I must admit, I'm a bit nervous (and surpri... - No Smoking Day

No Smoking Day

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I must admit, I'm a bit nervous (and surprised)

10 Replies

Thursday morning, the day after tomorrow, I'm traveling to the east coast of the USA to a city called Atlantic City for a bit of vacation and r&r. If you don't know the town, it's known for its casinos, among other things. I'll be spending a fair amount of time in them. :)

(Also, the game Monopoly got the property names from streets in Atlantic City.)

Anyway, I'll be there for four days, flying back on Monday.

And for the first time in weeks, I'm a bit worried. Casinos are not exactly smoke free enterprises. I'll have quite a bit of alone time, as well, when I could easily sneak off somewhere and have a smoke.

I think I'm doing pretty good - heck, in a couple of hours, it will be six weeks since I've quit - but I'm a little apprehensive about this trip. Wish me luck!

10 Replies
nsd_user663_45836 profile image
nsd_user663_45836

YOU don't need luck, you are a clean and fresh non smoker who does not need a smoke to have fun. Look around you in the casino and feel sorry for the fools who are inhaling poison cos they think they enjoy it. Remember why you quit DGee, and you'll come back on Mon feeling a foot taller.

have a fab time :D

( I wish you luck in winning some money though!)

nsd_user663_45922 profile image
nsd_user663_45922

Hi,

Good luck! Six weeks is fantastic, so well done.

Please don't let yourself, subconsciously give yourself permission to cheat..."I knew it would be tough, everyone was smoking everywhere, there was nothing else I could do". You'll really regret it afterwards. You've done so well so far, but 6 weeks can be quite a difficult time, the initial quit motivation has started to drop and the cravings can be powerful.

Have a great holiday, but go there with fresh determination that you aren't going to smoke. As a grown up, make the choice not to go back to square 1 and remember that any cravings won't last more than a few minutes. Maybe think about taking some NRT products, just in case you need that extra help.

Have a fantastic time in LV.

Steve.

nsd_user663_26699 profile image
nsd_user663_26699

Hi DGee,

First off, have fun in Atlantic City! I've never been there, but I have lived in the US and I'm familiar with the style of those kinds of places (i.e. fun :D).

The fact that you have thought about your trip up front - and have already recognized the danger - will help you greatly. Mentally you already "know" the challenge, so now it is more a question of execution.

I would consider this type of situation as one of the many "firsts" we have to go through while stopping. For example, the first time we have a meal and don't smoke afterwards; the first time we get off a bus, train, plane, and don't smoke; the first time we see friends smoke and don't smoke with them; the first time we encounter a place where a lot of people smoke but we don't...

There are many firsts in our quit, and as we overcome each one of them, the second time around feels so much more normal. We have been there before and didn't smoke, so why would we smoke the second and subsequent times?

Think of your trip as a mini non-smoking challenge, and look forward to saying to yourself, "I know I can do this, and I'm looking forward to being here again, still smoke free."

Alex.

Morning DGee,

As Alex said, you have already anticipated the potential danger and that's great.

My advice would be for you to shut your eyes and envisage those smoking around you and how you can easily mingle with them feeling nothing at all in relation to their smoke.

Perhaps even a sexy lady might come up to you and ask for a light .. what would your response be... and then the next day an even sexier lady who doesn't smoke approaches you!

You get my drift? You don't need it. x

These are ALL great tips and I thank you all for reminding me of them. The only one stumping me is what to say to the beautiful lady who comes up to me and asks for a light... :confused:

I'm packing today, and it will be great not to have to pack extra mouthwash, gum, etc. and to not bury a few packs of cigarettes into the luggage (because they're SOOO expensive in the casinos).

I rather like challenges, so using your suggestions I'm reframing the trip into a challenge (in the best sense) rather than a doomed-to-failure episode. I also like thinking about it as just one more "first" to get through - an extended time of hanging out with people who are just a little behind me on their quit journeys (as in, they still smoke but you know they want to quit!).

I'll try to let you all know how it goes while it's unfolding, but if I can't get good internet access for my iPad, I'll give you an update on Monday or Tuesday.

Meantime, I've got a six week quit to protect! :)

You could divert the lady's attention by 'just one wafer-thin mint' .. or alternatively hold out for the sweet-smelling non-smoking one :D

May the Force be with you (and by my calculations, when the 4th comes you will be 7 weeks smoke-free!)

ps this is probably one of the oldest jokes in the book but one of the only ones I recall

.. and it kind of relies on her, in her Lauren Becall voice saying

'Do you have a light Mac?'

to which you reply .. 'No, but I have a dark brown overcoat'

HaHaHaHa makes me laugh even now! (soz it's that time of day!)

nsd_user663_45231 profile image
nsd_user663_45231

Have a great time DGee and stop worrying you will be fine..we have faith in you matey..xxx:D:D:D:D

nsd_user663_36288 profile image
nsd_user663_36288

Well, DGee - if you think about sneaking off to have that crafty one, just remember to look at your watch, estimate how long it will take you to smoke it, then have a think about how you'll feel in 10/15 minutes .....

That should sort it out.

Have a great time - you'll manage just fine.

Sue

x

Well, DGee - if you think about sneaking off to have that crafty one, just remember to look at your watch, estimate how long it will take you to smoke it, then have a think about how you'll feel in 10/15 minutes .....

That should sort it out.

Have a great time - you'll manage just fine.

Sue

x

Good idea.

I also have this notion that were I to try smoking a cigarette now, after all this time away from them, I'd be hacking and coughing and getting dizzy and really feeling sick - not to mention the hit to my self-esteem and pride.

I don't need to feel those things - not just to have a stupid cigarette. :D

nsd_user663_47060 profile image
nsd_user663_47060

Idea!

Many casinos in our area have non smoking sections now days. Maybe they will too. Sometimes they are in a far corner tucked away, sometimes close to the front doors off to the side. ASK the employees as you enter. I went to one just before my quit date and surprisingly I found myself in the non smoking area! Two days later my quit date arrived. Good Luck and have fun!:)

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