Quitting Smoking

Well, the entirety of the Farm Fam (with the possible exception of Farmdad,) has decided that the cigarette tax hike (about eight bucks per carton, effective Monday, according to the clerk at the stop&rob where we get our smokes) is the perfect excuse to quit.

I have six cigs left in the last pack out of the last carton that I bought. Farmmom and Mamaw are getting the infamous Patch. Here goes nothin!

I was leery of the patch, since older versions tended to drop blood pressure, and I natrually have low blood pressure. Not like, no worries about hypertension low, but like "Hey, are you sure you're alive?" low.

The pharmacist ensures Mamaw that the patches she bought will not effect blood pressure... we'll see if I die. It's not going to be fun, and it's not going to be easy, but it will help that Mamaw and Farmmom will be doing it themselves.

The timing could be better, what with going back to classes Tuesday, and all, but if I worry about that, at this point, I'll never quit.

I figure the tax is a sign from Above (and no, I don't mean Obama... if he wanted me to quit smoking he'd show up at my house and nurse me through withdrawals with his own two hands!..... < /sarcasm >) along with the Fam quitting right along with me...

I'm not going to kick myself for a slip, and I'm not going to expect it to be easy. It's a process, and I'm going to give it my best shot.

I think if I can get past the first three days or so, I'll be good.

On the other hand, this is a good thing for me gaining weight, not only because cigarettes supress appetite, (AD, can you imagine me with more appetite?!?!?!?) but because I've found that the most effective oral-fixation replacement is, you guessed it, food.

Particularly sunflower seeds, because I can nibble those suckers all day and not get full, with occasional injections of chocolate for those ever-lovely endorphines.

So, wish us all luck!

Back To School, Back To School,

Well, as of Tuesday I'll be back to classes. Monday through Wednesday as a student instructor for the freshmen.

I remember the stupid things the sophomores made us do last semester. I just hope that I don't annoy the students I'm assigned to as much as the sophomore I got annoyed me.

It's gonna be tough being at the barn and not riding. Especially since, from all appearances, they're almost done with the fancy new indoor arena.

Friday, I'm headed out of town for the weekend, so blogging will be non-existent, but I'll try to get a couple of good ones up before I leave.