I've been smoking cigarettes since I was 19 years old. So, for the past 7 years, I have been that cool hipster guy at parties who constantly excuses himself from throngs of people so that he can go smoke by himself or with other "cool guys with facial hair." And for 7 years, it's been a love/hate relationship with cigarettes.
When I was 19, I was just finishing up my freshman year of college, and it was finals week. I was so stressed out, so I went for a walk. Upon entering the outside world, a friend said I looked stressful and offered a cigarette. And I started a 7-year relationship with an item that could ultimately kill me. It was the best and longest relationship of my life.
I realized that, in the Navy, the only way you will be afforded a break from your job is if you smoke cigarettes. My first day on my first ship, I asked my boss if I could just go sit down for a few minutes, and was met with a resounding NO! I returned to my work and started complaining to my other shipmates (the lower the paygrade, the more we bitch about stupid shit). They suggested that I go and ask my boss if I can go smoke. So I did. And you know what he said to me? He said, "Yeah; do you mind if I bum one from you?" And that was when I fell in love with cigarettes again.
Now, I'm stopping. As of today, April 29th, 2013, I'm (trying) quitting. I hope it works. I stopped at 7 pm tonight. I'm currently 1 hour and 41 minutes into it, and I'm already craving a smoke BIG TIME. I can't get it off my mind. So, over the next 22 hours and 19 minutes, I'm going to document how horrible this is for me. Hope you enjoy.
2 Hours AQ (After Quitting): Just got done eating some delicious Taco Bell. Really, really, really wanting a cigarette right now. It's eating away at me. I can talk myself into just walking to the gas station right now to buy a pack. Would it really hurt anything at all? One more day of smoking wouldn't kill me. Unless, of course, I get hit by a car walking to the convenience store.
4 HAQ: Broke down and bought a Blu e-cigarette. It's kind of amazing. And also bought some wine. Feeling better.
10 HAQ: Decided to go on an Arrested Development kick, since new episodes are coming out on Netflix in May. The Blu e-cigarette is doing well. I'm kinda shaky, not having a real cigarette, but I'm dealing. I kinda wanna kick a baby down a football field, but I'll be fine. Luckily, no babies and no football fields, so no felonies!
23 HAQ: I'm shaking like an earthquake in California, but I'm not wanting an actual cigarette all the much. Oh fuck it, that's all I want is a freaking cigarette. It would make me feel amazing if I was dragging on a cig right now. But I can put this off. I'm almost at 24 hours. I bet this feeling will just magically disappear in approximately an hour. *fingers crossed*
24 HAQ: I'm done with cigarettes.
