Day one

[olcpo]

943 NNT ODAAT... More than a little time has passed. I was reading back through to find something I had written to post on Discord, I was struck by the names I still post with. @ChickDip @FLLipOut @EXBEARHAG @Keith0617 @Zeus @AndyCan @ankape @Athan @A-Aron @jsjohnson @Batdad @Nomore1959 @SixString @chris2alaska @Onebadbinder Thank you for being there in my 100+ days/beginning and for still being encouraging and working for and with the new quitters on Discord.

I am proud to be Quit with you all and grateful for all the bumps in the road. It's still hard to see folks quit posting or wupping. So I am grateful for those still here. I miss this old KTC Forum for many reasons. But discord seems to be working as new quitters walk this same path and the vets still cajole, encourage, enrage, comfort, beat this quit thing into our heads.

My March MOFO's are still marching. I miss @jconners and others that have gone their separate way. I wish them the best and a strong quit with their choice to leave.

[olcpo]

I have been pondering the notion of the "Cave" in relation to the "Quit". Good and Evil come to mind. Good (QUIT) is light and Evil (CAVE) is dark. Without any energy or effort we have Dark(cave). Light/good/quit requires energy, effort, maintenance, at times an external source of support, backup systems, redundancy. QUIT/Light/Good is work. What are the benefits of light vs dark? Why do we take light/quit/good for granted? It has become apparent that without effort and positive intent light will fail and dark will prevail. To think that a system that requires energy will be self sustaining is naive and leads to failure. We didn't notice or resist the amount of energy it took to support our nicotine habit, which was substantial when you think about it. Why is the effort to maintain the QUIT, at times considered a chore?

Interesting analogies. Is it not written that darkness hates the light?

Yes, because when the light does manifest darkness is powerless.

[olcpo]

Another pearl From The Outlaw Josie Wales

[ankape]

I have been pondering the notion of the "Cave" in relation to the "Quit". Good and Evil come to mind. Good (QUIT) is light and Evil (CAVE) is dark. Without any energy or effort we have Dark(cave). Light/good/quit requires energy, effort, maintenance, at times an external source of support, backup systems, redundancy. QUIT/Light/Good is work. What are the benefits of light vs dark? Why do we take light/quit/good for granted? It has become apparent that without effort and positive intent light will fail and dark will prevail. To think that a system that requires energy will be self sustaining is naive and leads to failure. We didn't notice or resist the amount of energy it took to support our nicotine habit, which was substantial when you think about it. Why is the effort to maintain the QUIT, at times considered a chore?

This is some good stuff!

"Dying is easy, It's Living that's tough".
"Caving is easy, It's Quitting that is Tough"
 ~olcpo

[Athan]

I have been pondering the notion of the "Cave" in relation to the "Quit". Good and Evil come to mind. Good (QUIT) is light and Evil (CAVE) is dark. Without any energy or effort we have Dark(cave). Light/good/quit requires energy, effort, maintenance, at times an external source of support, backup systems, redundancy. QUIT/Light/Good is work. What are the benefits of light vs dark? Why do we take light/quit/good for granted? It has become apparent that without effort and positive intent light will fail and dark will prevail. To think that a system that requires energy will be self sustaining is naive and leads to failure. We didn't notice or resist the amount of energy it took to support our nicotine habit, which was substantial when you think about it. Why is the effort to maintain the QUIT, at times considered a chore?

Interesting analogies. Is it not written that darkness hates the light?

[Keith0617]

I have been pondering the notion of the "Cave" in relation to the "Quit". Good and Evil come to mind. Good (QUIT) is light and Evil (CAVE) is dark. Without any energy or effort we have Dark(cave). Light/good/quit requires energy, effort, maintenance, at times an external source of support, backup systems, redundancy. QUIT/Light/Good is work. What are the benefits of light vs dark? Why do we take light/quit/good for granted? It has become apparent that without effort and positive intent light will fail and dark will prevail. To think that a system that requires energy will be self sustaining is naive and leads to failure. We didn't notice or resist the amount of energy it took to support our nicotine habit, which was substantial when you think about it. Why is the effort to maintain the QUIT, at times considered a chore?

Great point. Seems addicts think they should be able to quit without working at it. You will get out of your quit what you put into it.

[olcpo]

 I have been pondering the notion of the "Cave" in relation to the "Quit". Good and Evil come to mind. Good (QUIT) is light and Evil (CAVE) is dark. Without any energy or effort we have Dark(cave). Light/good/quit requires energy, effort, maintenance, at times an external source of support, backup systems, redundancy. QUIT/Light/Good is work. What are the benefits of light vs dark? Why do we take light/quit/good for granted? It has become apparent that without effort and positive intent light will fail and dark will prevail. To think that a system that requires energy will be self sustaining is naive and leads to failure. We didn't notice or resist the amount of energy it took to support our nicotine habit, which was substantial when you think about it. Why is the effort to maintain the QUIT, at times considered a chore?

