Day 731 and counting

Today marks 2 years since I divorced myself from cigarettes.

I quit cold turkey on December 2, 2006 at 2:00 pm

Anyone can do it.

I highly recommend Allen Carr's book The Easy Way To Stop Smoking

This book simply gives perspective to the act of smoking. It doesn't focus on the money or the health issues. You already know all about that. It focuses on the freedoms that you sacrifice by choosing to smoke. Don't let anyone tell you that you aren't allowed to smoke. Instead, tell them that you choose not to, and that you have found freedom.

I don't know where all of the money that I was supposed to be saving went and I guess I kind of feel better knowing that at least I am dying slower now. The driving force that keeps me away from cigarettes is the freedom that I enjoy every day; flipping the bird to the master that used to own me.

Nobody can make you stop smoking. In fact, just thinking about it makes you want to smoke more. I know.

Don't quit smoking today. Quit smoking when you are ready.
But never stop getting ready.

True Freedom

In short, I made it.

Not one single cigarette in over 1 year, 2 months, 3 days, 28 minutes and 6 seconds.

December 2, 2007 came and went. For whatever reason God decided to put me in Las Vegas, NV on that day for a business conference. If I can make it through that, I can do anything.

If I can quit smoking, I can do anything.

Speaking of 'do anything' the next thing I plan to do is get out of debt.

I just sent this blog to Dave Ramsey on his survey so I thought I'd make an update.

Hi Dave (and crew),

Started a newspaper route this month. I work all day, get home, go to bed at 7pm and wake up at 2am for the papers, go to work at 6am and start all over.

This is the kind of sacrifice that will pay off my debt. My normal, daytime, salaried job pays the bills just fine from paycheck to paycheck. But I can tell you that the money from the route means so much more. That money will not be wasted. It will not be squandered. It will mean something because with that money comes blood sweat and tears. The day job money is just frosting on this cake.

First on the list is get $1,000.00 in the bank for emergencies.

Put $285 yesterday.

Only $715 to go.