Quit smoking / stop smoking discussion support area > Anniversaries and Milestones!
OOF
FlatironMike:
Well, Jef., says that is the sound one makes at a certain age getting off of the sofa. I wouldn't know. #greenguy# But I do know that I am again sitting here at my laptop writing out a story to share as I hit a milestone that gives me pause to admire my determination. I have been involved with AS3 off and on since mid 1996. I DO know many of the TOFs as we did write each other often back then as they worked on their successful quits and I worked on several shorter ones from 1996 to Hallowe'en 1997. I started on a cold turkey quit that night and stayed smober over 3 years before I gave up on myself, and I started smoking again. The first one back was a no brainer, I was pissed and yeah, give me a sickerette like that would solve it. Sure the hell didn't so I had a second. I did not look back in the mirror for more than five years then started some start and stop quits on my own until I finally admitted that yes, I am an addict and that I did need to return to AS3 if I wanted a quit that could work.
It did. Fast and easily, to boot. I did have an excellent quit tool with Chantix, as it totally wiped out my desire to smoke. Seriously. The idea of smoke in my mouth nearly made me wanna hurl. **sick** Sure, I still did have triggers and the demon was still there saying that smoking would be a better option, but I knew all his lies this time around and refused to stop and listen to the fucker. So yeah, I did smober up and as I did, I decided that I needed to give back to the community to make my quit stick. I started out by writing and later revising the FAQ on Chantix. I also administered the QuitList for about 3 years and kept it up to date and only missed posting it timely once in all that time. I finally moved on this past year and turned that duty over to Wayne and he has done a fine job with it since. I did realize that to keep myself honest and focused about my smobriety, I did need to continue to be part of AS3 instead of slowly drifting away. Sadly, the past 18 months saw AS3 on Usenet slowly drift down to about 10 dedicated posters and I feared that I would totally abandon AS3 after getting to OOF.
But, then, to my prayers and relief, elle stepped up and now we have this wonderful new website and many more folk posting lots of fun posts and we again have NEW QUITTERS. I am so thrilled to see this rebirth as we deserve to share our joy as we share our vision of smobrierty together.
There are so many folk I know from here who have been helpful to me over the years, but none more so than Joyce. She and I had quit about the same time in 1997 and we did meet and saw each other from time to time over the years back then. When I got smober again in 2007, I did contact her and got her re-involved with AS3 until her death last year. I am sorry she is not here to share this milestone with me, but I know she would be thrilled that I am still working it and staying smober.
When I got to OF this time around, I was glad I had done it, but it was not a new milestone and was 'nice' but not the thrill I was looking for. Same with DOF and VOF as I had more than 3 years smober before my meltdown the last time. I think VOFOF might have had more meaning, but AS3 was slipping a lot by then and Joyce was missing and I was aware of that. But this one, OOF, is MINE, and yes, I am thrilled that I did it. It really is a day at a time process but to get here, you just have to start. &woot&
So, folks, you have it. I know my smobriety does work because of the efforts of all of us to stay focused and clear as to why we do matter enough to work it. Thank all of you for all your help and I do look forward to seeing many of you add to your own meters too!
(grouphug)FlatironMike
&&fim&&
Five years, 0 minutes and 10 seconds. 36520 cigarettes not smoked, saving $10,956.00. Life saved: 18 weeks, 19 hours, 20 minutes.
SteveS:
Mike, let me be the first to congratulate you. You earned your OOF the old fashioned way, by hard work and total involvement in your quit. Hitting OOF is something to be very proud of, and you should be.
Congratulations, and thanks for not only being here but for all your service work for the AS3 community as a whole.
elle:
Big congratulations, Mike, and a hearty ^^thankyou^^ for all that you do here, have done, and will continue to do for AS3. You are a big part of why this place is working again, and I'm so thrilled to see you reach this important milestone. Wonderfully well done!
BessieBee:
Mike, here are your well earned shiny things:
###Y### ###Y### ###Y### ###Y### ###Y###
FlatironMike:
--- Quote from: SteveS on February 10, 2012, 08:34:40 PM ---Mike, let me be the first to congratulate you. You earned your OOF the old fashioned way, by hard work and total involvement in your quit. Hitting OOF is something to be very proud of, and you should be.
Congratulations, and thanks for not only being here but for all your service work for the AS3 community as a whole.
--- End quote ---
Thanks, Steve. I am glad that I am here and I know that TOF will loom up to me sooner than I expect, but Today is Today and that's just great! I do learn a lot here and I do hope some of my posts help and certainly some are wacky, but we are known for that everywhere. Getting smober is a process and giving back rewarded me much more than what I did.
FlatironMike
*bday* all around
&&fim&&
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