January 9th, 2008
When I started college, I started smoking regularly. I had tried it while in high school, but once I moved on my own and didn’t fear the wrath of my mother as much, I began smoking everyday. I think it was the mix of all my friends doing it, as well as it being something to pass the time that kept me smoking. Maybe I was a social smoker more then anything. Once I started working at this company I am with now, I found that no one smoked. I was the only one; wanting to make a good impression, I didn’t smoke around any coworkers for months. It was then I realized that I really didn’t crave the cigarettes as much as I thought I did. Quitting came quite easy to me.
I still am not sure what the appeal of it is. It smells, it’s bad for your health and um, CANCER!
I am even more stumped since Vegas. Walking into a wall of cigarette and cigar smoke when entering casinos was not my idea of a great time. Weaving through their blinking lights and loudly singing machines with my scarf over my nose and mouth must have made people wonder what the hell I was doing there in the first place.
Not attractive.
[I'm talking about the smoke, not my scarf laden face.]
Mike on the other hand has yet to fight the addiction and quit. When I was pregnant with Carter he promised up and down that he would quit when the baby came. He was doing great on cutting back and trying really hard to nix the habit.
The night I went into labour he smoked a pack of cigarettes.
Last January he tried again and failed, then when he got his wisdom teeth puled out, then when he got the flu…
I’ve tried guilting him, getting angry, ignoring it, but nothing works. I know, I know… he has to quit when he’s good and ready. It has to be in his own time or else he will never quit.
When is a better time though? After the second child has arrived? After the doctor tells him again that our child’s ear infections and chronic cough could be a result of the second hand smoke residue from his father? (Mike doesn’t smoke around Carter or in the car that Carter travels in. But yes, it’s on his clothes, skin, hair, etc.)
As of right now, Mike’s quit smoking cigarettes and moved on to smaller cigars. Not gangsta style huge stogies, but small cigarette like ones. I dunno what they’re called and I don’t really care because well, he’s still smoking three years after he swore up and down that he would quit. Bitter much? Yes, yes I am actually.
Since he’s contracted this cold disease from me, he hasn’t smoked anything. I just hope that he’s sick long enough to get through the initial cravings and have it out of his system before he’s able to inhale without coughing up a lung.
How wonderful a wife am I that I hope my husband is on his death bed (as he so lovely describes this cold) long enough that it will help deter his cravings for nicotine?
That’s love people. Love I tell you.
This whole bitchfest entry makes me think about the people that say ex-smokers have no right to complain about smoking like a non-smoker does.
I don’t agree.
Our opinions as reformed / born-again non-smokers is just as meaningful as those who have never picked up a cigarette. I have every right to hate the smell and all around disgusting-ness as anyone else. I know what it’s like to want to light up, to have a smoke after sex, after eating and while drinking. I know how hard it can be to fight the need when you can’t get away to go outside and have that coveted butt or when all you can think about is just lighting up.
That doesn’t mean that I’ve relinquished my right to fresh air in a bar, casino, or car. I doesn’t mean that I should suffer through ingesting second hand smoke while eating just because I used to smoke. And it doesn’t mean that I should have more sympathy for those that do smoke and are trying to quit. I’ve been there. I’ve been through it and I know how hard it can be, but using addiction as an excuse can only get you so far in my books.
So here’s to Mike and his umpteenth attempt at quitting. I’ve kept my mouth shut and plan to do so the entire time - this time.
May it stick this time.
Otherwise I can’t be held accountable for what may happen to him.
16 Comments
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My husband smokes those little cigar things, too, and I hate it. It’s not as bad as smoking cigarettes, I guess, but I still want him to stop because his father died of cancer, and obviously I want him to be healthy and with me for a long, long time. He’s currently “quitting”, too.
Good luck, Mike!
Assertagirl’s last blog post..Sometimes I hate having to come up with a post title.
January 9th, 2008 at 11:40 am
I never saw the appeal.
I really was confused when I saw an ad for a new type of adult movie: women smoking.
Not nude, just women smoking.
Weird.
My addiction is computers and Mt. Dew
sir jorge’s last blog post..Something We Can Not Be
January 9th, 2008 at 1:39 pm
Eh, you are not what people are talking about when they say ex-smokers are the worst non-smokers. We’re talking about people like my mom, who will critisize someone who has one single hair on his entire body that smells faintly of smoke.
I hope your hubby quits. Little Man’s dad is getting better, he went on those pills quite some time ago and he says it’s helping. But I don’t see him all the time so I can’t say for sure.
January 9th, 2008 at 1:53 pm
Oh, I hope he quits…good luck!
Life As I Know It’s last blog post..Wordless Wednesday
January 9th, 2008 at 2:27 pm
Having quit smoking and still suffering the cravings, I know how hard it is.
Good luck to your man. May you not have to kill him.
Redneck Mommy’s last blog post..Good Times At the Grocery Store
January 9th, 2008 at 3:45 pm
Good luck to him. I have my own similar issues with my husband. Quitting is really hard, but it’s good that he is trying and that he has you to support him.
Mommy off the Record’s last blog post..Anyone Got a Metal Detector Handy?
January 9th, 2008 at 4:55 pm
Ugh, I can’t believe I spelled critiCize wrong. Ugh. Now I look stoopid.
January 9th, 2008 at 7:54 pm
Can you say “Nicorette suppositories” ? Just apply them when he’s passed out asleep
(evil laugh)
Chris’s last blog post..Workout spreadsheet
January 9th, 2008 at 8:22 pm
Dude, I am right there with you. I used to smoke, quit, and have been nagging at my husband to quit as well. I hate it. The arguing. The stinkiness. The money. Cigarettes suck.
Karly’s last blog post..Y’all Better Sit Down.
January 9th, 2008 at 8:56 pm
Every time I quit I am overwhelmed by the smell, etc.
And yet… as of this moment.. I smoke.
Good luck to him.
Miss Britt’s last blog post..the meeting that changed everything
January 10th, 2008 at 12:28 am
My husband tried to quit cigarettes by switching to cigarollas also. I hated the smell of that worse than I did the cigarettes so I told him that he either had to quit all together or go back to cigarettes. He went back to cigarettes. I tried.
Dana’s last blog post..“The” Test(s)
January 11th, 2008 at 5:00 pm
Good luck, chica.
I went through the same thing for 3+ years with an exboyfriend. “I’ll quit when you file your divorce papers”, “I’ll quit when your divorce is final”, “I’ll quit when we move in together”… he’s still smoking and we broke up 3 years ago!
Sadly, my fiance now keeps sneaking them.
Boys and nicotine. Crapheads.
Reese’s last blog post..Expensive Time
January 14th, 2008 at 5:30 pm
I agree, I almost think that smoke bothers me more now, years after I quit than it did before I started… if that makes sense. I quit when I finished grad school, just didn’t want to smell like smoke at work, etc. My husband quit after our second child was born… he never smoked near her and I made him change shirts and wash his hands twice before he could hold her after smoking, so I think he caved.
DBN’s last blog post..Clearing Out
January 16th, 2008 at 12:26 am
I stopped and started smoking many times over the past 40 years. I’ve been off for 4 years this time but still want a smoke. That urge never goes away. I spotted some stop smoking videos here if you need some help.
January 19th, 2008 at 11:14 am
I know how hard it can be to stop smoking…I wish both of you luck.
January 19th, 2008 at 5:48 pm
Nice post there. For those who still cannot quit smoking, you might want to visit my blog:
http://mens-survival-guide.blogspot.com/
Been a smoker myself, saw the reason why I should quit for 2008.
January 20th, 2008 at 10:52 am