In and Out of the House of Horrors

Let's start with stats: 7 days, 10 hours, 20 minutes. Savings, $41.17

Now let's set the scene. My computer's been giving me fits lately, so I took it to the Genius Bar at Apple yesterday. Bottom line - they tell me I have to wipe the HD clean, and reinstall my OS, and then reinstall all my apps (and I do mean ALL my apps), then retrieve all my files from my backup drive.

I consider that a major setback. And all because there was something wrong with my Mail application, which had reached the point where it couldn't retain any passwords.

Okay, I get home, I warn clients/friends I'll be out of commission today restoring my computer. I start last night, trying a few other things I hear about on the internet. Result? I lose all my email accounts, and potentially my stored emails.

Then I read that I can re-install Lion without wiping the HD, so I figure out how to get that started, and head to bed. (It's 4:30 a.m. by this time.) The installer says it will take 160 hours to complete; I'm too tired to do anything but hit the sack.

I wake up this morning, and the new OS is installed; I'm able to reinstall my email accounts (and passwords are remembered); I'm also able to import my old emails (lost a few), so all's good with the world, right?

Wrong! I'm completely out of coffee, and I'm operating on 4.5 hours of sleep.

I. Must. Have. Coffee. Now. Which means walking down the street to the convenience store and getting some. Which in turn means coming face to face with a counter full of cigarettes, because this is where I bought mine up until a week ago.

Oh. My. God! Can I do this? Can I walk into the "candy" store and come out without candy???

I ask because, trust me, I'd been fighting MANY cravings since starting to work with the computer yesterday. Probably the most all week.

I can do this, I tell myself. I'm strong like ox; I can do this.

So I saunter over to the store. I go inside, head for the coffee. I pour a cup, put the lid on, and head to the counter. I pay for the coffee. I leave the store.

And then, halfway home, I realize: I forgot to look at, have cravings for, and possibly buy cigarettes!

So here I sit, still smoke free, having walked into the most dangerous environment (for me) with regard to smoking, and I made it out safely.

And now the stats: 7 days, 10 hours, 31 minutes! Savings: $41.21.

[nsd_user663_10532]

Well done....it's always hard breaking that cycle. Give yourself a big pat on the back

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Well, I'm not sure what's up with Day Eight, but I'm having more cravings today than I have in three-four days.

Grrrrrr..... :mad:

[nsd_user663_10532]

Take it one crave at a time and beat the cr** out of them lol

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Trust me, I'm not going to let a few urges get between me and my freedom and self-respect. Just a little surprised they are so strong today, which must mean the enemy has called in for reinforcements.

Sir Coughsalot is getting desperate!

[nsd_user663_24115]

Congratulations Dg. Youve successfully overcome one item on your default settings. keep doing it cos practise makes permanent. After all who wants to be a good Pavlovian doggie. its taken me 5 months to break free and bite the hand that wants to feed me. tobacco has learned that my bark and my bite are terrible foes and doesnt come around as often.:cool:

mash x

[nsd_user663_43218]

Well done

[nsd_user663_45204]

I do enjoy reading some of the phrases American people use.

as for this " giving me fits lately"

I've only ever heard that expression once before. I won't say where though

[Hidden]

I do enjoy reading some of the phrases American people use.

as for this " giving me fits lately"

I've only ever heard that expression once before. I won't say where though

That made me laugh out loud. I've been having fun trying to understand many of the phrases you Brits use! (For one thing, the word "fag" is very politically incorrect on our side of the pond. And it doesn't mean cigarette. ;))

More than once I've had to highlight a word and look it up in the dictionary because I've never heard it before.

I guess it's true: we're two countries separated by a common language.

[nsd_user663_44903]

Up and down kinda week .......

Well done on your resist at the 'candy' store (Sweet Shop in UK)! Well soon we won't have to look at them at all in our shops as new government legislation being introduced shortly (not sure of date) means that all shops have to have covers on front of cigarette counters in the UK!! A bit extreme I think but will help people like us!

Know exactly what you mean about in and out of the house of horrors! I've had an odd week with the quitting thing - stood next to someone smoking - didn't bother me a bit - been in a shop and never even thought of buying any countered with crazy feelings of Lord I only smoked 5 a day, surely it wouldn't be bad to go back now and have a couple of short, sharp drags" - to extreme anger when things didn't go my way" !!

It's an abject lesson in the physical might have gone away but the psychological headcrap leaches on for much, much more than that. We're always smokers = whether we quit or not. And we're only ever one 'puff' away from being that smoker again. Even now as I write I'm having a cuppa and feel like just popping out to the garden, in the evening sunlight, to have a few drags. But I won't ..........

........ I hope!

Keep the faith everyone!

Carole