being quit is about. You have to want it and believe it. I wish you the best in pursuing your quit. PM me if you need numbers.

Good work, Tony. Now, quit F-ing around, no more excuses. The alcohol didn't do shit, you made a conscious decision.

Also, eliminate the word "cave" from your vocabulary. You can choose one of two paths:

Choose Death --or -- Stay Quit

Think of those two alternatives the next time you're confronted with that choice. And, of course, stop putting yourself into situations where that choice confronts you, dude.

One final thing: get pissed. At your age, if you can't stay angry at tobacco and what it does, you're going to have a hard time staying quit. Don't worry, if you Choose Death and waste 10-20 more years sucking down tobacco, you'll eventually get pissed like the rest of us.

[raiderx]

Hi Tony

Not sure if you will get this prior to your trip but here is one thing that may ( or may not help you stay quit). You are going to Northern Idaho. Most likely not very far from where you are hiking is a line and across this line is a magical place where people speak funny, the money is different colors and a tin of dip is $22.00. No that is not a typo $22.00 per can of poison. Now I am not sure how much it is where you live but up here a can a day habit would be $660 a month or $7,920 per year. To let you know for the year ending December 31 2011 - based on my usage I figure I wasted around $900 on something that can and most likely will kill me. I have been dipping for 20 years so my conservative estimate is that I wasted somewhere in the neigbourhood of $30,000 to $40,000. If I came up to you today and said give me 40,000 and I will give you something that may kill you, you would punch me in the head and tell me to fuck off.

So Tony, take it from one of your northern brothers who is just now getting smart- quit now and buy a sports car

[T-Cell]

This is what I posted over in July-my introduction, and my new quit plan. Please tell me if there are any other ways or additions I could do to improve this plan.

Ok guys, as promised, here is my more detailed introduction. I in no way meant to do an "oops" and just post into the next group. I was trying to post my day 1 as soon as possible to leave no room for slack. I did not use nicotine yesterday, and I do not have any on my person, in my apt, car, etc.

For this group-I was 41 days quit when I caved. I caved because I neglected the advice all the vets continued to post-avoid alcohol during your quit as it lowers your guard. I went to a party, had too much to drink, and wasn't "there" when I smoked-I wasn't even thinking about my quit plan, about the set of numbers I had in my phone, about how far I had made it. I do NOT mean that as an excuse, I mean that as a warning. Get too drunk, and you'll completely forget about your quit plan, and you will cave to nicotine. For me, it was a cigarrette that I vaguely recall smoking. I woke up with a headache, I smelt like nasty smoke, and I knew that I had to start completely over again. For the second time.

The first time I caved was in 2011. I was in the April 2011 quit group. Around my 40's, I decided I was "cured" and left. I stopped posting roll. I eventually caved in september-I smoked a cigar with some buddies. About 2 weeks later, I had some cigarettes. I stopped for abit. Then, in my weakened mind I thought "hey, dip used to keep me awake, right?" Soon enough, I was back to a can a day habit, shoving dip in my face, thinking it was helping me stay awake during my night shift.

I have alot of work to regain any trust here. I have put some serious work into my quit plan, and for me, its going to involve alot more changes to my lifestyle then previously. I'm in college, 23, and for me, going out to the parties and drinking and all on the weekend were a pretty big part of what I did I guess. I've decided its time I, for now, remove the drinking. Later, I can drink-responsibly. Not to blackout drunk like I did last weekend. I'm going to remove the partying as well-that will cut out a major risk of caving, for me.

My quit plan is this:
1. Post roll every day, and if that is not possible, tell the group ahead of time why. Like this week, I'm going on a backpacking trip with my dad for a week. I don't think I'll have cell access where I'm going, but if I did I will text someone that I am quit. My dad is not a tobacco user and knows about my struggle with nicotine.
Otherwise, posting roll every day, first thing in the morning in one of the most important things to do

2. Remind myself why I am quitting-cigarettes, dip, tobacco, nicotine kill. Nicotine also creates a miserable lifestyle-I don't want to be dependant on intaking nicotine every 30 minutes. If I need refreshing of this, I can look at the cancer pictures. I have written this down on a card and put it in my wallet.

