The ubiquitous resolution thread

[desertwomble]

I managed to give up smoking in 2001 when I contracted malaria in Sudan.

I was so sick I couldn't face a ciggie for a week, by which time the craving had subsided. During my year in Sudan, due to a lack of junk food, snack food and alcohol in country, I also lost about two stone.

That said, I wouldn't recommend malaria as a cure for smoking!

As for 2009 - I'm working on a 'new' batch of Canterbury Tales to make Chaucer turn in his grave.

Also plan to submit a lot more - short stories that is!

DW

[Mooncalled]

Congrats to all of those who quit smoking  I did about five years ago.  It was one of the hardest things I've ever done.  I will admit to having one (or 10) when I've done some heavy drinking, always regretted it in the morning, that will have to stop too now.  And for all of those that have quit more than once, keep quitting one day it'll stick. 

[Ed]

Did you know that doctors used to purposely infect people with malaria to cure their syphilis? Apparently the heat of the high fever is more than the syphilis can cope with, so it dies. In the days before antibiotics that must have been a pretty tough decision to make - do you want to go crazy with the pox and then die, or contract an incurable disease that could kill you in the hope of a cure. Rock and a hard place.

Re the smoking - I'm coming up to my third anniversary of quitting, and I'm really glad to be free of the damn things. To those of you who haven't read it, I'd recommend getting hold of a copy of the Allen Carr book, Easy Way to Stop Smoking. After I had read it and understood the process of addiction my mind put itself through, I could say with certainty that I could stop and would never smoke again. It's been difficult at times, but I've never once been close to starting again, and I used to smoke two packs a day.

Allen Carr likens smoking to wearing shoes that are too tight for you, only for the pleasure you get from taking them off, and that just about sums it up, really. If you think smoking a cigarette will take your stress away in testing times - it won't - not unless you're already a smoker, in which case you're only feeding a symptom of your addiction, which is a feeling of stress. If you're not already a smoker it'll just make you feel ill, it'll taste and smell bad, and it will continue to until such time as you're addicted again. If you think you're missing out on something, read the book, and then you'll realise you're not

[delboy]

And to prove Ed's point here's a picture of Alan Carr with no sign of a cigarette:

[Ed]

I think you might have mistaken the 'smoking' Allen Carr for the the 'flaming' homosexual Alan Carr there, Del

[canadian]

Isn't Allen Carr dead?

Seriously, though, I'd recommend his stop smoking plan to anyone. Helped me quit once.
http://allencarr.com/central/

As for '09 resolutions, I gave those up decades ago. I'll just keep puttering along and see what happens.

[Ed]

Yes... I wonder if they cremated him

When you say 'once', Donna, you don't mean you've started again?

[canadian]

When you say 'once', Donna, you don't mean you've started again?

Short answer ... yeah. I'm weak.

[Ed]

Nevermind. It obviously wasn't the right time for you, I suppose. I get the impression you've got to reach a point where you badly want to kick the habit to give yourself the best chance of quitting. After I had been through the first few weeks of stopping I decided that I wouldn't put myself through it again, whatever happened. That's the worst part, for sure.

[canadian]

I quit once for nine years.

[starktheground]

My resolution for '08 was to quit smoking, so I think I've suffered enough for the next decade or so!

Know that feeling well. Did you manage to kick the habit?

Yep. I think I actually did it this time! It's been, what, over eight months since I was smoking.  Of course, I still get those random cravings, but I'd say the pregnancy has helped keep cigarettes off my mind!