[ankape]

 Congratulations on 250 days!! So cool to see those days stack up ODAAT!
 

[olcpo]

Day 228 - Been a while and a lot has happened, gratefully all good. Still quit. ODAAT. I had a weird one two days ago and brushed it off with a short comment on roll. But @FLLipOut , Bless her heart, called me out. I had to think about it as I wrote back to her and I guess it is somewhat significant for me.

Day 226 - Sitting on the edge of my bed getting dressed, my mouth started watering and I was patting the pockets of my pants on the dresser looking for "MY" chew before I knew what what I was doing. When I couldn't find it I realized what was going on. Shocked, I laughed, reflected on where I had just been, gave it to God, Grateful and moved on with the day. So real and vibrant, the thought that a chew would taste that good. Not scary though, just real. I was able to put where it belonged without any angst or regret. The Crave went away immediately and has not returned. Life goes on...

So thanks to My Brothers and Sisters at KTC, what could have been a major storm was turned into nice summer shower and the sun shown bright soon after. This stuff works. Posting the Daily promise has been the deal breaker between me and the nicodemons more times than not. It works for me. As I state my daily promise to others that I will not accept/choose nicotine in any form, I am reaffirming my commitment to me and my Quit and thanking God for His grace to continue One Day At A Time.

[olcpo]

Day 160 - Many different thoughts, a real mix. My quit is strong, no desire whatsoever. I thank KTC for that. The power of the promise, mine to them and theirs to me, has become the central focus. The feelings that I have when the news of a brother caving comes, only serves to strengthen my resolve to never give that kick in the gut to those who have trusted me by accepting my promise and giving me theirs.

Seeing a person post a Day One, regardless of new or rebounding, brings a real mix of feelings. Elation that they are on their way and made the decision, empathy for knowing the struggles they have ahead of them, compassion and the desire to be all they might need when it gets tough, and the stark realization that it is their Choice, their Quit and their fight. I should know better but part of me wants to believe that if we do A and B that C will happen. Not. It may, but throw in a few more letters and we have chaos, blindsided by the unpredictability of life. Each step, each choice offers infinite variables with outcomes we cannot foresee. One of my favorite sayings is "When it's over, we will know what happened."

How I CHOOSE to handle these events, that can take us to our knees, determines a lot in how I move: forward, backwards, sideways. I can CHOOSE to make it all about me, manifest the pain and anguish, allow it to bring me down, push me backwards, undo progress. Or, I can CHOOSE to empathize, offer encouragement, state the reality of their choice, support them through the consequences of their choice, reaffirming that it is their Quit and most of all LEARN from the mistake.

I never REALLY understood the 3 Question thing to its fullest depth. At first I thought the Vet's were just being jerks. Now I get it. Unless we do a deep dive into our own...person(?) and get past the easy answers, we won't fully address our issues and the multiple actions or lack thereof that led us to that place and that CHOICE. Reminds me of growing up, the older I got the smarter my parents got.

So it concerns me to see Post and Ghost, to see a lack of presence on the site, I understand the debate around GroupMe. That concern is based on the sense that there is strength in being involved in the recipe of Quit that is KTC.     but... It always comes back to one word, CHOICES.

[Athan]

Day 137 - ... I had about 3 paragraphs of a "poor me" pity party. I just hit the delete key, no one needs to read that stuff. We are all on the edge of something, personally I don't know what. I need to do something different today to crawl out of this funk. Another Day In Paradise (ADIP). Be Well!

There's a hundred and one folks out there who wish they had our problems brother. Enjoy your perspective. BOHICA!

[A-Aron]

Day 137 - ... I had about 3 paragraphs of a "poor me" pity party. I just hit the delete key, no one needs to read that stuff. We are all on the edge of something, personally I don't know what. I need to do something different today to crawl out of this funk. Another Day In Paradise (ADIP). Be Well!

You once told me the funks will come and go, just like this one will. Continue to hunt the good stuff today my friend. Remember, yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, and today is a gift. Proud to be quit with you today!

[olcpo]

Day 137 - ... I had about 3 paragraphs of a "poor me" pity party. I just hit the delete key, no one needs to read that stuff. We are all on the edge of something, personally I don't know what. I need to do something different today to crawl out of this funk. Another Day In Paradise (ADIP). Be Well!

[ankape]

Fantastic Hall of Fame speech, Olcpo!!!!   

 

Yes I read it yesterday too. Great words olcpo!

What FLLip said.  One of the best HOF speeches I've read.  You are a stud brother.  Thanks for recharging my quit. 

PTQWYT my friend

I knew yours would be a great one! Thanks for sharing!

[EXBEARHAG]

Fantastic Hall of Fame speech, Olcpo!!!!   

 

Yes I read it yesterday too. Great words olcpo!

What FLLip said.  One of the best HOF speeches I've read.  You are a stud brother.  Thanks for recharging my quit. 

PTQWYT my friend