Helpful Ideas

[meng]

Yay! Get ready to have some extra spending cash in your pocket. Don't be shy about rewarding yourself with it for awhile. I spent it monthly on things I wanted but wouldn't buy otherwise. It helped! I also put signs up for a few days, "suffering for a little while means living for a long while." Most who don't quit are afraid of suffering withdrawals and so either don't or else load up on other nicotine things, gum, patches etc. Screw that, suffer a little while. It's SO worth it. Having some support is a good thing too. I had a friend tell me, it's ok to yell at me if you need to yell for awhile, lol. I thought it was a very thoughtful thing to offer. It's been 4 1/2 years here. I dream of smoking once in awhile without thinking of it in the dream, then suddenly I realize - I blew it! Then I wake up and am really glad it was just a dream. Actually, the thought of having a cig now is really repulsive. It's the last thing I want. The house, my clothes, my car, my breath all don't miss the smell either.

If you need to yell, IM me and have at it. Proud-a-ya, girl.

[answeredquestions]

haha. Thanks Bruce

So here is a mini update... I haven't smoked since roughly 11:30PM on Thursday the 12th. I worked a double that day, and left my house with the bird's, only to return to darkness. It was a looong day, and I don't smoke at work. I didn't even really think about smoking until my feet hit the pavement to leave. Then I lit up. I also had a couple on the front porch that night when I got home. I couldn't even finish them (this happened a lot to me). I didn't even finish the last cigarette.

I went to work on the 13th, knowing very well what day it was. I didn't bring my pack with me. I don't ever smoke on the way to work or during work, just after. When work was done, I hit the mints that I had in my bag. I nibbled on them all the way home.

and then I slept for EVER it seemed. I think my body needed it. It is burnt and tired from the trip and then the long shift at work. So today will be a challenge for sure. I just made some tea and put some extra spice in it. I am going to go outside and relax (as much as I can) on the porch. I really like it outside, despite the association with smoking.

[answeredquestions]

La la lala lalala... chirp chirp chripchripchrip... Still haven't smoked.

[iams girl]

La la lala lalala... chirp chirp chripchripchrip... Still haven't smoked.

Baby chicken dancin' into new life!

Image courtesy VintageHolidayCrafts.com

[answeredquestions]

That's a cute little chick. Thanks Iams Girl.

I made it through the weekend. I feel like that could have been the hardest part, not that I won't have other hard patches. Now that the work week is here, it will distract me somewhat. That and I am working on my very own website (A collection of my artwork) finally! I am having a hard time with food however. I went to the store and bought a bunch of healthy greens, I got some extra spices etc... but I am having terrible cravings for starchy and carby things. I went ahead and ordered pizza last night. I think I have come to the conclusion that I am going to inevitably gain some weight in this process, but it is better than the cigarette smoke in my lungs. Chipping away at the old block. Can work on the weight later, but if I think about it too much I will get too stressed and start smoking again.

I did a reading about it: Please guide me with my weight and quitting smoking. 12.2.5 > 64. It overwhelmed me at first. I would like some feedback. I see 64 as saying that I am in a spot where I am not settled in. Things are not in balance, elements are not working towards eachother. It's a time of confusion for me because of my coming off of cigarettes (it's very hard, it's like heroin). 64 to me is just saying that, sort of in an "of course" kind of way, I haven't made it thru this quitting process and it is going to affect my weight until I can cross the river and have the elements working together.

I also find the picture of 64 to be interesting (未). The unriped tree, immature. The reading I did before I quit, the one that I am to gain insite during this time from, 44.2.5 >53, which Tom sparked this image of a mountaineer climbing to clear air (very inspiring). I thought about making my way up to, or at least gazing at, the tree at the top of the mountain. This for me has great symbolizm. I have said before that I strongly associate Tree's with Bronchial Tubes, not just because of their physical similarities, but also in their functions. The Tree turning carbon dioxide to breathable air and the Lungs oxygenating the blood for the body. Both beautiful processes that seem to be a personal symbol in 44.2.5 >53. So the Tree remains a theme.

12.2.5 is then also very interesting.. This is where I wouldn't mind some feedback. I have to remember this reading is about my weight and quitting relationship. I feel like the two in the relationship are the elements that are (again like 64) not interacting. Perhaps I need to not associate them. I feel broadly and at first glance, this reading is saying don't worry about the weight, just go with it, eat like a slob for a little while. Don't get out there and run the weight off, you don't have the energy or mental stability right now. Right now, just quit smoking. Period. And I feel like Line 2 is reinforcing this. The wrap or package (包) to me is my stomach and the line implies, to me, to eat like an idiot

Line 5 has sooo many symbols with it to me. The mulberry tree, I think it is a BEAUTIFUL Chinese character:

桑

It holds so much .. something... to me... perhaps the word is Shen. Something is giving me all of these images and symbols in my head (I hope I'm not CRAZY). My Grandparents have Blueberry bushes, and myself and my cousin (the smoker talked about in previous posts), my dad and his brothers would all go out and pick from the bushes around July. One time my cousin had this bucket tied to his belt for picking. He had the bucket very full with delicious ripe blueberries and he was up on a ladder getting the top of a bush, when... yep... he fell. Of course the bushes are not that high and he was fine, but the blueberries went everywhere. This story holds a bit of a don't reach too high for the unattainable type moral to it. In Line 5 there is a basket on a stand that is lost (其亡其亡). At least this is my interpretation of this repeated part of the line. What does this all mean?!

I might pick up some berries at the store. I like to get literal...
definitely not going "picking" tho.. haha

Also though, does anyone know about the fastening to the mulberry tree??

I am almost seeing this man: 休 leaning against the tree, instead of climbing it.. the fruit isn't ripe anyways, and it just fastens the bucket to the tree for any fruits that drop, but he doesn't himself do any work like climbing or picking.

[answeredquestions]

I'm seeing this all different now...

[trojan]

you can deal with the weight later...and anyway most people only put a little bit on...its not like you will suddenly get HUGE...and anyway when you have stopped smoking you will want to run around a bit more.

Please don't let the thought of weight gain stress you and stop you quitting....you will look prettier anyway as you said earlier it makes your hair and skin softer when you stop smoking

Quitting cigarettes is very hard for most people....I mean it is a big deal. I don't want you to get stressed because of pre occupation with weight.

When I quit I accepted I was going to gain some weight through eating more ...plus smoking makes your digestion move fast, speeds your metabolism so when you stop smoking what food you do eat will kind of be processed better rather than shooting straight out the other end A little bit of padding to your curves won't kill you, smoking will...and anyway some weight gain can make you look a whole lot better in a push up bra

Curvaceous Bootilicious Courteney


You can't do it all at once. I quit smoking first and dealt with the bit of weight gain a few months later. I didn't gain very much just a few pounds so it wasn't so hard to lose it since its easier to excersize once you have your breath back





BTW you are remembering to treat yourself to nice things to wear etc with the money you saved from smoking right ? So if you do have a slightly bigger tummy you can buy a really nice floaty top to cover it up....oh and a nice sexy bra to accomodate slighly more ample cleavage. Turn more flesh to your advantage !

[trojan]

.....er yes thats what 12.5 was saying 'tie it to a mulberry bush' translates as 'buy a new bra'. You see the uplift automatically creates the appearance of a slimmer waistline. Yes that must be what the 12,5 is about

[answeredquestions]

Curvaceous Bootilicious Courteney

They already call me that all the time

[precision grace]

Have you checked this out or read one of the books? http://www.theeasywaytostopsmoking.com/books.aspx

It's meant to be the easiest way to stop smoking...