3. Keep a set of alternatives around to help defeat craves-sunflower seeds, water, bubblegum, gum, fake dip

4. Get as many numbers as possible. I also have these physically written down and in my wallet-in case I didn't have my phone.

5. Stay active on the forums-this assists me in step 1, and also keeps me distracted from use. I also need to give back to this community, when I've regained trust and is acceptable for me to do so.

6. As noted above, a change in my lifestyle. I need to stop the partying, my workload in school is high enough as it is anyways, and I'm almost done. I also need to lay off the drinking this early in my quit, and later, learn to drink responsibly and avoid putting myself into a situation like last weekend.

7. Print off the contract to give up. Reword where it says "dip" and put in dipping and smoking. Fold up, and carry this with me as well.

Now like I said earlier, I have this issue this week as to how I am going to post roll-I don't think I'll have cell access. This isn't me making shit up, I'll post pictures when I get back, if you all want. I'm going to be way up in northern Idaho. It'll be good for me, being outdoors and away from distraction for a week. I'll text if I get service.

Way to come back with a reasonable plan. I'll be honest, I don't know if you have what it takes to quit or not. If I were still 23 I'm not sure I would have it either. But at 51 I have a crystal clear idea what being quit is about. You have to want it and believe it. I wish you the best in pursuing your quit. PM me if you need numbers.

[tony]

This is what I posted over in July-my introduction, and my new quit plan. Please tell me if there are any other ways or additions I could do to improve this plan.

Ok guys, as promised, here is my more detailed introduction. I in no way meant to do an "oops" and just post into the next group. I was trying to post my day 1 as soon as possible to leave no room for slack. I did not use nicotine yesterday, and I do not have any on my person, in my apt, car, etc.

The first time I caved was in 2011. I was in the April 2011 quit group. Around my 40's, I decided I was "cured" and left. I stopped posting roll. I eventually caved in september-I smoked a cigar with some buddies. About 2 weeks later, I had some cigarettes. I stopped for abit. Then, in my weakened mind I thought "hey, dip used to keep me awake, right?" Soon enough, I was back to a can a day habit, shoving dip in my face, thinking it was helping me stay awake during my night shift.

I have alot of work to regain any trust here. I have put some serious work into my quit plan, and for me, its going to involve alot more changes to my lifestyle then previously. I'm in college, 23, and for me, going out to the parties and all on the weekend were a pretty big part of what I did I guess. I'm going to remove the partying as well-that will cut out a major risk of caving, for me.

My quit plan is this:
1. Post roll every day, and if that is not possible, tell the group ahead of time why. Like this week, I'm going on a backpacking trip with my dad for a week. I don't think I'll have cell access where I'm going, but if I did I will text someone that I am quit. My dad is not a tobacco user and knows about my struggle with nicotine.
Otherwise, posting roll every day, first thing in the morning in one of the most important things to do

2. Remind myself why I am quitting-cigarettes, dip, tobacco, nicotine kill. Nicotine also creates a miserable lifestyle-I don't want to be dependant on intaking nicotine every 30 minutes. If I need refreshing of this, I can look at the cancer pictures. I have written this down on a card and put it in my wallet.

3. Keep a set of alternatives around to help defeat craves-sunflower seeds, water, bubblegum, gum, fake dip

4. Get as many numbers as possible. I also have these physically written down and in my wallet-in case I didn't have my phone.

5. Stay active on the forums-this assists me in step 1, and also keeps me distracted from use. I also need to give back to this community, when I've regained trust and is acceptable for me to do so.

6. As noted above, a change in my lifestyle. I need to stop the partying, my workload in school is high enough as it is anyways, and I'm almost done. I also need to lay off the drinking this early in my quit, and later, learn to drink responsibly and avoid putting myself into a situation like last weekend.

7. Print off the contract to give up. Reword where it says "dip" and put in dipping and smoking. Fold up, and carry this with me as well.

Now like I said earlier, I have this issue this week as to how I am going to post roll-I don't think I'll have cell access. This isn't me making shit up, I'll post pictures when I get back, if you all want. I'm going to be way up in northern Idaho. It'll be good for me, being outdoors and away from distraction for a week. I'll text if I get service.