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How I Did It: Confessions of an Ex-Cigarette Smoker

A lot of what I remember about this, I do because I was keeping a quasi-journal at the time. It was in a blue-covered, college-ruled, single subject notebook I'm sure I initially bought for a different purpose.

Early morning. 
November 19, 2005. 



I may have overslept. I remember feeling rushed until I got into the car. Since I packed the night before, I must have overslept. 

Ashley West Leonard gave me a ride to Burbank Airport. I was heading to Minneapolis, MN for Thanksgiving at my sister’s house. I was able to visit with them for a full week. Since I was never the wake-up-and-smoke-a-cigarette-before-everything type, I hadn’t had one before the flight. I got to my sister’s and remembered that Beverly (my sister) had quit cigarettes a few years before. I think her husband, Dan did likewise. 

I didn’t want to smoke or smell like cigarettes around my nieces, Rebecca Ryweck and Rachel Ryweck. Also, it was November in Minnesota, so, you know…it was cold outside.
We spent the daytime running around various malls and stores. The evenings were for restaurants or turkey leftovers. In all that time, I was so busy, I only had an occasional thought about having a cigarette. I still didn’t want to smell like smoke around the family.



CUT TO:
INTERIOR: SISTER’S HOUSE – KITCHEN TABLE - EVENING
Michael and his brother-in-law, Dan are sitting at the table. They are just hanging out and talking about nothing in particular.

DAN
Hey, you smoke, right?

ME
Yeah.

DAN
I haven’t really seen you with a cigarette since you got here.

ME
Well, I didn’t want to smoke around you guys.

DAN
So, when was the last time you had a smoke?

ME
Honestly? At my apartment the night before I flew here.

DAN
Really? You know, they say the first three days without a cigarette are the hardest. You got here five days ago. Why don’t you see how long you can go without another one?

ME
Yeah. Maybe I’ll do that.

CUT TO:
INTERIOR: MICHAEL’S BEDROOM
Michael is at his desk, typing a blog about how he quit smoking 12 years ago.



So, there you have it. I unintentionally quit because I went someplace for a week where I found enough personal restrictions to not smoke a cigarette.

I think I have had somewhere between 2-4 instances where I felt I could “go for a smoke”, but that never lasted long enough to make me act upon it.

As for smoking other things…well, let’s just say, if you are ever in Las Vegas and are looking for something else to smoke, stop by Oasis Cannabis. I’m usually there 6am – 2:30pm, Monday through Friday (although, they’re open 24/7).


Thanks for reading. Feel free to peruse other blogs here, though they are older, I tried to make them entertaining.
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